LA Phil unveils expansive 2026-27 season at Walt Disney Concert Hall
Gustavo Dudamel conducts the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra at London's Royal Festival Hall. (Photo by Rey Trombetta/Creative Commons)
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Philharmonic has announced an ambitious and wide-ranging 2026-27 season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, highlighted by new leadership roles, major guest artist appearances and a slate of premieres and festivals that emphasize innovation and global collaboration.
The season, unveiled Tuesday by LA Phil President and CEO Kim Noltemy, will feature 22 commissioned works, including 15 world premieres and three U.S. premieres, underscoring the organization’s continued focus on contemporary music and forward-looking programming.
A central development for the upcoming season is the debut of Esa-Pekka Salonen as the orchestra’s newly established creative director. Salonen will curate a season-long “Rituals” festival exploring the role of ritual in both everyday life and artistic expression, while also conducting major works including Mozart’s Requiem and Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring.
The season also marks the return of Gustavo Dudamel, who will conduct three programs at Walt Disney Concert Hall after beginning his tenure as music and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic. Dudamel’s appearances will include a multi-concert cycle of Beethoven’s piano concertos in collaboration with pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, as well as performances of works by Zosha Di Castri, Prokofiev and Stravinsky.
“This season stands as a testament to the remarkable depth and range of [our musicians’] talents,” Noltemy said in a statement. “It also marks pivotal moments in our ongoing history, including the debut of Esa-Pekka Salonen as creative director and the return of Gustavo Dudamel.”
The LA Phil’s artistic leadership team will play a prominent role throughout the season. Composer John Adams, serving as creative chair, will continue to shape the Green Umbrella new music series and celebrate his 80th birthday with curated performances of his work. Jazz legend Herbie Hancock, the orchestra’s creative chair for jazz, will also headline performances during the season, while baroque specialist Emmanuelle Haïm continues her multi-year residency with programs featuring Handel and Vivaldi.
The 2026-27 season will include performances by a wide range of internationally acclaimed artists, including pianists Lang Lang, Yuja Wang and Mitsuko Uchida; violinists Hilary Hahn and Anne Akiko Meyers; and guest appearances from performers such as Bernadette Peters, Andrew Bird, Kamasi Washington and Pat Benatar and Neil Girardo.
In addition to its classical programming, the LA Phil will present a variety of non-classical concerts, holiday performances and special events, including film screenings with live orchestra, jazz showcases and global music presentations.
The season will also spotlight milestone celebrations for influential composers, including Philip Glass and Steve Reich at age 90 and John Adams at 80, alongside works by Julius Eastman, Arvo Pärt and Henryk Górecki.
Educational and community programming will remain a key component of the season. The LA Phil will continue its Symphonies for Youth concerts, Neighborhood Concerts across Los Angeles County and Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) initiatives, which provide free music education to young musicians.
Subscription packages for the 2026-27 season are now available, with single-ticket sales scheduled to open in August.