The UK’s oldest symphony orchestra presents its 2026/27 season, continuing to shape Liverpool’s identity as England’s only UNESCO City of Music through new commissions, emerging artists and international collaboration

Season Highlights:

• Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan enters his sixth season, with programmes spanning core repertoire alongside French and South American music and a complete Beethoven Symphony cycle
• GRAMMY Award-winning Caroline Shaw announced as the orchestra’s first Composer in Focus
• London performances include the BBC Proms with Simone Lamsma and a special Alexandra Palace concert with Bill Ryder-Jones
• Two major anniversaries: 50 years since the death of Benjamin Britten and 200 years since the death of Ludwig van Beethoven
• Six new commissions, including a new clarinet concerto by Gavin Higgins for Artist in Residence Mark Simpson and a BBC co-commission from Carmel Smickersgill
• Liverpool Philharmonic’s 10:10 continues to celebrate new music as it approaches its 30th anniversary, with a focus on British and American repertoire, including Steve Reich’s Different Trains to mark the composer’s 90th birthday, 10 years after the project’s debut
• World-class soloists include cellist Guy Johnston; violist Tabea Zimmermann; pianists Mariam Batsashvili, Junyan Chen, Boris Giltburg, Clare Hammond, Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, Nicholas McCarthy, Víkingur Ólafsson, Simon Trpčeski and Nobuyuki Tsujii; violinists Johan Dalene, Ning Feng, Clara-Jumi Kang, and Nemanja Radulović; and bass-baritone Bryn Terfel
• Principal Guest Conductor Andrew Manze opens the season and Conductor Laureate Vasily Petrenko returns. Guest conductors include Karel Deseure, Adam Hickox, Andris Poga, Kristiina Poska, Dinis Sousa and Joshua Weilerstein, alongside conducting debuts from Alena Hron, Kellen Grey and Bar Avni
• Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir performs in Handel’s Messiah and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 under the direction of Matthew Hamilton
• Made in Merseyside celebrates voices from Merseyside and the North West across generations including collaborations with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), Bill Ryder-Jones and MT Jones
• Spotlight on music from film and video games with How to Train Your Dragon, May the Fourth be with you – an evening of music from Star Wars, plus a video game music programme returns
• Family programming includes early years concerts, BBC’s Get Singing campaign, and films with live orchestra, including works by Julia Donaldson
• Liverpool Philharmonic celebrates the 25th (Silver) anniversary of its partnership with Classic FM with a new commission by Dani Howard

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra announces its 2026/27 season, led by Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan, with a programme shaped by major anniversaries, new commissions and international collaborations. Reflecting Liverpool’s distinctive cultural identity on a global stage, the season also explores transatlantic connections between the UK, Europe and the Americas. As the UK’s oldest symphony orchestra, Liverpool Philharmonic continues to honour its heritage while looking firmly to the future, creating powerful musical experiences that bring together audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

Vanessa Reed, Chief Executive of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic says: “This season reflects everything that defines the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic today: exceptional musical talent, a commitment to new music, and a deep connection to our city and communities. From major international collaborations to celebrating local talent, we are proud to present a programme that speaks to Liverpool’s identity as one of the world’s great music cities.”

Chief Conductor, Domingo Hindoyan says: “I am delighted to welcome you to our bold new 2026/27 season, celebrating landmark composers while championing the voices of today. From opening with Mahler’s Second Symphony to presenting a complete cycle of Beethoven’s symphonies, this season is a deeply personal journey of passion and ambition. Together with our artists and community, we look forward to sharing music that inspires, connects and resonates with all.”

Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan

Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan enters his sixth season and continues to shape the Orchestra’s artistic identity with programmes that reflect his unique energy and multiplicity of sound - spanning core symphonic repertoire alongside French and South American music, with a strong commitment to new music and a focus on vocal repertoire. At the centre of the season is Hindoyan’s Beethoven Festival, marking 200 years since the composer’s death.

