Palm Springs Friends of Philharmonic Announces 2025-2026 Season of Six World Renowned Orchestras
The Palm Springs Friends of Philharmonic (PS Phil) announces its 2025-2026 season, building on the organizations 51-year legacy of showcasing the best symphony orchestras at the McCallum Theatre. Launching the series will be the extraordinary Chicago Symphony Orchestra with conductor Riccardo Muti on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. Audiences continue to give rave reviews about PS Phil’s pre-concert lecture series, which has been expanded as part of the organization’s regular programming, prior to each performance.
“For our 52nd season, we have assembled a superb line-up of some of the world’s finest symphonies including: Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel in his last year as Music Director with the LA Phil, Dallas Symphony Orchestra featuring pianist Helene Grimaud and Soprano Sofia Fomina, and we are thrilled to announce Mineria Symphony Orchestra of Mexico, who won the 2023 Latin GRAMMY® for Best Classical Contemporary Composition for Paquito d’Rivera: Venezuelan Concerto, which our audiences will hear in this concert featuring Pacho Flores on the trumpet. I am constantly looking for ways to broaden our programming so that we are engaging audiences with new or rarely heard works,” said Lee Mills, Executive Director, PS Phil.
The 6-concert series will also include two of the most beloved orchestras that PS Phil presents, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields with Joshua Bell both conducting and playing the violin, and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra with violinist Leonidas Kavakos, conducted by Rafael Payare.
"We are thrilled to present another incredible season of the world's greatest music performed by the world's leading orchestras and soloists. We are especially excited about new programming for the community outside our traditional series at the McCallum Theatre," commented Doug Stewart, President, Board of Directors.
Over the last few seasons, PS Phil has continued to expand its mission of exposing young musicians to orchestral music by inviting local music students to our concerts—in the last season alone, the organization gave over $14,000 worth of tickets to students from Cathedral City High School, Shadow Hills High School, Desert Ridge Academy, Classical Conversations Homeschool and Xavier College Preparatory. The PS Phil also supports students from the Coachella Valley with grants to attend summer music festivals and with scholarships to students pursuing their college education.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Wednesday January 21, 2026 at 7:30pm
Pre-Concert Talk at 6:30pm
Riccardo Muti, conductor
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 4
Igor Stravinsky: Divertimento from The Fairy’s Kiss
Maurice Ravel: Bolero
Mineria Symphony Orchestra of Mexico
Monday, January 26, 2026 at 7:30pm
Pre-Concert Talk at 6:30pm
Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor
Pacho Flores, trumpet
Silvestre Revueltas: Sensemayá
Paquito d’Rivera: Venezuelan Concerto (2023 Latin GRAMMY® for Best Classical Contemporary Composition)
Alberto Ginastera: Symphonic Landscapes
-Panambi: Suite, op. 1a
-Ollantay, op. 17
-Estancia: Four Dances, op. 8a
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 7:30pm
Pre-Concert Talk at 6:30pm
Gustavo Dudamel, Music Director
Yunchan Lim, piano
Elena Villalon, soprano
Narrator TBD
Ricardo Lorenz: Humboldt’s Nature (LA Phil Commission)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 2
Ludwig van Beethoven: Incidental Music from Egmont
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 7:30pm
Pre-Concert Talk at 6:30pm
Joshua Bell, conductor and violin
Camille Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No. 3
Antonin Dvorak: Symphony No. 8 in G Major, op. 88
San Diego Symphony Orchestra
Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 5pm
Pre-Concert Talk at 4pm
Rafael Payare, Music Director
Leonidas Kavakos, violin
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 3
Johannes Brahms: Violin Concerto
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at 7:30pm
Pre-Concert Talk at 6:30pm
Fabio Luisi, Music Director
Helene Grimaud, piano
Sofia Fomina, soprano
Robert Schumann: Piano Concerto
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 4
