Nicholas Phan

Sherezade Panthaki

Elizabeth Blumenstock

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale

Join us as we celebrate Music Director Emeritus Nicholas McGegan with a Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of his 35 years of service. During his three and a half decades of artistic leadership, Nic transformed the American early music landscape and inspired countless musicians worldwide.

This isn’t just another fundraiser—it’s a historic celebration of one of classical music’s most beloved figures. This Gala is a chance to welcome Nic back to Philharmonia with his new title—Music Director Emeritus—and a wonderful way to acknowledge his remarkable musical legacy.

Philharmonia Baroque Gala 2026

City Club of San Francisco

“After dinner, I prevailed upon CPE Bach to sit down again to a clavichord…he grew so animated and possessed, that he not only played, but looked like one inspired.” Possessed and entranced too is the F major symphony by CPE Bach: kinks and coils at every turn, with heaps of non-sequiturs that fit bizarrely and beautifully together. Internationally renowned violinist and Philharmonia favorite Shunske Sato guides us through the connection between works by some of the 18th and 19th centuries’ most beloved composers.

Kinks and Quirks

First United Methodist Church-Palo

First Congregational Church of Berkeley

War Memorial and Performing Arts Center