With GRAMMY® Award–winning violinist Anne Akiko Meyers as its new Artistic Partner, Orpheus will launch its upcoming season at its New York home with three Carnegie Hall programs spotlighting the next generation of musical stars. The lineup includes commissioned world premiere scores from acclaimed composers Brian Nabors and Katie Jenkins, and a bespoke arrangement of Dvořák's "American" String Quartet by Orpheus cellist and Artistic Director Jim Wilson. The Carnegie Hall programs also feature a modern classic, Shimmer, by composer Elena Ruehr, and the season proudly welcomes dynamic new partners, with violinist Paul Huang performing Beethoven, and pianists Isata Kanneh-Mason and brothers Lucas and Arthur Jussen (for the season’s first Orpheus for All concert) playing revitalized Mozart classics.
At performances hosted by New York’s 92NY, the new season celebrates the orchestra’s reunions with two musical titans—clarinetist Anthony McGill and pianist Garrick Ohlsson. McGill last performed with Orpheus in Copland’s clarinet concerto in 2023. Their coming collaboration features the beloved and challenging Mozart Clarinet Concerto. Garrick Ohlson’s connection with Orpheus began just after he won the 1970 Chopin International Piano Competition and joined an inspired group of New Yorkers who launched Orpheus Chamber Ensemble in 1972.
The upcoming season includes a tour throughout Europe and Japan, where saxophone legend Branford Marsalis and Orpheus revisit their longtime collaborations in a program where jazz, classical, and global-music traditions intersect. The program features a concerto by the renowned film composer/jazz trumpeter Jeff Beal, Flamenco music from Afro-Cuban pioneer Ernesto Lecuona, and the symphonic jazz of Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. The performance in Spain features Sahun Sam Hong’s arrangement of Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata in C-sharp minor.
Executive Director Alexander Scheirle says, “We are thrilled to present a season that beautifully reflects the brave experiments Orpheus launched more than 50 years ago. The 2026–27 programs offer newly interpreted classical works, newly commissioned works, music that celebrates a range of cultures and influences, and both new and established artists. In addition to our season’s performances, I’m proud that we continue to enrich our community through two successful programs: Access Orpheus, engaging nearly 1,500 NYC school students each year, and Orpheus Reflections™, garnering the power of music for those with dementia and their caregivers. We thank our generous donors for their ongoing support in these challenging times for the arts—we are deeply grateful.”
A pioneering New York-based ensemble since 1972, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra grew from a radical experiment in musical democracy. The ensemble’s unique conductorless design continues to provide Orpheus members with equal opportunities to honor classical music’s traditions and explore fresh perspectives of its norms—valuing its members’ musical, intellectual, and personal contributions to the ensemble.
At home in New York’s Carnegie Hall and in many concert halls around the world, Orpheus commits to enriching and reflecting the surrounding community. Orpheus for All ensures that every New Yorker can experience the thrill of a full-scale orchestral concert for free at Carnegie Hall. Orpheus Reflections brings the healing power of music to those living with dementia and their caregivers. Access Orpheus shares the orchestra's collaborative process with 1,500 New York City Public School students, annually. Orpheus Leadership Institute connects musicians with global organizations and businesses to impart positive lessons of leadership and democracy.
Always evolving as artists and leaders, the Orpheus musicians carry their legacy forward, counting on their shared artistry and mutual respect to make music and effect change.
