VIENNA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA COMES TO ORANGE COUNTY IN A THREE-DAY RESIDENCY OF CONCERTS, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
IRVINE, CA (February 13, 2025)—Hailed as “one of the best and most prestigious symphonic orchestras in the world” by The Daily Californian, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra will come to Orange County this March in a highly anticipated Southern California exclusive residency presented by the Philharmonic Society of Orange County. Their performances at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall are a rare opportunity to experience one of the world’s most illustrious orchestras. The residency will feature two extraordinary concerts led by Grammy Award-winning conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin. On Sunday, March 9, 2025, at 3pm pianist Yefim Bronfman joins the orchestra for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, followed by Strauss’s monumental Ein Heldenleben. On Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 8pm the orchestra will perform Schubert’s Symphony No. 4 and Dvořák’s beloved Symphony No. 9, “From the New World.”
The Vienna Philharmonic’s California tour brings the orchestra and conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin to the West Coast for an exclusive residency and performances in spring 2025. The tour begins in Northern California with three concerts hosted by Cal Performances at Zellerbach Hall (March 5–7, 2025) and concludes in Orange County with two performances presented by the Philharmonic Society of Orange County at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall (March 9–11, 2025). The California tour is made possible by major funding from longtime California arts enthusiasts and philanthropists Maria Manetti Shrem from the San Francisco Bay Area and Elizabeth Segerstrom from Orange County. The extraordinary level of generosity and support from Manetti Shrem and Segerstrom has been instrumental for both organizations’ artistic endeavors and their missions to bring world-renowned artists and musical excellence to California residents. Additional support for Vienna Philharmonic’s residency in Orange County is provided by the Donna L. Kendall Foundation and the Shanbrom Family Foundation.
Adding to the elegance of the residency, the Philharmonic Society will host a Philharmonic Ball on Sunday, March 9, 2025, at 5pm, at The Westin South Coast Plaza. This glamorous evening inspired by Gustav Klimt’s captivating art will feature live music, and gourmet cuisine, bringing a touch of Vienna’s rich cultural heritage to Orange County. The beautifully adorned ballroom will welcome guests with vibrant colors and elegant florals, establishing the perfect backdrop for a night where every amount raised will help sustain youth music education in Orange County. At the event Maria Manetti Shrem and Elizabeth Segerstrom will be presented with the California Performing Arts Visionary Award in honor of their arts philanthropy. For more information, email development@philharmonicsociety.org.
In addition to its stunning performances and elegant ball, the Vienna Philharmonic will engage with the community through educational initiatives, including masterclasses, workshops, and school visits, inspiring the next generation of musicians and deepening the region’s connection to the power of live orchestral music.
There is perhaps no other musical ensemble more closely associated with the history and tradition of European classical music than the Vienna Philharmonic. For more than 180 years, this orchestra has experienced and influenced the course of musical history around the world. Even to this day, prominent soloists and conductors refer to the unique “Viennese Sound” as the outstanding quality that sets it apart from other orchestras.
The orchestra’s touring activity commenced at the beginning of the 20th century and has since taken the orchestra to all continents on the globe. In recent years, this has included regularly scheduled concerts in Germany, Japan, the United States and China. The relationship to Japan and the Japanese audiences is so close that even in the pandemic year 2020 the orchestra’s tour to Japan took place after the implementation of extensive security measures and a tour-long quarantine.
The Vienna Philharmonic performs approximately 40 concerts in Vienna annually, among them the New Year’s Concert and the Summer Night Concert Schonbrunn, which are broadcast in numerous countries around the world. The orchestra also has an annual summer residency at the Salzburg Festival and performs more than 50 concerts a year on its international tours. All these activities underscore the reputation of the Vienna Philharmonic as one of the world’s finest orchestras.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin is one of the most celebrated conductors of his generation, renowned for his artistry, leadership, and versatility. Yannick was appointed as Music Director of The Metropolitan Opera, New York in 2018, adding this to his Music Directorship of the Philadelphia Orchestra (since 2012) and to the Orchestre Métropolitain (Montreal), of which he has been Artistic Director and Principal Conductor since 2000. He is Honorary Member of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and was Chief Conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic (2008-2018), where he continues as its Honorary Conductor.
