The Phillips Collection Announces the 2026–27 Concert Season
The 86th season explores creative bonds, shared artistic vision, and the interplay of love and color through music.
Washington, DC—The Phillips Collection announces the 86th season of Phillips Music, the museum’s acclaimed concert series presenting world-class ensembles, internationally celebrated artists, and leading contemporary composers in the intimate setting of the Phillips Music Room. Curated by Jenny Lin, Director of Music, the 2026–27 season builds on the series’ longstanding reputation with an artistic vision that deepens connections between music, visual art, and human relationships. Season subscriptions and single tickets go on sale on August 24, with early access for Phillips members on August 10 and August 17. To purchase tickets and explore the series, visit phillipscollection.org/music.
Designed as a season-long journey, each concert contributes to a larger artistic arc shaped by themes of shared creative vision and love, drawing from the museum’s dynamic upcoming exhibitions. The performances explore the collaborations and relationships that have inspired artistic connections across generations and disciplines. International in scope, the series includes 30 concerts and more than 90 artists from over 20 countries, including more than 80 artists making their Phillips Music debut.
“Music and visual art have always spoken to one another at the Phillips. That was Duncan Phillips’s conviction, and it remains ours,” says Jonathan P. Binstock, Vradenburg Director and CEO of The Phillips Collection. “In its 86th season, Phillips Music explores something universal: the relationships, friendships, and shared visions that inspire creative life. It is a story worth telling, and Jenny Lin tells it beautifully.”
“As I enter my third season as Director of Music, I am thinking not only about what we present, but also the stories, relationships, and ideas that connect music and art,” says Jenny Lin, Director of Music. “Each concert is part of a larger narrative highlighting how collaboration and shared inspiration shape the creative process.”
The 86th season was programmed in dialogue with the upcoming exhibition Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea (October 24, 2026–January 24, 2027), which explores friendship and shared inspiration between three towering figures in American art: Milton Avery, Adolph Gottlieb, and Mark Rothko. Concerts also draw from Beauford Delaney: So Much Love and Beauty (February 27–May 23, 2027), reflecting Delaney’s transatlantic journey and the emotional richness of his work through music spanning jazz, classical, and contemporary traditions. A performance inspired by a major Juan Sánchez retrospective (June 26–September 12, 2027) will feature the Phillips Music debut of Puerto Rican saxophonist and composer Miguel Zenón as part of the Leading International Composers series.
Framing the season are performances by the Ariel Quartet and pianist Orion Weiss, and jazz saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa’s Hero Trio, whose work embodies cross-cultural exchange and artistic innovation.
The season celebrates artistic partnerships, featuring ensembles and long-time collaborators including the Ulysses Quartet; Parker Quartet and Charles Neidich; Esmé Quartet; Catalyst Quartet; Viano Quartet; Sandbox Percussion; Goldmund Quartet; and the piano duo of Martin Labazevitch and Stanislav Khristenko. The season also highlights family connections through performances by the Nikolaj Hess Trio, Clara and Oliver Neubauer, and Christian and Ryan Sands, while DUO Stephanie and Saar, Boyd Meets Girl, and Maki Namekawa and Dennis Russell Davies showcase the creative partnerships of spouses.
Joining the 86th season in solo performance are violinist Karen Gomyo, pianists Conor Hanick and Mackenzie Melemed, cellists Alexander Hersh and Benett Tsai, and accordionists Théo Ould and Radu Ratoi. The season also includes a series of special events, including Philip Glass at 90, featuring Anton Batagov andLucinda Childs; Chromic Duo with Madeline Hocking; and the Lorelei Ensemble. The 86th season will feature new partnerships with the American Piano Awards, Young Concert Artists, and the New York Festival of Song. Rounding out the season, the Leading International Composers series features works by composers Michael Torke, Miguel Zenón, and John Adams, reflecting Phillips Music’s commitment to contemporary voices.
