September 2, 2026
Highlights of the Season, which opens October 24, 2026, include:
- Five Distinctive Programs, all led by Music Director Brett Mitchell, with matinee and evening performances at Ambassador Auditorium
- Landmark Orchestral Works including Brahms Symphony No. 1, Beethoven Symphony No. 7 and Shostakovich Symphony No. 5, which hasn’t been played by the orchestra in over a decade
- Classical Music’s most beloved concerti including Vivaldi Four Seasons, Barber and Tchaikovsky Violin Concerti, Elgar Cello Concerto and Rachmaninoff’s powerhouse Piano Concerto No. 2
- The Future of Classical Music on Display with works by Joan Tower, Carlos Simon, Jennifer Higdon & Kevin Puts
- Slate of Acclaimed Guest Artists – Violinists Benjamin Beilman, Simone Porter and Paul Huang, Pianist Clayton Stephenson, and the Pasadena Symphony’s Principal Cellist Michael Kaufman
Pasadena, CA – Music Director Brett Mitchell and the Pasadena Symphony announce an exhilarating 2026/27 Classics season featuring five thoughtfully curated programs that celebrate the richness and diversity of classical music through both beloved masterworks and compelling new voices. The season pairs celebrated works from the classical canon with music by some of today’s most distinctive composers, including two works by contemporary female composers Joan Tower and Jennifer Higdon, alongside music by Pulitzer Prize- and Grammy®-winning composer Kevin Puts, and Carlos Simon’s inventive reimagining of musical history. All concerts take place at the orchestra’s home of over a decade – Pasadena’s historic Ambassador Auditorium with matinee and evening performances at 2pm and 8pm.
“I’m so pleased during my third season as Music Director of the Pasadena Symphony to continue this great musical journey we’ve been sharing. From timeless works by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, and Tchaikovsky to more contemporary masterpieces by Joan Tower, Carlos Simon, Jennifer Higdon, and Kevin Puts, our 2026/27 season has something for every lover of orchestral music, and the orchestra and I can’t wait to share it with you.” – Brett Mitchell, Music Director
Mitchell kicks off the season on October 24 with the drama and glory of Joan Tower’s Made in America, inspired by “America the Beautiful” in continuation of the orchestra’s commemoration of America at 250. Barber’s exquisite Violin Concerto follows, performed by the “poised and monstrously talented” (Philadelphia Inquirer) Avery Fisher Career Grant winner, Benjamin Beilman. This grand opening concert culminates in Brahms’ majestic Symphony No. 1, which established the composer as a master of the symphonic tradition and remains one of the most enduring works of the repertoire.
On November 14, the power of the orchestra is on full display for Beethoven Symphony No. 7 with Pasadena Symphony Principal Cellist Michael Kaufman taking center stage to perform Elgar’s heart-wrenching Cello Concerto. February 13 brings romance to the Ambassador as Mitchell conducts Stravinsky’s magical Firebird Suite and 2025 Sphinx Medal of Excellence winner Clayton Stephenson performs Rachmaninoff’s lush Piano Concerto No. 2.
Spring brings the return of audience-favorite Simone Porter performing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons on March 20, alongside Stravinsky’s elegant Dumbarton Oaks and Bach’s beloved Brandenburg 3. Highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning violinist Paul Huang makes his Pasadena debut on May 1 to perform Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous and deeply passionate Violin Concerto, closing the season with the thrilling power and emotional intensity of Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony—a monumental work making its long-awaited return to the Pasadena Symphony stage.
The Pasadena Symphony provides a quintessential experience specially designed for the music lover, the social butterfly or a date night out. Audiences can enjoy a pre-concert meal at nearby restaurants in Old Town Pasadena or have a drink and a bite on Ambassador Auditorium’s beautiful outdoor veranda. The Symphony also offers a pre-concert conversation one hour prior to each performance hosted by KUSC Classical California’s Brian Lauritzen, with Music Director Brett Mitchell and special guests including soloists and composers.
