Get ready to immerse yourself in the unparalleled genius of Johann Sebastian Bach with a series of captivating events happening across New York City and Washington, DC. From Michael Yeung's percussive debut at Carnegie Hall, to the majestic Brandenburg Concertos, and the iconic St. John Passion, this season promises a feast of Bach's timeless compositions. Join us in celebrating the legacy of one of the greatest composers in history through these spectacular performances.

Bach Extravaganza: Celebrating the Maestro in New York City and Washington, DC

This season, New York City will resonate with the timeless compositions of Franz Schubert. From the orchestral grandeur at Carnegie Hall to intimate recitals at Washington Irving and The Town Hall, there's a lineup of exceptional performances you won't want to miss. Highlights include Filippo Gorini's debut at Carnegie Hall, Ryan Speedo Green's dramatic recital, and the Juilliard String Quartet's profound interpretations. Join us in celebrating Schubert's legacy through these diverse and captivating concerts.

Celebrating Schubert: Unmissable Concerts in New York City

This fall and winter, New York City is set to become a haven for classical music enthusiasts with a spectacular lineup of concerts celebrating the genius of Ludwig Van Beethoven. From the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's 'Bartók and Beethoven' at Alice Tully Hall to Louis Langrée conducting Beethoven's Seventh Symphony at Carnegie Hall, there are numerous opportunities to revel in the maestro's timeless compositions. Mark your calendars for these must-see events and prepare to be transported by the beauty and complexity of Beethoven's music.

Experience Beethoven in New York City: A Series of Unforgettable Concerts

Music lovers in New York City are in for a treat with a series of spectacular events celebrating the genius of Joseph Haydn. From the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's season opener featuring mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, to the Takács Quartet's enchanting evening at Washington Irving, and the Orchestra of St. Luke's concerts at Carnegie Hall, there’s something for every classical music aficionado. Additionally, Manhattan School of Music's Camerata Nova and the Elias Quartet concerts will highlight Haydn's timeless works. The season promises a journey through the brilliance of one of classical music’s most influential composers.

Celebrating Joseph Haydn: Upcoming Musical Events in New York City

Don't miss the chance to experience a trio of incredible musical events in New York City! Begin with Louis Langrée's unforgettable debut at Carnegie Hall, leading the Orchestra of St. Luke's through Valerie Coleman's powerful 'Fanfare for Uncommon Times' and Beethoven's vibrant Seventh Symphony. Then, immerse yourself in the rich wind chamber music of the Principal Brothers at Washington Irving. These events promise a celebration of talent and creativity, with performances that will leave you inspired.

A Musical Feast in NYC: Louis Langrée, Valerie Coleman, and the Principal Brothers

Join us for an unforgettable evening as Louis Langrée makes his Carnegie Hall debut, conducting the esteemed Orchestra of St. Luke's on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at 8:00pm. This special performance will take place in the iconic Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall, a venue renowned for its rich history and acoustic excellence.

The night will commence with the stirring "Fanfare for Uncommon Times" by Valerie Coleman, a piece that was both commissioned and premiered by the Orchestra of St. Luke's in 2021, setting the stage for an evening of exceptional music. Following this, the spotlight will shine on Sterling Elliott, performing Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Major. Elliott, a former member of the Orchestra of St. Luke's and now a celebrated soloist, will be making his debut performance with the ensemble, promising a rendition filled with passion and precision. The concert will reach its climax with Beethoven’s vibrant Seventh Symphony, a masterpiece that promises to leave the audience enthralled.

Louis Langrée, beloved for his 21-year tenure as music director of Mostly Mozart, brings his expertise and charisma to lead one of New York City's great ensembles. The program for the evening includes:
- Valerie Coleman's "Fanfare for Uncommon Times," an OSL Commission from 2021
- Joseph Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 2 in D, featuring Sterling Elliott
- Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 7

Tickets for this must-see event will go on sale on August 12, 2024. For ticketing information, please contact the Carnegie Box Office at 212.247.7800. Don't miss this opportunity to witness a night of musical brilliance, led by the distinguished Louis Langrée and featuring the talented Sterling Elliott with the Orchestra of St. Luke's.

EPSG:4326

Louis Langrée Conducts Beethoven

Carnegie Hall

Join host Susan Graham, and special guest, soprano Erin Morley, for an intimate evening of song and conversation at the Orchestra of St. Luke’s DiMenna Center Benefit on Monday, September 9 at 6:30 PM. This annual event takes place at our home, The DiMenna Center for Classical Music at 450 West 37th Street.

DiMenna Center Benefit

The DiMenna Center for Classical Music

Join us for an unforgettable evening at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts - Venetian Theatre on Sunday, August 4, 2024, at 4:00 pm, as the Orchestra of St. Luke's presents "Jeremy Denk Performs Beethoven." This highlight of the Caramoor Summer Season features the extraordinary talents of Jeremy Denk, one of the preeminent pianists of our time, performing Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto. Under the baton of Thomas Wilkins, making his Caramoor debut as the dynamic Principal Conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and Music Director Laureate of the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, the concert promises an electrifying crescendo to the summer.