Hindoyan‘s season opens with Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 ‘Resurrection’ (1 October), a work he has long wanted to conduct in Liverpool, bringing together orchestra and choir with soloists Lucy Crowe and Natalie Lewis, followed by Classic FM Hall of Fame (4 October), featuring a world premiere by Dani Howard and marking the Orchestra’s 25th anniversary of its partnership with Classic FM. Autumn highlights include Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with Clara-Jumi Kang making her debut with the Orchestra, alongside music by Orth and Elgar (21 November), and Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto with Principal Clarinettist Miquel Ramos Salvadó alongside Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler: Symphony, a powerful reflection exploring the role of the artist in times of crisis, and music by Caroline Shaw (26 November). An all-Brahms programme sees the return of pianist Víkingur Ólafsson (29 November).

The Orchestra’s Beethoven Festival marks 200 years since the composer’s death and sees Hindoyan conduct a complete symphony cycle for the first time across five concerts over two weeks (14 – 30 January). A project Hindoyan has been developing over several years, the cycle reflects his deep personal connection to Beethoven and traces the arc of the composer’s symphonic output, culminating in Symphony No. 9 ‘Choral’, performed by the Orchestra and Choir (directed by Matthew Hamilton) with soloists Lauren Fagan, Stephanie Maitland, Ed Lyon, and Roderick Williams, with British Sign Language interpretation by Paul Whittaker.

In spring, Hindoyan’s programming reflects both his international outlook and personal heritage. He reunites with Simon Trpčeski for a programme of Turina, Ginastera and Ravel (8 April), before conducting contemporary music ensemble Liverpool Philharmonic’s 10:10 in a programme featuring music by Caroline Shaw, a new work by 11th Rushworth Composition Prize winner Rob Hughes, and works by Ortiz, Farías and Sierra (14 April). Drawing on his own cultural heritage, he also conducts Kareem Roustom’s Aleppo Songs (17 April), alongside Schubert’s Six Songs with bass-baritone Bryn Terfel.

Further highlights include Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 (13 May) and Roussel’s Symphony No. 3 alongside Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with Nemanja Radulović (24 June). Reflecting his continued work in opera, alongside his appointment as Music Director of LA Opera from July 2026, the season closes with Orff’s Carmina Burana, bringing together the Orchestra, Choir, youth ensembles and soloists including Jenny Daviet, Adrian Dwyer and Rory Musgrave.

Caroline Shaw: Composer in Focus

GRAMMY Award-winning composer Caroline Shaw is Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s Composer in Focus, bringing her distinctive, genre-crossing voice to audiences across the season. The youngest-ever recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Music, Shaw’s work features prominently throughout the season, including performances with Liverpool Philharmonic’s 10:10 of Entr’acte and Is a Rose, inspired by Haydn and the poetry of Robert Burns and Jacob Polley (11 November); Blueprint inspired by Beethoven’s Op. 18 No. 6 Quartet, forming part of a programme reimagining Beethoven’s legacy (20 February), and Three Essays for String Quartet (14 April) reflecting her fascination with language. The full Orchestra performs The Observatory under Domingo Hindoyan – a piece inspired by the vastness of space (26 November).

Composer in Focus, Caroline Shaw says: “I’m always interested in how music brings people together - how it connects us to language, to history, and to each other. It’s a real joy to be working with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and to share these pieces with audiences in a city with such a strong musical identity.”

London Performances

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra returns to London with performances at two major venues. The orchestra makes a return to the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall (4 September) following a sold-out performance last year, led by Principal Guest Conductor Andrew Manze and joined by violinist Simone Lamsma, featuring the world premiere of A Brick Thrown With Love by Carmel Smickersgill. The orchestra also appears at Alexandra Palace for a special performance marking the 15th anniversary of Bill Ryder-Jones’s album If…, conducted by Hugh Tieppo-Brunt, with the programme repeated in Liverpool the following day (15 November).

Britten and Beethoven Anniversaries

Two major composer anniversaries shape the 2026/27 season, as the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic celebrates the enduring legacy and influence of Britten and Beethoven.

