Salem Philharmonic Orchestra Returns For Free Winter 2025 Season Shows

SALEM, MA — The Salem Philharmonic Orchestra returns for a winter of free Sunday shows at Salem High School in January featuring musicians from Salem, Marblehead, Beverly, Swampscott, Peabody, Danvers and other North Shore communities

The season will begin on Jan. 5, featuring soprano Erin Smith, whose vocal artistry will be familiar to members of the audience from her appearances in the area's performing arts community.

On Jan. 12, trumpeter Jay Daly returns with his "Celebration of the Popular Trumpet," in an arrangement by Beverly's George Darrah.

On Jan. 26, the Salem Philharmonic welcomes violinist Jayna Leach, performing the Beautiful Romance by Antonin Dvorak, as well as Pablo de Sarasate's duet Navarra with her friend and collaborator Anne McKee. That concert will also include an appearance by young pianist Alyona Shiryayeva.

The final concert on Feb. 2 features well-known tenor Brian Landry, who will offer some of the best of the Italian opera repertoire for tenor. Members of the Salem Philharmonic Youth Orchestra will also be invited to sit in with the SPO that day as well.

SPO is Salem's own 45-piece full symphony orchestra which has for over 100 years provided a series of free winter concerts to Salem-area residents. Consisting primarily of professional musicians drawn directly from the community, the orchestra also invites talented students to play alongside its professionals for an experience that is nearly impossible to find anywhere else in the area.

Programming covers a wide range of musical genres, and every concert features one or more soloists, often young musicians who have never had the opportunity to work with an orchestra, or a talented professional whose abilities should be better known.

These winter concerts are designed as an accessible Sunday afternoon activity during the darkest months of the year, at which time many arts organizations are not actively performing. and have always been free of charge, so that everyone who would like to hear a professional symphony orchestra may have the opportunity to do so.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)