LA Phil President and CEO Kim Noltemy has unveiled the 2026/27 LA Phil season at Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Next season expands on the LA Phil’s traditions of artistic excellence, visionary programming and community building, all with the orchestra at its center.
It also features figures who have been central to amplifying these defining organizational values — Esa-Pekka Salonen, who takes up his newly established role of Judith and Thomas L. Beckman Creative Director, and Gustavo Dudamel, who returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall for the first time since completing his tenure as Music & Artistic Director.
The season is further shaped by other members of the LA Phil’s artistic leadership team — John and Samantha Williams Creative Chair John Adams, Creative Chair for Jazz Herbie Hancock and Artist Collaborator Emmanuelle Haïm will all present distinct and diverse presentations which drive the organization forward.
Building on the organization’s legacy of innovative programming, the 2026/27 concerts showcase some of the most defining and forward-thinking musical voices of our time. The season will include 22 commissioned works, written by composers Teddy Abrams, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Zosha Di Castri, Sarah Davachi, Reena Esmail, Miguel Farias, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Susie Ibarra, Tom Jenkinson (aka Squarepusher), Jlin, Wang Lu, Dylan Mattingly, Donghoon Shin, Claire M. Singer, Gabriella Smith, Miroslav Srnka and others.
Programs will include 15 world premieres and three U.S. premieres of commissioned works.
“We are delighted to unveil the artistic program for our upcoming season at Walt Disney Concert Hall — an inspired exploration that celebrates the artistry, curiosity and collective spirit of the LA Phil musicians,” Noltemy said. “This season stands as a testament to the remarkable depth and range of their talents, and to the vital role they play in shaping the LA Phil’s future. Bringing us to pivotal moments in our ongoing history, the season includes the debut as creative director of Esa-Pekka Salonen, whose bold and imaginative vision, especially in interdisciplinary work, is now integral to the LA Phil’s identity. And we are thrilled to reaffirm the enduring bond between Gustavo Dudamel, the LA Phil and our city by welcoming him back to Walt Disney Concert Hall.”
Esa-Pekla Salonen Season Highlights
Esa-Pekka Salonen’s inaugural season as LA Phil creative director sees him leading monumental programs from the podium including world premieres and restagings of groundbreaking collaborations.
He also curates a Rituals festival which spans the season’s subscription, Green Umbrella and Insight series. Exploring the idea of ritual through both sacred and everyday perspectives, the festival brings together liturgical traditions, minimalism and new commissions. He reunites with director Peter Sellars to mount “One Morning Turns Into an Eternity”, previously presented at the Salzburg Festival and featuring the music of Schoenberg, Webern and Mahler, and leads monumental works including Mozart’s Requiem and Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring.”
Salonen’s first program of the 2026/27 season sees him return to his Tiu (an LA Phil commission in a newly revised version). He also leads Berlioz’s “Symphonie fantastique” and joins soloist Mitsuko Uchida for Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G. (Jan. 21–24)
The following week, Salonen pairs with Alexi Kenney for the U.S. premiere of Gabriella Smith’s violin concerto “How To Be A Bird” (an LA Phil commission), performed alongside Rautavaara’s Cantus Arcticus and Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony (Jan. 29–31).
Salonen continues advancing the relationship between music and cutting-edge technology in partnership with pioneering artist Refik Anadol’s DATALAND, the world’s first Museum of AI Arts. Their first collaboration with the LA Phil debuts in 2027.
Rituals Festival Highlights
The season-long Rituals festival, curated by Esa-Pekka Salonen and produced in conjunction with LA Phil Insight, examines the role of ritual in everyday life.
Through projections, unique staging, and new music, LA Phil Creative Director Esa-Pekka Salonen and renowned director Yuval Sharon create a ritual of the everyday. Together, they shine a light on the mundane, repetitive and sometimes-obsessive behaviors that make up daily life (Jan. 26).
Salonen reunites with director Peter Sellars, along with soprano Ausrine Stundyte and mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron, to restage “One Morning Turns Into an Eternity.”
Having debuted at the 2025 Salzburg Festival, Salonen and Sellars’ program curates scores from Mahler, Webern and Schoenberg, and invites listeners on an original introspective journey where grief and rage give way to revelation and transcendence. (Feb. 5–7).
