YO-YO MA TO OPEN SEASON SEPTEMBER 28
Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1
Jennifer Higdon’s Fanfare Ritmico
Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances
Yo-Yo Ma returns for two additional performances throughout the season
YANNICK NÉZET-SÉGUIN EXPLORES THE 20TH-CENTURY AMERICAN SOUND
First Philadelphia Orchestra performances of William Grant Still’s
Symphony No. 4 (“Autochthonous”),
with Anna Clyne’s This Moment October 6–8, 2023
Florence Price’s Symphony No. 4
with world premiere of Esteban Benzecry’s MUYUY, The circle of life, December 7–10, 2023
George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Marcus Roberts Trio
alongside performances of Stravinsky and Weill, January 18–20, 2024
AN EXPANSIVE 21ST-CENTURY SOUND
Valerie Coleman’s fourth commission from the Orchestra and Nézet-Séguin,
with Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major performed by Mitsuko Uchida
World premiere of Mason Bates’s Violin Concerto
with Gil Shaham, conducted by Nézet-Séguin
World premiere of Brazilian-American Clarice Assad’s Bassoon Concerto
with Principal Bassoon Daniel Matsukawa, conducted by Nézet-Séguin
U.S. premiere of Peruvian-American Jimmy López Bellido’s piano concerto Ephemerae
with Javier Perianes, conducted by Rafael Payare
Commissions from Pulitzer Prize Winners Du Yun and Julia Wolfe
Yun’s Pipa Concerto with Wu Man, conducted by Anna Sułkowska-Migoń
Wolfe work conducted by David Robertson
CHORAL MASTERWORKS
Brahms’s A German Requiem, conducted by Nézet-Séguin
Mozart’s Requiem, conducted by Principal Guest Conductor Nathalie Stutzmann
Orff’s Carmina burana, conducted by Fabio Luisi
Puccini’s La bohème, conducted by Nézet-Séguin
in a staged concert version of the masterpiece of love and loss to conclude the season
COMPOSER AND CONDUCTOR ESA-PEKKA SALONEN RETURNS FOR TWO WEEKS
May 9–18, 2024
Salonen’s Kínēma with Principal Clarinet Ricardo Morales
and Sibelius’s Symphony No. 5
Karawane by Salonen and Ravel’s complete Daphnis and Chloe
PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR NATHALIE STUTZMANN
All Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 and Piano Concerto No. 5 (“Emperor”) with Haochen Zhang
ICONIC ARTISTS TAKE CENTER STAGE
John Williams to conduct his Cello Concerto with Yo-Yo Ma along with iconic film music, February 20, 2024
Audra McDonald returns for a one-night-only performance, October 3, 2023
CELEBRATED CONDUCTORS AND SOLOISTS RETURN
Former Music Director Christoph Eschenbach returns to lead Brahms’s Symphony No. 1, and Chausson’s Poème and Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto No. 5 with Joshua Bell
Daniil Trifonov performs Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 1
Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla leads Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6 and Haydn’s Horn Concerto No. 1 with Principal Horn Jennifer Montone
Principal Cello Hai-Ye Ni performs Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 1, led by David Robertson
Hélène Grimaud performs Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20
Tugan Sokhiev leads Britten’s Simple Symphony, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 4
Lahav Shani conducts Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with Leif Ove Andsnes,
and Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra
Xian Zhang conducts pairing of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons
with Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires with Concertmaster David Kim
Paavo Järvi leads works by Prokofiev and Debussy,
and U.S. premiere of Connesson’s Concerto da Requiem with organist Christian Schmitt
András Schiff performs and conducts works by Haydn, Schubert, and Mozart
Gil Shaham performs and leads an all-Mozart program
SPOTLIGHT RECITAL SERIES
Features solo performances by biggest names in classical music:
Yo-Yo Ma with Kathryn Stott, Yuja Wang, and Evgeny Kissin
RACHMANINOFF 150 BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION CONTINUES
Performances of his Symphonic Dances, Symphony No. 1, Symphony No. 2,
and Piano Concerto No. 3
FAMILY PROGRAMMING CONTINUES
Family Concerts and Sound All Around programs introduce young listeners to classical music
OUR CITY, YOUR ORCHESTRA DIGITAL SERIES ENTERS SEASON FOUR
Collaborations with the diverse communities of Philadelphia
HEARTOGETHER PODCAST CONTINUES
Conversations on social justice, creative equity, and the arts
(Philadelphia, January 26, 2023)—The GRAMMY® Award–winning Philadelphia Orchestra and Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin announce a musical journey of discovery, beauty, and inspiration: the 2023–24 season. As The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc., continues to create a unique, inclusive, and multi-faceted context for the performing arts, the season’s concerts, programs, and ideas reflect an evolving role of the orchestra in society today. From suggesting a new perspective on the 20th-century American orchestral sound, to a more inclusive idea of composition in the 21st century, the season is imbued with Nézet-Séguin’s singular sense of joy, curiosity, and exploration.