The program will also showcase symphonic masterpieces by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Antonín Dvořák, including Coleridge-Taylor's Ballade, Op. 33, and Dvořák's Symphony No. 8, creating a sensational evening of music that celebrates the breadth and depth of the orchestral repertoire.

Tickets are available through the Caramoor Box Office at 914.232.1252. Don't miss this celebration of musical genius in the idyllic setting of the Caramoor, a testament to the enduring power and beauty of orchestral music.

Jeremy Denk Performs Beethoven

Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts

Modern music’s consummate chameleon will showcase a daring and different side of his kaleidoscopic creative acumen this summer, as Beck prepares to embark on a limited run of orchestral performances. For these seven nights only, Beck will perform accompanied by native orchestras in each city, delivering sure to be unforgettable evenings of unique symphonic arrangements of classics and deep cuts from a towering catalog—reimagining a body of work that includes the multi-platinum Odelay, world-tripping Mutations, somber and reflective Sea Change, and GRAMMY Album of the Year winner Morning Phase, to name but a few.

Beck with Orchestra of St. Luke’s

Four emerging composers are given the task of creating a new composition under the guidance of Composer Mentor Augusta Read Thomas, “a prodigious talent… the most accessible ambassador of the new modernism” (The New Yorker) through OSL’s DeGaetano Composition Institute.

World Premieres for Chamber Orchestra

Join us for a mesmerizing afternoon at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts - Venetian Theatre on Sunday, July 14, 2024, at 4:00pm, as we present "Miloš Performs Joaquín Rodrigo with the Orchestra of St. Luke's." This event, a highlight of the Caramoor Summer Season, features the world-renowned classical guitarist Miloš Karadaglić, under the baton of the acclaimed conductor Xian Zhang.

The concert will showcase the miraculous and beloved Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo, a pinnacle of Spanish classical music. The program begins with "Primal Message" by American composer Nokuthula Ngwenyama, a piece known for its meticulously crafted reverie. The afternoon will conclude with a performance of Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major, K. 543, a masterful work that exudes exuberance and was composed in the final years of Mozart's life.

This event promises to be an unforgettable experience, bringing together the talents of Miloš Karadaglić and the Orchestra of St. Luke's in the beautiful setting of the Venetian Theatre. Don't miss this opportunity to witness a blend of classical masterpieces performed by some of the most celebrated musicians of our time.

For ticketing information, please contact the Caramoor Box Office at 914.232.1252.

Miloš Performs Joaquín Rodrigo

A Little Night Music was originally produced and directed on Broadway in 1973 by Harold Prince, garnering 12 Tony Award nominations and winning six Tony Awards including Best Musical. A Little Night Music is Sondheim’s eighth musical, featuring his widely beloved ballad “Send in the Clowns,” and is a musical adaptation of Ingmar Bergman’s 1955 film Smiles of a Summer Night.

A Little Night Music In Concert

Lincoln Center

Bringing this year’s Bach Festival to a close, Kristian Bezuidenhout makes his Orchestra of St. Luke’s debut as both conductor and fortepiano soloist in a program that outlines the metamorphosis of musical styles from the late Baroque into the Classical era.

Bach and Sons

Hear violin virtuoso Augustin Hadelich breathe new life into works that showcase Bach’s commitment to sustainability—namely, reusing and recycling.

Concertos with Hadelich

OSL’s annual celebration of JS Bach opens with two of Bach’s most jubilant cantatas, sung by soprano Joélle Harvey and led by baroque specialist Jeannette Sorrell.

Cantatas with Harvey

Spring Concert

Yosl 10-year Anniversary Celebration

Kaufman Music Center

Orchestra of St. Luke’s season in Stern Auditorium draws to a soul-soothing close with an all-Brahms program of two choral masterpieces, as Principal Conductor Bernard Labadie leads the combined forces of his choir, La Chapelle de Québec, and Ensemble Altera in the Begräbnisgesang and Ein deutsches Requiem.

Brahms' German Requiem

The Orchestra of St. Luke’s 2024 season draws to a soul-soothing close with an all-Brahms program of two choral masterpieces. Principal Conductor Bernard Labadie leads the combined forces of La Chapelle de Québec chamber choir and the Handel and Haydn Society Chorus in the Begräbnisgesang and Ein deutsches Requiem, featuring soloists Andrè Schuen and Erin Morley. While both works are sacred in word and tone, Brahms eschewed liturgical traditions in favor of more humanist expressions, and he explicitly referred to his requiem as “a human Requiem,” written to comfort the living. The Begräbnisgesang, written nearly ten years earlier, can almost be seen as its precursor. Taking the listener from intense grief to hopeful, peaceful conclusions, both pieces assure us that all lives continue in the memory of the living.

