When the Arizona Philharmonic launches its eighth season this fall audiences will experience more than just music. They’ll witness the weaving of vision, resilience and community that has become the hallmark of this orchestra. At the center of it all is Henry Flurry, co-founder and artistic director, whose background as composer, performer, educator, and entrepreneur shapes both the artistry and the spirit of AZPhil.
Flurry’s journey is anything but ordinary. With degrees in both electrical engineering and music composition from Northwestern University, further studies in Europe, and a professional career that included creating multimedia for companies like Disney and Scholastic, he brings a blend of precision, imagination and entrepreneurship to the podium. He’s co-founded multiple arts nonprofits in Arizona, including Chaparral Arts, Chaparral MusicFest, Prescott Camerata Singers and, most notably, the Arizona Philharmonic Orchestra.
But ask Flurry about the orchestra’s success, and he points away from himself. “This organization is much bigger than any one person,” he says. “We rely on the leadership, skills and perspectives of many, including our Executive Director Abby Coffey, our committed staff, board and volunteers, and our passionate musicians.”
That humility and openness have guided AZPhil through its biggest tests. The pandemic, which silenced orchestras around the world, could have unraveled a young organization. Instead it became a turning point. Chamber music, long thought to be a harder sell, proved to be an audience favorite. “There’s this myth that people don’t like chamber music,” Flurry recalls. “But during Covid that’s all we could do. And people loved it. We learned that variety and thoughtful programming can completely reshape the experience.”
That lesson carries directly into the eighth season, themed “USA 250: A Celebration of American Composers.” In recognition of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026, AZPhil’s orchestra and chamber concerts will highlight American voices while weaving them into a larger global conversation.
The season opens October 5 with Music Reimagined: Memory, Music, and Light, conducted by Maestro Peter Bay. From Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik to Barber’s Adagio for Strings and Augusta Read Thomas’s luminous Of Paradise and Light, the program explores how composers transform tradition into new reflections of their time.
December brings holiday sparkle with The Brilliance of Brass, featuring the Phoenix Brass Collective, a powerhouse ensemble blending carols and contemporary works into a festive celebration.
Valentine’s Day weekend in February offers intimacy and romance with Singing from the Heart, starring mezzo-soprano Ariana Iñiguez and guest violinist Steven Moeckel alongside AZPhil’s string quartet. Audiences will hear Puccini, Bizet, Bernstein and chamber gems by Mendelssohn, Dvořák and former Prescott resident Mathew Lanning.
Spring bursts forth in March with Colors in Spring: Fire, Dance, and Shadow, featuring Double Steinway Artist James D’León, violinist Luke Hill and cellist Wesley Skinner. Jennifer Higdon’s Piano Trio, inspired by the colors pale yellow and fiery red, anchors a program that also includes Rachmaninoff’s soulful Sonata for Cello and Piano and Beethoven’s bright Piano Trio in B-flat Major.
The season concludes May 3 with Cast of Characters: Humor, Protest, and Passion, conducted again by Peter Bay. Highlights include Peter Schickele’s whimsical Thurber’s Dogs, Marie Clémence de Grandval’s lyrical Oboe Concerto performed by AZPhil’s principal oboist Laura Arganbright, Peter Maxwell Davies’ gentle protest Farewell to Stromness, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1, a bold debut from a young composer already pushing the boundaries of tradition.
Threaded through the season are American composers Barber, Bernstein, Berlin, Thomas, Higdon, Schickele, and the young Lanning, who anchor the orchestra’s tribute to America’s 250th year. Their works, mournful and luminous, whimsical and modern, remind audiences that American music is not one story, but many.
For Flurry that variety mirrors the community itself. “We learned from Covid that audiences are open to discovery,” he says. “If you bring passion, quality, and surprise to the stage, people respond.”
Prescott has long been a city with strong musical traditions, but the Arizona Philharmonic has carved out something unique: a professional orchestra that both serves the region and connects it to national and international currents in the arts. With its eighth season AZPhil continues to grow into a cultural anchor for northern Arizona, reminding audiences that orchestras are not just about preserving the past, but about reimagining the present and inspiring the future.
Tickets and season details are available at AZPhil.org.
