Join us for an unforgettable series of performances as the Pacific Symphony presents "Koh Plays Mendelssohn," featuring the extraordinary talents of GRAMMY Award-winning violinist Jennifer Koh. This captivating event will take place at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall from Thursday, March 20, through Saturday, March 22, 2025, with each concert beginning at 8:00 pm.

Under the animated direction of the young Chilean-Italian conductor Paolo Bortolameolli, these performances promise to infuse the concert hall with a fresh and vibrant spirit. The synergy between Koh's artistry and Bortolameolli's dynamic conducting is poised to challenge the status quo, making for a night of classical music that not only entertains but also inspires.

The program for the evening includes Mendelssohn's enchanting "Scherzo from Midsummer Night’s Dream" and his beloved "Violin Concerto," followed by Shostakovich's powerful "Symphony No. 10." This selection of works showcases the range and depth of the classical music repertoire, promising an evening of emotional depth and technical brilliance.

Adding to the experience, attendees will have the opportunity to attend a preview talk at 7 p.m. with KUSC midday host Alan Chapman, offering insights into the evening's program and enhancing the concert-going experience.

Don't miss this opportunity to witness the magic of Jennifer Koh's violin performance, brought to life under the baton of Paolo Bortolameolli, and supported by the magnificent Pacific Symphony. This series is proudly sponsored by a presenting sponsor dedicated to bringing exceptional musical experiences to the community.

Mark your calendars for this series of performances that are sure to be a highlight of the 2025 classical music calendar.

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Koh Plays Mendelssohn

Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall

Wth a career spanning almost four decades, GRAMMY® Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated artists of his era. He joins Pacific Symphony and Music Director Carl St.Clair for a special evening during this celebratory season.

An Evening with Joshua Bell

Immerse yourself in the captivating "Art of the Spanish Guitar" with the Pacific Symphony, featuring the two-time GRAMMY-nominated virtuoso, Mak Grgić. This enchanting series of concerts will take place at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall from Thursday, December 5, through Saturday, December 7, 2024. Each performance begins at 8:00 pm, offering audiences three opportunities to experience the magic.

Mak Grgić, celebrated by The New York Times for his exceptional talent, will make his Pacific Symphony debut, performing Rodrigo’s "Fantasy for a Gentleman." This masterpiece is renowned for its vibrant, dance-like melodies and radiant musical expressions, promising an evening filled with auditory splendor. The concert will also feature Fung's "Prayer" and Dvořák's Symphony No. 8, creating a diverse program that showcases the rich tapestry of classical music.

Enhancing the concert experience, Image Magnification (IMAG) will be utilized on the big screen, allowing attendees a closer look at the guest artist, conductor, and orchestra musicians. Additionally, a preview talk with KUSC midday host Alan Chapman will take place at 7 p.m., offering insights and enriching the audience's understanding of the evening's program.

Under the baton of guest conductor Rune Bergmann, and with the Pacific Symphony, this event is not just a concert but a celebration of the profound beauty and expressive power of the guitar within the classical music repertoire. Don't miss this opportunity to witness a world-class performance in one of the most acoustically superb venues in the world.

Art of the Spanish Guitar

Experience the profound artistry of Vadim Gluzman as he brings to life the romantic fervor of the 19th-century violin repertoire with the Pacific Symphony. This captivating series, "Gluzman Plays Brahms," unfolds over three mesmerizing evenings from Thursday, November 14, through Saturday, November 16, 2024, at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Each performance begins at 8:00 pm, promising audiences a journey through the emotional depths and heights of classical music.

Vadim Gluzman, universally celebrated for his passionate performances and golden tone, will dominate the stage, presenting a program that includes Barber's Symphony No. 1, Tchaikovsky's Francesca da Rimini, and culminating in Brahms' Violin Concerto. His mastery over the violin, combined with the lush sounds of the Pacific Symphony under the baton of guest conductor Valentina Peleggi, guarantees an unforgettable musical experience.

Enhance your evening with a special preview talk at 7:00 pm hosted by KUSC's midday host, Alan Chapman, offering insights that will deepen your appreciation of the night's repertoire.

Don't miss this opportunity to witness the synergy of Gluzman's virtuosity with the Pacific Symphony's excellence. Secure your tickets for a series that promises to be a highlight of the 2024 classical music calendar.

