The Kennedy Center, NSO, Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert Experience, October 2025

THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

OCTOBER 24, 2025 AT 7 P.M.; OCTOBER 25, 2025 AT 1 & 7 P.M. | CONCERT HALL

Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert Experience

Sarah Hicks, conductor

Today’s performance lasts approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including a 20-minute intermission.

The performance is a presentation of Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert Experience with live orchestra. Out of respect for the musicians and your fellow audience members, please remain seated until the conclusion of the entire concert program, including any encore.

Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts in association with Marvel Studios. © All rights reserved

Patrons are requested to silence cell phones and other electronic devices during performances. The taking of photographs and the use of recording equipment are not allowed in this venue.

THANK YOU TO OUR SEASON SPONSOR

Presenting Sponsor

Dear Friends,

As we open the National Symphony Orchestra’s 95th season, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to you, our devoted patrons, supporters, and friends. Your presence this evening and your unwavering support throughout the year mean more than words can convey.

In 1931, Hans Kindler founded the NSO with a bold vision: to build a world-class symphony orchestra in the heart of our nation’s capital. Nearly a century later, that vision continues to drive us. Today, under the dynamic artistic leadership of Gianandrea Noseda, we are more inspired than ever to share powerful performances with our audiences.

The NSO is a family of artists united by a shared love of music and commitment to something greater than ourselves. The NSO is more than what you see on stage. It is a living institution devoted to enriching lives. Our education and community programs reach thousands each year. From the Youth Fellowship Program and Summer Music Institute to Young People’s Concerts, we strive to make music accessible to all, especially the next generation.

This dedication to broadening our reach continues through our vibrant, genre-defying series led by Steven Reineke, our Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor. His vision bridges genres and generations, drawing new audiences while captivating longtime fans with the highest levels of artistry.

Thank you for being an essential part of this vibrant and enduring musical community.

With deepest gratitude and warmest regards, Executive

Director

National Symphony Orchestra

From the Conductor

Welcome, from my seat on the podium to yours.

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of stepping into the Concert Hall—the shared joy, the anticipation in the air, and the sense of connection that comes with live music.

This season, I’m thrilled to welcome you to a bold, reimagined NSO experience: a genre-defying journey where iconic music meets symphonic fire.

I’m looking forward, along with some special guest conductors, to bringing the full power of the National Symphony Orchestra to everything from the irresistible grooves of the Bee Gees to the cinematic magic of John Williams. We’ll bring you the awe-inspiring acrobatics of Cirque España! with our friends at Troupe Vertigo, push boundaries with the unexpected beauty of Brahms x Radiohead, and fill the Concert Hall with soaring soundtracks from The Princess Bride and Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga performed live-to-picture.

We’ll premiere powerful new music with American Promise, and as the holidays approach, gather for cherished traditions like A Holiday Pops! I’m also excited to bring you Steven’s Classical Mixtape—an evening of handpicked favorites that blend heart, storytelling, and the symphonic sounds I love most.

As we celebrate the NSO’s 95th anniversary, I’m reminded that the NSO reaches far beyond these walls. It lives in every audience we play for, and every community we touch. That’s the power of this orchestra, and it’s all made possible by you.

Here’s to another unforgettable season!

Steven Reineke Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor

National Symphony Orchestra

Notes on the Program

Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert Experience is a new film concert that takes fans on an epic on-screen cinematic journey covering 23 films in one momentous concert event. Revisit the earliest days of Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor as they discover their place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—each accompanied by their own unforgettable heroic music. Recapture the thrill as Earth’s mightiest heroes join forces for the first time, opening the door to the next wave of Avengers: Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, and more. The Guardians of the Galaxy don’t miss this party either, dropping in to deliver a taste of their iconic mixtape backed by a live orchestra.

Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert Experience showcases scores by acclaimed composers, including Alan Silvestri, Christophe Beck, Danny Elfman, Henry Jackman, Lorne Balfe, Ludwig Göransson, Mark Mothersbaugh, Michael Giacchino, Patrick Doyle, Pinar Toprak, Ramin Djawadi, and Tyler Bates. In addition, this custom-curated live-tofilm experience features iconic songs from AC/DC (“Back in Black”), Blue Swede and Björn Skifs (“Hooked on a Feeling”), beloved songwriters Alan Menken and David Zippel (“Star Spangled Man”), and James Gunn and Tyler Bates (“Guardians Inferno”).

