Yannick Nézet-Séguin and The Philadelphia Orchestra
Connect with Audiences Worldwide through
New Digital Stage Performances
January–June 2021
Nathalie Stutzmann appointed principal guest conductor, beginning in 2021–22 season;
will lead two Digital Stage concerts
Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts 10 new programs
Soloists include Michelle Cann, Michelle DeYoung, Gil Shaham, Jean-Yves Thibaudet,
Russell Thomas, Davóne Tines, and more
Works by Mason Bates, Valerie Coleman, Florence Price,
Caroline Shaw, Melinda Wagner,
and more
Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Tribute Concert presented online
January 18, 2021
Lunar New Year Concert
February 4, 2021
Brian Sanders’ JUNK returns for new collaboration
February 18, 2021
“Vigil” by opera singer and activist Davóne Tines and Igee Dieudonné to receive
Philadelphia Orchestra premiere
May 6, 2021
Our City, Your Orchestra free digital community concert series continues
Educational offerings include:
Digital School Concert
February 22, 2021
Sound All Around
January 5, 2021, and March 9, 2021
(Philadelphia, December 8, 2020)—Following a fall season described by the Philadelphia Inquirer as “an enormous
success,” Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and The Philadelphia Orchestra will present new concerts and
programs on the Digital Stage January through June 2021. A crucial way of connecting with audiences, the
Orchestra’s Digital Stage presentations have reached households beyond Philadelphia and across the globe.
Reflecting the 2020–21 season theme Our World NOW, the remainder of the Digital Stage season will include new
concerts filmed in Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts without audiences, featuring 10
performances led by Nézet-Séguin. Broadcasts will be available every two weeks beginning Thursdays at 8 PM ET
and available for on-demand streaming through the following Thursday at 11:00 PM ET. Subscription packages and
single tickets to the Digital Stage are on sale now at www.philorch.org/digital-stage-2021 or by calling Ticket
Philadelphia at 215.893.1999. A chronological calendar of performances as well as hi-res photos and videos is
available at www.philorch.org/digital-stage-2021/press.
“We began offering these digital performances as a way to connect with our audiences safely,” said Music Director
Yannick Nézet-Séguin. “It is so inspiring to know that our music has earned a place in peoples’ homes, and that our
performances have provided solace, joy, and hope to so many around the world. We are proud to continue sharing
our music in response to the world around us.”
“Born from necessity, and now vital to our mission, the Digital Stage has broadened our audience in ways that, at
one time, may not have been possible—traversing state lines and crossing oceans and international borders,” said
President and CEO Matías Tarnopolsky. “We look forward to expanding on the success and creativity of our fall
season on the Digital Stage while continuing to lead in finding new ways to share the transformative power of music
with as many people as possible at a time when we all need it most.”
Nathalie Stutzmann Named Principal Guest Conductor
The Philadelphia Orchestra has appointed Nathalie Stutzmann as principal guest conductor for three years,
beginning in the 2021–22 season. A familiar and powerful presence on the podium, Stutzmann made her
Philadelphia Orchestra debut as a vocalist in 1997 performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 under the direction of
Simon Rattle, and her conducting debut in 2016 leading Handel’s Messiah. She returned to Philadelphia in
February/March 2019 for her subscription series debut and most recently in October 2019 for a program featuring
Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture (“Fingal’s Cave”), Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with Concertmaster David Kim,
and Brahms’s Symphony No. 2 to wide acclaim. In addition to her October 2019 subscription performances,
Stutzmann also participated in a Philadelphia Orchestra collaboration with Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware,
and Susquehanna Valley to make a child’s wish for a cello come true. Stutzmann will return this season for two
Digital Stage broadcasts featuring works by Beethoven (January 28), and Mendelssohn and Bach’s Concerto for
Two Violins with Kim and First Associate Concertmaster Juliette Kang (broadcast date TBD).
“It is my great pleasure to welcome Nathalie Stutzmann to the Philadelphia Orchestra family,” said Nézet-Séguin.
“Nathalie is a kindred spirit whose background as a contralto and work as an opera conductor have influenced her
dynamic and highly successful career. She brings a depth of artistry, charismatic musicianship, and creativity to her
work, making her an ideal collaborator. I look forward to watching her connection with the musicians of the
Orchestra grow even deeper in the coming years and to experiencing her contributions to our artistic vision.”
