May 18, 2026
By Kylie Werner
The Phoenix Symphony is giving its 2025-26 season a memorable grand finale with a production that combines the music of Igor Stravinsky with songs by Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Kendrick Lamar.
The symphony will play “Stravinsky X Kendrick Lamar” by composer and conductor Steve Hackman on May 29 and May 30. The concert starts both nights at 7:30 p.m. with a preshow in the lobby by Furious Styles Crew that kicks off at 6:30 p.m.
“Stravinsky X Kendrick Lamar combines the music of two of the most explosively brilliant and creative musical voices that this world has ever seen,” Hackman said in a news release. “I am so excited for the audience to hear The Phoenix Symphony, and our five virtuoso soloists play this imaginative and daring music.”
The composer is known for his genre-blending productions and has previously combined classical music with Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., Radiohead, Beyoncé and Drake.
Hackman’s composition combines Stravinsky’s “Petrouchka” with songs from Lamar’s album “DAMN.,” including “HUMBLE.,” “DNA.,” “LOVE.” and “FEAR.” It is meant to create a scene-by-scene synthesis of Stravinsky’s puppet “Petrouchka” coming to life as Lamar’s alter ego, Kung Fu Kenny, goes through an emotional journey.
“We’re closing the season with something truly unforgettable. If you haven’t been to the Symphony in a while — or ever — this is the moment to experience it in a completely new way,” Peter Kjome, president and CEO of the Phoenix Symphony, said.
