500 tickets at $5: Academy of St Martin in the Fields opens the doors to New York City as Conrad Tao becomes its first-ever Spotlight Artist

A major donor-funded initiative will offer 500 New Yorkers a $5 ticket to the ASMF’s landmark concert at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Fredrick. P Rose Hall on 3 March 2027, where pianist and composer Conrad Tao becomes the first artist to hold ASMF’s new Spotlight Artist title, performing Mozart and presenting a brand new work written for ASMF.

For 500 attendees at the Academy of St Martin in the Fields (ASMF) upcoming concert at the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall, New York, a ticket will cost just $5. Thanks to the generosity of a syndicate of donors, ASMF can offer this strictly limited allocation of subsidised tickets to under-40s and to members of local organisations serving the New York City community. This major initiative is designed to ensure that cost is never the reason someone misses an extraordinary night of classical music.

The concert, on Tuesday 3 March 2027, also marks the start of a new chapter in one of ASMF’s significant artistic partnerships: pianist and composer Conrad Tao has been named ASMF’s first-ever Spotlight Artist, a title he will hold until 2027 in recognition of a relationship spanning multiple concerts across three countries. The partnership began unexpectedly when Tao stepped in at short notice for a scheduled ASMF performance in Strathmore Center for Music, North Besthesda, 2025, after the original soloist was unable to perform due to illness. What began as a one-off substitution immediately had the potential to grow into a far more significant artistic relationship.

At Rose Hall, Tao, a New Yorker performing is his home city, joins ASMF for a programme centred on Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.23, paired with the American premiere of a new work he has written specifically for ASMF and closing with Copland’s Appalachian Spring.

The concert forms as part of ASMF’s major US tour with Conrad Tao, running 23 February to 14 March across 10 cities.

500 Tickets at $5

For 500 people at Rose Hall on 3 March, a seat at this concert will cost the same as a cup of coffee. The Academy of St Martin in the Fields is deeply grateful to a syndicate of donors, led by Zachary and Xiaoning Smith, whose generosity has made it possible to offer this strictly limited allocation of $5 tickets, one of the most significant access initiatives ASMF has undertaken in the United States.

The scheme is designed to reach those for whom cost might otherwise be a barrier, including under-40’s, students, local residents from under-served communities, individuals and families on low incomes, recipients of government support programmes, residents of social or public housing, current and former members of the armed forces and people connected through nonprofit and community organisations serving New York City.

The initiative reflects ASMF’s wider commitment to audiences; a belief, central to ASMF’s identity since its founding, that extraordinary classical music should be available to everyone, not only to those who can readily afford it. It builds on ASMF’s long-standing education and community programmes, and on a growing ambition to deepen the orchestra’s connection to the communities it visits on tour, in New York and beyond.

Subsidised tickets will be available via a dedicated registration process, details of which will be announced shortly. Those wishing to be notified first should register their interest here.

Annie Lydford, Chief Executive, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, on the $5 ticket initiative:

“Returning to New York is one of the highlights of our season and we’re excited to be performing at the Rose Hall with as wonderful a musician as Conrad Tao. Conrad’s performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.9 in spring last year was a revelation, and it was immediately evident that there was a special connection between Conrad and our orchestra. We want this concert and everything we do while we tour to be accessible to the widest possible audience, and not just those who already know about classical music or who can always afford a ticket. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our donors, 500 people who might not otherwise have walked into Rose Hall will be there with us on 3 March. Audiences are at the heart of everything we do, and this is one of the clearest expressions of that commitment we have ever had the privilege to make in the US.”

Conrad Tao - ASMF's First Spotlight Artist

This concert marks the beginning of Conrad Tao’s year as ASMF’s first-ever Spotlight Artist, a new title recognising a relationship between Tao and ASMF spanning multiple concerts across three countries. The partnership began unexpectedly when Tao stepped in at short notice for a scheduled ASMF performance in Strathmore Center for Music, North Besthesda, 2025, after the original soloist was unable to perform due to illness. What began as a one-off substitution immediately had the potential to grow into a far more significant artistic relationship, and one that the ASMF is proud to celebrate now formally.

Conrad Tao said:

“Performing at home in New York is the best. This is the city where I grew up, it’s the city where I live, and nothing makes me happier than playing for my local community. I’m thrilled to be performing in the city next year with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and to also be writing a brand new composition for them. I’ve admired this ensemble for many years and am so happy to be collaborating with them.