OSL’s annual Gift of Music Gala recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the world of music. Join OSL and returning host, David Hyde Pierce, as they celebrate with cocktails, dinner, a fabulous concert, and waltzing—an OSL yearly tradition you won’t want to miss!

Gift of Music Gala

The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, New York

An all-star cast from opera and Broadway comes together to present the New York premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon and Michael Korie’s beautiful setting of Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck’s epic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Grapes of Wrath.

The Grapes of Wrath

OSL’s Chamber Music Mentorship Program provides access to professional development opportunities for graduate-level musicians through structured coaching and workshops with OSL players. It culminates joyfully with the Young Artist Series of mentee concerts held in Cary Hall at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music.

Young Artist Series Recital

Join an intimate ensemble of chamber music masters for an evening featuring two distinct yet harmonious compositions—Mozart’s well-loved Clarinet Quintet and Florence Price’s melodious String Quartet.

Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet

Experience celebrated jazz artist Wynton Marsalis’s first (and to this point, only) string quartet, At the Octoroon Balls, performed by members of St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble.

Visionary Sounds

Journey through the life of Josephine Baker with Valerie Coleman’s Portraits of Josephine, a wind quartet dedicated to the iconic entertainer and her legacy. Playwright and actor Kirya Traber joins OSL for the performances, weaving her original narrative together with Coleman’s musical memoir.

Valerie Coleman's Portraits of Josephine

Berkeley Public Library

Flushing Town Hall

Hostos Community College

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden

Internationally renowned conductor Tito Muñoz makes his Carnegie Hall debut with Carmina Burana. In his return to the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the native New Yorker leads the Westminster Symphonic Choir and the Young People’s Chorus of New York City in a thrilling performance of Carl Orff’s most famous work. Carmina Burana takes the raucous, primal spirit of its medieval poetry text source and turns it into a bombastic, downright theatrical experience. All-star trio of soloists Ying Fang, Nicholas Phan, and Norman Garrett sing the roles of young lovers, a disgraced abbot, and even a sorrowful swan roasting on a spit. Children’s voices embody playful cupids, while robust choruses praise goddesses and lament the fickle nature of fate. With such a mighty crowd of musical forces behind it, this larger-than-life performance is not to be missed.

Carmina Burana

Conductor Tito Muñoz makes his Carnegie Hall debut with Orchestra of St. Luke’s leading a thrilling performance of Carmina Burana by Carl Orff featuring Westminster Symphonic Choir and the Young People’s Chorus of New York City. This special performance is part of Carnegie Hall’s city-wide festival, Fall of the Weimar Republic: Dancing on the Precipice.

The evening begins with Jessie Montgomery’s Rhapsody No. 1 for Solo Violin. Renowned for her imaginative fusion of classical, folk, and jazz elements, the contemporary American composer and violinist has noted that Rhapsody was the first solo piece she wrote for herself, inspired by the works of Belgian violinist Eugène Ysaÿe. Captivating and wistful, the piece transports listeners through intricate melodies and expressive timbres.

Beethoven's Eroica

Unique among Mozart’s repertoire as one of his only two symphonies in a minor key, the Symphony No. 40 in G Minor is a window into the composer’s challenging final years before his death at age 35. The famous opening motif sets a tone of impassioned urgency for the entire piece, and is followed in subsequent movements by heartfelt moments of gentleness and comfort. In true Mozartian fashion, there is always light to balance the darkness.

Mozart 40 and Brahms' Violin Concerto

Principal Conductor Bernard Labadie and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s breathe fresh life into favorites by Mozart and Brahms. The passionate Symphony No. 40 in G Minor is a window into Mozart’s anguished final years of financial ruin, though with plenty of Mozartian light to balance out the darkness. Brahms wrote the Violin Concerto in D Major for his lifelong friend Joseph Joachim, one of the great violinists of the 19th century. It’s a perfect vehicle for guest violinist Isabelle Faust, whose understated virtuosity is well-suited to everything from the fireworks of its allegro movements to its graceful adagio. Faust brings to the stage a historically informed sensibility, staying true to the music’s original intent while infusing it with an elegant spirit that’s entirely her own.

The first African American woman to have her works performed by major orchestras, Florence Price, born in 1887, broke barriers at a time when classical music was dominated by white men. Trained at the New England Conservatory in Boston before moving to the midwest, she found success during the Chicago Black Renaissance, writing music that blended spirituals and folk tunes with classical forms. Though her work faded into relative obscurity after her death in 1953, the discovery of a significant cache of her compositions in 2009 brought about a revival of her work. This rekindling of interest has been driven by musicians like Cann, who, in 2016, performed the New York City premiere of Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement, reigniting her legacy and underscoring her enduring impact on classical music.

Winter Concert

Experience the virtuosic prowess of St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble in a program of some of Antonio Vivaldi’s most evocative and dynamic concertos.

Vivaldi Virtuosi

Renowned choreographer and educator Caroline Fermin guides students through an exploration of a landmark work by Paul Taylor, one of the most influential dancers of the 20th century. Aureole captivated audiences when it premiered in 1962 and has been a staple of the modern dance repertoire ever since.