Marking 50 years since Britten’s death, the orchestra explores one of the most significant British musical voices of the 20th century across the season. Following a visit to the BBC Proms (4 Sept), including Britten's Violin Concerto with Simone Lamsma, highlights from the main season include Britten’s Cello Symphony with soloist Guy Johnston, opening the season under Andrew Manze (17 September); The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, first premiered and recorded by the Orchestra in 1946, in the Classic FM Hall of Fame concert (4 October); Suite on English Folk Tunes, conducted by Adam Hickox (10 October); Sinfonia da Requiem, conducted by Vasily Petrenko (3 December), and Four Sea Interludes with Domingo Hindoyan (13 May). Liverpool Philharmonic’s 10:10 presents Reinventing Britten, featuring two early works: A Charm of Lullabies and Simple Symphony (11 November), and the Youth Company celebrates Britten with Soirées musicale (22 November). 

Hindoyan’s Beethoven Festival is at the heart of the Orchestra’s Beethoven celebrations (see above). The season also explores the breadth and lasting influence of Beethoven’s chamber work. Chamber music at the Tung Auditorium includes a recital by pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii (1 November) and the Leeds International Piano Competition recital by winner Kai-Min Chang (22 June), alongside Lunchtime Concerts by orchestra musicians Emma Burgess and Gareth Twigg (2 November), the Hope Street Ensemble (14 December) and Bromborough String Quartet (25 January), and Close Up performances in the Music Room by the Pixels Ensemble (8 February). Liverpool Philharmonic’s 10:10 presents Reinventing Beethoven and celebrates composers who have taken cues from the great master including John Adams, Jay Capperauld, Samantha Fernando, Caroline Shaw, George Stevenson (20 February).

New Music and Commissions

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic continues its longstanding commitment to championing living composers, having premiered and commissioned more than 300 new works over the past twenty years and established programmes such as the Rushworth Composition Prize, which provides a range of opportunities for early-career composers. Building on this legacy, the season features six major commissions alongside a wide-ranging programme of premieres and recent works, supporting composers at every stage of their careers and building a loyal audience for contemporary classical music.

Carmel Smickersgill, winner of the Rushworth Composition Prize in 2018, presents A Brick Thrown With Love, which blends pop and classical influences to explore themes of love, heartbreak and death. The work receives its world premiere at the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall (4 September) before its Liverpool performance (29 October).

Gavin Higgins’ new clarinet concerto, written specially for Artist in Residence Mark Simpson and co-commissioned by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society and the BBC, receives its world premiere, marking the conclusion of Simpson’s residency. Raised in a ‘heart-shaped’ territory on the Welsh border, a woodland region with its own dialect, Higgins’ musical language is unique, infused with spirituality and an affinity with nature (17 October).

Dani Howard wrote a new work when she won the Classic FM composition prize for the radio station’s 25th birthday in 2017 and, now internationally acclaimed for her distinctive sound world, presents another new work written to celebrate the Orchestra’s 25-year relationship with Classic FM (4 October).

Liverpool Philharmonic’s 10:10 showcase new music from North West-based composers, including a world premiere from the 10th Rushworth Composition Prize winner Andrew Barney, alongside works by Mark Simpson, Grace-Evangeline Mason and Nneka Cummins’ Ivor Novello Award-winning work finding gills (when they try to drown you) (10 October), and a new work by 11th Rushworth Composition Prize winner Rob Hughes (14 April).

The youngest ever finalist of the Leeds International Piano Competition, Kai-Min Chang, received the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society Award and gives the world premiere of Errollyn Wallen’s Acid Drop, commissioned especially for him as part of the prize (22 June).

Liverpool Philharmonic’s 10:10

Central to its commitment to new music, Liverpool Philharmonic’s 10:10 is a contemporary music ensemble which presents a season of programming exploring connections between British and American music. Founded in 1997 by members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and now approaching its 30th anniversary, the Ensemble is in residence at The Tung Auditorium and maintains close links with the University of Liverpool.

