The New York Philharmonic’s 2025–2026 season marks a new chapter as Gustavo Dudamel takes the helm as Music and Artistic Director. The season reflects his artistic vision, balancing beloved repertoire with cutting-edge new works. Alongside Dudamel’s inaugural concerts, the season features a centennial tribute to Pierre Boulez, a residency by Sheku Kanneh-Mason, major world premieres, and an array of guest artists and conductor debuts.
Season Highlights
- Gustavo Dudamel’s Inaugural Season: Dudamel will lead a variety of programs throughout the season, including the opening concert featuring a world premiere by Leilehua Lanzilotti, Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with Yunchan Lim, and Ives’s Symphony No. 2.
- Sheku Kanneh-Mason as Artist-in-Residence: The acclaimed cellist takes center stage in a series of performances, including works by Bloch and Elgar, as well as a recital with pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason.
- World Premieres: The Philharmonic continues its commitment to contemporary music, unveiling 19 world and New York premieres, including commissions by David Lang and Ellen Reid.
- Debuts and Returning Artists: The season introduces several guest conductors, including Marta Gardolińska, Gustavo Gimeno, and Domingo Hindoyan, while welcoming back soloists like Evgeny Kissin.
Several of the season’s most compelling concerts—including the Boulez centenary tribute, a groundbreaking orchestral version of The People United Will Never Be Defeated!, and high-profile performances by María Dueñas, Barbara Hannigan, and Yuja Wang—are explored in depth in Moto Perpetuo’s Top Five Picks.
Moto Perpetuo’s Top Five Picks for the Season
Boulez Centenary Concerts (October 3–11, 2025)
A major tribute to former NY Phil music director Pierre Boulez unfolds over two programs. Pierre-Laurent Aimard, a longtime collaborator of Boulez, performs selections from Notations for solo piano, alongside Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting the orchestral versions. The concerts also feature music by Debussy. The second program presents Boulez’s Rituel in memoriam Bruno Maderna in a staged performance choreographed by Benjamin Millepied and performed by the L.A. Dance Project.
María Dueñas and Manfred Honeck (January 29–February 1, 2026)
One of the most anticipated debuts of the season, María Dueñas joins conductor Manfred Honeck for a performance of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. Dueñas, praised for her technical brilliance and expressive interpretations, has become a rising star in recent years. The program also features Honeck’s own orchestral suite from Strauss’s Elektra, a condensed yet potent distillation of the opera’s dramatic intensity.
‘The People United Will Never Be Defeated’ (March 12–17, 2026)
Frederic Rzewski’s The People United Will Never Be Defeated!—a politically charged set of variations on a Chilean protest song—was originally written for solo piano. The Philharmonic now presents a bold new orchestral version, arranged by a collective of composers including Tania León, Andrew Norman, Conrad Tao, and Maria Schneider. This large-scale reimagining transforms Rzewski’s virtuosic work into an expansive, multifaceted statement on protest and resilience.
Barbara Hannigan in Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine (April 23–25, 2026)
Soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan takes on Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine, an emotionally charged monodrama that unfolds as a one-sided phone call between a woman and her departing lover. In this staged production, Hannigan embodies the psychological unraveling of the protagonist, blending vocal intensity with a deeply theatrical presence.
Thomas Adès and Yuja Wang (January 22–24, 2026)
Composer-conductor Thomas Adès returns to the Philharmonic with a thought-provoking program. His America (A Prophecy), a meditation on colonialism, is performed alongside Saariaho’s Oltra mar and Ives’s Orchestral Set No. 2. Pianist Yuja Wang, known for her dazzling virtuosity, takes on Rautavaara’s Piano Concerto No. 1, adding her signature brilliance to an already electrifying lineup.
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