Carnegie Hall’s 2020-2021 Season: Debuts, Perspectives Series, and So Much More
Voices of Hope: Artists in Times of Oppression, Rhiannon Giddens and Friends. Photo credit: Terri Fensel
New York City’s premier classical music venue, Carnegie Hall, recently announced its 2020-2021 season, which kicks off Wednesday, October 7. The season consists of over 170 concerts, with performances by world-renowned artists across a variety of genres. The season also includes educational and communal programs created by Weill’s Music Institute. The range of experiences and events this season is exceptional.
We’ve recapped some of the season highlights for you below.
Voices of Hope: Artists in Times of Oppression
Voices of Hope is a citywide festival that emphasizes the historic resilience of artists and music and the art’s ability to lift people up in times of oppression. The festival is set to kick off March 12 at Carnegie Hall, extending across New York City for three months with exhibitions, performances, talks, film screenings, and more.
Rhiannon Giddens and Friends: Songs of Our Native Daughters open the festival “shining a new light on African American women’s stories of struggle, resistance, and hope.”
Perspectives Series
Carnegie Hall is thrilled to announce several Perspectives series curated by singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and speaker Rhiannon Giddens; Viola da gamba virtuoso and conductor Jordi Savall; and Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Giddens will curate a five-concert series demonstrating the shared history of different musical traditions around the world and will also be joined by Songs of Our Native Daughters and pianist Francesco Turrisi. Savall presents a four-concert series that will concentrate on early music repertoire and programs of his own.
Savall will be joined by his Hespèrion XXI and Le Concert des Nations ensembles, guest musicians from all around the world, and singers from La Capella Reial de Catalunya. Nézet-Séguin will be returning for the second half of his two-year series consisting of seven concerts. He will be sharing the stage with The Philadelphia Orchestra, The MET Orchestra, and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Westminster Choir, as well as collaborating with violinist Lisa Batiashvili, pianist Mitsuko Uchida, and singer Joyce DiDonato.
The Richard and Barbara Debs Composer’s Chair
Carnegie Hall has appointed celebrated American composer Andrew Norman to hold the Richard and Barbara Debs Composer’s Chair this 2020-2021 season. Norman’s residency includes nine concerts throughout the season, a curated program for the LA Phil New Music Group, led by John Adams, and the Weill Music Institute’s All Together: A Global Ode to Joy project.
And More!
Additional highlights of Carnegie Hall’s 2020–2021 season include: performances by 21 leading orchestras from around the world, including several debuts. Lahav Shani makes his Carnegie Hall debut in his inaugural season as music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra; Teodor Currentzis and musicAeterna make their Carnegie Hall debut; Chief Conductor Kirill Petrenko leads the Berliner Philharmoniker for the first time at Carnegie Hall; the Galilee Chamber Orchestra makes its debut with Music Director Saleem Abboud Ashkar; and Teddy Abrams makes his Carnegie Hall debut conducting the Louisville Orchestra in its first performance at the Hall in more than 30 years.
Carnegie Hall’s 2020-2021 season is one to look forward to, with many of the world’s greatest musicians and artists today. Explore the world of music and the city of New York with all the season has to offer.