Gluzman Plays Brahms

Segerstrom Center for the Arts

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Join us for an unforgettable Opening Night with the legendary Bernadette Peters, accompanied by the Pacific Symphony, on November 1st and 2nd, 2024, at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. This exclusive event promises an evening filled with enchantment, as Bernadette Peters, a star of film, TV, and Broadway, showcases her incomparable talent, fabulous humor, and magnetic presence. From classic show tunes to timeless melodies, the concert will take you on a journey through the heart of musical theater, with every note resonating with passion and precision under the radiant accompaniment of the Pacific Symphony.

The performances are scheduled for 8:00 pm on both November 1st and 2nd, ensuring two opportunities to experience the magic. The event will also feature image magnification (IMAG) on the big screen, offering a closer look at the guest artist, the conductor, and the musicians of the orchestra, enhancing your visual and auditory experience.

Under the baton of conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez, and with Bernadette Peters as the vocalist, the program for the evening will be announced, promising a selection that will captivate and delight audiences. This opening night is not just a concert but a celebration of music, talent, and the arts, sponsored by a presenting sponsor dedicated to bringing such cultural powerhouses together.

Don't miss this exclusive opportunity to witness the synergy of Bernadette Peters' legendary performance with the Pacific Symphony's exquisite accompaniment. It's an evening that promises to be a highlight of the musical season, filled with sheer delight and enchantment.

Opening Night with Bernadette Peters

Enjoy delightful chamber music with principal musicians of Pacific Symphony in the coffee-house atmosphere of the Samueli Theater. While you sip coffee and savor decadent desserts, your gifted host, curator and pianist Orli Shaham guides you on a journey exploring how composers influenced each other and changed the course of chamber music.

Cafe Ludwig 1

Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson has made a profound impact with his remarkable combination of highest level musicianship and visionary programmes. His recordings for Deutsche Grammophon - Philip Glass Piano Works (2017), Johann Sebastian Bach (2018), Debussy Rameau (2020) and Mozart & Contemporaries (2021) - captured the public and critical imagination and led to album streams of over 260 million. The New York Times dubbed him “Iceland’s Glenn Gould.”

Víkingur Ólafsson Plays Bach's Goldberg Variations

Dubbed “the new superstar of classical piano” (The Daily Telegraph), Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson makes his Orange County recital debut.

Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson has made a profound impact with his remarkable combination of highest level musicianship and visionary programmes. His recordings for Deutsche Grammophon - Philip Glass Piano Works (2017), Johann Sebastian Bach (2018), Debussy Rameau (2020) and Mozart & Contemporaries (2021) - captured the public and critical imagination and led to album streams of over 260 million. The New York Times dubbed him “Iceland’s Glenn Gould.”

Vikingur Olafsson, piano

Isabelle Demers’ recital for the 2010 International Society of Organbuilders-American Institute of Organbuilders convention “left the entire congress in an atmosphere of “Demers fever” ̶ something that continues unabated over ten years later. Possessing “bracing virtuosity” (Chicago Classical Review), she has enraptured listeners worldwide with spell-binding performances. Her acclaimed recordings have been heralded as “expressive…profound and searching” (RSCM’s Church Music Quarterly)

Superstar Organist Isabelle Demers

Pianist Alexander Malofeev, the young “Russian genius” (Corriere della Sera) who came to international prominence in 2014 when he won the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians, makes his Orange County debut.

Alexander Malofeev, piano

Known as the “TikTok Organist” due to her large following on that social media platform, Anna Lapwood brings humor and youthful joie de vivre as an advocate for her instrument. She is Director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge. Her wide-ranging musical career has already seen performances across Europe and countless appearances on television and radio. Having been encouraged early in her career to “play like a man,” Lapwood is an inspiration to many young women and proud that they have adopted her hashtag #playlikeagirl.

Organ Superstar Anna Lapwood

Join us in 2022-23 for a season of vibrant musical experiences.

Jean-Yves Thibaudet

The New York Times calls Leif Ove Andsnes “a pianist of magisterial elegance, power, and insight,” and the Wall Street Journal names him “one of the most gifted musicians of his generation.” With his commanding technique and searching interpretations, the celebrated Norwegian pianist has won acclaim worldwide, playing concertos and recitals in the world’s leading concert halls and with its foremost orchestras, while building an esteemed and extensive discography. An avid chamber musician, he is the founding director of the Rosendal Chamber Music Festival, was co-artistic director of the Risør Festival of Chamber Music for nearly two decades, and served as music director of California’s Ojai Music Festival in 2012. He was inducted into the Gramophone Hall of Fame in July 2013.

