2025/26 London Season
Welcome to our 80th birthday season at the Southbank Centre.
The Philharmonia Orchestra gave its first ever performance in October 1945. Over the past 80 years we’ve built a reputation as one of the world’s great orchestras. Throughout our history we’ve performed around the world with leading conductors and soloists, made definitive recordings, created innovative projects, and embraced new technology to enable more people to experience the music we love. And this season is no exception.
In our 2025/26 London season you’ll find plenty of opportunities to see our Principal Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali and Principal Guest Conductor Marin Alsop on the podium – highlights include Marin Alsop conducting Laura Karpman’s ‘tennis opera’ Balls, and Santtu’s recreation of the concert Richard Strauss himself conducted with the Philharmonia.
Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, our Featured Artist, joins us to play Beethoven, Adams and Kurtág. And as our Featured Composer, Gabriela Ortiz injects the distinctive energy of Latin America into our programmes.
We’re joined by many more fantastic artists, including pianists Evgeny Kissin and Bruce Liu, violinists Nicola Benedetti and Hilary Hahn, cellist Alisa Weilerstein and soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha. And throughout the season we’re exploring how music shapes our identity, as an orchestra, as artists, or as listeners – take a look at our Philharmonia debates… and join the conversation.
Multibuy offer:
Book 3 – 4 concerts and get 10% off
Book 5 – 7 concerts and get 15% off
Book 8 – 10 concerts and get 20% off
Book 11 – 14 concerts and get 25% off
Book 15 or more concerts and get 30% off
Santtu and Víkingur Ólafsson
Santtu-Matias Rouvali – conductor
Víkingur Ólafsson – piano
- Ortiz Si el oxígeno fuera verde (UK premiere, Philharmonia commission)
- Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3
- Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3, 'Organ'
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Philharmonia debates... Music & Identity
Speakers to be announced
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Gilbert & George: Sex, Money, Race, Religion
Jessica Cottis – conductor
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Philharmonia debates... Music & Politics
Speakers to be announced
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Santtu conducts Sibelius, Lindberg & Shostakovich
Santtu-Matias Rouvali – conductor
Christian Lindberg – trombone
- Sibelius Finlandia
- Lindberg Trombone Concerto, 'Golden Eagle'
- Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Wagner, Strauss and Tchaikovsky: Last Songs
Lorenzo Viotti – conductor
Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha – soprano
- Wagner Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde
- Strauss Four Last Songs
- Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6, ‘Pathétique’
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Paavo Järvi conducts Bruch and Sibelius
Paavo Järvi – conductor
Alena Baeva – violin
- Brahms St Anthony Variations
- Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1
- Sibelius Symphony No. 5
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Jakub Hrůša conducts Mahler 7
Jakub Hrůša – conductor
- Mahler Symphony No. 7
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Evgeny Kissin: one concert, three concertos
Lawrence Foster – conductor
Evgeny Kissin – piano
- Rimsky-Korsakov Piano Concerto
- Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 1
- Rachmaninov The Rock
- Scriabin Piano Concerto
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Philharmonia debates... Music & Gender
Speakers to be announced
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Balls: Marin Alsop conducts Laura Karpman
Marin Alsop – conductor
Sandi Toksvig – narrator
Nikola Printz – Billie Jean King
Toby Spence – Bobby Riggs
- Walton Façade
- Karpman Balls (World premiere of orchestral version)
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Philharmonia Chamber Players: A Portuguese Quartet
Players to include:
Nuno Carapina – violin
Eunsley Park – violin
Daichi Yoshimura – viola
Alexander Rolton – cello
- Freitas Branco String Quartet
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Rafael Payare conducts Berlioz and Ortiz
Rafael Payare – conductor
Pacho Flores – trumpet
- Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture
- Ortiz Trumpet Concerto, 'Altar de Bronce' (London premiere)
- Berlioz Symphonie fantastique
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Santtu and Fazıl Say
Santtu-Matias Rouvali – conductor
Fazıl Say – piano
- de Falla El Amor Brujo Suite (orchestral version)
- Say Mother Earth (Piano Concerto) (UK premiere)
- Dvořák Symphony No. 8
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Philharmonia debates... Music & Exile
Speakers to be announced
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Santtu and Hilary Hahn
Santtu-Matias Rouvali – conductor
Hilary Hahn – violin
- Stravinsky Divertimento from The Fairy's Kiss
- Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2
- Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Marin Alsop conducts Star Wars and The Planets
Marin Alsop – conductor
Sean Shibe – guitar
- Williams Star Wars Suite
- Rodrigo Guitar Concerto, 'Concierto de Aranjuez'
- Holst The Planets
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Philharmonia Chamber Players: Strings
Performers to be announced
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Runnicles conducts Bruckner 8
Donald Runnicles – conductor
- Bruckner Symphony No. 8
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Philharmonia Chamber Players: Conductors Compose
Players to include:
Julian Milone – violin
- Svetlanov 24 Hours in the Country for Wind Quintet
- Sinopoli Numquid for Oboe Quartet
- Salonen Prologue
- Klemperer String Quartet
- Markevitch Galop
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Esa-Pekka Salonen and Víkingur Ólafsson
Esa-Pekka Salonen – conductor
Víkingur Ólafsson – piano
- Adams Piano Concerto, 'After the Fall' (London premiere, Philharmonia co-commission)
- Ravel Daphnis and Chloé (complete ballet score)
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Víkingur Ólafsson celebrates Kurtág at 100
Elena Schwarz – conductor
Víkingur Ólafsson – piano
István Várdai – cello
- Kurtág Hommage à J. S. B.
