San Antonio Philharmonic Cancels Remainder of Season After Director's Departure

Orchestra also lost its performance venue and canceled other concerts amid organizational challenges.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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The San Antonio Philharmonic has canceled the remainder of its 2026 season after the departure of its musical director, Jeffrey Kahane, and the loss of its performance venue. The orchestra, formed in 2022 from the now-defunct San Antonio Symphony, has faced a series of setbacks in recent months, including canceled concerts and a dispute with the Scottish Rite masonic lodge over its performance space.

Why it matters

The cancelation of the San Antonio Philharmonic's season is a significant blow to the city's classical music scene, which had been rebuilding after the closure of the previous symphony orchestra. The orchestra's struggles raise questions about the long-term viability of classical music institutions in San Antonio and the challenges they face in securing stable funding and performance venues.

The details

In a message to musicians, CEO Roberto Treviño cited the 'broader reconfiguration of our season' and the need to 'move toward stability' as reasons for the cancelation of the remaining seven concert series. The orchestra has also been locked out of its performance space at the Scottish Rite masonic lodge, which it had previously touted as its permanent home, due to a dispute over $750,000 in repairs.

  • In recent weeks, the orchestra has lost its musical director, Jeffrey Kahane, who announced his departure without explanation.
  • Late last year, the Scottish Rite masonic lodge ordered the Philharmonic to vacate its performance space.
  • The orchestra has also canceled several other performances, including its Classics VI | Symphonic Strings concerts scheduled for last weekend.

The players

Roberto Treviño

The CEO of the San Antonio Philharmonic, who communicated the cancelation of the remainder of the season to the orchestra's musicians.

Jeffrey Kahane

The former musical director of the San Antonio Philharmonic, who announced his departure from the role without explanation.

Scottish Rite masonic lodge

The organization that owns the performance space the San Antonio Philharmonic had been using, and which has ordered the orchestra to vacate the venue due to a dispute over $750,000 in repairs.

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What they’re saying

“As part of the broader reconfiguration of our season, we will unfortunately need to cancel the remaining concerts as originally planned. We sincerely apologize for the impact this decision has on you. We understand that this news will bring frustration, concern, and many questions. Please know that this decision was not made lightly. The staff is working every day with great care and urgency to help the organization navigate this challenging period and move toward stability.”

— Roberto Treviño, CEO (Email to musicians)

“We want to be honest with you about where things stand, and at the same time assure you there is ongoing work happening behind the scenes to support the long-term health of the Philharmonic. We remain confident that, with the people, the vision, and the support around us, we will be able to move forward.”

— Roberto Treviño, CEO (Email to musicians)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the Scottish Rite masonic lodge to evict the San Antonio Philharmonic from its performance space.

The takeaway

The cancelation of the San Antonio Philharmonic's season highlights the ongoing challenges facing classical music institutions in the city, as they struggle to secure stable funding, performance venues, and artistic leadership. The orchestra's fate will be closely watched as a bellwether for the future of classical music in San Antonio.