Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Reveals 2026/27 Season Lineup
This marks the inaugural season of Music Director Tarmo Peltokoski.
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra has announced the inaugural season of Music Director Tarmo Peltokoski. A total of 35 orchestral programmes have been unveiled for 2026/27, showcasing an international roster of distinguished artists and ensembles.
Tarmo Peltokoski stated: “I am honoured and thrilled to embark on my first season as Music Director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and I warmly encourage you to join us on this exciting journey. This season, I will lead six programmes featuring masterpieces that are especially close to my heart. My inaugural concert will feature Mahler's Eighth Symphony, a piece reserved for the most special and rare occasions. This landmark performance for Hong Kong not only marks the HK Phil's premiere of the work but also completes our long-awaited exploration of all of Mahler's symphonies. In addition to our concerts at home, we are bringing the distinctive sound of the HK Phil to audiences around the globe through our tours and recordings. I look forward to the exhilarating musical journey that lies ahead and invite each of you to join us in the concert hall.”
Highlights of the HK Phil's 2026/27 season:
Finnish Maestro Tarmo Peltokoski takes the helm, leading six programmes including HK Phil's first performances of Mahler Symphony no. 8.
Peltokoski leads the orchestra on a four-country, eight-city European tour, making debuts at the Berliner Philharmonie, Elbphilharmonie, Wiener Konzerthaus, and Helsinki's Musiikkitalo. Additionally, the HK Phil will tour the Chinese Mainland with performances in Beijing, Shanghai and the Greater Bay Area.
Some of the biggest names in classical music will appear with the HK Phil for the first time, including conductor Gustavo Dudamel and tenor Juan Diego Flórez, alongside returning maestros and soloists such as Manfred Honeck, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, James Ehnes, Augustin Hadelich, and Yo-Yo Ma. Critically acclaimed pianists Igor Levit, Eric Lu and Martin Helmchen will also make their HK Phil debuts.
The season highlights the exceptional talent within the orchestra, including Concertmaster Jing Wang and other HK Phil Principals, together with celebrated Hong Kong artists Joyce Cheung, Louise Kwong, Gordon Lee, Aristo Sham, the HK Phil Chorus and The Hong Kong Children's Choir.
New works by Yao Chen and Leon Ko commissioned by HK Phil will receive their world premieres.
Dedicated programmes commemorate the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's death and 130th anniversary of Brahms's death.
HK Phil continues its commitment to inclusivity and accessibility through a wide range of initiatives, including Swire Symphony Under The Stars, the “Swire Music for Everyone” series, the Jockey Club TUTTI programme, community concerts, the “We Pick You Up!” campaign, as well as education programmes and school visits.
Tarmo Peltokoski – Inaugural Season as Music Director
In his inaugural season as Music Director of the HK Phil, Tarmo Peltokoski leads six dynamic programmes, featuring monumental symphonies, acclaimed guest artists, and the orchestra's signature annual outdoor mega-concert.
Peltokoski launches his tenure with the HK Phil premiere of Mahler's colossal Symphony no. 8, completing the orchestra's journey through all of Mahler's symphonies. This landmark performance features a stellar international and local cast, including soloists Jacquelyn Wagner, Chen Reiss, Louise Kwong, Catriona Morison, Sasha Cooke, Tuomas Katajala, Rinalds Kandalincevs, and Shenyang. They will be joined by a combined choir featuring the HK Phil Chorus, London Philharmonic Choir, and The Hong Kong Children's Choir (7 & 8 November 2026).
He conducts the HK Phil's signature annual free outdoor mega-event, Swire Symphony Under The Stars, at Central Harbourfront on 13 November 2026. Registration details will be announced soon.
Serving as a preview for the orchestra's upcoming European tour, the HK Phil presents Bruckner's Symphony no. 4, Romantic, alongside Mozart's Piano Concerto no. 24, performed by acclaimed German pianist Martin Helmchen (17 & 18 November 2026).
Peltokoski leads Bruckner's Symphony no. 7, coupled with Richard Strauss's Vier letzte Lieder, featuring celebrated soprano Asmik Grigorian (14 & 15 January 2027).