Highlights include a performance of Steve Reich’s Different Trains, with film by Bill Morrison, an exciting collaborative partnership marking 10 years since the project’s debut at Edge Hill station, conducted by Clark Rundell (10 October), alongside a focus on Liverpool-based composers including Andrew Barney, Mark Simpson, Grace-Evangeline Mason and Nneka Cummins. In November, Tess Jackson leads a programme marking the 50th anniversary of Benjamin Britten’s death, alongside works by Composer in Focus Caroline Shaw, featuring mezzo-soprano Jess Dandy (11 November). Further performances include a Beethoven-inspired programme conducted by Geoffrey Paterson, featuring a new work by George Stevenson (20 February), and a spring concert led by Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan, featuring a new work by Rushworth Composition Prize winner Rob Hughes alongside works by Farías, Sierra and Ortiz (14 April).

World-class soloists

The 2026/27 season welcomes an exceptional line-up of soloists, including debuts, returning artists and performances from within the Orchestra. The season opens with cellist Guy Johnston performing Britten’s Cello Symphony (17 September), marking the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death, followed by soprano Lucy Crowe and mezzo-soprano Natalie Lewis in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 ‘Resurrection’ (1 October). Artist in Residence Mark Simpson performs the world premiere of a new clarinet concerto by Gavin Higgins (17 October), while pianist Mariam Batsashvili performs Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 (22 October). Later in the season, soprano Melody Louledjian performs Poulenc’s Stabat Mater (8 May).

Debuts include soprano Sarah Brady in Strauss’ Four Last Songs (5 November), violinist Clara-Jumi Kang with Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto (21 November), and pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason performing Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement (4 March).

Returning artists include pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, who joined the Orchestra on a seven-concert tour of Japan in 2024, and returns to perform Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 (29 October) and give a recital (1 November); Víkingur Ólafsson performs Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 (29 November); and Simon Trpčeski performing Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G (8 April). Pianist Boris Giltburg returns with Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 4 (3 December), while violinists Johan Dalene (Korngold Violin Concerto, 24 March), Ning Feng (Britten, Peter Grimes, 13 May) and Nemanja Radulović (Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, 24 June) also return. Further highlights include violist Tabea Zimmermann performing Walton’s Viola Concerto in the composer’s 125th anniversary year (22 April), baritone Bryn Terfel in a programme of Schubert songs (17 April), pianist Clare Hammond performing Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 (14 February), trumpeter Pacho Flores performing Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto (25 February), pianist Junyan Chen (11 February), and pianist Nicholas McCarthy performing Martinů’s Divertimento for the left hand (20 June).

Orchestra musicians are also featured as soloists, including Principal Clarinet Miquel Ramos Salvadó performing Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto (26 November) and double bassist Nathan Knight performing Bottesini’s Double Bass Concerto No. 2 (14 March).

World-leading conductors

The 2026/27 season brings a distinguished roster of conductors to Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, alongside Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan. Principal Guest Conductor Andrew Manze opens the season with Britten’s Cello Symphony (17 September) and returns with Sibelius’ Symphony No. 6 (29 October). Conductor Laureate Vasily Petrenko leads festive performances including Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker (3 December) and returns later in the season with Walton’s Symphony No. 1 (24 March).

Guest conductors include Adam Hickox, conducting Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and the world premiere of Gavin Higgins’ clarinet concerto (17 October); Dinis Sousa with a programme of Adès, Saint-Saëns, Debussy and Ravel (22 October); and Karel Deseure, conducting Strauss’ Four Last Songs and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade (5 November), before returning with a programme of Bonis, Boulanger and Rimsky-Korsakov (8 November). Kristiina Poska conducts Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 (14 February), and Joshua Weilerstein, leads Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 and Haas’ Symphony (1940/41) (25 February), while Andris Poga leads a programme of Strauss, Walton and Shostakovich (22 April). Antony Hermus conducts Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite alongside works by Ravel, Martinů and Gershwin (20 June) and Tess Jackson conducts Liverpool Philharmonic’s 10:10 in a programme spotlighting Britten, alongside works by Caroline Shaw and the Orchestra’s own Timothy Jackson (11 Nov).