It’s time for fans—new and old—to assemble and relive every iconic moment from this defining canon of films, all accompanied by a live orchestra.

Meet the Artists

Sarah Hicks, conductor

Sarah Hicks’ versatile and vibrant musicianship has secured her place as an in-demand conductor across an array of genres, and as an educator, arranger, producer, writer, and speaker committed to creating connections through music. Her career has seen collaborations with diverse artists, from Hilary Hahn, Olga Kern, and Dmitiri Hvorostovsky to Smokey Robinson, Rosanne Cash, and the Dirty Projectors; during the summer of 2011, she toured with Sting as conductor of his Symphonicities Tour. Her passion for cross-genre partnerships led to a 2019 album with rap artist Dessa and the Minnesota Orchestra, with whom she holds a titled position. In 2021, she collaborated with gamer DrLupo for an innovative live-play project for Intel Gaming and, in 2023, premiered Rufus Wainwright’s Want Symphonic at the BBC Proms.

A highly sought-after guest conductor, Ms. Hicks has worked extensively both in the States and abroad. Notable ensembles include the Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Pops, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, WDR Funkhausorchester Köln, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, among many others. The 2024–2025 season sees her returning to Cleveland, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Dallas, and marks her debut with the New York Philharmonic.

A specialist in film music and the film in concert genre, her live concert recording of The Music of Coco and The Lion King 30th

Anniversary can be seen on Disney+ and her work on Little Mermaid Live was broadcast on ABC; her first major feature film credit, Renfield, was released in April of 2023. Her concert with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra of film music, The Morricone Duel, was released as an album and worldwide broadcast, and has garnered over 200 million views on YouTube.

Her opera appearances include the East Slovak State Opera Theater and the Curtis Opera Theater, as well as operas in concert with the Minnesota Orchestra and the RTÉ Orchestra. Her commitment to new music led to the creation of an innovative microcommission project, and her recording of new concertos, Triple Doubles, was released on the Bridge label. Since 2019, Ms. Hicks has acted as advisor on numerous projects for Disney Music Group and is a consultant and frequent collaborator at Disney Concerts. Since 2020, she has been the primary host and writer of This Is Minnesota Orchestra, broadcast on Twin Cities PBS and streamed globally; in 2022 she won a regional Emmy® for her work as producer, writer, and host and has been nominated twice in 2024.

Ms. Hicks is a frequent guest lecturer, teacher, and panelist and was on faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music from 1999 to 2005 and Staff Conductor until 2012. An increasingly in-demand keynote speaker, her presentation, “Orchestrating Excellence” has illustrated collaborative leadership to numerous civic groups and corporations. A mindfulness and mental health advocate, her most recent project, Music and Healing, is a collaboration with the Minnesota Orchestra. Available digitally, the project includes a concert, commissioned works, interviews, and conversations with neuroscientists, wellness experts, and musicians. Her advocacy for mental wellness and mindfulness continues on her blog and YouTube channel, and she is currently pursuing studies in MBSR and teacher training in Vipassana meditation.

Ms. Hicks was born in Tokyo, Japan, and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. Trained on both the piano and the viola, she was a prizewinning pianist by her early teens. She received her BA magna cum laude from Harvard University in composition and holds an Artists’ Degree in conducting from the Curtis Institute of Music. In her spare time, Ms. Hicks enjoys running, hiking, her Papillon, cooking (and eating) with her husband, traveling, and blogging.

National Symphony Orchestra

The 2025–2026 season is the National Symphony Orchestra’s 95th and Music Director Gianandrea Noseda’s ninth season. Gianandrea Noseda serves as the orchestra’s seventh music director, joining the NSO’s legacy of distinguished leaders: Christoph Eschenbach, Leonard Slatkin, Mstislav Rostropovich, Antal Doráti, Howard Mitchell, and Hans Kindler. Its artistic leadership also includes Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Steven Reineke.

Since its founding in 1931, the NSO has been committed to performances that enrich the lives of its audience and community members. In 1986, the National Symphony became an artistic affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where it has performed since the Center opened in 1971. The 96-member NSO participates in events of national and international importance, including the annual nationally televised concerts on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol, live-streamed performances on medici.tv, and local radio broadcasts on WETA Classical 90.9 FM.