He conducts Vaughan Williams's Symphony no. 4 and Esa-Pekka Salonen's Cello Concerto, with Finnish cellist Senja Rummukainen. Wagner's Lohengrin: Prelude opens the programme (26 & 27 March 2027).
Together with soloists Louise Kwong and Wiebke Lehmkuhl, the HK Phil and the HK Phil Chorus, join forces for Mahler's Second Symphony, Resurrection. The concerts open with Wagner's Tristan und Isolde: Prelude (2 & 3 April 2027).
Peltokoski also leads the Swire Community Concert on 28 March 2027. Registration details will be announced soon.
Tour to Europe
Music Director Tarmo Peltokoski will lead the HK Phil on an extensive four-country, eight-city European tour from 23 November to 6 December 2026. The tour will take the orchestra across Spain, Germany, Finland, and Austria, marking the HK Phil's debut in several of Europe's most prestigious concert halls.
Performances will be held in Barcelona (Palau de la Música Catalana), Hannover (Kuppelsaal), Helsinki (Musiikkitalo), Munich (Herkulessaal), Dortmund (Konzerthaus), Berlin (Berliner Philharmonie), Hamburg (Elbphilharmonie), and Vienna (Wiener Konzerthaus).
The repertoire will feature Wagner's The Ring: An Orchestral Adventure (arranged by Henk de Vlieger) and Bruckner's Symphony no. 4. Pianist Martin Helmchen will perform Mozart's Piano Concerto no. 24, and Saint-Saëns's The Carnival of the Animals, with Peltokoski also joining as pianist/conductor Concerts will further include the newly commissioned Waltz of the Rolling Giants by Yao Chen, written especially for the orchestra's China and European tours in the 2026/27 season.
Tours to China – Beijing and Guangzhou
Music Director Tarmo Peltokoski will lead the HK Phil on tours to the Chinese Mainland in early 2027, with performances scheduled in Guangzhou and Beijing.
On 16 January 2027, Peltokoski will conduct Bruckner's Symphony no. 7 and Richard Strauss's Vier letzte Lieder, featuring celebrated soprano Asmik Grigorian, at the Xinghai Concert Hall in Guangzhou.
Marking Peltokoski's Beijing debut, two programmes will then be presented at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) from 8 to 10 April 2027. The first two evenings feature Mahler's Symphony no. 2, Resurrection, with soloists Louise Kwong and Wiebke Lehmkuhl, joined by the China NCPA Orchestra and Chorus, opening with Wagner's Tristan und Isolde: Prelude. On the third evening, Peltokoski conducts Vaughan Williams's Symphony no. 4 and Esa-Pekka Salonen's Cello Concerto, with Finnish cellist Senja Rummukainen. This programme begins with Wagner's Lohengrin: Prelude.
International Line-up of Artists
Manfred Honeck returns to open the new season with Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony, paired with his own and Tomáš Ille's arrangement of Strauss's Elektra Suite (16 & 17 September 2026).
One of opera's most charismatic stars, Juan Diego Flórez makes his Hong Kong debut. Having captivated audiences at The Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, the Royal Opera House, and beyond. In the concert, he performs arias by Rossini, Donizetti, Massenet, Verdi, among others. The concert is exclusively title sponsored by Rolex (22 October 2026).
Russian conductor and pianist Maxim Emelyanychev makes his HK Phil debut with Mozart's Piano Concerto no. 25. The programme opens with Rachmaninov's The Rock and concludes with selections from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker. These are Swire Maestro Series concerts (18 & 19 December 2026).
Cello master Yo-Yo Ma returns to perform Elgar's Cello Concerto. Conducted by Long Yu, HK Phil Principal Guest Conductor, the programme also includes Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March no. 1, Vaughan Williams's English Folk Song Suite, and Chen Qigang's Instants d'un Opéra de Pékin. The concert is exclusively title sponsored by the Standard Chartered Global Private Bank (25 January 2027).