“We are delighted to expand our relationship with Nathalie Stutzmann through this important appointment,” said
President and CEO Matías Tarnopolsky. “Anyone who has experienced her performances with the Orchestra
knows that we have an exciting three years ahead. We look forward to an ever deeper exploration of her
singular artistry and inspiring musicianship here at home, on the Digital Stage, in our communities, and beyond.”
As principal guest conductor, Stutzmann will spend multiple weeks each season in Philadelphia leading programs
ranging from subscription and Family Concerts to special projects, community initiatives, and more. She will also
serve as a key member of the creative planning process.
“It is a privilege and an honor to become the principal guest conductor of the iconic Philadelphia Orchestra—
outstanding music-making, heartfelt playing, and emotional moments inhabit my soul every time I think about those
marvelous musicians,” said Stutzmann. “I have always felt close to Yannick Nézet-Séguin and I am thrilled that
through this new role I have the opportunity to work under the same roof. The teamwork off stage is just as
important to the success of a partnership with an orchestra as what happens on stage, and I am also very much
looking forward to the teamwork with Matías Tarnopolsky, Vice President of Artistic Planning Jeremy Rothman, and
the whole management team. In these deeply uncertain and stressful times of pandemic, the strength of our
partnerships is more important than ever, and it is so exciting to embark on this next stage of our relationship as we
navigate these tricky times together. I look forward to spending more time in Philadelphia with my new American
family, and we cannot wait to share more wonderful music with you.”
Nathalie Stutzmann is in her third season as chief conductor of the Kristiansand Symphony in Norway, and from
2017 to 2020 was principal guest conductor of the RTÉ National Symphony of Ireland. She studied conducting with
the legendary Finnish teacher Jorma Panula and was mentored by Seiji Ozawa and Simon Rattle. Stutzmann
continues to keep a few projects as a singer each season, primarily recitals and performances with her own
ensemble. In January 2019 she was admitted into the Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest
honor, at the rank of Chevalier. She is also Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite and Officier de l’Ordre des Arts
et des Lettres in France. Stutzmann is an exclusive recording artist of Warner Classics/Erato, as both singer and
conductor. Click HERE for a complete bio of Nathalie Stutzmann.
Guest Artists on the Digital Stage
Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will return to the Digital Stage for 10 programs, leading Schubert’s Fourth
Symphony, Schoenberg and Riehn’s chamber orchestra arrangement of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with
mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung and tenor Russell Thomas, the US premiere of Mason Bates’s Undistant, and
newer works by Valerie Coleman, Michael-Thomas Foumai, Caroline Shaw, Melinda Wagner, and others. Nézet-
Séguin and the Orchestra will also revisit Louise Farrenc’s Symphony No. 2, and newly appointed Principal Oboe
Philippe Tondre will make his Philadelphia Orchestra solo debut in Mozart’s Oboe Concerto.
The Digital Stage will also turn the spotlight on world-renowned soloists. Jean-Yves Thibaudet will perform the
original jazz band version of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Paul Jacobs will be the featured soloist for
Poulenc’s Organ Concerto. Paul Jacobs’s appearance on the Digital Stage is part of the Fred J. Cooper Memorial
Organ Experience, generously supported by the Wyncote Foundation.
On the heels of the first complete Philadelphia Orchestra performance of Florence Price’s Symphony No. 1, pianist
Michelle Cann makes her Philadelphia Orchestra debut with Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement. This marks
the first performance of the original orchestration of the work since the composer’s death in 1953. Cann’s
performance is supported by ONEcomposer, an initiative dedicated to musicians whose contributions have been
historically erased, housed at Cornell University. In providing a platform for the study, performance, and discussion
of a single, underrepresented composer’s life and legacy, ONEcomposer promotes a more complete understanding
of musical histories.
Bass-baritone Davóne Tines, a recent guest on the Orchestra’s HearTOGETHER podcast, will perform “SERMON”
a collection of arias, orchestral song, and readings to include “Shake the Heavens” from John Adams’s El
Niño, “You Want the Truth, but You Don’t Want to Know” from Anthony Davis’s X: The Life and Times of Malcolm
X, as well as “Vigil,” both a work of art and a call to action co-written by Tines and Igée Dieudonné, and dedicated
to the memory of Breonna Taylor.
Known for their provocative and physically intense performance experiences, Philadelphia-based dance company
Brain Sanders’ JUNK will return for a new collaboration featuring Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite (after Bizet).