All Pasadena Symphony concerts take place at Ambassador Auditorium, 131 S. St. John Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105, with performances at 2pm and 8pm. Subscription packages start at $129 with single tickets starting at $55. Both may be purchased online at pasadenasymphony-pops.org or by calling (626) 793-7172.
Brahms Symphony No. 1
October 24, 2026
Brett Mitchell, conductor
Benjamin Beilman, violin
JOAN TOWER Made in America
BARBER Violin Concerto
BRAHMS Symphony No. 1
The season opens with quite possibly the greatest first symphony ever written—placing Brahms in his rightful place as one of the world’s most beloved musical geniuses. Joan Tower’s vibrant fantasy on “America the Beautiful” opens the program, with Avery Fisher winner Benjamin Beilman performing Barber’s exquisite Violin Concerto for a grand opening night!
Beethoven Symphony No. 7
November 14, 2026
Brett Mitchell, conductor
Michael Kaufman, cello
CARLOS SIMON Fate Now Conquers
ELGAR Cello Concerto
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7
From the infectious energy of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony and Carlos Simon’s contemporary reimagining of this bold work to the emotional depths of Elgar’s Cello Concerto, this program showcases the orchestra at its most powerful, with Principal Cellist Michael Kaufman taking center stage.
Holiday Candlelight
Friday, December 11, 2026, 7 pm
Saturday, December 12, 2026, 4pm & 7 pm
All Saints Church
Brett Mitchell, conductor
TBD, vocalist
LA Bronze Handbell Ensemble
Donald Brinegar Singers
Los Angeles Children’s Chorus
Pasadena’s most beloved holiday concert returns with three performances at All Saint’s Church! Kick off your holiday season in one of Southern California’s most beautiful churches with Pasadena’s premier orchestra joined by a vocalist and an array of choruses and handbells for all of your favorite holiday carols, all performed by candlelight.
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2
February 13, 2027
Brett Mitchell, conductor
Clayton Stephenson, piano
JENNIFER HIGDON Blue Cathedral
STRAVINSKY Suite from The Firebird
RACHMANIOFF Piano Concerto No. 2
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Stravinsky’s spellbinding Firebird Suite brings the legendary tale to vivid life with its shimmering colors and thrilling rhythms. Jennifer Higdon’s soaring “blue cathedral” sets the tone of the evening, and Rachmaninoff’s lush and deeply romantic Piano Concerto No. 2 will sweep you away with its sumptuous melodies, leaving you breathless and asking for more.
Vivaldi Four Seasons
March 20, 2027
Brett Mitchell, conductor
Simone Porter, violin
BACH Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
STRAVINSKY Dumbarton Oaks
VIVALDI The Four Seasons
Acclaimed violinist Simone Porter makes her triumphant return, bringing her technical chops and expressive panache to Vivaldi’s most cherished concerti. Modeled after the Brandenberg Concerti, Stravinsky’s “Dumbarton Oaks” offers his intimate nod to the master of counterpoint, alongside one of Bach’s most beloved chamber works, in a performance full of energy and elegance.
Tchaikovsky & Shostakovich
May 1, 2027
Brett Mitchell, conductor
Paul Huang, violin
KEVIN PUTS Kevin Puts Millennium Canons
TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto
SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 5
The season closes with two monumental masterpieces and a sprightly fanfare – Kevin Put’s “Millennium Canons” offers a bright contrast to Tchaikovsky’s passionate exploration of love and longing and Shostakovich’s powerful Fifth Symphony—a gripping journey from darkness to triumph.
TICKETS AND INFORMATION
Subscriptions and single tickets for Pasadena Symphony’s 2026/27 season are now available online at www.pasadenasymphony-pops.org/tickets.