Grammy Award-winner James Ehnes returns with Barber's Violin Concerto, paired with Mahler's Fifth Symphony conducted by Grammy Award-winning Italian conductor Fabio Luisi in his HK Phil debut. These are Swire Maestro Series concerts (23 & 24 April 2027).
Grammy Award-winning violinist and Opus Klassik “Instrumentalist of the Year” Augustin Hadelich returns with Paganini's Violin Concerto no. 4. Roberto González-Monjas brings John Williams's Olympic Fanfare and Theme and Rachmaninov's Third Symphony (21 & 22 May 2027).
Celebrating the brilliance of 18th century classical music, Jean-Christophe Spinosi conducts a programme featuring Bach's Brandenburg Concerto no. 2, Vivaldi's Bassoon Concerto in A minor, RV 498, Handel's Water Music selections, and Mozart's Symphony no. 41, Jupiter. Spotlighting HK Phil musicians Concertmaster Jing Wang, Principal Flute Megan Sterling, Principal Oboe Michael Wilson, Principal Bassoon Benjamin Moermond, and Principal Trumpet Nitiphum Bamrungbanthum, this programme is title sponsored by BNP Paribas Wealth Management and part of the French May Arts Festival (11 & 12 June 2027).
The HK Phil's season finale opens with Finnish composer Outi Tarkiainen's Midnight Sun Variations. Igor Levit performs Prokofiev's Second Piano Concerto in his HK Phil debut, and Jukka-Pekka Saraste returns to close the season with Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony (18 & 19 June 2027).
HK Phil Principal Guest Conductor Long Yu leads two special concerts in preparation for the orchestra's appearance at Shanghai's Music in the Summer Air (MISA) Festival. On 24 June 2027, he conducts Shostakovich's Symphony no. 7. On 3 July 2027, the programme features Aristo Sham, winner of the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, performing the Yellow River Piano Concerto. HK Phil Concertmaster Jing Wang solos in Zhao Jiping's First Violin Concerto, a work that blends Western concerto form with Chinese melodic idioms. The concert opens with Sibelius's Finlandia and closes with Smetana's Má vlast: The Moldau (3 July 2027).
Gustavo Dudamel with HK Phil
Gustavo Dudamel, Music and Artistic Director of the New York Philharmonic beginning in the 2026/27 season, marks his HK Phil debut with three concerts in the Jockey Club Masters Series under the Jockey Club TUTTI Programme, exclusively sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.
On 11 February 2027, Dudamel will lead the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela and the Coro de Manos Blancas in a performance of Beethoven's Fidelio, celebrating the strength of the human spirit.
The series continues on 13 February 2027 with Beethoven's Symphony no. 9, as Dudamel conducts the HK Phil Orchestra and Chorus in a performance of this iconic work, embodying the timeless vision of universal brotherhood.
Dudamel's week concludes on 14 February 2027 with a Valentine's Day programme built around the theme of “Romeo and Juliet” in music. In this concert, young musicians from the Jockey Club TUTTI Programme perform side by side with the HK Phil and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela creating an inspiring exchange.
Beethoven and Brahms
To commemorate the 200th anniversary of Beethoven and 130th anniversary of Brahms's death, the HK Phil presents a series of programmes honouring these two towering figures of classical music.
Zhang Haochen, Van Cliburn Gold Medal winner and Avery Fisher Prize recipient, returns to perform Brahms's Piano concertos nos. 1 & 2, launching the Salute to Brahms series. Each concert opens with one of Brahms's early orchestral works, Serenade no. 1 & no. 2, conducted by Christoph Altstaedt (30 April & 1 May 2027).
The Brahms series continues with two chamber concerts on 2 and 3 May 2027, in collaboration with HKU MUSE and Tai Kwun, respectively.
Kevin Zhu, first prize winner of the Paganini International Violin Competition, performs Brahms's Violin Concerto. Christoph Altstaedt conducts with The HK Phil Chorus joining for Brahms choral masterpieces Nänie and Schicksalslied (6 May 2027).