The complete media kit for the 2023–24 season, including a chronological calendar, can be found here.
“The unmistakable sound, beauty, and grandeur of The Philadelphia Orchestra is always present on our stages, while our view of the art of music is always evolving,” said Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. “In the 2023–24 season, we will continue to create a greater, more inclusive perspective on classical music, across centuries and cultures. We will welcome friends, familiar and new, to perform music that is known and beloved as well as music, as we believe in our hearts, that should be heard and known, now and for the future. We will climb to the most magnificent heights of the human voice and bring the season to a poetic culmination with a project close to my operatic soul, a staged concert version of Puccini’s La bohème. This is a season full of joyful opportunity and musical adventure.”
“The 2023–24 season of The Philadelphia Orchestra is a chance to explore the breadth of music across continents, time, and generations,” said Matías Tarnopolsky, president and CEO of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc. “What makes every concert special are the extraordinary experiences that Yannick and the Orchestra create, and that so many legendary musicians and friends contribute to throughout the season. As our beloved city of Philadelphia is refreshed and reinvigorated, so too is Your Philadelphia Orchestra.”
Nézet-Séguin will open the 2023–24 season—his 12th with the Orchestra—on September 28 with a special program featuring Yo-Yo Ma performing Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1. The concert includes performances of Jennifer Higdon’s Fanfare Ritmico as well as Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, part of the Orchestra’s continued commemoration of the composer’s 150th birthday. The Opening Night Celebration is one of three appearances by Yo-Yo Ma throughout the season. The renowned cellist, artist, and musical citizen will deepen his relationship with Philadelphia by helping to shape and participate in community activities surrounding his performances.
Immediately following Opening Night, and continuing through January 2024, Nézet-Séguin will conduct three programs that cumulatively expand perceptions of American music of the last century, beginning with performances of influential Black composer William Grant Still’s Symphony No. 4 (“Autochthonous”). Programs featuring the music of William Grant Still are supported by the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. Following GRAMMY and Diapason d'Or de l'Année wins for its Deutsche Grammophon recording of Florence Price’s First and Third Symphonies, the Orchestra will continue to explore the music of Price, the first Black woman composer to have a symphonic work premiered by a major American orchestra, with performances of her Symphony No. 4. The Marcus Roberts Trio will make its subscription debut to celebrate the centenary of George Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue.
WORLD PREMIERES AND MUSIC OF THE MOMENT
Nézet-Séguin will lead the Orchestra in four world premieres by some of today’s most celebrated composers who demonstrate the future of composition and the global, connected musical sensibility of our time. Brazilian-American composer Clarice Assad’s new concerto for Principal Bassoon Daniel Matsukawa will premiere alongside performances of Rachmaninoff’s First and Second Symphonies (October 12–14). This commission from the Orchestra and Nézet-Séguin is generously supported by Dr. Richard M. Klein for The Philadelphia Orchestra and Daniel Matsukawa. Argentinean composer Esteban Benzecry’s MUYUY, The circle of life, a Philadelphia Orchestra and Nézet-Séguin commission, is based on the Andean idea that life flows in an endless circle (“muyu”) that is intertwined with disease (“muyuy”). The new work will debut in a program also featuring Florence Price’s Symphony No. 4 (December 7–10). Violinist Gil Shaham will perform the world premiere of GRAMMY Award–winning composer Mason Bates’s Violin Concerto, co-commissioned by the Orchestra and Nézet-Séguin, on a program that includes Brahms’s A German Requiem (January 26–28). And the Orchestra will continue its relationship with acclaimed composer Valerie Coleman, performing the world premiere of her Concerto for Orchestra, her fourth commission for the ensemble (May 30–June 2).