VENUE ADDRESSES
Ambassador Auditorium, 131 South St. John Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105
All Saints Church, 132 North Euclid Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101
Formed in 1928, the Pasadena Symphony and POPS is an ensemble of Hollywood’s most talented, sought-after musicians. With extensive credits in film, television, recording and the orchestral industry, the artists of the Pasadena Symphony and POPS are the most heard in the world.
The Pasadena Symphony and POPS performs in two of the most extraordinary venues in the United States: Ambassador Auditorium, known as the Carnegie Hall of the West, and the Los Angeles Arboretum & Botanic Garden. Brett Mitchell serves as Music Director, conducting the Pasadena Symphony and the multi-platinum-selling, two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy Award-nominated entertainer dubbed “The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook,” Michael Feinstein, leads the POPS as Principal Pops Conductor, succeeding Marvin Hamlisch.
A hallmark of its robust education programs, the Pasadena Symphony Association has served the youth of the region for over five decades through the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestras (PYSO). PYSO offers supplemental in-class instruction within the Pasadena Unified School District and eleven performance ensembles, serving over 700 4th-12th grade students from all over Southern California. The PYSO has performed at venues across the globe as well as on the television show GLEE.
The Pasadena Symphony Association provides people from all walks of life with powerful access points to the world of symphonic music.
Brett Mitchell
Music Director
Hailed for the breadth of his work on the podium and at the piano, Brett Mitchell has carved a unique path for himself in the world of contemporary American classical music. Mitchell began a five-year term as Music Director of the Pasadena Symphony—an orchestra composed of the greatest studio musicians in Hollywood—in 2024, and has served as Artistic Director & Conductor of Oregon’s Sunriver Music Festival since 2022.
In May 2025, with less than 24 hours’ notice, Mitchell stepped in for his subscription debut with the New York Philharmonic, leading three performances of Kevin Puts’s The Brightness of Light featuring soprano Renée Fleming and baritone Rod Gilfry, followed by the complete score of Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé featuring the New York Philharmonic Chorus.
Working widely as a guest conductor, Mitchell’s other recent engagements have included appearances with the Dallas, Detroit, Edmonton, Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Memphis, Milwaukee, National, North Carolina, Oregon, San Antonio, San Francisco, Tulsa, and Vancouver symphonies; the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl; the Cleveland and Minnesota orchestras; the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra; the River Oaks and Saint Paul chamber orchestras; the Grant Park Festival Orchestra; and a two-week tour with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. He has also guest conducted the Grant Park Festival Orchestra, and led a two-week tour with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Mitchell regularly collaborates with the world’s leading soloists, including Renée Fleming, Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Kirill Gerstein, Conrad Tao, Rudolf Buchbinder, James Ehnes, Augustin Hadelich, Leila Josefowicz, and Alisa Weilerstein.
From 2017 to 2021, Mitchell served as Music Director of the Colorado Symphony in Denver, following a term as Music Director Designate during the 2016–17 season. During his tenure, he led the organization through a period of significant artistic growth, helped position the orchestra as a central cultural voice in the region, strengthened community ties via strategic collaborations, and broadened the orchestra’s commitment to American music with new commissions, premieres, and recordings.
From 2013 to 2017, Mitchell served on the conducting staff of The Cleveland Orchestra, joining as Assistant Conductor in 2013, and receiving a promotion to Associate Conductor in 2015. More than a decade later, he continues to return as a frequent guest conductor, having led more than 150 performances with the orchestra over the past twelve years.
From 2007 to 2011, Mitchell led over one hundred performances as Assistant Conductor of the Houston Symphony, to which he also continues to return regularly as a guest conductor. He held Assistant Conductor posts with the Orchestre National de France, where he worked under Kurt Masur from 2006 to 2009, and the Castleton Festival, where he worked under Lorin Maazel in 2009 and 2010. In 2015, Mitchell completed a highly successful five-year appointment as Music Director of the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra, where an increased focus on locally relevant programming and community collaborations resulted in record attendance throughout his tenure.
