Philadelphia Orchestra Begins 125th Anniversary Season With Special Performances

The Philadelphia Orchestra is marking its 125th anniversary season with special performances showcasing the most talented musicians in classical music.

On opening night, Thursday, Sept. 25, music and artistic director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will join Yuja Wang on piano.

Several days later, principal guest conductor Marin Alsop, formerly of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, will lead the Philadelphia Orchestra in the performance of works featuring pianist Yun-Chan Lim. According to Action News 6, Lim is heralded as a "one-in-a-million talent." The concert will also feature the world premiere of a piece commissioned by the Philadelphia Orchestra by composer John Adams.

To honor the semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) of the United States next year, Julia Wolfe has composed a work called The Liberty Bell, and Jazz Legend Wynton Marsalis will debut his Liberty Symphony in a concert that unites the orchestra with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

The Philadelphia Orchestra will also honor its history by hosting a concert that will feature the orchestra performing music from the movie Fantasia live with the film. The orchestra's second music director, Leopold Stokowski, partnered with Walt Disney to feature the orchestra's work for the original 1940 release of Fantasia.

Learn more about the Philadelphia Orchestra's 2025-2026 season by viewing its schedule of performances online.