CONCERT SCHEDULE
Concerts begin at 4 pm unless otherwise noted
Sunday, September 27: Ariel Quartet, string quartet, and Orion Weiss, piano
Sunday, October 4: Ulysses Quartet, string quartet
Sunday, October 11: Mackenzie Melemed, solopiano
Sunday, October 18: Leading International Composer (USA): Michael Torke with Sandbox Percussion, percussion quartet
Sunday, October 25: Radu Ratoi, accordion, and Bennett Tsai, cello
Sunday, November 1: Nikolaj Hess Trio, jazz trio
Sunday, November 8: Prism Piano Trio, piano trio
Sunday, November 15: Conor Hanick, solo piano
Sunday, November 22: Catalyst Quartet, string quartet
Sunday, December 6: Stanislav Khristenko and Martin Labazevitch, piano duo
Sunday, December 13: Lorelei Ensemble, vocal ensemble
Sunday, January 10: Clara and Oliver Neubauer, violin duo
Sunday, January 17: Viano Quartet, string quartet
Sunday, January 24: Christian Sands, jazz piano, and Ryan Sands, drums
Sunday, January 31: Philip Glass at 90: Anton Batagov, piano, and Lucinda Childs, spoken word
Sunday, February 7: Parker Quartet, string quartet, and Charles Neidich, clarinet
Sunday, February 14: DUO Stephanie & Saar, piano 4-hands
Sunday, February 21: Boyd Meets Girl, guitar and cello
Sunday, February 28: Goldmund Quartet, string quartet
Sunday, March 7: Esmé Quartet, string quartet
Sunday, March 14: Alexander Hersh, cello, and John Novacek, piano
Sunday, March 21: Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, piano quintet
Sunday, April 4: In Partnership with American Piano Awards: Michael Davidman, solo piano
Sunday, April 11: In Partnership with New York Festival of Song: Steven Blier, Bénédicte Jourdois, and Singers, piano and voice
Sunday, April 18: Chromic Duo & Madeline Hocking, toy piano, electronics, multimedia, and violin
Sunday, April 25: Leading International Composer (USA): Miguel Zenón, saxophone, and Luis Perdomo, piano
Sunday, May 2: Théo Ould, solo accordion
Sunday, May 9: Leading International Composer (USA): John Adams with Adam Tendler, Maki Namekawa, and Dennis Russell Davies, pianos
Sunday, May 16: Karen Gomyo, violin, and Orion Weiss, piano
Sunday, May 23: Rudresh Mahanthappa’s Hero Trio, jazz trio
TICKETING
The Phillips Collection offers season-long subscriptions, as well as single tickets for individual performances. Subscriptions and tickets go on sale on August 24. Phillips members receive early access on August 10 and August 17. Tickets may be purchased online through the Phillips Music webpage, by phone (202.387.2151 x277), or in person in the admissions lobby (box office hours 12–3 pm on the first day of each sale period—Monday, August 10, 17, 24). Due to high demand, online reservations are strongly recommended.
When a concert is sold out, limited rush tickets for canceled or unused tickets are released online Fridays before each concert at 4 pm. Limited standby tickets are released in-person on a first-come, first-serve basis starting at 3 pm day of concert in the admissions lobby. Visit phillipscollection.org/music to learn more.
PHILLIPS MUSIC SUPPORT
The Phillips Collection gratefully acknowledges supporters of the Phillips Music 2026–27 season.
Jere Broh-Kahn
Galena-Yorktown Foundation
Jane Gilbert and her family, in memory of Dr. Steven Gilbert
Martha R. Johnston
Pam and Paul Kaplan
Dr. Heather McPherson
Inna Metler
With special thanks to
Embassy of Belgium
Embassy of Denmark, Washington, DC
Embassy of the Republic of Poland
ABOUT PHILLIPS MUSIC
For more than 80 years, Phillips Music has presented exceptional young musicians alongside an international roster of recognized performers in the intimate, art-filled setting of the museum’s Music Room. The Sunday Concerts series at The Phillips Collection is one of the longest-running music series in Washington, DC, originally managed by Duncan Phillips’s assistant, Elmira Bier, who served as the first Director of Music at The Phillips Collection. Over the decades, the series has welcomed legendary artists such as Ralph Kirkpatrick, Nadia Boulanger, Jessye Norman, Leon Fleisher, Gary Graffman, Emanuel Ax, Lynn Harrell, and Hilary Hahn. The program has also showcased rising stars, including winners of major international competitions such as the Maryland International, Washington International, and Queen Elizabeth Competitions. A renowned space for international chamber music, the Sunday Concerts series offers imaginative programming of the classics, while the Leading International Composers series presents the best of new music.
IMAGE GALLERY High-resolution press images are available upon request. Please contact lcantrell@phillipscollection.org.
IMAGES: (L to R; top row to bottom): Christian Sands (Photo: Anna Webber); Ryan Sands; Chromic Duo (Photo: Adrianna Tan); Madeline Hocking (Photo: Paul Galinski); Miguel Zenón; Anton Batagov (Photo: Ira Polyarnaya); Lucinda Childs (Photo: Rita Antonioli); Mahanthappa Hero Trio (Photo: David Crow); Benett Tsai (Photo: Ory Schneor Photography); Radu Ratoi (Photo: Efremoff Studio); Lorelei Ensemble; Ulysses Quartet (Photo: Kevin Condon).
ABOUT THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION
Founded in 1921, The Phillips Collection is a welcoming home for all where the vision and spirit of artists thrive in intimate settings. As the first museum of modern art in the United States, the Phillips houses one of the world’s most celebrated Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and modern art collections, and continues to grow its permanent collection with the work of important living artists. Its distinctive domestically scaled architecture combines three structures built over more than 125 years, among them the former home of the founders, Duncan and Marjorie Phillips. The Phillips’s impact extends nationally and internationally through its diverse, scholarly exhibitions; award-winning education programs for educators, students, and adults; and renowned Phillips Music series. Popular and impactful programs include those focused on art and wellness, its festive monthly Phillips after 5 events, and intimate Living Room talks. Through authentic programs and partnerships at Phillips@THEARC, the museum’s satellite location in Southeast DC, the Phillips extends its reach into Wards 7 and 8 and Prince George’s County, Maryland. The Phillips Collection is a private, non-government museum, supported primarily by donations.