Salonen dives into Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” — music’s most iconic ritualistic expressions — and Steve Reich’s “Runner,” while Hilary Hahn joins for Prokofiev’s First Violin Concerto (May 13–16).
Salonen conducts a program of two requiems: Mozart’s immortal masterpiece and Ligeti’s 20th-century consideration with soprano Jennifer France, mezzo-soprano Beth Taylor, tenor Laurence Kilsby, baritone Michael Sumuel and the Los Angeles Master Chorale (Feb. 11–13).
LA Phil Insight takes audiences off-site with an ideas festival dedicated to contemporary concepts of ritual and a pilgrimage to Topanga Tower in the Santa Monica Mountains for a site-specific progressive performance co-directed by Dimitri Chamblas and Kate Nordstrum.
BODY LIVE LIVE MUSIC at Topanga Tower will feature composer Tim Hecker and a dynamic roster of artists to be announced. Co-produced with Liquid Music and Studio Dimitri Chamblas.
Gustavo Dudamel Season Highlights
Gustavo Dudamel returns to the podium in the 2026-27 season to lead three programs, his first appearance since beginning his tenure as the New York Philharmonic’s Music & Artistic Director.
In collaboration with longtime artistic partner Rudolf Buchbinder, one of the most revered interpreters of Beethoven and a central figure in the Viennese piano tradition, Dudamel leads a cycle of Beethoven’s piano concertos, continuing a musical friendship forged through years of performances together across Europe and the United States.
Dudamel says, “It will always be a joy and a privilege for me to make music with my beloved LA Phil family, and to continue these artistic conversations that have grown and evolved over so many wonderful years. I look forward to sharing more unique and beautiful moments together this season, from the epic struggle and humanity of Beethoven to the magnificent new music of Zosha Di Castri.”
First, Dudamel unites with Buchbinder to begin a cycle of Beethoven’s Piano Concertos. In his first week of programs, he leads the first three concertos (one each night), each paired with the “Eroica” Symphony (Dec. 4-6).
The following week, Buchbinder and Dudamel take the stage together for four performances of the Fourth Piano Concerto paired with the iconic Fifth Symphony (Dec. 10-13).
Dudamel returns in the spring to lead an LA Phil co-commission — a new work from Zosha Di Castri — alongside Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements and Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony (May 6-9).
Creative Chair John Adams Highlights
LA Phil Creative Chair John Adams continues his curation of the organization’s pioneering Green Umbrella New Music series. In addition to leading a program that includes selections from his iconic works on the occasion of his 80th birthday, he concludes the LA Phil Etudes project, a series of commissions that Adams began in 2021 for solo works from some of today’s leading composers written to spotlight each instrument of the orchestra.
Adams leads the LA Phil, LA Master Chorale, soprano Julia Bullock and baritones John Moore and Will Liverman in selections from his “The Death of Klinghoffer,” “Nixon in China” and “El Nino,” all paired with his “Doctor Atomic Symphony” (April 16–18).
Green Umbrella Highlights
The Green Umbrella series will take LA Phil audiences to the cutting edge of today’s music. Kicking off with LA Phil Creative Director Esa-Pekka Salonen and Yuval Sharon’s January collaboration, 2026/27’s Green Umbrella concerts also include evenings curated by Creative Chair John Adams, organist James McVinnie and composer/percussionist Susie Ibarra.
Composer Dylan Mattingly, a frequent recipient of LA Phil commissions, presents a new orchestral work titled “Leaves of Grass” led by conductor David Bloom, who also conducts Julia Wolfe’s “Cruel Sister.” Pianist Timo Andres contributes a performance of Southam’s Glass Houses (Feb. 25).
LA Phil Creative Chair John Adams curates a program titled Rhythmic Lines that includes world premieres from Adams (a clarinet entry in the “LA Phil Etudes” series performed by LA Phil principal Boris Allakhverdyan), electronic composer and Pulitzer Prize finalist Jlin and arranger Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and Conrad Tao. LA Phil pianist and organist Joanne Pearce Martinsolos in both the Tao and Lou Harrison’s Concerto for Orchestra and Percussion (March 16).
Meredith Monk brings members of her trailblazing Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble to collaborate with Los Angeles-based new music band Wild Up to present Monk’s “Indra’s Net” as part of the season-long celebration of Minimalism (April 6).
