Classic film will screen behind live soundtrack performance

WEST BARNSTABLE, MA—September 28, 2026

In their first CapePOPS! show of the season, the Cape Symphony Orchestra will perform “Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho in Concert” October 17 and 18, 2026 at the Barnstable Performing Arts Center. Music Director Alyssa Wang will conduct the Orchestra playing Bernard Herrmann’s score synchronized with a screening of the complete film.

Herrmann (1911-1975) is widely considered one of the greatest film composers of all time, largely because of his work with Alfred Hitchcock. He collaborated with the master of suspense on nine films, including The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), Psycho (1960), and The Birds (1963). Herrmann is also known for the music for Orson Welles’s The War of the Worlds and Citizen Kane, many other films, and television programs including The Twilight Zone. He died shortly after completing the score to Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver.

Herrmann was known to only accept assignments that allowed him complete artistic freedom without directorial constraints. Hitchcock gave him that latitude, with groundbreaking results. The strings-only score for Psycho is Herrmann’s most famous, and the shower scene is its defining moment. Hitchcock originally intended the scene to run without music; Herrman disagreed, and scored it anyway. To this day, its piercing violins symbolize the genre itself. Hitchcock later acknowledged that Psycho owed much of its impact to its music.

“As an avid movie soundtrack fan, I have Bernard Herrmann’s iconic score to Psycho to thank for helping filmmakers throughout the 20^th century understand the importance of music and its ability to take movies to the next level,” said Alyssa Wang. “Conducting this near Halloween will be a dream come true!”

The performance is perfectly timed for getting into the spooky holiday spirit. “Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho in Concert” will be presented Saturday, October 17, at 7:30 PM and Sunday, October 18 at 3:00 PM at the Barnstable Performing Arts Center, 744 West Main Street, Hyannis.

For tickets, visit www.capesymphony.org, call the Cape Symphony Box Office at 508.362.1111, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit the Box Office at 2235 Iyannough Road in West Barnstable, Monday - Friday from 9:00 AM–5:00 PM. Tickets are discounted 20% for veterans and active military and 50% for students aged 6–22. Only tickets purchased on Cape Symphony’s secure website or through the Cape Symphony Box Office are legitimate and guaranteed.

The Cape Symphony Orchestra’s CapePOPS! concerts are sponsored by Cape Cod 5.

Media Contact:
Susan Sundermeyer, Marketing Content Manager
508-367-8918; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cape Arts & Entertainment is one of the largest professional cultural organizations in Massachusetts. We inspire, educate, and connect our community through exceptional music and inclusive outreach programs. The Cape Symphony Orchestra presents a diverse classical and pops repertoire at the Barnstable Performing Arts Center, while Cape Symphony Presents brings world-class artists of many genres to venues across the Cape & Islands. Cape Symphony Conservatory & Preschool offers private and group instruction for all ages in West Barnstable, Falmouth, and Brewster; Youth Orchestra and Youth Chorus programs; and an acclaimed arts-infused curriculum for preschoolers in West Barnstable. Rooted in creativity, excellence, community, and lifelong learning, all three branches of CAE enrich lives through the power of music. Visit www.capesymphony.org for more information.