Music is for the people. I hope that the hundreds of $5 tickets for this concert opens the doors for audiences from all across the city, especially those who might be coming to an orchestral show for the first time. Sharing a concert hall, listening together, being and breathing together — being able to facilitate this experience is one of the great joys of my life. Come join us!”
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Described by New York Magazine as “the kind of musician who is shaping the future of classical music,” Conrad Tao is one of the most singular artists of his generation. A pianist of extraordinary depth and a composer of genuine daring, equally celebrated in both roles. Praised by the New York Times for his “probing intellect and open-hearted vision,” Tao has performed with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic and Cleveland Orchestra, and returned to Carnegie Hall with a l with a programme pairing Debussy and his own compositions. His recordings on Warner Classics have been widely acclaimed, and his work moves freely across disciplines, encompassing collaborations with dancers, visual artists and leading contemporary composers.

At the centre of the Rose Hall programme, Tao performs Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.23, its lyrical poise and inward expressiveness in compelling contrast to the surrounding American repertoire. The Academy of St Martin in the Fields is the orchestra the world turns to for Mozart; to hear them perform it alongside Tao is a rare and not-to-be-missed combination.

Tao also presents the American premiere of a new work written for ASMF. A piece born from close creative dialogue between composer and ensemble, one of the highlights of ASMF’s 2026/27 season and the centrepiece of his new role as ASMF’s first Spotlight Artist.

Programme

The concert opens with Ruth Crawford Seeger’s Music for Small Orchestra, a work of striking originality from a pioneer of American modernism whose music deserves far wider hearing. At its centre, Tao joins ASMF for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.23, repertoire with which the orchestra has long been most closely associated, and a rare opportunity to hear one of the world’s great Mozart orchestras paired with a soloist of Tao’s calibre. After the interval, Tao gives the American premiere of a new commission, bringing his dual perspective as composer and performer to the fore, before the evening closes with Copland’s Appalachian Spring in the original version he wrote for Martha Graham’s landmark 1944 ballet. Lean, luminous, rooted in American folk tradition and one of the most enduring works in the orchestral repertoire.

Full programme:

• Ruth Crawford Seeger – Music for Small Orchestra
• Mozart – Piano Concerto No.23 in A major, K488
• Conrad Tao – New Commission (American premiere)
• Copland – Appalachian Spring (suite, original version)

Relevant Links

Tickets
500 Tickets Available at $5
ASMF Website
Conrad Tao Website

About The Academy of St Martin in the Fields

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields is one of the world’s finest orchestras, renowned for fresh, brilliant interpretations of the world’s greatest orchestral music.

Founded in 1958 by Sir Neville Marriner, ASMF has evolved into a musical powerhouse, celebrated worldwide for its commitment to the musical freedom of its players and for sharing joyful, inspiring performances.

Today, under Music Director Joshua Bell, ASMF’s player-led approach empowers every member of the orchestra. This creates a direct and electrifying connection with audiences, resulting in ambitious and collaborative performances that transcend the traditional conductor-led model.

Beyond the concert hall, ASMF’s commitment to social purpose is reflected in projects that harness the power of music to empower people. The orchestra has a longstanding history of work with communities experiencing homelessness, and its education initiatives nurture autonomy and creativity among emerging musicians worldwide.

ASMF’s collective artistic responsibility fosters enduring collaborations with world-renowned soloists, exemplified by a 15-year partnership with Joshua Bell. These collaborations showcase the benefits of trust and long-term artistic collaboration.

Building on its rich global legacy, ASMF remains one of the world’s most-recorded orchestras, igniting a love for classical music through live performance and digital initiatives. The orchestra maintains a busy international touring programme alongside a significant presence in the UK, making ASMF one of the country’s most celebrated cultural ambassadors.

About Conrad Tao

Conrad Tao is a pianist and composer celebrated for his boundary-defying artistry as well as his powerful performances of traditional repertoire. Described by New York Magazine as “the kind of musician who is shaping the future of classical music,” and praised by The New York Times for his “probing intellect and open-hearted vision,” Tao appears regularly as a soloist with leading orchestras and at major venues across the world. Tao is also a cross-genre performer whose recent collaborators include dancer Caleb Teicher, vocalist Charmaine Lee, artist Avram Finkelstein, choreographer Miguel Gutierrez and The Westerlies. He is also a member of the Junction Trio alongside Stefan Jackiw and Jay Campbell. Tao is a recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant, the Gilmore Young Artist Award, and a New York Dance and Performance “Bessie” Award for his collaboration with Caleb Teicher on More Forever.

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