Organist and curator James McVinnie.presents “Power Switch,” a program featuring world premieres by Tristan Perich, organist and composer Claire M. Singer, synth artist Sarah Davachi and Tom Jenkinson, who’s better known as Squarepusher (April 27).
The season’s final Green Umbrella program, Water Dreams and Air Songs, features conductor Vimbayi Kaziboni, performance trio Talking Gong, flutist and former curator of Ojai Festival Claire Chase, keyboardist Alex Peh and vocal ensemble HEX in a program of Tania León, Leilehua Lanzilotti, José Maceda and program curator and percussionist Susie Ibarra, whose new work “The Water Dreams of Animals” will be premiered to close the program (May 25).
Minimalist Icons Highlights
In a portrait concert led by conductor Brad Lubman, the Los Angeles Philharmonic celebrates Steve Reich at 90 with performances of his “Proverb” in a new arrangement by Anna Clyne (U.S. premiere), “Jacob’s Ladder, Music for Ensemble and Orchestra” (an LA Phil Commission in 2018) and a newly LA Phil-commissioned work “In All Your Ways” (March 7).
Anne Akiko Meyers headlines the celebration of Philip Glass at 90, performing his First Violin Concerto, and former Dudamel fellow Anna Handler leads his Symphony No. 15, “Lincoln,” featuring baritone Davone Tines; Olivier Latry performs “Mad Rush” (except Friday) (March 12–13).
Iceland Symphony music director Eva Ollikainen conducts a program of works by Pēteris Vasks and Arvo Pärt as well as Górecki’s iconic Third Symphony as part of the season-long Minimalists spotlight (Feb. 26 and Feb. 27).
LA Phil Insight delves into Minimalism’s reverberations with an exhibition, site-specific performance, film series and club night exploring Minimalism’s influence worldwide and across disciplines with works by Julius Eastman, Hiroshi Yoshimura and others.
Guest Conductor, Other Classical Highlights
Conductor Emmanuelle Haïm, a leading Baroque repertoire specialist, continues her three-year residency as Artist Collaborator with the LA Phil. The season will also feature appearances from other world-renowned guest conductors including Elim Chan, Maxim Emelyanychev, Gustavo Gimeno, Roberto González-Monjas, Anna Handler, Daniel Harding, Domingo Hindoyan, Paavo Järvi, Philippe Jordan, Louis Langrée, Brad Lubman, Susanna Mälkki, Joana Mallwitz, Eva Ollikainen, Petr Popelka, Kwamé Ryan and Xian Zhang.
The LA Phil Gala kicks off the concert hall season, as Ojai Festival’s Executive and Artistic Director Teddy Abrams leads pianist Yuja Wang and the LA Phil in a celebratory program to benefit the LA Phil’s Learning initiatives (Oct. 1).
Wang continues her week of programs, uniting with Canadian conductor Kwamé Ryan for a program featuring Barber’s Piano Concerto, Aaron Copland’s Third Symphony and John Adams’ “Short Ride in a Fast Machine” (Oct. 2–4).
Former LA Phil Principal Guest Conductor Susanna Mälkki returns to the podium to lead Martinů’s Oboe Concerto with newly appointed Principal Oboe (and native Angeleno) Ryan Roberts alongside Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra and Miroslav Srnka’s “Superorganisms,” an LA Phil commission which receives its US premiere. (Oct. 5–11).
Ludovico Einaudi’s meditative, emotionally rich compositions have made him one of classical music’s most popular pianists. For the first time since his sold-out 2019 appearance, he returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall this October in support of his forthcoming album “Solo Piano,” his first-ever collection of solo works (Oct. 9).
Acclaimed conductor Elim Chan returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall. A former LA Phil Dudamel Fellow who has regularly led the orchestra, Chan conducts the world premiere of a new work from Donghoon Shin (an LA Phil commission) alongside Liszt’s Second Piano Concerto with Yefim Bronfman and Tchaikovsky’s Suite from “Swan Lake” (October 16–18).
In a second week of programs, Chan pairs Stravinsky’s “Petrouchka” with Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun” before leading violinist Karen Gomyo and the LA Phil in the world premiere of an LA Phil-commissioned violin concerto from composer Samuel Adams (Oct. 22–25).