The HK Phil recreates the historic concert on which Beethoven unveiled his Ninth Symphony to the world in 1824. Framed by the jubilant Consecration of the House Overture and crowned by the revolutionary Ode to Joy, the programme also includes three sections from Missa Solemnis, presented as they were that historic night. James Sherlock conducts with soloists Lucy Crowe, Jess Dandy, Thomas Atkins, and William Thomas, alongside the HK Phil Chorus and HKU Chamber Singers. HKU Professor Daniel Chua will introduce the concerts, co-presented by HKU MUSE (6 & 7 March 2027).
International Tchaikovsky Competition Silver Medallist George Li joins leader Glenn Christensen and the orchestra for another all-Beethoven programme featuring The Creatures of Prometheus Overture, Piano Concerto no. 1, and Symphony no. 1. These are Swire Denim Series concerts (28 & 29 May 2027).
Piano Masters
International Chopin Competition Gold Medallist Eric Lu makes his HK Phil debut with Chopin's Concerto no. 1. HK Phil Resident Conductor Lio Kuokman leads Stravinsky's Firebird Suite, and the evening opens with Yao Chen's new work Waltz of the Rolling Giants (9 September 2026).
In the National Day concert, Zitong Wang, Third Prize Winner of the International Chopin Piano Competition, makes her HK Phil debut with Prokofiev's Piano Concerto no. 3. Under the baton of Yuan Ding, Principal Resident Conductor of China National Opera House, the programme opens with Yao Chen's Garden: Unearthing the Way Home. Rachmaninov's First Symphony concludes the evening. The concert is sponsored by CMB Wing Lung Bank (24 September 2026).
In the Belt and Road concert, Zitong Wang performs Chopin's Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante. The concert opens with Tchaikovsky's Marche slave, Yao Chen's Garden: Unearthing the Way Home follows, before culminating in Rachmaninov's First Symphony. Conducted by Yuan Ding, this concert is title sponsored by Swire and supported by the Belt and Road Office of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau. It is presented as part of the Asia+ Festival (26 September 2026).
Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, who rose to international prominence after winning the gold medal at the 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, returns with Shostakovich's Second Concerto. Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu leads Rautavaara's Angel of Light and Scriabin's Le Poème de l'extase (14 & 15 May 2027).
Holiday, Family and Pops
Embark on a musical journey from Hans Zimmer's Gladiator score to Wagner's Die Walküre, via the jazzy swing of Artie Shaw's Clarinet Concerto with HK Phil's Principal Clarinet Andrew Simon. The HK Phil's trombone section – Jarod Vermette, Christian Goldsmith, Kevin Thompson, and Aaron Albert – performs Koetsier's Concertino for 4 Trombones and Strings (1st movement). This Swire Denim Series concert is conducted by Lio Kuokman (27 & 28 August 2026).
The highly anticipated BBC movie-in-concert returns. Planet Earth III brings the wonders of our planet to the stage with breathtaking footage from the acclaimed BBC Studios series, accompanied by the powerful score from Oscar winner Hans Zimmer, Jacob Shea, and Sara Barone, performed by the HK Phil under Vanessa Scammell with vocalist Michelle John and presenter George Lacey (4 & 5 September 2026).
Celebrate the festive season with acclaimed award-winning pianist, composer, and arranger Joyce Cheung, together with the HK Phil and The Hong Kong Children's Choir, conducted by Lio Kuokman. This programme blends orchestral colours with Cheung's artistry, showcasing her original works alongside fresh arrangements of timeless Christmas classics (22 & 23 December 2026).
The New Year concert features a vibrant programme, including J Strauss II's Wein, Weib und Gesang, Falla's Siete canciones populares españolas, Bizet's Carmen, Haydn's Farewell Symphony, and Ravel's Boléro. Award-winning Conductor Emmanuel Tjeknavorian and mezz-soprano Fleur Barron will make their HK Phil debuts. This programme is exclusively title sponsored by China Life (Overseas) (29 & 30 December 2026).
