Audra McDonald, a Miles Davis Tribute and More Set for Library of Congress 2026-27 Season

Concerts from the Library of Congress will return for the 2026-27 season with a lineup spanning six centuries of music. The season marks major milestones, including America's semiquincentennial, the centennials of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, and 200 years of Beethoven's legacy. The season brings performances, premieres of Library commissions, film screenings, scholarly talks and more to the historic Coolidge Auditorium.

Several programs mark the nation's 250th anniversary by highlighting American musical life and culture. Violist Hsin-Yun Huang joins the Brentano Quartet for Mozart and Beethoven at the Library's annual Stradivari Anniversary concerts, performing on the Library's Whittall Stradivari quartet and the recently acquired 1690 Fulton ex-Baird Tuscan-Medici viola. Dianne Reeves joins the Branford Marsalis Quartet to mark the centennial of John Coltrane's legacy in one of several jazz concerts. Broadway star Audra McDonald performs an intimate recital celebrating American theater music and the Library's recent acquisition of the Stephen Sondheim collection. The Library also continues its tradition of championing living composers with premieres of seven new commissions, including a string quartet by John Adams, who visits the Coolidge Auditorium this season to discuss his career and archive. All events are free and open to the public. 2026-27 events are listed at loc.gov/concerts. Tickets are released on specific dates at 10 a.m. ET throughout the season:

• Wednesday, August 12: September events
• Wednesday, September 2: October-November events
• Wednesday, October 7: December-January events
• Wednesday, January 6: February-March events
• Wednesday, March 3: April-May events

If an event is sold out, patrons are encouraged to sign up for the waitlist to be notified if tickets become available. The Library encourages walk-up patrons without tickets to come for a rush pass beginning two hours before concerts, anticipating that pass-holders may be admitted based on no-shows and cancellations. Visit loc.gov/concerts for complete ticketing and program information.

A Celebration of Sir James Galway

Saturday, Sept. 12, 8 p.m.

The Library celebrates Sir James Galway with a special performance by Lorna McGhee, principal flute of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. McGhee will perform a new commission by American composer Lowell Liebermann, followed by a discussion with the performer, composer and Lady Jeanne Galway. There will be no preconcert conversation for this event.

Lecture: "Musical Representations of the West During the Silent Film Era: Max Winkler's Score for The Yaqui (1916)"

Tuesday, Sept. 22, 7 p.m.

Musicologist Mariana Whitmer discusses the musical representation of the American West in silent films through cue sheets from the Music Division's collections. This event is part of the long-running series of American Musicological Society lectures hosted by the Music Division.

An Evening with John Adams and the Washington National Opera

Tuesday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m.

John Adams is the guest of honor at a special event with the Washington National Opera. Music Division Chief Nicholas Brown-Cáceres interviews the composer, and members of the Washington National Opera's artistic team participate in a panel discussion about their upcoming production of Adams' Nixon in China. There will be no preconcert conversation for this event.

"The President's Own" United States Marine Band Chamber Orchestra

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 8 p.m.

Drawing on the Library's collections, "The President's Own" United States Marine Band Chamber Orchestra presents an array of American music for chamber orchestra as part of the Library's America 250 celebration. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Founder's Day Concert: Attacca Quartet

Friday, Oct. 30, 8 p.m.

The Grammy Award-winning Attacca Quartet presents a program featuring the Washington, D.C., premiere of John Adams' new string quartet Iron Jig, co-commissioned by the Library of Congress and dedicated to the memory of former Music Division Chief Susan Vita. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Live! At the Library: Edmar Castañeda, Harp

Thursday, Nov. 5, 8 p.m.

Colombian-born harpist Edmar Castañeda dazzles with his virtuosic technique, bringing attention to an instrument rarely heard in jazz. This event is made possible in part through the generous support of the Revada Foundation of the Logan family. There will be no preconcert conversation for this event.

Unlimited Miles: John Beasley's Miles Davis at 100

Friday, Nov. 6, 8 p.m.

The Library pays tribute to the legendary trumpeter Miles Davis with a performance led by his collaborator John Beasley. This event is made possible in part through the generous support of the Revada Foundation of the Logan family. Join for a preconcert lecture by Guthrie P. Ramsay Jr. at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Study Day: Miles Davis at 100

Saturday, Nov. 7, 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

The Library's Miles Davis tribute continues with a Study Day featuring collections talks and a panel discussion with Marcus J. Moore, Terri Lyne Carrington and Willard Jenkins. There will also be a screening of Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool followed by a discussion with director Stanley Nelson. This event is made possible in part through the generous support of the Revada Foundation of the Logan family.

Anthony Roth Costanzo on Countertenor

Monday, Nov. 9, 7 p.m.

Anthony Roth Costanzo, president and general director of Opera Philadelphia, comes to the Library for a special event featuring a short recital and an intimate conversation about his new book Countertenor, which highlights his celebrated international opera career. There will be no preconcert conversation for this event.