Equally at home in the pit, Mitchell has served as music director of nearly a dozen opera productions spanning the core works of Mozart, Verdi, and Stravinsky to contemporary works by Mark Adamo, Robert Aldridge, Daniel Catán, and Daron Hagen. As a ballet conductor, Mitchell most recently led seven performances of The Nutcracker with the Pennsylvania Ballet in collaboration with The Cleveland Orchestra.
In addition to his work with professional orchestras, Mitchell is widely recognized for his commitment to mentoring young musicians. During his highly regarded tenure as Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (2013–17), he led a much-lauded four-city tour of China in 2015. At home, he has worked extensively with students at this country’s leading training programs, including the Cleveland Institute of Music, Interlochen Center for the Arts, National Repertory Orchestra, Sarasota Music Festival, and Texas Music Festival. He has also held faculty appointments at Northern Illinois University (2005–07), the University of Houston (2012–13), and the University of Denver (2019–20, 2022–23).
Also an accomplished pianist, Mitchell has a devoted fanbase of his work at the keyboard, including a widely praised YouTube channel featuring his original transcriptions of iconic cues from film history. He also concertizes regularly at the piano, often performing in recital with musicians from his orchestras. In recognition of his work at the keyboard, Mitchell was named a Steinway Artist by Steinway & Sons in 2025.
Born in Seattle in 1979, Mitchell holds degrees in conducting from the University of Texas at Austin and composition from Western Washington University, which selected him as its Young Alumnus of the Year in 2014. He studied with Leonard Slatkin at the National Conducting Institute in 2005, and was selected by Kurt Masur as a recipient of the inaugural American Friends of the Mendelssohn Foundation Scholarship in 2008. Mitchell also one of five recipients
of the League of American Orchestras’ American Conducting Fellowship from 2007 to 2010.
For more information, please visit brettmitchellconductor.com.
Benjamin Beilman
Violin
Benjamin Beilman has earned international acclaim for his passionate performances and distinctive tone—The New York Times called it “muscular with a glint of violence,” while The Strad praised its “pure poetry.” Praised for his instinctive sense of form and color, he brings a balance of elegance and surprise to his playing—uncovering new depths in familiar works and expanding the violin’s expressive range through his commitment to contemporary music.
Benjamin’s 2025/26 season highlights include his subscription debut with the Berlin Philharmonic, following a successful US tour with orchestra, replacing Hilary Hahn. He also makes appearances with the Minnesota Orchestra performing Szymanowski’s Violin Concerto No. 1, Dresden Philharmonic performing Mozart No. 5, Antwerp Symphony performing Saariaho’s Graal théâtre, Solistes Européens Luxembourg performing Beethoven, Nouvel Ensemble Moderne performing Berg, and the Nashville Symphony performing Britten. He will also curate, stage, and lead two chamber music programs at Sun Valley Music Festival and continue his ongoing recital partnership with pianist Steven Osborne. In the Summer, he embarks on a month-long tour of Australasia, including appearances with the Sydney Symphony and Tasmanian Symphony with Tabitha Berglund, West Australian Symphony with Anja Bihlmaier, and the Auckland Philharmonia with Giordano Bellincampi.
Last season saw Benjamin’s debut with the Berlin Philharmonic and Kirill Petrenko on tour in the US, as well as returns to the Chicago Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Oslo Philharmonic, and Antwerp Symphony. He also made his debut with the Belgian National Orchestra in a performance of Stravinsky’s concerto, and with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony performing Korngold.
In past seasons, Benjamin has performed with many major orchestras worldwide including the Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Trondheim Symphony, Oslo Philharmonic, Taipei Symphony, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Zurich Tonhalle, Sydney Symphony, and Houston Symphony. He has also extensively toured Australia in recital under Musica Aviva, and in 2022, became one of the youngest artists to be appointed to the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music.