Paul Taylor’s Aureole

This holiday season, experience the magic of Bach as Orchestra of St. Luke’s presents the Christmas Oratorio under the baton of Principal Conductor Bernard Labadie.

Bach’s Christmas Oratorio

This holiday season, think outside the Messiah and inside the Bach. The Orchestra of St. Luke’s presents the Christmas Oratorio under the baton of Principal Conductor Bernard Labadie, who brings to the evening not only his historical performance expertise, but his superb singers of La Chapelle de Québec. Bach’s festive oratorio features his famously demanding but stunning arias, sung by Lauren Snouffer, Avery Amereau, Andrew Haji, and Joshua Hopkins, reflective and moving chorales, and grand chorus movements with a royal complement of trumpets and timpani for a truly uplifting evening.

Somewhere in the Middle is an adrenaline-fueled work that seamlessly weaves together Taylor movement DNA with the infectious rhythms of Wynton Marsalis, Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, Duke Ellington, and other beloved Big Band favorites. Described by The New York Times as “bubbly as a warm bath,” this dance extravaganza exudes boundless energy, with dancers soaring, rolling, and smiling recklessly, creating a vibrant atmosphere “like jazz day at the beach.”

Garner + Taylor

Set during the Great Depression, Black Tuesday brings to life the valiant souls of the ’30s. With the backdrop of Shantytown, vaudevillians, pimps, doughboys, showgirls, and other characters populate the streets, portraying both its terrible effects of the era and the nation’s can-do spirit.

Taylor + Keigwin

Danced with unbridled joy and energy, Mercuric Tidings showcases young individuals cavorting with the kinetic propensities of young godlets. Taylor’s choreography captures the sheer pleasure and poetry of movement, creating a dynamic and exuberant dance piece.

All Taylor

A tongue-and-cheek nod to the colorful pages of a medieval bestiary that featured beings both real and fantastical, Book of Beasts is perfect for younger generations and older generations alike.

Historian John Monsky returns for a Veterans Day performance with celebrated Broadway vocalists and OSL for music from the World War I era. Monsky applies his signature blend of meticulously researched history and rare archival film and photography to this groundbreaking exploration of a war fought, in large part, to “make the world safe for democracy.

November 1918: The Great Gatsby and the Great War

Somewhere in the Middle is an adrenaline-fueled work that seamlessly weaves together Taylor movement DNA with the infectious rhythms of Wynton Marsalis, Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, Duke Ellington, and other beloved Big Band favorites. Described by The New York Times as “bubbly as a warm bath,” this dance extravaganza exudes boundless energy, with dancers soaring, rolling, and smiling recklessly, creating a vibrant atmosphere “like jazz day at the beach.

Just below the surface of humans’ civilized veneer lurks an animal nature that cannot be ignored. Taylor’s iconic Cloven Kingdom reflects  the struggle between our gentler and more savage natures.

Resident Choreographer Lauren Lovette’s newest work Echo choreographed for the men of Taylor, with costumes by Zac Posen and lighting by Jim Ingalls, set to the mesmerizing sounds of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts’ Contact, which will be performed live on stage by the illustrious Grammy Award-winning trio, Time for Three.

Lovette + Dove + Taylor

Family Matinee

GALA Performance

Dreamachine delves into humankind’s fascination with machines and their inventors. “Dreamachine is my playground,” says Lovette, a space where creativity knows no bounds and imagination launches into its own universe. Set to Michael Daugherty’s mesmerizing percussion suit, with set & costumes by Santo Loquasto and lighting by Jennifer Tipton, this triptych of fantastical worlds fits beautifully in the Taylor universe.

Lovette + Taylor

Join St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble and bandoneón soloist Julien Labro for an electrifying performance inspired by Paul Taylor Dance Company’s Piazzolla Caldera, which captures the essence of tango’s fiery passion.

Astor Piazzolla

Join host, Susan Graham, and special guest, soprano Susanna Phillips, for an intimate evening of song and conversation at the Orchestra of St. Luke’s DiMenna Center Benefit on Monday, October 16 at 6:00 PM. This annual event takes place at our home, The DiMenna Center for Classical Music at 450 West 37th Street.

Orchestra of St. Luke’s begins the season with a spirited opening performance of familiar favorites and a reunion with world-renowned pianist Lang Lang. Guest conductor Jahja Ling,  Conductor Laureate of the San Diego Symphony, leads a royal charge with Rossini’s Overture to Semiramide, one of the composer’s final historical dramas.

An Evening with Lang Lang

New York’s “hometown band” opens a new season with familiar favorites and exciting guests in a spirited performance. Maestro Jahja Ling leads a royal charge with Rossini’s Overture to Semiramide before Lang Lang takes the stage for Saint-Saëns’s virtuosic second Piano Concerto. The orchestra rollicks through an exuberant interpretation of Kodály’s folksy Dances of Galánta, highlighting the talents of St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble member and clarinet soloist Jon Manasse. Finally, Lang Lang brings his famously expressive presence to The Carnival of the Animals, for which he’s joined on piano by Gina Alice Redlinger. To accompany Saint-Saëns’s well-loved suite, which blends the sounds and movements of animals with quotes from fellow composers, we hear a unique poetic narration, written expressly for the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and handpicked by Lang Lang for the occasion.

