After months of recovery following spinal surgery, Hilary Hahn has returned to the concert stage. The American violinist made her comeback on 12 February with The Philadelphia Orchestra, performing Sergei Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in what the orchestra described as a “marvelous return”.
The programme also marked the Philadelphia debut of conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali, who led Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 6 and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio italien. In a post shared on social media, the orchestra called the evening “an epic moment”, celebrating Hahn’s performance as “utterly breathtaking”.
A recovery marked by surgery and resilience
Hahn had announced earlier, on 7 February, that she would soon return to the stage after navigating injury over the past two concert seasons. In a detailed message to her followers, she explained that she had been dealing with pinched nerves caused by a herniated cervical disc.
The first herniation, a year and a half ago, led to muscle atrophy and persistent nerve stress, though she was eventually able to resume performing. Last summer, however, the same disc herniated again, compressing “nearly all” of her remaining nerve space. At that point, she decided to pursue more aggressive treatment.
Following surgery performed by what she described as “a phenomenal surgeon (who used to play the violin)”, Hahn now has an artificial disc. “My career has a future again,” she wrote, adding that her neck alignment is healthier than before and that she is pain free.
She also acknowledged that recovery continues: rebuilding strength and fine motor coordination remains part of the process, while her nerves “get their bearings again”. Audiences may notice her wearing scarves in the coming months, she added, as she protects the surgical scar on her neck during the healing phase.
The prognosis, Hahn noted, is positive. For now, her return in Philadelphia marks a significant milestone — both artistically and personally — after a period of uncertainty.
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