Since launching its eponymous recording label in 2020, the NSO has embarked on ambitious recording projects, including its first complete Beethoven Symphony cycle and the release of the first-ever cycle of George Walker’s Sinfonias, both led by Noseda. Recent projects include Four Symphonic Works by Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence Carlos Simon conducted by Noseda, and William Shatner’s So Fragile, So Blue, recorded live in the Concert Hall with the NSO under Steven Reineke. Forthcoming releases with Gianandrea Noseda include music by Gustav Mahler, William Grant Still, and Samuel Barber’s opera Vanessa.

The NSO’s community engagement and education projects are nationally recognized, and career development opportunities for young musicians include the NSO Youth Fellowship Program and its acclaimed, tuition-free Summer Music Institute.

Marvel

Marvel is one of the world’s most prominent entertainment brands, built on an unparalleled library of iconic characters and stories that have shaped pop culture for 85 years. The Marvel brand spans entertainment, including film, television, publishing, licensing, games, live events, digital media, and more.

Disney Concerts

Disney Concerts is the concert production and licensing division of Disney Music Group, the music arm of The Walt Disney Company. Disney Concerts produces concerts and tours, and licenses Disney music and visual content to symphony orchestras, choruses, and presenters on a worldwide basis. Disney Concerts’ concert packages include a variety of formats, such as “live-to-picture” film concerts and themed instrumental and vocal compilation concerts that range from instrumental-only symphonic performances to multimedia productions featuring live vocalists and choirs.

Featuring concerts from the largest movie franchises in the world—from Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Pixar, and 20th Century Studios—current titles include the Star Wars Film Concert Series, Toy Story, Disney Princess: The Concert, Coco, The Lion King, Up, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and Infinity Saga Concert Experience.

National Symphony Orchestra

GIANANDREA NOSEDA , MUSIC DIRECTOR

The Roger Sant and Congresswoman Doris Matsui Chair

STEVEN REINEKE , PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR AND ARTISTIC ADVISOR

VIOLINS

Nurit Bar-Josef, Concertmaster

Ying Fu, Associate Concertmaster, The Jeanne Weaver Ruesch Chair

Ricardo Cyncynates, Assistant Concertmaster

Xiaoxuan Shi, Second Assistant Concertmaster

Jane Bowyer Stewart

Heather LeDoux Green

Lisa-Beth Lambert

Jing Qiao

Marina Aikawa

Peiming Lin

Derek Powell

Regino Madrid**

Merdith Riley**

Marissa Regni, Principal

Dayna Hepler, Assistant Principal

Cynthia R. Finks

Deanna Lee Bien

Glenn Donnellan

Natasha Bogachek

Carole Tafoya Evans

Jae-Yeon Kim

Wanzhen Li

Hanna Lee

Benjamin Scott

Malorie Blake Shin

Angelia Cho

Kei Sugiyama**

VIOLAS

Daniel Foster, Principal, The Mrs. John Dimick Chair

Dana Kelley, Assistant Principal

Denise Wilkinson

Nancy Thomas

Jennifer Mondie

Tsuna Sakamoto

Ruth Wicker

Mahoko Eguchi

Abigail Evans Kreuzer

Rebecca Epperson

Chiara Dieguez**

Jacob Shack**

CELLOS

David Hardy, Principal, The Hans Kindler Chair, The Strong Family and the Hattie M. Strong Foundation

Raymond Tsai, Assistant Principal

David Teie

James Lee

Rachel Young

Mark Evans

Eugena Chang Riley

Loewi Lin

Britton Riley

Noah Krauss

BASSES

Robert Oppelt, Principal

Richard Barber, Assistant Principal

Jeffrey Weisner

Ira Gold

Paul DeNola

Charles Nilles

Alexander Jacobsen

Michael Marks

HARP

Adriana Horne, Principal

FLUTES

Aaron Goldman, Principal

Leah Arsenault Barrick, Assistant Principal

Matthew Ross

Carole Bean, Piccolo

OBOES

Nicholas Stovall, Principal, The Volunteer Council Chair

Jamie Roberts, Assistant Principal

Harrison Linsey***

Kathryn Meany Wilson***, English Horn

CLARINETS

Lin Ma, Principal

Eugene Mondie, Assistant Principal

Paul Cigan

Peter Cain, Bass Clarinet

BASSOONS

Sue Heineman, Principal

David Young, Assistant Principal

Steven Wilson

Sean Gordon, Contrabassoon

HORNS

Abel Pereira, Principal, The National Trustees’ Chair

James Nickel, Acting Associate Principal

Markus Osterlund***

Scott Fearing

Robert Rearden

Geoffrey Pilkington**

TRUMPETS

William Gerlach, Principal, The Howard Mitchell Chair, The Strong Family and the Hattie M. Strong Foundation

