The Grammy and Juno-award winning Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) is embarking on its first-ever European tour in April 2026 with peformances at Salzburg’s prestigious Großes Festspielhaus. Under the leadership of Maestro Otto Tausk, the tour represents a rare and extraordinary opportunity to elevate the VSO’s international profile among the world’s great orchestras and affirm Canada’s place as a nation of music and culture.
Performing at the renowned Großes Festspielhaus in Salzburg will mark a milestone in the VSO’s 107-year history. The European tour will take place from April 12–20, 2026, spanning five countries and seven concerts, with performances in Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Germany. The tour will showcase Vancouver, British Columbia, and Canada’s talent on the global stage, strengthening cultural ties and expanding the reach of Canadian artistry. Joining the musicians of the VSO are internationally renowned violinists James Ehnes and Arabella Steinbacher as soloists. In addition to works by Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev and Barber, the VSO is honoured to showcase Canadian composer Samy Moussa’s work, Adgilis Deda – Hymn for Orchestra.
“Bringing our music to the vibrant cities of Zagreb, Ljubljana, Vaduz, Salzburg, and Friedrichshafen is not just a performance; it’s a celebration of culture, unity, and the universal language of music,” shares VSO Music Director Otto Tausk. “I’m extremely proud and honoured to share the stage with our world-class musicians. We are thrilled to embark on this journey, which will inspire us to reach artistic heights and move us forward to a stellar future.”
“We are incredibly excited to announce the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s inaugural tour to Europe, a milestone that reflects our commitment to sharing the transformative power of music with audiences around the world, “says Angela Elster President and CEO of the VSO. “This tour not only showcases the exceptional talent of our musicians but also strengthens our cultural ties and enhances the global appreciation of the arts. We look forward to connecting with new audiences and celebrating the universal language of music in some of Europe’s most prestigious venues. We are grateful to all our donors, supporters, and directors for making this tour a reality.”
This historic European tour for the VSO is made possible through the generous support of donors including the Tuey Charitable Foundation, which has provided a gift of $1 million to fund the tour as well as the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the VSO School of Music. For more information and to donate to the European Tour, please visit: https://www.VancouverSymphony.ca/EuropeanTour
VSO European Tour Spring 2026 Touring Schedule
• April 12, 2026: Zagreb, Croatia — Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall
Tickets at: https://www.lisinski.hr/en/events/lisinski-subotom-br-simfonijski-orkestar-iz-vancou/
• April 13, 2026—Ljubljana, Capital of Slovenia — Cankarjev Dom, Gallus Hall
Tickets at: https://www.cd-cc.si/en/culture/music/vancouver-symphony-orchestra
• April 15, 2026: Salzburg, Austria: Day 1 — Großes Festspielhaus
Tickets at: https://www.kulturvereinigung.com/de/Konzerte/Beethoven-Violinkonzert_e_1234
• April 16, 2026: Salzburg, Austria: Day 2 — Großes Festspielhaus
Tickets at: https://www.kulturvereinigung.com/de/Konzerte/Prokofjew-5_e_1247
• April 17, 2026: Salzburg, Austria: Day 3 — Großes Festspielhaus
Tickets: https://www.kulturvereinigung.com/de/Konzerte/Vancouver-Symphony-Orchestra_e_1248
• April 19, 2026: Vaduz, Capital of Liechtenstein — Vaduzer Saal
Tickets at: https://en.tourismus.li/map/event-detail/james-ehnes-otto-tausk-und-vancouver-symphony-orchestra-a031963b-9cad-4528-81b6-2529f6564142.html
• Apr. 20, 2026: Friedrichshafen, Germany — Fraf-Zeppelin-Haus
Tickets at: https://kulturbuero-friedrichshafen.reservix.de/p/reservix/event/2421600
For full concert programs and soloist dates, please visit:
https://www.VancouverSymphony.ca/EuropeanTour
Media Availability & Press Tickets
Interviews with Maestro Otto Tausk (Music Director) and Angela Elster (President & CEO) are available by request. To arrange an interview or if your outlet is interested in reviewing the VSO on tour, please contact:
Cameron MacRae
Vice President, Marketing & Sales
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Email: cameron.macrae@vancouversymphony.ca
Phone: 604.696.4296
About the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 1919, the Grammy and Juno Award-winning Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) presents passionate, high-quality performances of classical, popular, and culturally diverse music, creating meaningful engagement with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Led by Music Director Maestro Otto Tausk since 2018, the VSO performs more than 150 concerts each year, throughout Vancouver and the province of British Columbia, Canada. Reaching audiences of over 270,000 people annually, the VSO is one of the few professional symphony orchestras in the world to have its own music school. On tour the VSO has performed in the United States, Japan, China, Korea, and across Canada, including its recent acclaimed 2025 National Tour. The 2026 European Tour marks the orchestra’s first tour across the Atlantic, and the VSO is deeply honoured to perform in Salzburg. Other concerts on the European Tour include: Zagreb, Croatia; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Vaduz, Liechtenstein; and Friedrichshafen, Germany.
In recent seasons, the VSO has welcomed leading guest conductors including Leonard Slatkin, JoAnn Falletta, Jun Märkl, Tan Dun, Joe Hisaishi, and countless others. Recent guest artists include Yo-Yo Ma, Lang Lang, Itzhak Perlman, Hilary Hahn, Vadim Gluzman, Leila Josefowicz, Jan Lisiecki, Daniil Trifonov, Dawn Upshaw, James Ehnes, Adrianne Pieczonka, Gidon Kremer, Renée Fleming, Yefim Bronfman, and many more. Past Music Directors of the VSO have included such luminaries as Kazuyoshi Akiyama and Bramwell Tovey. To learn more about the VSO, please visit VancouverSymphony.ca or follow the orchestra on social media: @vsorchestra