Conductor/composer Teddy Abrams brings together more than a century of music written by US composers, from Ives and Gershwin to the world premiere of Abrams’ own Seasons of America featuring violinist Ray Chen (Oct. 29 and Nov. 1).
Daniel Harding, music director of the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, leads Betsy Jolas’ “Latest” and Bernstein’s First Symphony, “Jeremiah.” He also collaborates with pianist Leif Ove Andsnes on Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto (Nov. 6–8).
Conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste leads Sibelius’ The Bard and Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, coming together with saxophonist Steven Banks for Billy Childs’ Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra, “Diaspora” (Nov. 13 and Nov. 15).
Gustavo Gimeno captures the beauty of “Daphnis et Chloé’s” pastoral romance, brings flair to “Rapsodie espagnole” and teams up with Venezuelan trumpet wizard Pacho Flores for Gabriela Ortiz’s magnificent, metal-themed Trumpet Concerto (Nov. 20–22).
LA Phil Artist Collaborator Emmanuelle Haïm continues her three-year residency with her ensemble Le Concert d’Astrée, presenting a Christmas celebration centering on Handel’s iconic “Messiah” in collaboration with Los Angeles Master Chorale (Dec. 15).
Haïm also leads a holiday program of Corelli (“Christmas Concerto”) and Vivaldi works including his “Gloria” with the LA Phil and Le Concert d’Astrée Choir (Dec. 18–20).
Daniel Harding returns to lead a program of Richard Strauss and Thomas Adès’ “The Exterminating Angel Symphony.” Members of the LA Phil shine in Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra, while Principal Horn Andrew Bain takes the spotlight in Strauss’ Second Horn Concerto (Jan. 8–10).
Rudolph Buchbinder completes his cycle of Beethoven Piano Concertos, uniting with conductor Xian Zhang, music director of the Seattle Symphony, for the “Emperor” Concerto paired with the Fourth Symphony (January 14–17).
The “Pines and Fountains of Rome” come to life in Respighi’s aural illustrations of the eternal city, depicting his impressions of nature, memory and vision. Soloist Clara-Jumi Kang joins the LA Phil and conductor Roberto González-Monjas for one of Prokofiev’s most lyrical works — his Second Violin Concerto — and González-Monjas leads the world premiere of a new work and LA Phil commission from Hildur Guðnadóttir (Feb. 19–21).
Philippe Jordan brings his structural insight and expressive restraint to Brahms’ First Symphony and ever-shifting Variations on a Theme of Haydn. In between, Jan Lisiecki explores the dark intensity of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 (March 18–20, March 21 Pal Desert McCallum).
Domingo Hindoyan leads the LA Phil and soprano Sonya Yoncheva in the world premiere of a new, LA Phil-commissioned song cycle from Miguel Farias. Farias’ incandescent new work is paired with Barber’s “Medea’s Dance of Vengeance” and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 (March 25 and 27, March 26 at The Soraya).
Nicola Benedetti plays Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto under the baton of Maxim Emelyanychev, in a program also including the composer’s “Scottish” Symphony (No. 3) and overture “Calm Sea” and “Prosperous Voyage” (April 2–4).
Petr Popelka conducts a program of Bartók, Liszt and Schumann, uniting with Mao Fujitafor Bartók’s Piano Concerto. (April 9–11).
Conductor Joana Mallwitz and pianist Francesco Piemontesi perform Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto — Mallwitz also conducts Kodály’s Dances of Galánta and Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler Symphony (April 23–25).
Paavo Järvi leads Schumann’s Third Symphony, a tuneful journey down the Rhine, and is joined by Vilde Frang for Bartók’s Second Violin Concerto (April 29 & May 1, April 30 Santa Barbara).
Pianist Hayato Sumino, who most recently performed Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue at the Hollywood Bowl, reunites with the LA Phil for Chopin’s First Piano Concerto under the baton of Louis Langrée, who also leads the LA Phil’s principal wind players in Mozart’s “Gran Partita” (May 20–23).
John Williams’ Concerto for Piano and Orchestra is performed by its dedicatee, pianist Emanuel Ax, under the baton of Anna Handler, who also leads the LA Phil in Mahler’s First Symphony, “Titan” (May 27–30).
Learn more at the additional showings this season at laphil.com.