Michael Harper, Assistant Principal

Michail Thompson

Tom Cupples

TROMBONES

Craig Mulcahy, Principal

Evan Williams, Assistant Principal

David Murray

Matthew Guilford, Bass Trombone

TUBA

Stephen Dumaine, Principal, The James V. Kimsey Chair

TIMPANI

Jauvon Gilliam, Principal, The Marion E. Glover Chair

Scott Christian, Assistant Principal

PERCUSSION

Eric Shin, Principal, The Hechinger Foundation Chair

Erin Dowrey, Assistant Principal

Scott Christian

Jason Niehoff*

KEYBOARD

Lambert Orkis, Principal

Lisa Emenheiser*

ORGAN

William Neil*

LIBRARIANS

Elizabeth Cusato Schnobrick, Principal

Zen Stokdyk, Associate

Karen Lee, Assistant

PERSONNEL

Karyn Garvin, Director

Sufyan Naaman**, Coordinator

STAGE MANAGERS

David Langrell, Manager

N. Christian Bottorff, Assistant Manager

The National Symphony Orchestra uses a system of revolving strings. In each string section, untitled members are listed in order of length of service.

*Regularly Engaged Extra Musician

** Temporary Position

***Leave of Absence

National Symphony Orchestra Staff

ADMINISTRATION

Jean Davidson, Executive Director

Sabryn McDonald, Executive Assistant

EXECUTIVE TEAM

Kasama Apfelbaum, Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis

Nigel Boon, Vice President, Artistic Planning

John Roloff, Vice President, Orchestra Operations

ARTISTIC PLANNING

Justin Ellis, Senior Producing Director

Lucia Lostumbo, Artistic Assistant Administrator

DEVELOPMENT

Kate Baker, Assistant Manager, NSO Board and Leadership Campaigns

Laney Pleasanton, Manager, NSO Individual Giving

Pamela Wardell, Senior Director of Development

EDUCATION

Stephanie Baker, Manager, Career and Development Programs

FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

Eric Rubio, Director of Finance & Administration

HUMAN RESOURCES

Tony Amato, Director, Total Rewards

Chanel Kemp, Talent Acquisition Manager

Patrice McNeill, Director, HR Operations

Lisa Motti, HRIS Coordinator

Ericka Parham, Benefits Analyst

John Sanford, Senior Business Partner

MARKETING & ADVERTISING

Scott Bushnell, Senior Director, Creative and Brand Strategy

Lily Maroni, Senior Manager, Advertising Communications

Elizabeth Stoltz, Advertising Production & Special Projects Assistant Manager

Kaila Willard, Marketing Manager, Analytics and CRM Strategy

Derek Younger, Director, Sales & Ticketing Service

ORCHESTRA OPERATIONS & CONCERT PRODUCTION

Brooke Bartolome, Assistant Manager, Orchestra Operations

Joseph Benitez, Media & OPAS Support Coordinator

N. Christian Bottorff, Assistant Stage Manager

Karyn Garvin, Director of Orchestra Personnel

David Langrell, Stage Manager

Sufyan Naaman, Personnel and Auditions Coordinator

Ava Yap, Operations Assistant

Kennedy Center Staff

KENNEDY CENTER EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

The National Symphony Orchestra also warmly acknowledges the work of the following Kennedy Center partners and their teams:

President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Ambassador Richard Grenell

Chief Financial Officer Donna Arduin

General Counsel Elliot Berke

Vice President of Human Resources LaTa’sha M. Bowens

Senior Vice President, Marketing����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Kimberly J. Cooper

Senior Vice President, Development Lisa Dale

Vice President, Public Relations Roma Daravi

Vice President, Special Events Bronagh Donlon Director, Office of the President

Vice President, Facilities

Rick James

Matt Floca

Vice President, Education Jordan LaSalle

General Director, Washington National Opera Timothy O’Leary

Chief Information Officer

Concert Hall Staff

Theater Manager

Box Office Treasurer

Bob Sellappan

*Allen V. McCallum Jr.