The season also features a number of conducting debuts, including Bar Avni, who leads Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3 alongside music by Copland and Price (4 March); Kellen Gray, presenting an all-American programme including Bernstein, Copland, Jessie Montgomery and William Grant Still (11 February); and Alena Hron, conducting music from Smetana’s Má Vlast alongside Kaprálová and Poulenc (8 May).

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir

Choral highlights feature the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, directed by Matthew Hamilton, in Handel’s Messiah (20 March), with soloists including Hilary Cronin, Katie Bray, Stuart Jackson and James Platt, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 ‘Resurrection’ (1 October). The Beethoven celebrations culminate in Symphony No. 9 ‘Choral’ (30 January), featuring Lauren Fagan, Stephanie Maitland, Ed Lyon and Roderick Williams. The season closes with Orff’s Carmina Burana (8 July), featuring Jenny Daviet, Adrian Dwyer and Rory Musgrave.

Made in Merseyside

Building on its longstanding commitment to regional talent, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s season highlights artists from Merseyside and the North West, celebrating the region’s cultural landscape. Through its Made in Merseyside series, the Orchestra provides a platform for artists at every stage of their careers, from emerging voices to internationally recognised names, while supporting pathways from regional training to national and global stages, including through In Harmony and Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, which together reach over 2,280 young people in the city each week.

This season includes collaborations with Liverpool-born vocalist MT Jones, who performs with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra musicians to celebrate his debut album Joy (13 November), with support from rising singer- songwriter Lucca Mae, and Bill Ryder-Jones, who reunites with the orchestra to mark the 15th anniversary of his debut solo album If… (15 November), performing the work in full alongside new material from his critically acclaimed 2024 release Iechyd Da. Further collaborations include Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, alongside contributions from North West artists such as Nneka Cummins and Timothy Jackson, and performances featuring Cumbrian mezzo-soprano Jess Dandy.

Film Music, Video Game Music & Live-to-Picture

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic continues to expand its film, video game and live-to-picture programme, bringing iconic scores to the concert hall and showcasing the orchestra’s versatility. Following a successful debut last year, which welcomed members of Liverpool’s thriving gaming community, video game music returns with Game On – a concert combining symphonic arrangements and never-before-seen HD video from blockbuster titles including The Witcher 3, World of Warcraft and Assassin’s  Creed (6 June). Live-to-picture performances include DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon, conducted by Anthony Gabriele, featuring John Powell’s Oscar-nominated score performed live alongside the film (25 & 26 September). The season also celebrates the enduring appeal of Star Wars with May the Fourth Be With You: The Music of Star Wars, conducted by Anthony Gabriele and presented by Tim Burden, featuring music by John Williams (4 May).

Family Programming

Family audiences are at the heart of the season, with a programme of concerts and activities designed to introduce children of all ages to the power of live orchestral music in a relaxed and accessible environment. Highlights include a double bill of Room on the Broom and Zog, conducted by Terry Davies (25 October), and the much-loved festive classic The Snowman, conducted by George Morton and presented by Maddie Moate, featuring the Liverpool Philharmonic Children’s Choir with British Sign Language interpretation at selected performances (19–20 December). Magical Musicals, conducted by Michael England with vocalists Sophie Evans, Caroline Sheen, Rob Houchen and Sam Oladeinde, introduces West End favourites to younger audiences (7 February). Interactive events include Get Singing!, led by Matthew Hamilton and conducted by Ellie Slorach, uniting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir with Youth and Training Choirs (7 March), and The Hunt for Pirate Treasure (27 June). A year-round series of Under-5s concerts, led by presenter Claire Henry, offers specially designed musical experiences for the youngest audiences.

Priority booking is now open and general booking opens at 10am on Wednesday 3 June

The digital programme containing all the season events is available to read here.