Before the summer season wanes, join maestro Roderick Cox – who has been praised as a conductor “paving the way” (NBC News) – as he leads Orchestra of St. Luke’s in a program that features cellist, MacArthur “Genius Grant” winner, and Evnin Rising Star alumna Alisa Weilerstein, who will entrance with her fearless rendition of Shostakovich’s profoundly complex and strikingly haunting first cello concerto.

Alisa Weilerstein and Beethoven

Three emerging composers are given the task  to create a new composition based on poetry by a living poet under the guidance of Composer Mentor Anna Clyne. The Institute closes with a concert of the composers’ new works performed by Orchestra of St. Luke’s under conductor Brad Lubman at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music’s Cary Hall.

Conductor Yue Bao leads Orchestra of St. Luke’s in a program that includes works by Gabriela Lena Frank, Ravel, and Brahms. One of classical music’s most passionate and committed artists, pianist Hélène Grimaud takes on Ravel’s jaunty and virtuosic Piano Concerto in G Major.

Caramoor Summer Season

Get ready for an evening with Natalie Merchant and The Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Timeless hits such as “Wonder” and “Jealousy” put her unmistakable voice, catchy melodies, and thought-provoking lyrics front and center. Nobody does poetic and sumptuous indie pop quite like Natalie Merchant. With the release of Keep Your Courage, her 9th solo album, Merchant reminds us that courage comes from ‘cor,’ the Latin word for heart. And if anyone epitomizes a courageous heart, it is this singular artist.

An Evening with Natalie Merchant: Keep Your Courage Tour

New Jersey Performing Arts Center

Following last season’s successful digital presentation of Femenine, OSL returns to the music of Julius Eastman, the late gay, Black composer “now experiencing a dizzying posthumous renaissance” (The New Yorker), in celebration of Pride Month and queer artistry.

Rising star countertenor Hugh Cutting returns after performing with the Orchestra in last season’s St. Matthew Passion for an evening of song, featuring arias and cantatas by Handel and Bach.

The Baroque Voice

Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Award-winning singer and actor Audra McDonald launches Caramoor’s 2023 Summer Season in a dazzling performance of beloved classics from the Great American Songbook. Blessed with a luminous soprano and an incomparable gift for dramatic truth-telling, McDonald is one of the most adored singers of her generation and perhaps the most astounding performer of our lifetimes – a once-in-a-century artist with a miraculously expressive and lyric voice.

Opening Night Concert: Audra McDonald

Opening Night Concert: Audra Mcdonald

Venetian Theater at Caramoor

Conductor Patrick Dupré Quigley leads violinist Gil Shaham and the Orchestra in a program featuring J.S. Bach’s virtuosic violin concertos and elusive orchestral suites, a collection of dance pieces written in the popular French Baroque style with a debated history shrouded in intrigue.

Suites and Concertos

Principal Conductor Bernard Labadie leads violinist Gil Shaham and the Orchestra in a program featuring J.S. Bach’s virtuosic violin concertos and elusive orchestral suites, a collection of dance pieces written in the popular French Baroque style with a debated history shrouded in intrigue.

“Spinning out lines like a jazz improviser and teasing out the surprises” (The New York Times), pianist Jeremy Denk leads the Orchestra with six of J.S. Bach’s well-loved keyboard concertos.

Keyboard Concertos with Jeremy Denk

The Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys and Orchestra of St. Luke’s give the world premiere performance of a new major work by composer Trevor Weston for choir and orchestra entitled American Lamentations. Conductor and Saint Thomas Church Music Director Jeremy Filsell leads the ensemble in an evening featuring great works of American composers.

American Lamentations

Saint Thomas Church

he Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys and Orchestra of St. Luke’s give the world premiere performance of a new major work by composer Trevor Weston for choir and orchestra entitled American Lamentations. Conductor and Saint Thomas Church Music Director Jeremy Filsell leads the ensemble in an evening featuring great works of American composers.

OSL celebrates composer Gabriela Lena Frank with our spring Free School Concert series. During this interactive performance, students will learn about Frank’s multicultural heritage and musical inspiration. Hosted by Aya Aziz and conducted by Kellen Gray, the program highlights Frank’s belief in the power of music as a vehicle for civic engagement.

The Inspiration of Gabriela Lena Frank

Concluding a season-long celebration of women composers, OSL presents a program of songs and piano works by Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel and her brother Felix Mendelssohn with pianist David Fung and soprano Liv Redpath, making her much-anticipated return after debuting with OSL last season.

