The Philharmonic Society of Orange County announced a robust 2024-2025 concert schedule today, Jan. 24. The classical music presenter’s 71st season highlights feature a pre-pandemic roster of world-class and national touring orchestras, ensembles and artists.
“The programs were curated with our audiences in mind while showcasing our commitment to presenting renowned artists and ensembles from the U.S. and around the globe,” Tommy Phillips, the organization’s president and artistic director said in a statement.
Among the klieg-light appearances:
The vaunted Vienna Philharmonic returns to The Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall for its first Orange County appearance in a decade. Led by conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the Austrian orchestra will perform March 9 and 11, 2025. The program will include symphonies by Dvorak and Schubert; on March 9, pianist Yefim Bronfman will play Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3.
Other international orchestras appearing throughout the season include the London Philharmonic (opening night, Oct. 11), London Symphony and Israel Philharmonic orchestras, as well as two major U.S. ensembles, the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Spread across the season, these groups will survey a wide range of work including music from Vivaldi, Mahler, R. Strauss, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky.
Itzhak Perlman appears Jan. 24, 2025 with a celebration of his own musical past, hosting an evening of traditional klezmer in the program “In the Fiddler’s House.” The program, which will include klezmer specialty players, is a touchstone return to Perlman’s fundamental roots, introduced on an album that became a PBS special more than a quarter of a century ago, earning Perlman his third Emmy award.
To mark the 100th anniversary of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” the Society has an interesting celebration, headed by acclaimed pianist Conrad Tao and choreographer/dancer Caleb Teicher. On Nov. 23, Tao will perform multiple versions of the Rhapsody, including arrangements for solo piano, chamber ensemble, and tap dance, featuring Teicher.
The Laguna Beach Music Festival will be headed up this year by musical world luminary Caroline Shaw. The 23rd annual festival, in partnership with Laguna Beach Live!, sees Shaw acting as this season’s artistic director. The series of events Feb. 10-16, 2025 will end with three Shaw-curated concerts at Laguna Playhouse.
A notable chamber concert event takes place on May 4, 2025 when violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, cellist Pablo Ferrandez and pianist Bronfman will feature Beethoven and Tchaikovsky trios at Segerstrom.
Also at Segerstrom, on April 6, 2025 celebrated young violinist Randall Goosby pairs with pianist Zhu Wang for a four-piece program featuring works by Faure and Chausson.
The entire schedule can be viewed at philharmonicsociety.org.
Subscription packages go on sale today. Single tickets will go on sale in late August. To purchase season tickets, contact patron services at 949- 553-2422, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Mondays-Fridays, or purchase online at philharmonicsociety.org.