Bennewitz Quartet with Arsentiy Kharitonov, Piano

Friday, Nov. 13, 8 p.m.

The Bennewitz Quartet is joined by pianist Arsentiy Kharitonov for an evening of music by Nikolai Medtner, Josef Suk and Antonín Dvořák. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Live! At the Library: Sistastrings

Thursday, Nov. 19, 8 p.m.

Sister duo Sistastrings, featuring Chauntee and Monique Ross, returns to the Library of Congress to perform on the Library's Stradivari instruments and present the world premiere of a new Library commission by Larissa Maestro. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. This concert has been rescheduled from November 2025.

Graindelavoix

Friday, Nov. 20, 8 p.m.

Belgian period vocal ensemble Graindelavoix presents a bespoke program highlighting the Laborde Chansonnier and other treasures from the Music Division's Renaissance collections. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Lecture: "John Adams's On the Transmigration of Souls and 9/11 Memorialization"

Tuesday, Dec. 1, 7 p.m.

Abigail Shupe discusses interpretational challenges related to John Adams' Pulitzer Prize-winning On the Transmigration of Souls, written in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. This event is part of the long-running series of American Musicological Society lectures hosted by the Music Division.

Live! At the Library: Lizz Wright

Thursday, Dec. 10

Acclaimed vocalist and songwriter Lizz Wright brings a powerful and soulful voice to the Coolidge stage, offering a reflection of America's rich cultural fabric. This event is made possible in part through the generous support of the Revada Foundation of the Logan family. There will be no preconcert conversation for this event.

Ensemble Correspondances with Sébastien Daucé, Conductor

Friday, Dec. 11, 8 p.m.

Ensemble Correspondances, led by Sébastien Daucé and featuring mezzo-soprano Lucile Richardot, performs a program selected from J.S. Bach's earliest cantatas. The evening will include works by J.C. Bach and Franz Tunder. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Stradivari Anniversary: Brentano Quartet with Hsin-Yun Huang, Viola

Friday, Dec. 18, 8 p.m.

The Brentano Quartet performs two masterpieces from Beethoven's middle period: the Harp Quartet and Op. 59 No. 2. Violist Hsin-Yun Huang joins them for Mozart's Quintet in C Major, whose manuscript is one of the Music Division's treasures. The artists will perform on four of the Library's original Whittall Stradivari instruments and the recently acquired 1690 Fulton ex-Baird Tuscan-Medici Stradivari viola. Join for a preconcert conversation at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Stradivari Anniversary: Brentano Quartet with Hsin-Yun Huang, Viola

Saturday, Dec. 19, 8 p.m.

In the second of two concerts, the Brentano Quartet and Hsin-Yun Huang repeat the program from Dec. 18. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Audra McDonald with Andy Einhorn

Wednesday, Jan. 13, 8 p.m.

Broadway legend Audra McDonald returns to the Library to partner with leading music director and conductor Andy Einhorn for an intimate preview recital of their favorite showtunes. The evening will include works by Stephen Sondheim in celebration of the Music Division's recent acquisition of Sondheim's papers. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Live! At the Library: Christopher Maltman, Baritone, and Audrey Saint-Gil, Piano

Thursday, Jan. 21, 8 p.m.

Grammy Award-winning baritone Christopher Maltman collaborates with pianist Bryan Wagorn on a program of works by Jules Massenet, Giuseppe Verdi, Richard Strauss and Richard Wagner. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

JACK Quartet

Friday, Jan. 29, 8 p.m.

The JACK Quartet comes to the Library to perform new and recent music by Georg Friedrich Haas, Philip Glass, Juri Seo, Gabriela Smith and Tristan Perich. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Valerie Coleman's Reverie: Dreams of Harlem and Paris

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 8 p.m.

Inspired by the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance, when Black American artists turned their reveries into reality in Paris, Reverie celebrates the cultural exchange that shaped some of France's most iconic composers with a program pairing Valerie Coleman's compositions with works by Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy and William Grant Still. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. This concert has been rescheduled from November 2025.

Live! At the Library: Alfredo Rodríguez Band Featuring Pedro Martínez

Thursday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m.

Alfredo Rodríguez and Pedrito Martinez unite to perform a dynamic fusion of Cuban and jazz music. The concert is made possible by the Revada Foundation of the Logan family. There will be no preconcert conversation for this event.

Schoenberg's Erwartung with Tony Arnold, Sharon Harms and the Argento Ensemble

Saturday, Feb. 20, 2 p.m.

The Argento Ensemble performs a powerful collection of works from the Music Division's collections, including Arnold Schoenberg's Erwartung and music by American composers Ruth Crawford Seeger and Martin Boykan. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Live! At the Library: Cuarteto Casals with Santiago Cañón-Valencia, Cello

Thursday, Feb. 25, 8 p.m.

