National Philharmonic Announces 2026-2027 Season

NatPhil to present East Coast Premiere of Jocelyn Hagen’s ‘What the Soul Already Knows’

Season features music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Aaron Copland, Antonín Dvorák, George Frideric Handel, Laura Karpman, Arturo Márquez, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Felix Mendelssohn, and Joan Tower

Guest artists include Inon Barnatan, Ava Pakiam, Aundi Marie Moore, Danielle Talamantes, and Jorell Williams

Brian Ganz launches a multi-year Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle

(WASHINGTON, DC) - National Philharmonic (NatPhil) today unveils its 2026-27 season, a bold seven-program journey spanning contemporary voices and timeless masterworks. The season features the East Coast premiere of Jocelyn Hagen’s What the Soul Already Knows. All concerts will take place at The Music Center at Strathmore, the Orchestra’s longstanding home in Montgomery County. 

“Our concerts are rooted in community and designed to inspire and belong to those we serve,” says Jim Kelly, President and CEO of National Philharmonic and a member of its Artistic Leadership Committee. “We are sharing music that we find instills a lifelong love of classical music. We are proud to present these compelling artists and composers who continually remind us why this art form matters. We know our audiences will have a wonderful time,” he adds.

In 2026-27, NatPhil welcomes a roster of accomplished artists, including pianist Inon Barnatan, violinist Ava Pakiam, and vocal artists Aundi Marie Moore, Danielle Talamantes, and Jorell Williams. Concerts will be led by distinguished guest conductors David Charles Abell, Anthony Blake Clark, Daniel Hege, Carolyn Kuan, Chia-Hsuan Lin, and Eugene Rogers.

“This upcoming season is infused with a spirit of discovery for us and the audience,” explains NatPhil violinist and Concert Leader Laura Colgate, who also serves on the NatPhil Artistic Leadership Committee. “Each program reflects a distinct facet of our artistic identity. In addition, we’re collaborating with six outstanding conductors across our season, each of whom will draw out a different dimension of the orchestra. By the end of the season, we’ll have arrived at a greater understanding of who we are as an ensemble and as a community,” she adds. 

Conceived as the ultimate love letter to classical music, NatPhil’s Artistic Leadership Committee selected beloved cornerstone repertoire and compelling contemporary works for the season. The season opens with Inon Barnatan performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3. The programming continues with music by Aaron Copland, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Felix Mendelssohn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Laura Karpman’s All American – propelled by a percussion battery of baking sheet, butcher block, Le Creuset 5-quart braiser and other kitchen tools – calls attention to the pervasive invisibility of women composers, quoting the melodies of three of them: Emily Wood Bower, Mildred J. Hill, and Anita Owen. In Made in America, Joan Tower draws from America the Beautiful as a main theme to survey American promise through the eyes of an expat.

The May program spotlights NatPhil’s partnership with The Washington Chorus under the direction of Dr. Eugene Rogers. The two ensembles will collaborate on the East Coast premiere of Jocelyn Hagen’s What the Soul Already Knows, co-commissioned with Pacific Chorale under the direction of Robert Istad. The performance features Soprano Rabihah Dunn, Mezzo-Soprano Ashley Dixon, Tenor Brian Giebler, and Bass-Baritone Alan Williams. The libretto is anchored by “The Circle,” an expansive poem by Ty Defoe, a Two-Spirit Native American writer and interdisciplinary artist.

In December, Baltimore Choral Arts Society joins NatPhil in its annual holiday tradition of performing George Frideric Handel’s Messiah, HWV 56, conducted by Anthony Blake Clark and featuring Soprano Sarah Hayashi, Mezzo-Soprano Lucia Bradford, Tenor Allan Palacios Chan, and Bass-Baritone Edmund Milly.

Building on the landmark "Extreme Chopin" project with NatPhil at Strathmore, in which pianist Brian Ganz played all 250 works by Frédéric Chopin, Ganz launches a new multi-year cycle of the Beethoven piano sonatas, further deepening NatPhil’s commitment to immersive, long-term artistic exploration. 

National Philharmonic 2026-2027 Season Schedule: 

Saturday, Sept. 20, 7:30 PM
The Music Center at Strathmore

Carolyn Kuan, Conductor
Inon Barnatan, Piano

• Laura Karpman: All American

• Ludwig van Beethoven: Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37

• Antonín Dvorák: Symphony No.9, op.95, B.178, E minor “From the New World”
   

Saturday, Nov. 7, 7:30 PM
The Music Center at Strathmore

Daniel Hege, Conductor
Danielle Talamantes, Soprano

• Joan Tower: Made in America

• Samuel Barber: Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Op. 24 

• George Gershwin: The Man I Love

• George Gershwin: Love Is Here to Stay

• Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring Suite

• Arturo Márquez: Danzón No. 2

Saturday, Dec. 18, 7:30 PM
Sunday, Dec. 19, 3 PM
The Music Center at Strathmore

Anthony Blake Clark, Conductor
Sarah Hayashi, Soprano
Lucia Bradford, Mezzo-Soprano
Allan Palacios Chan, Tenor
Edmund Milly, Bass-Baritone

with Baltimore Choral Arts Society

• George Frideric Handel: Messiah, HWV 56 (abridged with intermission)

Saturday, Feb. 20, 7:30 PM
The Music Center at Strathmore

David Charles Abell, Conductor
Aundi Marie Moore, Soprano
Ginger Costa-Jackson, Mezzo-Soprano
Andres Acosta, Tenor
Jorell Williams, Baritone

• Great moments from opera

Saturday, March 13, 7:30 PM
The Music Center at Strathmore

Chia-Hsuan Lin, Conductor
Ava Pakiam, Violin

• Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel: Overture, C major

• Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Concerto, Violin, Op.35, TH 59, D major

• Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3, Op. 56, A Minor (Scottish)

Saturday, April 10, 7:30 PM
The Music Center at Strathmore

Brian Ganz, Piano

• An immersive series exploring Beethoven’s piano sonatas

Saturday, May 8, 7:30 PM

The Music Center at Strathmore
In partnership with The Washington Chorus

Eugene Rogers, Conductor
Rabihah Dunn, Soprano
Ashley Dixon, Mezzo Soprano
Brian Giebler, Tenor
Alan Williams, Bass-baritone

• Jocelyn Hagen: What the Soul Already Knows, East Coast Premiere

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Requiem in D minor, K. 626 (completed by Süssmayr)

Programs, artists, dates, and times are subject to change. 

Subscription and Ticket Information 
Subscriptions and packages to National Philharmonic’s 2026-2027 season are on sale now at nationalphilharmonic.org. Single tickets will go on sale in July.

About the National Philharmonic
Celebrated for showcasing world-renowned guest artists in time-honored symphonic masterpieces, National Philharmonic (NatPhil) continuously strives to create remarkable educational opportunities in the community while promoting diversity and representation in classical music.

NatPhil was formed in 1985 as the Montgomery Chamber Orchestra, later becoming the National Chamber Orchestra. In 2005, it merged with Masterworks Chorus to become National Philharmonic, and took up residence at The Music Center at Strathmore, where it still performs.

The National Philharmonic is an accessible, enriching component in the Greater Washington DC Metropolitan Area, believing that music has the power to spark imagination and shape the world around us. Over the years, National Philharmonic has expanded its footprint with year-round masterclasses along with Summer String Institutes for youth, a Youth Mentorship Program, and partnerships with other arts and community organizations. In addition to these programs, National Philharmonic fosters a love of music in young people across the region by offering free admission to all children ages 7 to 17. nationalphilharmonic.org

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