In recent seasons Beilman’s commitment to and passion for contemporary music has led to new works written for him by Frederic Rzewski (commissioned by Music Accord), and Gabriella Smith (commissioned by the Schubert Club in St. Paul, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music). He has also given multiple performances of Jennifer Higdon’s violin concerto, and recorded Thomas Larcher’s concerto with Hannu Lintu and the Tonkünstler Orchester, as well as premiered Chris Rogerson’s Violin Concerto (“The Little Prince”) with the Kansas City Symphony and Gemma New.
Conductors with whom he has worked include Elim Chan, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Cristian Măcelaru, Lahav Shani, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Semyon Bychkov, Krzysztof Urbański, Ryan Bancroft, Gemma New, Karina Canellakis, Jonathon Heyward, Juraj Valčuha, Han-Na Chang, Roderick Cox, Rafael Payare, Osmo Vänskä, and Giancarlo Guerrero.
Beilman studied at the Curtis Institute of Music with Ida Kavafian and Pamela Frank, and with Christian Tetzlaff at the Kronberg Academy, and has received many prestigious accolades including a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship, an Avery Fisher Career Grant and a London Music Masters Award. He has also recorded works by Stravinsky, Janáček and Schubert for Warner Classics. He performs with the ex-Balaković F. X. Tourte bow (c. 1820), and plays the “Ysaÿe” Guarneri del Gesù from 1740, generously on loan from the Sasakawa Music Foundation.
Michael Kaufman
Violin
Dr. Michael Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed cellist whose performances are distinguished by their depth, versatility, and expressive power. Equally at home in solo, chamber, and orchestral settings, Dr. Kaufman is Assistant Professor of Cello, Education and Outreach at the University of Utah, where he brings a passionate commitment to mentorship and artistic exploration.
Celebrated for his dynamic artistry, Dr. Kaufman has appeared at premier venues including Zankel and Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, and has been featured in major festivals such as Open Chamber Music at Prussia Cove, Yellow Barn, Music@Menlo, and the Verbier Festival. He has collaborated with renowned artists including Midori and Kim Kashkashian, and has performed as principal cellist with La Monnaie Opera in Brussels.
His discography includes recordings for ECM Records, notably the works of Tigran Mansurian, and the recent release of Clair de lune with the SAKURA Cello Quintet on the Platoon label. A committed advocate for contemporary music, Dr. Kaufman has premiered numerous new works, including Sean Friar’s concerto with the Eastman Wind Ensemble and Brett Dean’s 12 Angry Men at the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival. As founder and artistic director of Sunset ChamberFest and a founding member of the boundary-pushing cello quintet SAKURA, he curates programs that fuse classical masterpieces with bold, exploratory repertoire.
Dr. Kaufman earned his bachelor’s degree at the Eastman School of Music under Steven Doane, and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Southern California studying with Ralph Kirshbaum. In addition to his role at the University of Utah, he is a faculty member at the Colburn School, a cellist with LA Opera and Principal Cello of the Pasadena Symphony. A dedicated advocate for the music of our time, he continues to inspire audiences and students alike through his visionary approach to performance and education.
Clayton Stephenson
Piano
American pianist Clayton Stephenson’s love for music is immediately apparent in his joyous charisma onstage, expressive power, and natural ease at the instrument. Hailed for “extraordinary narrative and poetic gifts” and interpretations that are “fresh, incisive and characterfully alive” (Gramophone), he is committed to making an impact on the world through his music-making.
Growing up in New York City, Clayton started piano lessons at age 7, and the next year was accepted into The Julliard School’s Music Advancement Program—a full scholarship program for under-represented students—where he lingered to watch student recitals and fell in love with music. He advanced to Juilliard’s elite Pre-College at age 10—with the help of his teacher at the time, Beth Nam, who gave him countless extra lessons without charge—to study with Matti Raekallio, Hung-Kuang Chen, and Ernest Barretta. Clayton practiced on a synthesizer at home until he found an old upright piano on the street that an elementary school had thrown away; that would become his practice piano for the next six years, until the Lang Lang Foundation donated a new piano to him when he was 17.