Mendelssohns Salon

Our annual Gift of Music Gala recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the world of music. This year, David Hyde Pierce returns as host, and we hope you will join us as we celebrate with cocktails, dinner, a fabulous concert, and waltzing—an OSL tradition!

The Plaza Hotel

Students perform works at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music as part of Orchestra of St. Luke’s Chamber Music Mentorship Program’s Young Artists Series.

Young Artist Series

Bernard Labadie, one of today’s most prominent Baroque-era interpreters, leads a particularly regal all-Handel program with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and the outstanding La Chapelle de Québec with soloists. Handel’s quintessential coronation anthems, composed for King George II, are to this day the standard-bearers of this celebratory tradition. His most-popular Music for the Royal Fireworks distills the pride of a nation into orchestral form, while Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne utilizes the featured singers’ appropriately majestic voices to uplift and delight.

Handel’s Royal Fireworks

Hear chamber works by Grammy-nominated English composer Anna Clyne accompanied by films by cutting-edge visual artists Josh Dorman—”[constructor of] fantasy lands and visual puns with the wonky, romantic intensity of a daydreaming ten-year-old” (The New Yorker)—and Jyll Bradley, whose acclaimed work in sculpture, installation, and drawing uses light to explore ideas of place, space, and identity.

Anna Clyne

Viajes y Raíces, or Journeys and Origins, is an intimate reflection on memory, place, and identity. The performance features the music of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Tania León alongside formidable composers in León’s creative community: inti figgis-vizueta and Keyla Orozco. Paying homage to a wide variety of traditions, the concert program includes a series of string quartets, illuminating how each composer reflects on their own origins and explorations through their distinct musical language.

Viajes y Raíces

Central Library

Americas Society

Celebrated pianist Lang Lang will perform The Disney Book live in concert with The Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Radio City Music Hall on February 14, featuring scores from Mary Poppins, Frozen, Mulan, Beauty and the Beast and more.

Lang Lang – The Disney Book

Radio City Music Hall

New York’s “hometown band,” performs Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 18. The piece features wonderful interplay between orchestra and pianist—who, in this case, is the world-renowned Emanuel Ax. Also featured on the program is Schubert’s monumental Symphony No. 9. It was his final completed symphony, conveniently and reasonably known as his “Great” symphony, and Schubert never had the pleasure of properly hearing it performed in concert. Our privilege to do so remains one of his greatest parting gifts to the world.

Emanuel Ax Plays Mozart

OSL joins Violins of Hope, a collection of Holocaust related string instruments, at Temple Emanu-El to memorialize those who were lost during the darkest days of the Jewish people.

Violins of Hope

Temple Emanu-El

Celebrated Canadian pianist Marc-André Hamelin joins OSL for this program dedicated to the expressive powers of the piano quintet, including Florence Price’s evocative and masterful Piano Quintet in A minor and Brahms’ Piano Quintet.

Piano Quintets with Hamelin

Conductor Tito Muñoz leads the Orchestra in a double billing of children’s story adaptations, including Sergei Prokofiev’s masterpiece Peter and the Wolf and Caroline Shaw’s beautiful The Mountain that Loved a Bird, with narration by stage and screen star Frankie J. Alvarez.

Peter and the Wolf

After a Quarter Century of Collaboration and 49 Extraordinary Concerts — The Orchestra of St. Luke’s returns to Temple Emanu-El for the 50th time, playing its greatest hits. Celebrate this momentous occasion by thrilling to awe-inspiring concertos performed by virtuoso performers in Temple Emanu-El’s magnificent historic sanctuary.

Greatest Hits

Pulitzer Prize-winning, US Poet Laureate Rita Dove (1993–95) narrates an evening of Beethoven through her “masterful collection” of poems Sonata Mulattica, a lyrical, layered work which “[details] the volatile relationship between the Black violinist George Bridgetower and Beethoven” (Los Angeles Times).

Rita Dove

Orchestra of St. Luke’s and conductor Harry Bicket kick off the 2022–2023 season at Carnegie Hall with the continuation of a multi-season focus on the works of Felix Mendelssohn. The concert begins with the breathless excitement of his Piano Concerto No. 1, a brisk and impactful work bookended by musical fireworks courtesy of pianist Benjamin Grosvenor. Also featured on the program is the incidental music Mendelssohn wrote for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a fantastical and evocative rendering with vocal parts that are beautifully suited for soprano Elena Villalón and mezzo-soprano Cecelia Hall, with narration by David Hyde Pierce and featuring The Choir of Trinity Wall Street.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream with David Hyde Pierce

The All Taylor series offers three programs that give you the chance to enjoy a total of nine magnificent classics made by the Dancemaker between 1963 and 2011. In the sprightly Diggity, the dancers skillfully negotiate a stage filled with metallic canines. Gossamer Gallants ignites a hilarious battle of the sexes among insects, while Scudorama involves a darker human conflict. The exuberant Arden Court examines supportive, competitive and flirtatious relationships. In the otherworldly Syzygy, dancers hurtle across the stage like so many celestial bodies orbiting and eclipsing each other. Polaris cleverly shows the same choreography danced twice to different music, to markedly different effect. Company B and Sunset helped define Taylor as one of history’s great war poets. Company B, through Andrews Sisters’ songs, looks back at the high spirits and painful losses of America in the 1940s, while Sunset is an achingly poignant depiction of soldiers and those they leave behind. Esplanade runs the gamut of human emotions and leaves audiences breathless and cheering as the dancers hurtle fearlessly across the stage.

