The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced the NSO’s 2026–2027 Classical Season. Marking its 96th season and Music Director Gianandrea Noseda’s 10th season, the NSO will bring world-class music directly into communities across the National Capital Region with performances at six regional venues, ten programming weeks led by Noseda, appearances by world-renowned conductors and soloists, major new commissions and world premieres, and the Orchestra’s cherished annual performances of Handel’s Messiah. A major cornerstone of this season sees the NSO and Noseda embark on a Five-State US tour, bringing their artistry to audiences across America in their first multi-state tour together, and building upon the NSO’s first-ever performance at Hollywood Bowl on August 18 this year.
EXPANDING REACH OF THE NSO
Both NSO and Kennedy Center leadership are thrilled to expand the orchestra’s reach under the strategic direction of Chairman of the Center, President Donald J. Trump and both organizations’ Boards, who strongly champion this regional and national footprint while fully recognizing the vital need for the best possible permanent home for the NSO. Between September 2026 and June 2027, this expansive regional presence will encompass around 60 classical performances across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia at:
- The Music Center at Strathmore (North Bethesda, MD)
- Center for the Arts at George Mason University (Fairfax, VA)
- Lisner Auditorium at The George Washington University (Washington, D.C.)
- Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center at Northern Virginia Community College (Alexandria, VA)
- The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland (College Park, MD)
- Lincoln Theatre (Washington, D.C.)
“Together with Kennedy Center leadership, the NSO Board of Directors is thrilled to guide and support this transformative expansion of our regional and national footprint,” said Brian Boyle, Chair of the NSO Board of Directors. “Our Board members and musicians share the strong conviction that providing the best possible home for the NSO is essential to its artistic future. We look forward to connecting not only with our existing patrons, but also with new audiences around the National Capital Region and across the country, and we are excited that this plan will culminate in a renovated and acoustically superior Concert Hall that will be available for generations to come. There is no better context in which to celebrate the start of Gianandrea Noseda’s tenth season as Music Director.”
Gianandrea Noseda added, “I am grateful to the NSO Board of Directors for its leadership and am very excited about my tenth season as Music Director. The last nine years have been some of the most fulfilling of my artistic life. The artists of the NSO, administration, board, and our audiences have all become a part of my extended artistic family to whom I am immensely thankful. Sharing the National Symphony Orchestra’s music-making directly with audiences both in the Washington, D.C. area and around America is an opportunity to connect in a special way and also cultivate future audiences. The artists of the National Symphony Orchestra and I are eager to bring our artistry to communities in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, as well as around America during our first multi-state U.S. tour in April 2027.”
Gianandrea Noseda launches his tenth season as Music Director on September 26, 2026, leading an evening celebrating music inspired by storytelling and dance. Opening Night features Tchaikovsky’s beloved Swan Lake Suite, Carlos Simon’s Monuments – A Suite for D.C., and Respighi’s colorful La Boutique fantasque, setting the stage for a season that balances classic orchestral repertoire with exciting new works and fresh artistic perspectives.
Noseda’s programs this season include works from Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade and Ravel’s Boléro to Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8, Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony, Brahms’ Symphony No. 2, Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5, and Respighi’s Gli Uccelli. Alongside these works are world premieres and NSO co-commissions by American composers Sarah Kirkland Snider and Joan Tower, along with an important new work by Carlos Simon, continuing both the Orchestra’s long-standing investment in new music and the celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Guest conductors this season include John Adams, Leonard Slatkin, Teddy Abrams, Philippe Jordan, Bernard Labadie, Marie Jacquot, Gustavo Gimeno, Stanislav Kochanovsky, Eva Ollikainen, Nicholas Carter, Richard Egarr, Ken-David Masur, and Chia-Hsuan Lin. Featured soloists include violinists Leila Josefowicz, James Ehnes, Elena Urioste, Bomsori Kim, and Augustin Hadelich; pianists Beatrice Rana, Yefim Bronfman, Alexandra Dovgan, Denis Kozhukhin, Francesco Piemontesi, Nikolai Lugansky, and Jorge Federico Osorio; and cellists Sol Gabetta and Gautier Capuçon.