In addition, conductor Rafael Payare will lead the Orchestra in the U.S. premiere of Peruvian-American composer Jimmy López Bellido’s Ephemerae, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, a co-commission featuring pianist Javier Perianes in his Philadelphia Orchestra debut (December 1–3), and Paavo Järvi leads the U.S. premiere of French composer Guillaume Connesson’s Concerto da Requiem with organist Christian Schmitt in his Philadelphia Orchestra debut (March 21–23). This concert is part of the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Experience, Frederick R. Haas, Artistic Advisor, with generous support from the Wyncote Foundation.
The Orchestra will continue to highlight women composers throughout the season, including co-commissioned works by Pulitzer Prize–winning composers Julia Wolfe and Du Yun. Wolfe’s new piece will be performed in a program led by David Robertson (November 17–18). Du Yun’s new Pipa Concerto will be performed by Wu Man in its world premiere led by Anna Sułkowska-Migoń in her Philadelphia Orchestra debut (January 11 and 13). In addition, Nézet-Séguin will conduct Anna Clyne’s This Moment, commissioned through the League of American Orchestra’s Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program (October 6–8). Nézet-Séguin and the Orchestra will premiere the work in July 2023 at the Bravo! Vail Music Festival in Colorado.
ICONIC ARTISTS
Two legends will unite on the Verizon Hall stage for a one-night-only performance on February 20, 2024. Renowned composer and conductor John Williams will lead the Orchestra in selections from his iconic film scores and a special performance of his Cello Concerto featuring Yo-Yo Ma.
Tony–, GRAMMY–, and Emmy Award–winning star Audra McDonald will return for a special performance led by conductor Andy Einhorn (October 3).
Famed conductor and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen, music director of the San Francisco Symphony and former music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, will join the Orchestra for a two-week residency, leading programs that feature his own works. His Kínēma will highlight the talents of Principal Clarinet Ricardo Morales on a program paired with Sibelius’s Symphony No. 5 (May 9–11). His mesmerizing Karawane for chorus and orchestra will be performed alongside Ravel’s complete Daphnis and Chloe (May 16–18).
Classical music’s biggest stars will take center stage throughout the season in a brand-new Spotlight recital series. Yo-Yo Ma will join pianist Kathryn Stott for an inspiring evening of cello and piano (April 12). Superstar pianist Yuja Wang will return (April 30). And the series will conclude with a performance by famed pianist Evgeny Kissin (May 15). The Philadelphia Orchestra will not perform in the Spotlight recital series.
CHORAL MASTERWORKS
The human voice, in its many iterations in music, can console, memorialize, create narrative, and tell the most poetic love stories. Exceptional choral masterworks will inspire audiences throughout the 2023–24 season. Nézet-Séguin will lead Brahms’s A German Requiem, which explores the joy of remembrance in loss (January 26–28). Fabio Luisi will lead Orff’s monumental portrait of life, Carmina burana, (March 15–17). Principal Guest Conductor Nathalie Stutzmann will channel her celebrated career as a contralto as she leads performances of Mozart’s Requiem (April 26–28). The season will conclude with a theatrically inspired production of Puccini’s La bohème led by Nézet-Séguin (June 7 and 9). The concert will provide an experience not heard in the opera house, as the Orchestra performs on stage instead of in the pit, bringing the full power and intricacies of the score front and center.
RACHMANINOFF 150 CONTINUES
The Philadelphia Orchestra will continue to celebrate the 150th birthday of Sergei Rachmaninoff and his longstanding relationship with, and love for, the Orchestra by performing works by the legendary composer. In addition to a performance of his Symphonic Dances on Opening Night (September 28), Nézet-Séguin will lead performances of his First Symphony (October 12) and Second Symphony (October 13–14). Pianist Leif Ove Andsnes and conductor Lahav Shani will unite for Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 (May 3–4).