Deborah Glover

Head Usher Cathy Crocker

Stage Crew

*Represented by ATPAM, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers.

The technicians at the Kennedy Center are represented by Local #22, Local #772, and Local #798 I.A.T.S.E. AFL-CIO-CLC, the professional union of theatrical technicians.

Zach Boutilier, Michael Buchman, Paul Johannes, April King, John Ottaviano, and Arielle Qorb

Steinway Piano Gallery is the exclusive area representative of Steinway & Sons and Boston pianos, the official pianos of the Kennedy Center.

The American Guild of Musical Artists, the union of professional singers, dancers and production personnel in opera, ballet and concert, affiliated with the AFL-CIO, represents the Artists and Staging Staff for the purposes of collective bargaining.

The box office at the Kennedy Center is represented by I.A.T.S.E, Local #868.

National Symphony Orchestra musicians are represented by the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Federation of Musicians, AFM Local 161-710.

Orchestrated Lives

Each month, the National Symphony Orchestra spotlights a different member of the Orchestra. For this program, Principal Horn Abel Pereira talks about offstage memories, the particular love affair between the cello and the horn, and the open sea.

Name: Abel Pereira

Hometown: Porto, Portugal

Instrument: Horn

Years with the NSO: 11

How did you find your way into the world of professional musicianship? When I was 14, before I went to art school, I thought I was going to become a fisherman just like my dad. Then I met this horn teacher, and he said, “You have two options. One is you spend the week fishing—going to the ocean and taking risks and being on a boat. Then you can come on weekends and play some music with the community band. Or you practice, practice, practice, and one day you will spend the whole week playing music. Then on weekends you can go on a boat and enjoy yourself.” I thought, “Well, I guess [the second’s] a better option for me,” and that's basically what I've been doing.

Have you been able to get out to the water much during your tenure? I have a boat that I like to take out. I spend the weekend days enjoying the water, because I miss that part of my life. There’s a good complement between music and the ocean. We don't have the ocean, unfortunately, but we have the bay. We have the river. It’s fine.

What attracted you to the horn? The sound of the horn can be powerful, but it can also be very mellow. It can be soft and kind, but it can also be harsh and aggressive. Some people say that the cello is the closest instrument to the human voice, but I would say it’s the horn as well as the cello. In a lot of the symphonic repertoire, the horn passages are together with the celli and violas. I think it's because the composers realized that the sound of the horn can match very, very well with the cello. It can also match very well with the woodwinds, but, curiously, it's a brass instrument. We are kind of amphibious.

What is one favorite memory from your time with the NSO? I have many great memories, right from the start during my trial year. In April of that first season, I was offered the job, which is unusual because usually it takes at least one entire season. I remember that was the week of Mahler [Symphony No.] 5, which is a big, big piece for the horn. I have a great memory of being on stage and being told by the orchestra manager that I got the job. I got very excited.

And offstage? You know, whenever we go on tour, we play in different halls every night, and it's always very, very exciting to bring our music to other cultures and let them know what we're doing here. Offstage, too. During the tours, we have more opportunities to hang out with other colleagues and friends—go out for dinner, have a drink, or just walk around visiting. Those memories will stay forever.

Support your ORCHESTRA

The mission of the National Symphony Orchestra, in residence at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, is to engage audiences locally, across the country, and around the world through excellence in performance and education. Each year, the NSO offers approximately 150 concerts as well as some of the country’s most extensive community and educational programming. It regularly participates in events of national and international importance, including performances for state occasions, high-level government events, and regularly televised holiday appearances for Capitol Concerts and local radio broadcasts on WETA, making the NSO one of the most-heard orchestras in the country.

Give your support in this 95th season by becoming a Member, joining the NSO Circles, or pledging a Legacy Gift. Visit tkc.co/SupportNSO or scan the QR code.

