Suzanne Maffei went on the Symphony Splendor Holiday House Tour last year, and as she strolled through the ornately decorated homes, listening to classical music, she pictured herself participating as a host sometime.
“I like just spreading the joy,” said Maffei. “Ever since I was little, my mom was always off the charts with decorations, so I guess that’s where it started.”
Decor and Music Combine at the Symphony Splendor Holiday House Tour
Maffei’s daydreams turned to reality over the summer when she joined the same pickleball league as Sue Breedlove, vice president of communications for the Pittsburgh Symphony Association board. When someone else told Breedlove about Maffei’s decorating prowess, she invited Maffei to participate.
“I loved the cause,” Maffei said. “I’m an educator, so I know the importance of music.”
Maffei is now preparing to open her home in Gibsonia as part of this year’s tour.
This event, billed as “the season’s most elegant holiday house tour,” returns to Pittsburgh’s northern suburbs on Saturday, Nov. 21 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The self-guided driving tour will take place in Gibsonia and surrounding areas in the North Hills. Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at the door, and are available online.
What Is the Pittsburgh Symphony Association?
The Pittsburgh Symphony Association (PSA) hosts the annual tour to raise money for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO). It was first held in 2013 and has happened every year since, except for one year during the pandemic. The tour raised $47,500 last year, and the PSA hopes to raise even more this year, said Ruth Ann Pritchard, board president for the PSA.
The tour’s loyal following hails from all over Western Pennsylvania and beyond, Pritchard said, adding that she received an email recently from a woman who will attend in tandem with her mother for the 10th time.
“People are excited to see the houses and excited to see the decorations,” Pritchard said. “They look forward to it every year, and it’s the kickoff of the holiday season.”
Where Does the Symphony Splendor Holiday House Tour Start?
The tour starts at the check-in area at Treesdale Community Center, where ticketholders receive their program books with a map of the tour and the addresses. A boutique will be set up at that location, selling women’s clothing, imported luxury scarves, and chocolates, Pritchard said. And, a coffee and hot chocolate truck have been added for a little pick-me-up in-between stops.
Will PSO Musicians Play at the Symphony Splendor Holiday House Tour?
Participating musicians will perform in a central area of each home throughout the day. The tour can take two to three hours, but it depends on people’s preferred pace, said Breedlove.
Irene Cheng, first violinist and Dr. & Mrs. William E. Rinehart Chair for the PSO, volunteers as the PSA musician liaison and books the musicians for the house tour. She already has almost 50 confirmations, including 40 PSO musicians. Many of the other performers are students and family members of PSO musicians. This year’s mix of instruments includes viola, English horn, trombone, harp, bass, flute, oboe, and piano, as well as voices from the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh.
“It’s just a fun holiday event,” Cheng said. “This is an opportunity to see a lot of our principal players, and all of us in different roles, more casually.”
What Kind of Decorations Will Be Part of the Symphony Splendor Holiday House Tour?
For Maffei, this year’s tour is also an opportunity to show people the kind of highly intentional decorating she has been doing for a long time. Each room in her house has a different visual theme, she said, and some of the items on display are a Pittsburgh sports-themed tree decorated in black and gold, Santa Clauses from around the world, and a pink gingerbread house.
The decorated homes may draw visitors in, but for many, the live performances by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians are what make the tour memorable, according to Breedlove.
“We have musicians going all day, and that makes it so much more than just a house tour,” she said. “I see people who fall in love with the music, and they just won’t go anywhere.”
See Pittsburgh’s Best Symphonic and Classical Music Concerts in 2026, including the PSO at Heinz Hall.
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Story by Holden Slattery
Photos Courtesy of Pittsburgh Symphony Association
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