Philharmonics

Concert supported by Deborah Ronnen, The Rosenberg Opera Fund, and Bruce Jacobs Welcome back GRAMMY winner Yefim Bronfman to the RPO as we usher in the new year! Experience an…

Celebrate love and passion this Valentine’s Day with the remarkable artistry of Martina Filjak as she shines on Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2. Lina González-Granados leads the RPO with Mendelssohn’s…

POST CONCERT EXPERIENCE Meet & greet with Paul Huang in the Oval Lobby at intermission (~8:20 PM) Join the RPO for a night of intensity! Marcelo Lehninger leads a provocative…

Concert supported by Dr. Victor Poleshuck, Richard Sterns & Suzanna Rubright, and Dr. and Mrs. Sidney H. Sobel Post-concert champagne toast sponsor  Prepare to be dazzled as “one of the most…

Concert sponsored by Concert supported by Deborah Ronnen, Karen Duguid & Wally Johnson, and Sam & Mimi Tilton Immerse yourself in a night of soaring melodies and profound beauty as Julian Schwarz makes his RPO debut performing Jennifer Higdon’s new Cello Concerto. “He brings musicality and insight to every page”, hails South Florida Classical Review.…

CONCERT SPONSORED BY Experience a mesmerizing fusion of musical worlds as the legendary Wu Man brings the haunting beauty of the pipa to life in Zhao Jiping’s Pipa Concerto. The pipa is a 2,000-year- old, lute-like instrument and Man, the world’s leading pipa player. Lan Shui leads the RPO in an exhilarating program featuring John…

The season reaches a thrilling climax as Andreas Delfs leads the RPO, the Rochester Oratorio Society, Bach Children's Chorus of Rochester, and powerhouse soloists in Carl Orff’s electrifying Carmina Burana—a choral spectacle of fate, fortune, and unrelenting rhythm. The program opens with Pacho Flores performing Roberto Sierra’s stunning trumpet concerto Salseando. Don’t miss this astonishing…

As part of the 2026 Rochester Fringe Festival, your RPO brings a thrilling one-night-only program to Eastman Theatre that pushes the boundaries of orchestral sound. Mason Bates’ Mothership kicks off the evening with rhythmic drive and vibrant energy drawn from the collision of electronic and orchestral worlds. Régis Campo’s Dancefloor with Pulsing spotlights the theremin…

Your 26/27 Philharmonics season opens with a bold celebration of American creativity and timeless orchestral power. Music Director Andreas Delfs leads the RPO in a world premiere by Michael Torke (a Voices of Today commission), followed by John Adams’ electrifying Violin Concerto, performed by the fearless and virtuosic Leila Josefowicz. The program culminates in Dvořák’s…

Step into the world of myth, memory, and music as your RPO presents a rare, semi-staged performance of Grieg’s Peer Gynt. Led by acclaimed actor John de Lancie, best known for his portrayal of Q on various seasons of the Star Trek series, this concert brings Ibsen’s epic tale vividly to life through narration, movement,…

The first weekend of our Piano Festival launches with two nights of Romantic firepower from legendary pianists. Andreas Delfs leads the orchestra in two unique programs spotlighting towering works by Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky. Olga Kern tackles the volcanic intensity of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3, framed by the composer’s haunting Isle of the Dead and…

The first weekend of our Piano Festival launches with two nights of Romantic firepower from legendary pianists. Andreas Delfs leads the orchestra in two unique programs spotlighting towering works by Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky. Barry Douglas brings heroic sweep to Tchaikovsky's iconic Piano Concerto No. 1, framed by selections from The Seasons and Francesca da Rimini.…

Week 2 of our Piano Festival continues with two programs devoted to the commanding brilliance and deep expressive power of Beethoven and Brahms. Under the direction of Music Director Andreas Delfs, Jonathan Biss brings clarity and conviction to Beethoven's majestic "Emperor" Concerto, paired with the composer's vibrant Symphony No. 8. Framed by dramatic overtures, these…

Week 2 of our Piano Festival continues with two programs devoted to the commanding brilliance and deep expressive power of Beethoven and Brahms. Under the direction of Music Director Andreas Delfs, Marc-André Hamelin takes center stage in Brahms’ expansive Piano Concerto No. 2, alongside the luminous Haydn Variations. Framed by dramatic overtures, these concerts reveal…

Andreas Delfs leads the RPO in an evening that spans the elegance of Mozart to the energy of Bartók. Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 offers graceful melodies and clear, flowing lines, while Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra highlights the full orchestra with vibrant rhythms, bold contrasts, and moments that let each section shine. Audiences will enjoy the…

This program draws inspiration from the natural world, pairing vivid musical landscapes with Romantic warmth. Music Director Andreas Delfs leads the RPO in Smetana’s beloved The Moldau, a flowing portrait of a river’s journey through the Czech countryside. Tessa Lark joins the orchestra for Michael Torke’s luminous Sky, a contemporary work full of color and…

Vinay Parameswaran returns to Rochester to lead a program that moves from contemporary color to Romantic lyricism. RPO Concertmaster Juliana Athayde performs Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, a lively and expressive take on the traditional concerto. Nina Shekhar’s Lumina brings shimmering textures and rhythmic energy, while Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 1, Winter Daydreams, fills the…

Come celebrate the orchestra’s gift for storytelling, from Old World elegance to Hollywood wonder. Andreas Delfs welcomes violinist Stefan Jackiw back to Rochester for Korngold’s radiant Violin Concerto, a work rich with lyricism and cinematic vision. Strauss’s lush Rosenkavalier Suite follows, capturing the charm, wit, and romantic glow of a Viennese opera. The evening concludes…

100 years after its premiere, experience Fritz Lang’s iconic silent film Metropolis (1927) in a way you’ve never seen—or heard—before. Composer Jeff Beal joins the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Eastman Philharmonia to perform his electrifying score live, transforming Kodak Hall into a fully immersive cinematic world. Pulsing rhythms, dramatic textures, and intricate orchestration bring…

Rochester native and Eastman alumna Annie Jacobs-Perkins performs Schumann’s Cello Concerto, guided by conductor Kensho Watanabe. Kevin Puts’ Virelai, inspired by medieval poet Guillaume de Machaut, opens with bright textures and lively rhythms. Schumann’s concerto is lyrical and intimate, with the cello leading a conversation with the orchestra. The program closes with Sibelius’ Symphony No.…

Andreas Delfs leads the orchestra and Eastman-Rochester Chorus in Fauré’s Requiem, known for its serene, flowing vocal lines. Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 follows, with warm melodies and clear orchestral textures. Audiences will hear the contrast between the quiet lyricism of Fauré and the broad, expressive sweep of Brahms, experiencing an evening that highlights both the…

Stephen Hough returns to Rochester for a dazzling performance of Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 5, The Egyptian, a brilliant and exotic showpiece inspired by North African and Middle Eastern influences. Under the baton of Ruth Reinhardt, the RPO also performs Jennah Vainio’s shimmering Sylvia’s Lullaby, Hindemith’s energetic Symphonic Metamorphosis, and Ravel’s ever-building Boléro, one of…

Pianist Makoto Ozone makes his RPO debut in Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, an iconic fusion of jazz and classical style that remains one of the most beloved works in American music. Andreas Delfs leads a sweeping second half with Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 2, a lush and expansive Romantic masterpiece filled with soaring melodies and dramatic…