He credits the generous support of community programs with providing him musical inspiration and resources along the way. As he describes it, the “Third Street Music School jump-started my music education; the Young People’s Choir taught me phrasing and voicing; Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program introduced me to formal and rigorous piano training, which enabled me to get into Juilliard Pre-College; the Morningside Music Bridge validated my talent and elevated my self-confidence; the Boy’s Club of New York exposed me to jazz; and the Lang Lang Foundation brought me to stages worldwide and transformed me from a piano student to a young artist.”
Recent and upcoming highlights include concertos with the Houston, North Carolina, and Cincinnati Symphonies; festival appearances at Grand Teton, Grant Park, and Tippet Rise; recitals at Washington Performing Arts at the Kennedy Center, Fondation Louis Vuitton, and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall; gala performances with the New York and Las Vegas Philharmonics; and collaborations with violinists Nikki and Timothy Chooi. He also joins the Hartford Symphony Orchestra as 2024–2025 Artist-in-Residence.
Clayton graduated from the Harvard-New England Conservatory (NEC) dual degree program in spring 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in economics at Harvard and a master’s degree in piano performance at NEC under Wha Kyung Byun. In addition to being the first Black finalist at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2022, he received an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2024, won the inaugural Nina Simone Piano Competition in 2023, and is a 2025 Sphinx Medal of Excellence honoree.
Simone Porter
Violin
Violinist Simone Porter has been recognized as an emerging artist of impassioned energy, interpretive integrity, and vibrant communication. She has debuted with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Seattle and Pittsburgh Symphonies and with a number of renowned conductors, including Stéphane Denève, Gustavo Dudamel, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Nicholas McGegan, Ludovic Morlot, Donald Runnicles, David Robertson, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Manfred Honeck, Louis Langrée and David Danzmayr. Simone made her professional solo debut at age 10 with the Seattle Symphony and her international debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London at age 13. In March 2015, Simone was named a recipient of an Avery Fisher Career Grant.
Porter’s recent seasons include extensive US touring with debuts and return to orchestras such as Colorado, North Carolina, St. Louis, Oregon, Nashville, Baltimore, Hawaii, Grand Rapids, Arkansas, Omaha, Quebec, Jacksonville and Westchester Symphonies, Erie Philharmonic, and Florida Orchestra. The 25/26 season begins with her return to the Oregon Symphony, where she will serve as Artist in Residence through the 27/28 season. Internationally, Simone has performed with the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra with Gustavo Dudamel; the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira; the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica; the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong; the Royal Northern Sinfonia; the Milton Keynes City Orchestra; Orquesta Clasica Santa Cecilia de la Fundacion Excelentia; the Opera de Marseille and at the Edinburgh Festival under the direction of Stéphane Denève,
Recent recital highlights include a tour in Spain and debuts at Celebrity Series in Boston and NY92. Porter has appeared at festivals such as La Jolla Summerfest, Bay Chamber Music, Moab Music Festival, and Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival. February 2025 marked the release of her highly acclaim first solo album ad tendo on the Bright Shiny Things label.
Raised in Seattle, Washington, Simone studied with Margaret Pressley as a recipient of the Dorothy Richard Starling Scholarship and was then admitted into the studio of the renowned pedagogue Robert Lipsett, with whom she studied at the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles.
Simone Porter performs on a 1740 Carlo Bergonzi violin made in Cremona Italy on generous loan from The Master’s University, Santa Clarita, California.
Julian Schwarz
Cello
Recipient of the prestigious 2015 Avery Fisher Career Grant and the 2017 Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists, violinist Paul Huang is considered to be one of the most distinctive artists of his generation. The Washington Post remarked that Mr. Huang “possesses a big, luscious tone, spot-on intonation and a technique that makes the most punishing string phrases feel as natural as breathing,” and further proclaimed him as “an artist with the goods for a significant career” following his recital debut at the Kennedy Center.