Rachmaninoff’s close, collaborative relationship with The Philadelphia Orchestra began in November 1909, during his initial three-month tour of America. His second appearance with the ensemble took place in March 1919. The following season, the Orchestra presented an all-Rachmaninoff program in February 1920, featuring the composer performing his Piano Concerto No. 3 and Music Director Leopold Stokowski conducting the American premiere of The Bells. Stokowski and The Philadelphia Orchestra performed and recorded with Rachmaninoff many times in the 1920s and ’30s and the Orchestra gave the world premieres of five of his compositions while he was alive: the Piano Concerto No. 4 (with the composer as soloist) and Three Russian Songs in March 1927 (led by Stokowski), the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in November 1934 (with the composer as soloist and Stokowski), the Third Symphony in November 1936 (conducted by Stokowski), and Symphonic Dances in January 1941 (led by Eugene Ormandy). (The ensemble also gave the world premiere of Act I of his opera Monna Vanna in August 1984.)
Lead support for the Rachmaninoff 150 Celebration is provided by Tatiana Copeland. Mrs. Copeland’s mother was the niece of Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Tatiana Copeland was named after the composer’s daughter, Tatiana Sergeyevna Rachmaninoff.
ADDITIONAL SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
- Daniil Trifonov returns to perform Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 1 under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin on a program that features William Grant Still’s Symphony No. 4 (“Autochchthonous”) (October 6–8).
- Principal Horn Jennifer Montone will take center stage in Haydn’s Horn Concerto No. 1 in its first Philadelphia Orchestra performances on a program led by Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla (October 20–22).
- David Robertson leads Principal Cello Hai-Ye Ni in Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 1 (November 17–18).
- Constantine Kitsopoulos leads the Orchestra in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas as the film plays on a giant screen above the stage (November 24—26).
- Hélène Grimaud performs Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 on a program led by Nézet-Séguin (December 7-10).
- William Eddins returns to lead The Glorious Sound of Christmas (December 14–16).
- Nicholas McGegan conducts Handel’s Messiah (December 20–21).
- Thomas Wilkins and the Orchestra ring in 2024 with a New Year’s Eve Celebration (December 31).
- Violinist Gil Shaham will lead and perform in an all-Mozart program, including the Violin Concertos Nos. 2 and 5, and Adagio and Rondo (January 5–7).
- Long Yu and the Orchestra are joined by special guests to celebrate Lunar New Year (January 12).
- Stravinsky’s Petrushka, Weill’s Symphony No. 2, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue are featured in a program led by Nézet-Séguin featuring the Marcus Roberts Trio in its Orchestra subscription debut (January 18–20).
- Xian Zhang leads the Orchestra in a performance that pairs Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons with Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, juxtaposing European and South-American styles and rhythms, with Concertmaster David Kim as soloist (February 2 and 4).
- Tugan Sokhiev returns to lead Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 4 and Britten’s Simple Symphony (February 8–10).
- Violinist Joshua Bell performs with the Orchestra under the baton of former Music Director Christoph Eschenbach (February 15–17).
- Principal Guest Conductor Nathalie Stutzmann and pianist Haochen Zhang reunite to perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 (“Emperor”) on an all-Beethoven program that also includes his Seventh Symphony (February 29–March 2).
- Emanuel Ax returns to perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 on a program that includes Orff’s Carmina burana, led by Fabio Luisi (March 15–17).
- Pianist András Schiff will perform with the Orchestra as conductor and soloist in Haydn’s Piano Concerto in D major, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 27, and Shubert’s Symphony No. 2 (April 5–6).
- Nézet-Séguin will lead the Orchestra in an all-Mahler program, featuring songs by Alma Mahler with mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill paired with Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 7 (April 11–14).
- GRAMMY Award–winning pianist Mitsuko Uchida will join the Orchestra for the first time in 25 years to perform Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major (May 30–June 2).
2023–24 SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS
Multi-concert subscription packages go on sale on January 26 at 12:00 PM ET at www.philorch.org/2324season or 215.893.1955. Subscribers can enjoy increased flexibility in ticketing with fee-free exchanges. Single tickets will go on sale in early August.
FAMILY PROGRAMMING
Family Concerts on the Kimmel Cultural Campus bring storytelling to life through music and inspire the next generation of music lovers. All Family Concerts are sensory-friendly and will be available as part of the Kimmel Cultural Campus Family Discovery Series, sponsored in part by the Zisman Family Foundation. Information about Family Concerts will be announced in the spring.
