The Philharmonia Orchestra has announced the first half of its 2026/27 London season at the Southbank Centre, featuring a high-profile line-up of conductors, soloists and premieres.
The autumn and winter programme brings together works by Dvořák, Elgar, Bruckner and Brahms alongside new music by Taylor Mac and Julia Wolfe.
Featured Artists for the season include cellist Sol Gabetta and pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, with returning appearances from Herbert Blomstedt, Seong-Jin Cho and Nicola Benedetti.
The season officially opens on 24 September with three major works in one evening, as Principal Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali leads Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, From the New World and Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture, with Sol Gabetta performing Elgar’s Cello Concerto.
Three concerts across the season will mark the 250th anniversary of American Independence.
These include Dvořák’s New World Symphony, the London premiere of Julia Wolfe’s multimedia work Fire in my Mouth, and the UK orchestral premiere of Taylor Mac’s A 24-Decade History of Popular Music.
Julia Wolfe’s Fire in my Mouth, conducted by Marin Alsop, receives its London premiere on 22 September and honours the victims of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York.
Herbert Blomstedt returns on 4 October to conduct Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony at the age of 99.
Seong-Jin Cho reunites with Rouvali on 22 October for Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, alongside Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11.
Violin highlights include James Ehnes performing Dvořák’s Violin Concerto on 29 October and Nicola Benedetti as soloist in Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto on 1 November.
Audience favourite Nobuyuki Tsujii returns on 5 November for Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2, conducted by Xian Zhang.
Emanuel Ax joins the Philharmonia on 12 November for Mozart’s Piano Concerto K.503, conducted by Manfred Honeck.
Supersized symphonic works appear on 19 November with Bernstein’s Serenade and Mahler’s Sixth Symphony, conducted by Marin Alsop.
The season closes on 29 November with Brahms’ A German Requiem, featuring Gerald Finley and Diana Damrau, who will also perform songs by Richard Strauss.
Santtu-Matias Rouvali said: “This season unites monumental works that are big on drama with intimate stories of humanity – which feels very relevant to the times in which we are living. I am very excited to welcome Sol Gabetta and Nobu back as Featured Artists in a programme that includes so many great artists for audiences to enjoy.”
Chief Executive Thorben Dittes added: “This season reflects the Philharmonia’s enduring commitment to both world-class performance and innovation. We believe in orchestral music as a living, evolving art form, continually renewed through the vision of the artists who bring it to life.”
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