Leif Ove Andsnes, Piano

A violinist at the young age of 24, but with the musical ability of a seasoned performer, Southern California native Randall Goosby is acclaimed for the sensitivity and intensity of his musicianship. He maintains a determination to make music more inclusive and accessible, as well as focus in bringing the music of under-represented composers to light. He has performed with orchestras and in recitals across the United States with one of his most recent highlights being a performance at the 43rd Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, which was broadcasted to over 5 million television viewers.

Randall Goosby, Violin

After a sold-out performance in 2020, Musical America’s 2019 Artist of the Year pianist Daniil Trifonov returns to Orange County, bringing his majestic playing and striking command to works within the piano repertoire.

Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov–winner of Gramophone’s 2016 Artist of the Year award and Musical America’s 2019 Artist of the Year—has made a spectacular ascent in the classical music world as a solo artist, champion of the concerto repertoire, chamber and vocal collaborator, and composer. Combining consummate technique with rare sensitivity and depth, his performances are a perpetual source of awe. Trifonov recently added a first Grammy Award to his already considerable string of honors, winning Best Instrumental Solo Album of 2018 with Transcendental, a double album of Liszt’s works. As The Times of London notes, he is “without question the most astounding pianist of our age.”

Daniil Trifonov, Piano

A classically trained pianist with the creative energy of a jazz performer, Aaron Diehl returns to Orange County in “Paradoxes in Performance,” a program that explores the role of improvisation in both classical and jazz pieces.

Aaron Diehl, piano

A classically trained pianist with the creative spirit of a jazz performer, Aaron Diehl fuses together traditional pieces with fresh artistry as he interweaves multiple genres into one exquisite piano recital.  A graduate of Juilliard, Diehl was named the 2011 Cole Porter Fellow by American Pianists Association, in 2014 became the youngest ever Monterey Jazz Festival Commission Artist, and has released two critically acclaimed albums on the Mack Avenue Records label. He has collaborated with living masters across the music spectrum from jazz greats Wynton Marsalis and Benny Golson to 20th century classical titan Philip Glass.

Grammy Award-winning organist Paul Jacobs, a Pacific Symphony favorite, returns to the William J. Gillespie Concert Organ to perform a program of virtuosic organ music.  Enjoy image magnification on our big screens during the concert for a closer look at the organist!

Organ Recital: Paul Jacobs

Grammy Award-winning organist Paul Jacobs—a Pacific Symphony favorite— returns to the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall to perform a wide-ranging program of the most virtuosic organ repertoire.

Since winning the 2013 Gold Medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Vadym Kholodenko has continually proved himself to be one of the most musically dynamic and technically gifted musicians of his generation. In addition to his many celebrated performances across the world, Kholodenko has also received critical acclaim for his recordings, including being awarded Gramophone's "Editor's Choice" for his recording of Grieg's Piano Concerto and Saint-Saëns’s Piano Concerto No. 2 (2015).

Recital events in Costa Mesa, CA

Koh Plays Mendelssohn

Pacific Symphony

An Evening with Joshua Be...

Pacific Symphony

Art of the Spanish Guitar...

Pacific Symphony

Gluzman Plays Brahms

Pacific Symphony

The Artelize Podcast and ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast - A ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast: A l...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast and ...

Artelize

Opening Night with Bernad...

Pacific Symphony

Cafe Ludwig 1

Pacific Symphony

Víkingur Ólafsson Plays B...

Philharmonic Society of Orange County

Vikingur Olafsson, piano

Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Superstar Organist Isabel...

Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Alexander Malofeev, piano...

Philharmonic Society of Orange County

Organ Superstar Anna Lapw...

Pacific Symphony

Jean-Yves Thibaudet

San Francisco Symphony

Leif Ove Andsnes, Piano

Philharmonic Society of Orange County

Randall Goosby, Violin

Philharmonic Society of Orange County

Daniil Trifonov, Piano

Philharmonic Society of Orange County

Aaron Diehl, piano

Philharmonic Society of Orange County

Aaron Diehl, piano

Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Organ Recital: Paul Jacob...

Pacific Symphony

Organ Recital: Paul Jacob...

Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Vadym Kholodenko, piano

Philharmonic Society of Orange County