Noseda and the Orchestra will also honor one of the NSO’s most influential artistic leaders with Slava!, celebrating the centennial of former Music Director Mstislav Rostropovich. The commemorative program in February 2027 features Weinberg’s deeply expressive Cello Concerto, premiered exactly 70 years ago by Rostropovich, alongside Shostakovich’s powerful Symphony No. 10, paying tribute to Slava’s extraordinary artistic legacy and his enduring impact on the National Symphony Orchestra.
The NSO will continue its long-standing tradition of touring and bringing performances to audiences across the USA. With Gianandrea Noseda and guest violinist Ray Chen, the orchestra will present programs in South Bend and Bloomington, IN; Kansas City, MO; Stillwater, OK; Davis and Northridge, CA; and Las Vegas, NV.
NSO 2026–2027 CONCERTS FEATURING GIANANDREA NOSEDA INCLUDE:
- The opening night of the NSO’s 2026–2027 Classical Season on September 26, 2026 features Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Suite, Carlos Simon’s Monuments—Suite for D.C., and Respighi’s La Boutique fantasque, launching the Orchestra’s 96th season.
- October 1–2, 2026, Noseda leads a program of orchestral favorites with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition (orch. Ravel), and Ravel’s Boléro.
- October 8–10, 2026, Gianandrea Noseda conducts Prokofiev’s wartime Symphony No. 5, accompanied by Haydn’s Symphony No. 85 “La Reine” and Stravinsky’s Scènes de Ballet.
- February 11-12, 2027, cellist Sol Gabetta returns to the NSO to perform Weinberg’s Cello Concerto in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Mstislav Rostropovich’s birth. Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 rounds out the program.
- February 18–20, 2027, pianist Francesco Piemontesi performs Dvořák’s Piano Concerto in a program featuring the world premiere of Alexander Raskatov’s orchestration of Rachmaninoff’s Corelli Variations, an NSO co-commission.
- February 24-25, 2027, violinist James Ehnes joins Noseda for Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4, followed by Schubert’s Symphony No. 5 in the second half.
- April 8-10, 2027, NSO Principal Flute Aaron Goldman plays Rodrigo’s Concierto Pastoral, in a program that includes selections from Albéniz’s Iberia and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8.
- April 16–17, 2027, acclaimed pianist Beatrice Rana performs Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 before Noseda leads Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, the “Pastoral.”
- May 7–9, 2027, Noseda concludes his subscription season with Schumann’s Overture, Scherzo, and Finale and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2. He is joined by violinist Elena Urioste performing the Violin Concerto by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.
DISTINGUISHED GUEST CONDUCTORS
The 2026–2027 Classical Season brings a wide range of artistic perspectives to audiences across the Washington metropolitan area.
Composer and conductor John Adams returns to lead his groundbreaking Scheherazade.2, joined by violinist Leila Josefowicz, for whom the work was written. Leonard Slatkin conducts Joan Tower’s Love Returns, an NSO co-commission, while Teddy Abrams takes the podium for the world premiere of a new work titled Urge by Sarah Kirkland Snider featuring bass-baritone Will Liverman.
The season also features appearances by Marie Jacquot, Stanislav Kochanovsky, Philippe Jordan, Bernard Labadie, Gustavo Gimeno, Eva Ollikainen, Ken-David Masur, and Chia-Hsuan Lin. Their programs span music from the Classical period through the twentieth century, pairing cornerstone orchestral works with acclaimed soloists from around the world.
Collectively, the guest conductors represent some of today’s most respected musical voices, offering audiences an unusually broad range of artistic perspectives.
FEATURED SOLOISTS
An impressive roster of guest artists joins the National Symphony Orchestra throughout the 2026–2027 season, with performances by many of today’s leading instrumentalists and vocalists.
Violinist Leila Josefowicz reunites with composer John Adams for his Scheherazade.2, a work written for her and closely associated with her throughout its performance history. Saxophonist Steven Banks appears as the featured soloist in Joan Tower’s Love Returns, while bass-baritone Will Liverman joins Teddy Abrams for the world premiere of Sarah Kirkland Snider’s Urge.
As the season continues, audiences will hear a remarkable group of recognized artists. Pianist Jorge Federico Osorio performs Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 in a program led by Marie Jacquot, while Nikolai Lugansky returns to perform Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 under Stanislav Kochanovsky. Yefim Bronfman joins Philippe Jordan for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24.