Sound All Around, a series of sensory-friendly performances dedicated to educating young listeners from preschool to elementary age, will return throughout the season. Sound All Around is hosted by Imasogie Storyteller, Narrator, and Host Charlotte Blake Alston, and introduces children to individual instruments of the Orchestra. The series is endowed in perpetuity by the Garrison Family Fund for Children's Concerts, with additional support from the Acadia Fund.
YOUR PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
Together with partners in the Philadelphia region, and with thinkers from far and wide, the free digital video series Our City, Your Orchestra and the HearTOGETHER podcast have helped to share stories that inspire, connect, challenge, and unite through the power of music. Both series will continue in the 2023–24 season.
Our City, Your Orchestra uncovers and amplifies the voices, stories, and causes championed by unique Philadelphia organizations and businesses. Musicians of the Orchestra embrace the opportunity to step off the stage and into the community to introduce viewers to positive work happening in the region. Through thoughtful storytelling and musical collaboration, Our City, Your Orchestra turns the spotlight on local organizations that advocate for change, sites of historical significance, and businesses that represent and serve resilient communities. Our City, Your Orchestra is supported in part by the William Penn Foundation, with additional support provided through the PNC Arts Alive initiative and the National Endowment for the Arts. New episodes will be available throughout the season at www.philorch.org/ocyo.
The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc., are proud to present HearTOGETHER, a monthly podcast featuring artists and activists who discuss music, social justice, and the lived experiences that inform the drive to create a more equitable and inclusive future for the arts. The podcast is hosted by social-cultural content creator, performer, and classically trained soprano Khadija Mbowe. New episodes of HearTOGETHER will be released on the first Friday of each month on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more, as well as at www.philorch.org/heartogether. HearTOGETHER is supported by lead corporate sponsor Accordant Advisors. Additional major support has been provided by the Otto Haas Charitable Trust.
In partnership with the School District of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Orchestra will continue its free ticket program for School District teachers, administrators, and staff. Designed to give back to those who devote so much to the children and communities of Philadelphia, APPLE (Appreciation Program for PhilaSD Leaders in Education) offers School District employees free admission to concerts throughout the 2023–24 season. Lead support for APPLE is generously given by Dr. Richard M. Klein. The APPLE program is also funded in part by the Nancy and William A. Loeb Student Education Fund.
The Orchestra’s Student Circle program for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students will also continue. For $25 a year, members get access to $8 tickets for select Verizon Hall concerts and additional opportunities throughout season. The Student Circle program is funded in part by the Amy P. Goldman Foundation and an anonymous donor.
SUMMER WITH THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
The Philadelphia Orchestra will proudly return to its three summer homes for concerts in 2024. Tickets for these residencies will go on sale at a later date.
The Orchestra will return to its Philadelphia summer home, the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, in the heart of Fairmount Park, for special performances under the stars. For more information, visit www.manncenter.org.
High atop the Rocky Mountains, the Orchestra will perform at the Bravo! Vail Music Festival in Colorado. Hailed as one of the Top 10 “Can’t Miss” Classical Music Festivals in the United States by NPR, Bravo! Vail is the only festival in North America to host four acclaimed orchestras in a single season. For more information, visit www.bravovail.org.
Built for The Philadelphia Orchestra and New York City Ballet (NYCB) and opened in 1966, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) is the summer home of The Philadelphia Orchestra, NYCB, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. SPAC is located in Saratoga Springs, New York, a world-class cultural destination with exceptional museums, bookstores, theater, music, and dance across all genres. For more information, visit www.spac.org.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin holds the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Chair.
Nathalie Stutzmann holds the Ralph and Beth Johnston Muller Chair.
Charlotte Blake Alston holds the Osagie and Losenge Imasogie Chair.
David Kim holds the Dr. Benjamin Rush Chair.
Daniel Matsukawa holds the Richard M. Klein Chair.
Ricardo Morales holds the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Chair.
Jennifer Montone holds the Gray Charitable Trust Chair.
About The Philadelphia Orchestra
About Yannick Nézet-Séguin
About Nathalie Stutzmann
About the 2023–24 Season
Our Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Strategies (IDEAS)
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CONTACTS:
Ashley Berke
267.250.5148
[email protected]
Stephanie Williams
610.952.6836
[email protected]
Alyssa Moore
215.893.3142
[email protected]