Thank You to Kennedy Center Supporters

The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees

The National Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors

Washington National Opera Board of Trustees

The Kennedy Center President’s Council

The Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts

President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts

National Committee for the Performing Arts

National Symphony Orchestra

National Trustees

The Kennedy Center Circles Board

The Kennedy Center Community Advisory Board

The Kennedy Center Corporate Fund Board

The Kennedy Center 50th Anniversary Committee

Corporate Donors

Individual and Foundation Donors

Endowment Gifts, Bequests, and Legacy Donors

Building the Future Campaign Donors

Visit tkc.co/Support for a full listing of donors and to learn how you can join us by becoming a Member.

Concerts

Don Juan & Romeo and Juliet | Grimaud plays Gershwin

Two visions of love: Strauss’ Don Juan, a man’s restless pursuit of passion; and Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, a fated tale of love at its purest. Led by Jader Bignamini, the concert also features Gershwin’s jazzy Piano Concerto with soloist Hélène Grimaud.

October 30, 2025 at 7 p.m.

October 31, 2025 at 11:30 a.m.

Noember 1, 2025 at 8 p.m.

NSO Presents: Alexandre Kantorow

Alexandre Kantorow is the youngest winner of the Gilmore Artist Award—one of the world’s most prestigious piano prizes. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience Kantorow’s artistry, sensitivity, and technical prowess on full display.

Please note: the NSO does not perform on this program.

November 1, 2025 at 3 p.m.

Steven’s Classical Mixtape

NSO Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor

Steven Reineke brings the playlist of his dreams to life! Steven’s Classical Mixtape is packed with unforgettable melodies—from Boléro to Clair de Lune, Nimrod, and Pines of Rome, plus a few surprises along the way.

November 7–8, 2025 at 8 p.m.

2025–2026 CLASSICAL SEASON PERFORMANCE CALENDAR

Don Juan & Romeo and Juliet

Grimaud plays Gershwin

Thu., Oct. 30, 2025 at 7 p.m.

Fri., Oct. 31, 2025 at 11:30 a.m.

Sat., Nov. 1, 2025 at 8 p.m.

NSO Presents*

Alexandre Kantorow

Sat., Nov. 1, 2025 at 3 p.m.

Saint-Saëns’ “Organ Symphony” Ohlsson plays Beethoven

Thu., Nov. 13, 2025 at 7 p.m.

Fri., Nov. 14, 2025 at 11:30 a.m.

Sat., Nov. 15, 2025 at 8 p.m.

Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Ferrández plays Lutosławski

Thu., Nov. 20, 2025 at 7 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 22, 2025 at 8 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 23, 2025 at 3 p.m.

Handel’s Messiah

Thu., Dec. 18, 2025 at 7 p.m.

Fri., Dec. 19, 2025 at 8 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 20, 2025 at 8 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 21, 2025 at 1 p.m.

The Rite of Spring Trifonov plays Brahms

Thu., Jan. 15, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Fri., Jan. 16, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 17, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Songs of Destiny & Fate

Thu., Jan. 22, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Fri., Jan. 23, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 24, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Le Poème Divin

Brahms’ Double Concerto

Thu., Jan. 29, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Fri., Jan. 30, 2026 at 11:30 a.m.

Sat., Jan. 31, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Shostakovich’s Eighth Abduraimov plays Tchaikovsky

Thu., Feb. 5, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Fri., Feb. 6, 2026 at 11:30 a.m.

Sat., Feb. 7, 2026 at 8 p.m.

American Mosaic

Thu., Feb. 19, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 21, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Sun., Feb. 22, 2026 at 3 p.m.

Shaham & Shaham play Reena Esmail

Robertson conducts Sibelius’ Fifth

Thu., Feb. 26, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Fri., Feb. 27, 2026 at 11:30 a.m.

Sat., Feb. 28, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Hahn & Woods play

Carlos Simon Brahms’ Third

Thu., Mar. 12, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Fri., Mar. 13, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Sat., Mar. 14, 2026 at 8 p.m.

NSO Presents*

Alexandra Dovgan

Sat., Mar. 14, 2026 at 3 p.m.

Death and Transfiguration

Khachatryan plays Sibelius

Thu., Apr. 2, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Fri., Apr. 3, 2026 at 11:30 a.m.

Sat., Apr. 4, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Bruckner’s Seventh Gerlach plays Haydn

Fri., Apr. 10, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Sat., Apr. 11, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Mozart’s “Jupiter” & Bach’s Brandenburg No. 1

Wed., Apr. 15, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Thu., Apr. 16, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Fri., Apr. 17, 2026 at 8 p.m.