Yannick is passionate about expanding the classical repertoire. He champions works by underrepresented composers—Florence Price, Clara Schumann, William Dawson, and William Grant Still, while also supporting today’s leading composers. His recordings with The Philadelphia Orchestra and Metropolitan Opera have earned widespread critical acclaim, and under his tenure performances have reached new audiences through weekly radio broadcasts, a national series on SiriusXM, and a long collaboration with Deutsche Grammophon.
As a guest conductor, Yannick has worked with many leading ensembles including the Berliner and Wiener Philharmonikers, Bavarian Radio, Los Angeles, Boston, London Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestras. He has appeared often at the BBC Proms and at many renowned festivals, including Baden-Baden, Edinburgh, Lucerne, Salzburg, Lanaudière, Vail and Saratoga. Yannick has led operas at the Wiener Staatsoper, Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Wiener Staatsoper and the Salzburg Festival.
A Montreal native, Yannick studied at the Montreal Conservatory, studying piano and conducting. He has earned numerous accolades, including four Grammy Awards, Musical America’s Artist of the Year, and appointments to the Order of Canada and Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Through his artistry and commitment to excellence and education, Yannick Nézet-Séguin continues to inspire audiences and musicians worldwide.
Internationally recognized as one of today’s most acclaimed and admired pianists, Yefim Bronfman stands among a handful of artists regularly sought by festivals, orchestras, conductors and recital series. His commanding technique, power and exceptional lyrical gifts are consistently acknowledged by the press and audiences alike.
A frequent touring partner with the world’s greatest orchestras and conductors, the 2024/25 season begins with the Pittsburgh and NDR Hamburg symphonies on tour in Europe followed by China and Japan with the Vienna Philharmonic. With orchestras in the U.S., he returns to Cleveland, New York, Houston, Portland, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Miami, Sarasota and Pittsburgh and in Europe to Hamburg, Helsinki, Berlin, Lyon and Vienna. In advance of a spring Carnegie Hall recital his program can be heard in Austin, St. Louis, Stillwater OK, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Washington DC, Amsterdam, Rome, Lisbon and Spain. Two special projects are scheduled in this season—duos with flutist Emmanuel Pahud in Europe in the fall and trios with Anne-Sophie Mutter and Pablo Ferrandez in the U.S. in spring.
Born in Tashkent in the Soviet Union, Yefim Bronfman immigrated to Israel with his family in 1973, where he studied with pianist Arie Vardi, head of the Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University. In the United States, he studied at The Juilliard School, Marlboro School of Music, and the Curtis Institute of Music, under Rudolf Firkusny, Leon Fleisher, and Rudolf Serkin. A recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize, in 2010 he was further honored as the recipient of the Jean Gimbel Lane prize in piano performance from Northwestern University and in 2015 with an honorary doctorate from the Manhattan School of Music.
Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall is located at 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Ticket prices start at $61 and are available at the Philharmonic Society box office at (949) 553-2422, or online at www.philharmonicsociety.org.
ABOUT PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY:
Founded in 1954 as Orange County’s first music organization, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County presents national and international performances of the highest quality and provides dynamic and innovative music education programs for individuals of all ages to enhance the lives of Orange County audiences through music.
Since its inception, the Philharmonic Society has evolved and grown with the county’s changing landscape, presenting artists and orchestras who set the standard for artistic achievement from Itzhak Perlman, Gustavo Dudamel, Yo-Yo Ma, and Renée Fleming to the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and many others. In addition, the Philharmonic Society celebrates multi-disciplinary performances under its Eclectic Orange brand and embraces music from a wide range of countries with its World Music performances. Its celebrated family concerts introduce children to classical music with creative and inspiring performances, instilling music appreciation for future generations.
The Philharmonic Society’s nationally recognized Youth Music Education Programs, offered free of charge, engage more than 100,000 students annually through curriculum-based music education programs that aim to inspire, expand imaginations, and encourage learning at all levels. These programs are made possible by the Committees of the Philharmonic Society comprised of 500 volunteer members who provide more than 90,000 hours of in-kind service each year. As a key youth program, the exceptional Orange County Youth Symphony and String Ensemble provide top-tier training to the area’s most talented young musicians through multi-level ensemble instruction, leadership training, touring opportunities, challenging professional repertoire, and performances in world-class venues. The Philharmonic Society also promotes life-long learning by connecting with colleges and universities to conduct masterclasses and workshops and providing pre-concert lectures to introduce audiences to program selections.
Adaora Onyebeke
adaora@philharmonicsociety.org
(949) 553-2422, ext. 105
Marie Songco-Torres
(949) 553-2422, ext. 230