As in all recent seasons, the NSO showcases talent from within the Orchestra as Principal Flute Aaron Goldman performs Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto Pastoral.
Music Director Gianandrea Noseda welcomes pianist Francesco Piemontesi for Dvořák’s Piano Concerto before leading the world premiere of Alexander Raskatov’s orchestral adaptation of Rachmaninoff’s Corelli Variations. Violinist James Ehnes returns later in the season for Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4 as part of a program that includes Schubert’s Symphony No. 5.
Spring brings additional appearances from some of classical music’s most sought-after performers. Pianist Alexandra Dovgan performs Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Gustavo Gimeno, while Beatrice Rana returns for Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3. French cellist Gautier Capuçon performs Elgar’s Cello Concerto, and the classical season concludes with pianist Denis Kozhukhin in Lutosławski’s
The season’s guest artists span multiple generations and musical traditions, from established international stars to acclaimed rising performers, reflecting the breadth of today’s classical music landscape.
ANNUAL LABOR DAY PERFORMANCE
The National Symphony Orchestra continues its annual Labor Day tradition on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at 8:00 p.m., with a special performance at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC. This year’s concert, conducted by Enrico Lopez-Yañez and featuring guest vocalist Ender Thomas, brings together an inspiring program of American music celebrating unity, service, and the enduring spirit of the nation.
The approximately 70-minute program will include works by Florence Price Bonds, James Reese Europe-inspired composer Jonathan Bailey Holland, Valerie Coleman, John Williams, and others, along with beloved favorites including “We Are Family,” “America the Beautiful,” and “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” The concert will also mark the 45th anniversary of John Williams’s “Raiders March,” making for an evening that celebrates America’s musical heritage while bringing audiences together for one of the National Symphony Orchestra’s signature annual traditions.
SLAVA AT 100
The 2026–2027 season presents Slava!,
Known around the world simply as “Slava,” Rostropovich led the NSO from 1977 to 1994, elevating the Orchestra’s artistic profile through acclaimed performances, international tours, and a lasting commitment to new music. His influence continues to shape the Orchestra decades after his tenure.
The February tribute pairs Mieczysław Weinberg’s Cello Concerto with Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10, showcasing two composers whose music Rostropovich championed throughout his career. The program celebrates both his extraordinary artistry and the profound impact he had on the National Symphony Orchestra and the broader classical music world.
HANDEL’S MESSIAH
The National Symphony Orchestra celebrates one of its most treasured holiday traditions with five performances of Handel’s Messiah in December. Conductor Richard Egarr, widely recognized for his authoritative artistry in Baroque repertoire, leads the performances. Choir and soloists will be announced at a later date.
This season’s performances take place at Lisner Auditorium, The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, and Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center, giving audiences across the region the opportunity to experience Handel’s enduring masterpiece.
For generations, Messiah has been a hallmark of the NSO’s holiday programming, continuing to draw audiences with one of the most celebrated works in the choral-orchestral repertoire.
A SEASON ACROSS THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN REGION
By performing throughout the Washington metropolitan area, the National Symphony Orchestra remains committed to showcasing live symphonic music to communities across the region while maintaining the artistic standards that have defined the NSO for nearly a century.
Across more than sixty performances, audiences will experience a season that blends cornerstone works of the orchestral repertoire with contemporary commissions, bringing internationally acclaimed guest artists to the stage along with the NSO’s own musicians in featured roles.
As the National Symphony Orchestra begins its 96th season, it continues to honor its history while embracing new artistic opportunities with its partner, the Kennedy Center.
ON TOUR
In addition to performances throughout the Washington metropolitan region, the National Symphony Orchestra will take the 2026–2027 season across America with a weeklong tour spanning the Midwest and West Coast.
The tour includes performances at: The DeBartolo Performing Arts Center at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana (April 20); The Indiana University Auditorium in Bloomington, Indiana (April 22); The Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri (April 23); The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts in Stillwater, Oklahoma (April 24–25); The Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts in Davis, California (April 27); The Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts in Northridge, California (April 29); and The Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada (April 30).
The tour reinforces the Orchestra’s longstanding tradition of sharing its artistry with audiences across the country and strengthening its national presence through performances at many of the nation’s premier concert halls.
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