*Please note: The National Symphony Orchestra does not perform in these concerts.

NSO Presents*

Khatia Buniatishvili

Fri., Apr. 24, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Opera in Concert

Puccini’s Il trittico

Wed., Apr. 29, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Fri., May 1, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Renée Fleming’s Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene

Fri., May 29, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Sat., May 30, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Cann plays Coleman

Fri., June 5, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Sat., June 6, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Philip Glass’ “Lincoln”

Dalene plays Barber

Fri., June 12, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Sat., June 13, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Concerts for Young Audiences

Halloween Spooktacular

Trick or treat over to the Concert Hall for some scary good tunes! The Concert Hall transforms into a ghostly sight when ghoulishly attired National Symphony Orchestra musicians perform spooky fun classics—new and old. Join in the fun of this Halloween celebration concert, conducted by Evan Roider. Most enjoyed by ages 5+

October 26, Concert Hall

Musical Tails

A National Symphony Orchestra piano quintet takes you on a journey through the timeless tales of the Mother Goose Suite by Maurice Ravel and the magical world of tails from Camille Saint-Saëns’ The Carnival of the Animals. The young and young-at-heart are invited to listen and experience these playful stories narrated in English and Spanish and performed through chamber music. Most enjoyed by ages 5+

January 24 & 25, Family Theater

Told through a mesmerizing hybrid of animated and live action filming, a magical Sprite embarks on a musical journey through the inner workings of an orchestra! Violin strings vibrate, brass valves slice air, and drumheads resonate like you’ve never seen before—all set to live music from the National Symphony Orchestra.

A look back at our history

1939

NSO Music Director Hans Kindler leads the Orchestra in a summer outdoor concert on a floating barge anchored at the foot of the stone steps below the Lincoln Memorial.

Harris & Ewing Collection, Library of Congress

A look back at our history

1958

1970s A look back at our history

A look back at our history

1987

NSO Music Director Mstislav Rostropovich conducts the NSO with guest soloist soprano Galina Vishnevskaya, his wife.

A look back at our history

1996

Music man Bobby McFerrin wowed Washingtonians when he conducted the National Symphony Orchestra concerts for families and school children.

2000 A look back at our history

Pianists John Browning, Sara Davis Buechner, Brian Ganz, Joseph Kalichstein, Lambert Orkis, and Jeffrey Siegel play Franz Liszt’s Hexameron with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Music Director Leonard Slatkin for the Piano 2000 festival.

2015 A look back at our history

Kendrick Lamar and the NSO led by Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke delivered a one-night-only performance featuring some of Lamar’s biggest hits and the first-ever live performances of music from his lyrical masterpiece “To Pimp a Butterfly.”

2022 A look back at our history

As the concluding event of Kennedy Center’s 50th Anniversary celebration, Leonard Bernstein’s MASS returned 51 years after its world premiere at the Center in a dynamic staging featuring the NSO, guest conductor James Gaffigan, and baritone Will Liverman in the role of Celebrant.

Take home... a musical memory.

Mozart Magic

Flute Earrings

These exquisite earrings bring Mozart’s masterpiece to life with fluteinspired details that create a visual symphony. $42

NSO Cap and T-shirt

Our new National Symphony Orchestra cap and tee let you show your pride in our world-class symphony. $30 each

Make Your Own Music Mug

No better way to start your day than with a coffee mug imprinted with blank sheet music and sticker notes so you can compose your own melody. $20

Visit our two gift shops on Level A and in the Hall of States. Shop online 24/7 at tkc.co/shop

SHARE THE JOY of the ARTS

A toast before the show. A meal with a view. A selfie in the foyer. At the Kennedy Center, it’s not just about the performance, it’s the moments you share before and after the curtain rises.

Here, you’ll find joy and awe, surprise and wonder. When you come for a performance, you’ll leave with something more. Because what you feel—and who you feel it with— becomes the memory you both carry.

When life doesn’t stick to the script, we’re here for you.

From our connected urgent care network and on-demand 24/7 telehealth to lifesaving specialty care, we’re here when and where you need us.

Behind every visit at MedStar Health is a team of top-rated providers, who together make up one of the region’s most respected health systems.

It’s how we treat every patient…with the best of our hearts, and the best of our minds.