Emmanuel Tjeknavorian returns the following week with Vincent Dubois for two masterworks for the organ: Richard Strauss's Festliches Präludium and Saint-Saëns's Third Symphony. Tjeknavorian also presents his own suite of music from Khachaturian's Gayane, showcasing high-octane Armenian rhythms. This is a Swire Denim Series concert (6 January 2027).
To celebrate birthdays of two great American composers, Philip Glass and John Adams, Concertmaster Jing Wang takes centre stage in Glass's The American Four Seasons, while Lio Kuokman leads the orchestra in Adams's Short Ride in a Fast Machine and the monumental Harmonielehre (29 January 2027).
Ring in the Chinese New Year with the World Premiere of Leon Ko's Playing With Air, commissioned by the HK Phil and written for World Harmonica Festival champion Gordon Lee. Conductor Qian Junping leads a jubilant programme of Chinese classics and iconic Hong Kong film music alongside orchestral showpieces by Otto Nicolai, Tan Dun, George Enescu and Li Juanzhi (3 February 2027).
“Piano vs Orchestra”, conceived and performed by Hyung-Ki Joo, explores the evolution of the piano's role in the repertoire. Through a combination of performance, storytelling, and humour, Joo takes audiences on a journey through musical history, illustrating how composers have turned the piano into both a rival and an ally to the orchestra. These Swire Family Series concerts are conducted by Benjamin Northey (16 & 17 April 2027).
Chengdu and Shanghai Tours
Lio Kuokman will lead the HK Phil in Chengdu on 12 September 2026, as part of the 32nd “Autumn in Chengdu” International Music Season. Joined by award-winning pianist Eric Lu, the programme opens with Yao Chen's Waltz of the Rolling Giants, followed by Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1, and concludes with Stravinsky's The Firebird Suite.
Long Yu leads the orchestra at the 2027 “Music in the Summer Air” Festival in Shanghai (7 to 9 July 2027). The first concert features pianist Aristo Sham performing the Yellow River Piano Concerto and Jing Wang as the soloist in Zhao Jiping's First Violin Concerto, alongside Sibelius's Finlandia and Smetana's Má vlast: The Moldau. Musicians from the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra will share the stage with the HK Phil. Long Yu will also conduct Shostakovich's Symphony no. 7. In addition, Aristo Sham will join musicians from the HK Phil and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra for a chamber music concert.
Phil the Bay
Marking the 30th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the Motherland, the HK Phil proudly launches the “Phil the Bay” tour series. Through symphonic and chamber performances, alongside a variety of artistic events, HK Phil extends its musical presence to cities including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan and Dongguan, with plans to expand and connect regularly with more communities across the region in the future. With the “Phil the Bay” series, the orchestra aims to enrich lives across the Bay Area with world-class music, nurture hearts with exceptional artistry, and contribute to building a culturally vibrant and humanistic Greater Bay Area.
In the 2026/27 season, HK Phil will return twice to the Xinghai Concert Hall in Guangzhou (24 October 2026 and 16 January 2027) and continue to make appearances at the Shenzhen Concert Hall (8 & 9 May 2027). The upcoming New Year Concert will not only be presented again in Shenzhen (3 January 2027), but will also make its debut in Dongguan (2 January 2027).
In addition, the HK Phil musicians will embark on chamber tours in October 2026 and January 2027, visiting major cities across the Greater Bay Area including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, Dongguan and Zhuhai. Throughout the season, the HK Phil aims to have a total of six orchestral concerts and six chamber performances in the Greater Bay Area, and looks forward to having close engagement with audiences in the region.
Chamber Music Concerts
The HK Phil continues to present exciting chamber music concerts in Hong Kong, each programme built around unique themes and showcasing a diverse range of composers and musical styles. As part of the Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo, the HK Phil and WestK Performing Arts will co-present a chamber concert at the Xiqu Centre Tea House Theatre, West Kowloon Cultural District on 12 October 2026. Celebrating the birthdays of Philip Glass & John Adams, a chamber concert will be held on 1 March 2027 in collaboration with Tai Kwun. The Brahms series features two chamber concerts on 2 and 3 May 2027 in collaboration with HKU MUSE and Tai Kwun, respectively.
Videos