Known for his “unfailing attractive, golden, and resonant tone” (The Strad), Mr. Huang’s recent highlights have included acclaim debut at Bravo!Vail Music Festival stepping in for violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter in the Mozart’s Violin Concerto No.4 with Chamber Orchestra Vienna-Berlin, Rotterdam Philharmonic with Lahav Shani, BBC Symphony Orchestra with Marie Jacquot, Detroit Symphony with Leonard Slatkin, Houston Symphony with Andres Orozco-Estrada, NHK and Dallas Symphonies with Fabio Luisi, Mariinsky Orchestra with Valery Gergiev, Baltimore Symphony and Seoul Philharmonic with Markus Stenz, San Francisco Symphony with Mei-Ann Chen, and recital debuts at the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland and Aspen Music Festival. In Fall 2021, Paul also became the first classical violinist to perform his own arrangement of the National Anthem for the opening game of the NFL at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina to an audience of 75,000. An exclusive recording artist with France’s Naïve Records, his second album “Mirrors” was released worldwide to critical acclaim in January of 2025 with Gramophone Magazine remarked as “musical storytelling of such virtuosity and conviction”.
During the 2025-26 season, Mr. Huang makes debuts in Finland with Tampere Philharmonia, Barcelona at Palau de la Musica Catalana with Franz Schubert Filharmonia, London Philharmonic, Phion Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic, Naples Philharmonic, as well as returns to Rotterdam Philharmonic with Lahav Shani, Vancouver Symphony with Otto Tausk, Pacific Symphony with Carl St. Clair, Colorado Symphony with Rune Bergmann, North Carolina Symphony with Carlos Miguel Prieto, Omaha Symphony with Jose Luis Gomez, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan in the Brahms Double Concerto with cellist Daniel Muller-Schott.
2025-26 season recital, chamber music, and festival performances will include Mr. Huang’s return to both the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Camerata Pacifica. In addition, Mr. Huang will make debut in Miyazaki International Music Festival in Japan. In January 2026, Mr. Huang will launch the 4th edition of “Paul Huang & Friends” International Chamber Music Festival in Taipei, Taiwan, in association with the National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan.
Mr. Huang’s recent recital engagements included Lincoln Center’s “Great Performers” series and debuts at the Wigmore Hall, Seoul Arts Center, and the Louvre in Paris.
A frequent guest artist at music festivals worldwide, he has performed at the Seattle, Music@Menlo, Savannah, Caramoor, La Jolla, Santa Fe, Moritzburg, Kissinger Sommer, Sion, Orford Musique, and the PyeongChang Music Festival in South Korea. His chamber music collaborators have included Gil Shaham, Cho-Liang Lin, Nobuko Imai, Mischa Maisky, Jian Wang, Lynn Harrell, Yefim Bronfman, Kirill Gerstein and Marc-Andre Hamelin.
Winner of the 2011 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, Mr. Huang made critically acclaimed recital debuts in New York at Lincoln Center and in Washington, D.C. at the Kennedy Center. Other honors include First Prize at the 2009 Tibor Varga International Violin Competition Sion-Valais in Switzerland, the 2009 Chi-Mei Cultural Foundation Arts Award for Taiwan’s Most Promising Young Artists, the 2013 Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant, and the 2014 Classical Recording Foundation Young Artist Award.
Born in Taiwan, Mr. Huang began violin lessons at the age of seven. He is a recipient of the inaugural Kovner Fellowship at The Juilliard School, where he earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees under Hyo Kang and I-Hao Lee. He plays on the legendary 1742 “ex-Wieniawski” Guarneri del Gesù on extended loan through the Stradivari Society of Chicago and is on the faculty of Taipei National University of the Arts. He resides in New York.