All Taylor III

A once-in-a-lifetime program that brings together three icons who transformed the landscape of dance and music: Paul Taylor, Philip Glass, and Kurt Jooss. Arden Court, one of Taylor’s exuberant, beloved dances set to baroque music, looks at supportive, competitive and flirtatious relationships. The Suite from The Hours features a haunting Oscar-nominated original score by iconic American composer Philip Glass. The Green Table, created in the 1930s between world wars, is the most iconic and celebrated anti-war dance of all time.

Moving Music – Icons: Taylor, Glass, Jooss

World-renowned artist Alex Katz first collaborated with Paul Taylor in 1960 and designed sets and costumes for sixteen works in all through 2014. The four amazing works on this program provided this incomparable American painter with a canvas as large as a stage. In Polaris, Taylor’s choreography is contained within Katz’s large metal cube until the dancers burst free, and two ensembles execute the exact same steps to different music and to drastically different effect. In the sprightly Diggity, Katz’s canines form an obstacle course the dancers skillfully negotiate. The riveting Scudorama, dotted with Katz’s scudding clouds, was Taylor’s response to the potential Armageddon of the early 1960s. Sunset poignantly shows the deep camaraderie among soldiers and the devastating sense of loss felt by those they leave behind.

Paul Taylor x Alex Katz

Company B takes us back to the 1940s, juxtaposing the soaring spirit in post-Depression America with the tragedy of soldiers fighting and dying overseas. Gershwin’s soulful and jazzy Rhapsody in Blue evokes the urban energy of the Roaring 1920s while Rush Hour depicts a wildly pulsating streetscape a century later.

Moving Music – American Rhapsody

Since 2014, the Paul Taylor Dance Company has commissioned thirteen choreographers to create dynamic and innovative works that bring a fresh and diverse dimension to the stage. Lauren Lovette is the first Resident Choreographer in the Taylor Company’s 68-year history. Her work, hailed by The New York Times as “passionate, lush, and full of imagination,” has been commissioned and performed by New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Vail International Dance Festival, American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Nevada Ballet Theatre. She also produced and performed in an evening of her own choreography, Why It Matters. Her work possesses great craft, musicality and beauty, plus a rebellious aspect that calls to mind the dances of Paul Taylor.

Lauren Lovette Premiere

Step into the animal world for an afternoon with this fun, thrilling, and heartwarming program that brings together dance and music for audiences of all ages. Gossamer Gallants features an insect world battle of the sexes, while in Diggity the dancers skillfully maneuver Alex Katz’s canine obstacle course. Prokofiev’s classic is narrated by guest narrators, with instruments of the orchestra representing the different characters in the fairy tale.

Moving Music – Menagerie Matinee

All Taylor II

Since 2014, the Paul Taylor Dance Company has commissioned thirteen choreographers to create dynamic and innovative works that bring a fresh and diverse dimension to the stage. Amy Hall Garner’s dances thrill audiences in both the commercial and concert worlds through architecture, athleticism, musicality and visual momentum. A native of Huntsville, Alabama and a graduate of The Juilliard School, she has created dances on Hubbard Street, Ailey II, ABT Studio Company, The Juilliard School, The Ailey School, Barnard College, The University of the Arts, Columbia Ballet Collaborative, Point Park University and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet.

Amy Hall Garner Premiere

Gala

All Taylor I

Sung in English with translation by Broadway Legend Sheldon Harnick. Directed by Sammi Cannold, along with flamenco-infused choreography by Gustavo Zajac.

Bizet’s Carmen

Jazz At Lincoln Center

Join our host, Susan Graham, and special guest Renée Fleming for an unforgettable, intimate afternoon of song and conversation! Space is limited and we expect to sell out quickly—we don’t want you to miss it!

Originally composed for the short film of the same name by artist Jyll Bradley, Woman Holding a Balance evokes the interplay of light, space, and geometry through the medium of the string quartet. Musical cycles, metamorphosis, and the “self” surge forth in Strange Loops, inspired by the 2007 book I Am a Strange Loop by Douglas Hofstadter. Rounding out the program is the much-loved Septet by Ludwig van Beethoven. Filled with youthful exuberance, this chamber music classic shows the composer on the verge of his early symphonic successes and command of musical vivacity.

Beethoven and Clyne

Presented by AGP Agency New York, the New York Franz Liszt International Piano Competition invites four outstanding pianists to compete in the Grand Final performing piano concertos by Franz Liszt of their choice, accompanied by the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.