- Kurtág Double Concerto, Op. 27 No. 2
- Schumann Fugue on B-A-C-H, Op. 60
- Kurtág Hommage à R. Sch.
- Simpson Hommage à Kurtág
- Kurtág ...quasi una fantasia... Op. 27, No. 1
- Bach Music for solo cello and solo piano
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Santtu conducts Bernstein, Copland and Gershwin
Santtu-Matias Rouvali – conductor
Mark van de Wiel – clarinet
Frank Dupree – piano
- Bernstein On the Waterfront Suite
- Dove Clarinet Concerto, 'Rainbow' (London premiere, commissioned by Mark van de Wiel and the Philharmonia)
- Copland Clarinet Concerto
- Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Philharmonia Big Band
Santtu-Matias Rouvali – drums
Musicians to be announced
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Music of Today: Gabriela Ortiz curates
Musicians to be announced
- Cortés-Álvarez Transcendiendo Muros
- Vázquez Son Crepuscular
- Ortiz Corpórea
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Marin Alsop and Alisa Weilerstein
Marin Alsop – conductor
Alisa Weilerstein – cello
- Márquez Danzón No. 2
- Ortiz Cello Concerto, 'Dzonot' (London premiere)
- Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Nagano conducts Mahler's Resurrection Symphony
Kent Nagano – conductor
Philharmonia Chorus
- Hildegard of Bingen O vis aeternitatis
- Mahler Symphony No. 2, 'Resurrection'
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Lisa Batiashvili plays Tchaikovsky
Santtu-Matias Rouvali – conductor
Lisa Batiashvili – violin
- Bacewicz Divertimento
- Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
- Walton Symphony No. 1
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Philharmonia Chamber Players: String Trio
Players to include:
Scott Dickinson – viola
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Denis Kozhukhin plays Beethoven
Ruth Reinhardt – conductor
Denis Kozhukhin – piano
- Ortiz Tzam (UK premiere)
- Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5, 'Emperor'
- Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3, 'Scottish'
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Bruce Liu plays Ravel
Ryan Bancroft – conductor
Bruce Liu – piano
- Britten Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes
- Ravel Piano Concerto in G
- Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5
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Nicola Benedetti plays Elgar
Cristian Măcelaru – conductor
Nicola Benedetti – violin
- Elgar Violin Concerto
- Chaminade Callirhoë Suite
- Debussy La Mer
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Hard Rock Hallelujah: Philharmonia x Heavy Metal All-Stars
Santtu-Matias Rouvali – conductor
Plus special guests
Music of Today: Composers' Academy
Musicians to be announced
Composers to be announced
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.
Kavakos conducts Dvořák, Schumann & Brahms
Leonidas Kavakos – conductor
Kian Soltani – cello
- Dvořák Vanda Overture
- Schumann Cello Concerto
- Brahms Symphony No. 1
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Santtu conducts a Strauss extravaganza
Santtu-Matias Rouvali – conductor
Benjamin Grosvenor – piano
- Strauss Don Juan
- Strauss Burleske
- Strauss Symphonia Domestica
- Strauss Waltzes from Der Rosenkavalier (first sequence)
Join the Friends to access priority booking from 10am on Thursday 24 April.