Special Presentations
In keeping with a time-honored tradition, and in service to the communities it calls home, The Philadelphia
Orchestra will proceed with its annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Tribute Concert. The digital concert will feature new
performances and excerpts from previous Our City, Your Orchestra performances, including vocalist Patrice
Hawthorne performing the spiritual “Go Tell It on the Mountain” from the Historic Belmont Mansion/Underground
Railroad Museum. Nézet-Séguin will lead a performance of John Rosamond Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing,”
known as the Black national anthem, and celebrated storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston will reprise her stirring
narration, which includes excerpts from Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, to Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings.
In addition, the broadcast will highlight prominent Philadelphians who are carrying on the work of Dr. King today.
More details, including FREE ticket reservation information, will be available at a later date. The Martin Luther King,
Jr., Tribute Concert is presented by PECO with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation and the National
Endowment for the Arts.
The Orchestra’s Lunar New Year Concert will feature Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting the premiere recording of
Tan Dun’s Nu Shu: The Secret Songs of Women, Symphony for Microfilms, Harp, and Orchestra with Principal
Harp Elizabeth Hainen as soloist, as well as David Robertson leading a performance of The Butterfly Lovers Violin
Concerto with soloist Gil Shaham. The work by Tan Dun explores the secret Nu Shu language that has been
passed on for centuries from mothers to daughters and sisters in the rural Hunan province of China. Tan Dun
learned of its existence and inaugurated a multi-year project to help in its documentation and preservation. Cocommissioned by The Philadelphia Orchestra, Japan’s NHK Symphony, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra,
this previously unreleased performance was recorded in 2018.
Resolute in its commitment to the communities of Philadelphia, the Orchestra will continue the Our City, Your
Orchestra series at Black-owned businesses and iconic cultural institutions throughout the region. Upcoming
performances will take place at Taller Puertorriqueño, NextFab, and AR Workshop Chestnut Hill. More information,
including broadcast dates and additional locations, will be announced at a later date. All Our City, Your Orchestra
performances will be available for FREE, on-demand streaming on www.philorch.org and
www.facebook.com/philorch. Our City, Your Orchestra is supported in part by the William Penn Foundation, with
additional support provided through the PNC Arts Alive initiative, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the
Presser Foundation.
Educational and Family-Friendly Offerings
Sound All Around, the popular family-friendly concert series hosted by award-winning storyteller Charlotte Blake
Alston, will return with two new installments. Through the art of creative storytelling, Principal Trumpet David Bilger
(January 5) and flutist Olivia Staton (March 9) will introduce virtual audiences of all ages to the world of classical
music. Performances are pay what you wish and will be available for on-demand viewing on www.philorch.org.
Advance registration required. The Sound All Around concert series is endowed in perpetuity by the Garrison
Family Fund for Children’s Concerts.
The Orchestra will also resume its education programming with the Jane H. Kesson Virtual School Concert,
available for viewing February 22–26. Led by Assistant Conductor Erina Yashima, “The Elements of the Universe”
features music by Falla, Smetana, Beethoven, Dvořák, and Valerie Coleman, and will be accessible to educators
who have registered in advance at www.philorch.org/school-concerts. Upon registration, educators will gain access
to a virtual Teachers’ Lounge containing free lesson plans, multi-media resources, and more to help enhance the
listening experience for students.
Ticket Information
Digital Stage tickets cost $17 and Create-Your-Own subscription packages begin at $45. College and university
students can access unlimited Digital Stage concerts for $25 with an eZseatU membership, and the Orchestra’s
APPLE program will continue with free tickets for employees of the School District of Philadelphia. Current eZseatU
and APPLE subscribers can continue to access Digital Stage performances with their memberships. The eZseatU
program is funded in part by the Amy P. Goldman Foundation and an anonymous donor. The APPLE program is
funded in part by the Nancy and William Loeb Student Education Fund. The Orchestra’s high-resolution
performance videos are accessible on mobile devices and on TV via Chromecast and similar apps and will be
made available for on-demand streaming each Thursday at 8 PM ET until the following Thursday at 11:59 PM ET.
Lead support for the Digital Stage is provided by:
Elaine W. Camarda and A. Morris Williams, Jr.
The CHG Charitable Trust
The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation
Innisfree Foundation
Gretchen and M. Roy Jackson
Neal W. Krouse
John H. McFadden and Lisa D. Kabnick
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Leslie A. Miller and Richard B. Worley
Ralph W. Muller and Beth B. Johnston
William Penn Foundation
Peter and Mari Shaw
Waterman Trust
Constance and Sankey Williams
Wyncote Foundation
Philadelphia Orchestra.