New York Franz Liszt International Piano Competition Final

Caramoor closes their official Summer Season with an all J.S. Bach program, led by world-renowned violinist Leonidas Kavakos.

“I doubt if there is more than handful of violinists alive who can match Kavakos in the tonal variety, accuracy and speed of his harmonics, or in the deft alternation of bowing and left-hand pizzicato.” — Gramophone

Concertos with Kavakos

Join us for an unforgettable evening of classical music as the Orchestra of St. Luke's presents "Mein Traum My Dream: Schubert, R. Schumann, C. Weber" on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 8:00pm. This remarkable concert will take place at the prestigious Carnegie Hall - Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, offering a unique blend of dramatic songs and orchestral arrangements that promise to captivate and enchant.

Under the baton of Raphaël Pichon in his New York debut, the concert marks the US premiere of "Mein Traum My Dream," a visionary project that weaves together infernal slivers of baroque and early classical French opera. The program features dramatic songs by Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, and Carl Maria von Weber, with arrangements and orchestrations by Liszt and Brahms, creating a transfixing experience that has been praised by audiences and critics alike.

The Orchestra of St. Luke's will be joined by renowned singers Christian Gerhaher and Ying Fang, along with the chamber choir Ensemble Altera directed by Christopher Lowrey, for a rollercoaster ride through the underworld that promises to have audiences rethinking and discovering these classic works in a new light.

The evening's program includes Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 8 in B minor, "Unfinished," along with select songs by Schubert, Schumann, and Weber, offering a rich tapestry of musical expressions that span the emotional spectrum.

Tickets for this once-in-a-lifetime event go on sale August 12, 2024, and can be purchased through the Carnegie Box Office at 212.247.7800. Don't miss your chance to experience the magic of "Mein Traum My Dream" performed by the Orchestra of St. Luke's and an exceptional ensemble of artists.

Mein Traum (My Dream): Schubert, R. Schumann, C. Weber

Join us for an unforgettable evening as Marc-André Hamelin, celebrated for his near-superhuman technical prowess, performs with the Orchestra of St. Luke's under the baton of Principal Conductor Bernard Labadie. This special performance is set to take place at the prestigious Carnegie Hall - Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at 8:00pm.

In what promises to be a night of extraordinary musical exploration, the program will feature the last and most grandiose of Beethoven's piano concertos, the Emperor. This virtuosic piece, renowned for pushing the boundaries of the piano's capabilities, will showcase Hamelin's exceptional talent and synergy with the orchestra. The evening will commence with the Orchestra of St. Luke's performing the introduction to Haydn’s "The Seven Last Words of Christ," followed by the elegance of Mozart’s Symphony No. 39, setting the stage for a journey through the brilliance of classical music.

This performance marks a significant moment as Bernard Labadie, in his concluding season as Principal Conductor, welcomes his longtime friend and collaborator to join one of New York's most esteemed orchestras. Together, they will bring to life a program that spans the depth and breadth of classical music's most influential composers.

Tickets for this must-see event will go on sale on August 12, 2024. For ticketing information, please contact the Carnegie Box Office at 212.247.7800. Don't miss this opportunity to witness a collaboration of musical giants in one of the world's most iconic concert halls.

Marc-André Hamelin Performs “Emperor”

Experience the profound beauty of J. S. Bach's St. John Passion, performed by the esteemed Orchestra of St. Luke's, under the baton of Bernard Labadie. This concert, set to take place on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 7:00pm in the iconic Carnegie Hall - Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, is not just a musical event but a historic occasion marking the completion of Bernard Labadie’s remarkable tenure as principal conductor of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.

This performance is especially significant as it concludes Labadie’s cycle of major Bach choral works across New York, showcasing a spectacular cast of singers alongside La Chapelle de Québec. This choir, known for its extensive and celebrated history with Labadie and the OSL, promises to elevate the masterpiece to new heights. As part of the orchestra’s 50th anniversary season, this event is a fitting tribute to an incredible journey, closing a chapter in triumphant fashion.

The evening will feature a lineup of exceptional talent, including tenor Andrew Haji, bass-baritone Philippe Sly, soprano Joélle Harvey, countertenor Hugh Cutting, tenor Samuel Boden, and bass William Thomas, with the chorus by La Chapelle de Québec. Each performer brings a unique depth and expertise to the rendition of Bach’s awe-inspiring work.

Tickets for this momentous event will go on sale on August 12, 2024, available through the Carnegie Box Office. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of a musical celebration that promises not only to be a feast for the ears but a landmark event in the world of classical music.

Orchestra of St. Luke's

Jan 23, 2025

Mein Traum (My Dream): Schubert, R. Schumann, C. Weber

Feb 13, 2025

Marc-André Hamelin Performs “Emperor”

Apr 10, 2025

J. S. Bach’s St. John Passion

Nov 14, 2024

Louis Langrée Conducts Beethoven

Sep 9, 2024

DiMenna Center Benefit

Articles & News

Orchestra of St. Luke's