Cuarteto Casals returns to the Library with a program featuring Haydn's Op. 20, No. 4, a new commission by Raquel García-Tomás and, in collaboration with cellist Santiago Cañón-Valencia, Schubert's iconic String Quintet in C Major. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Live! At the Library: Tango Night with the Pan American Symphony Orchestra

Thursday, Mar. 4, 8 p.m.

The Pan American Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sergio Bušlje, presents a vibrant program that brings the spirit of tango to life through music and dance. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Beethoven/Liszt Symphonies 8 and 9 with Christopher Taylor, Piano

Friday, Mar. 5, 7 p.m.

Pianist Christopher Taylor performs Beethoven's Eighth and Ninth Symphonies as transcribed by Franz Liszt for solo piano as a prelude to the Library's Beethoven as Cultural Phenomenon Study Day. This program marks 200 years since the composer's death. Join for a preconcert lecture by David Plylar at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Study Day: Beethoven as Cultural Phenomenon

Saturday, Mar. 6, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.

The Library pays tribute to Ludwig van Beethoven with a day-long program featuring family films, staff lectures on Beethoven treasures from the Library's archives and a keynote lecture on Beethoven's portrayal in popular media.

Kirill Gerstein, Piano

Friday, Mar. 12, 8 p.m.

Pianist Kirill Gerstein performs works by Mendelssohn, Liszt, Schumann and Wagner. Join for a preconcert lecture by David Plylar at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Kayhan Kalhor with Brooklyn Rider

Wednesday, Mar. 17, 8 p.m.

Three-time Grammy Award-winning kamancheh virtuoso and composer Kayhan Kalhor joins New York-based string quartet Brooklyn Rider to present their collaborative work Silent City. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Longleash

Saturday, Mar. 20, 8 p.m.

The Longleash piano trio combines traditional instrumentation with new music inspiration for a concert of recent works by Claire-Mélanie Sinnhuber, Marco Stroppa and Igor Santos. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Industry and Technology Lecture: Liz Pelly

Tuesday, Mar. 23, 7 p.m.

Journalist Liz Pelly, author of National Book Critics Circle Award finalist Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of a Perfect Playlist, comes to the Library to discuss the new technologies shaping both the music industry and our listening habits.

Live! At the Library: The World According to John Coltrane

Thursday, Apr. 1, 5 p.m.

The World According to John Coltrane examines the life and legacy of the groundbreaking saxophonist, composer and bandleader whose artistic vision reshaped American music. The film is presented in commemoration of John Coltrane at 100. This event is made possible in part through the generous support of the Revada Foundation of the Logan family.

Live! At the Library: Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves

Thursday, Apr. 1, 8 p.m.

The Branford Marsalis Quartet, joined by Dianne Reeves, revisits John Coltrane's landmark 1963 collaboration with vocalist Johnny Hartman. The concert commemorates John Coltrane at 100. Join for a preconcert lecture by Ashley Khan at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Gryphon Trio: Silent Film Night

Friday, Apr. 9, 8 p.m.

The Gryphon Trio performs three new Library commissions to accompany silent films, featuring live accompaniments by Kathryn Bostic, Morgan Moss and historic cue sheets from the Library's collections. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Nicholas Longworth Memorial Concert: Anne Akiko Meyers, Violin

Wednesday, Apr. 14, 8 p.m.

Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers performs the world premiere of a new Library of Congress co-commission by Billy Childs in the Nicholas Longworth Memorial Concert. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artist at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Piano, and Sir George Benjamin, Piano

Friday, Apr. 16, 8 p.m.

Pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard performs works by Sir George Benjamin alongside Mozart, Beethoven and Ravel. Benjamin joins Aimard for the Washington, D.C., premiere of Divisions for piano four-hands, a Library co-commission. Join for a preconcert lecture by Music Division Chief Nicholas Brown-Cáceres at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion. This concert has been rescheduled from November 2025.

Lecture: "Recording the Sounds of the Hispanic Southwest"

Tuesday, Apr. 20, 7 p.m.

Javier Marín-López discusses the musical life of the Hispanic Southwest in the 1930s and 1940s, as documented in the Library's Arthur L. Campa and Leonora Curtin collections. This event is part of the long-running series of American Musicological Society lectures hosted by the Music Division.

Mahler's Symphony No. 6: Ran Dank and Soyeon Kate Lee, Piano Four-Hands

Friday, May 14, 8 p.m.

The Dank/Lee duo makes its in-person Library debut with performances of Franz Schubert's four-hands Fantasie in C Minor and Gustav Mahler's Sixth Symphony in Alexander Zemlinsky's transcription for piano duet. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Gil Shaham, Violin, and Akira Eguchi, Piano

Saturday, May 15, 8 p.m.

Violinist Gil Shaham and longtime collaborator Akira Eguchi perform Beethoven violin sonatas and William Bolcom's Second Violin Sonata. Join for a preconcert lecture by Catherine Slowik at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

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