YUJA WANG RETURNS TO ORANGE COUNTY WITH MAHLER CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
(IRVINE, CA, MARCH 4, 2026)—One of the most dynamic pianists of our time, Yuja Wang returns, performing works by Prokofiev and Alexander Tsfasman with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 8pm, at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Works include Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1 in D major and Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, as well as Alexander Tsfasman’s Suite for Piano and Orchestra (“Jazz Suite”). A pre-concert lecture by Brian Lauritzen will take place at 7pm. This performance is part of the Donna L. Kendall Classical Series and the Henry T. and Elizabeth Segerstrom Foundation Select Series, with additional concert sponsors Robert Ronus and Anne and Danny Shih.
Pianist Yuja Wang is celebrated for her charismatic artistry, emotional honesty and captivating stage presence. She has performed with the world’s most venerated conductors, musicians and ensembles, and is renowned not only for her virtuosity, but her spontaneous and lively performances, famously telling the New York Times, “I firmly believe every program should have its own life, and be a representation of how I feel at the moment.”
Yuja was born into a musical family and began studying the piano at the age of six. She received advanced training in Canada and at the Curtis Institute of Music under Gary Graffman. Her international breakthrough came in 2007, when she replaced Martha Argerich as soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Two years later, she signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon and has since established her place among the world’s leading artists, with a succession of critically acclaimed performances and albums. Her recordings have garnered multiple awards, including five Grammy nominations and her first Grammy win for Best Classical Instrumental Solo with the release of her album, The American Project (2023), which also won an Opus Klassik award in the Concerto category.
The 2025/26 season saw Yuja open the seasons of many major U.S. orchestras including the San Francisco Symphony, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and at Carnegie Hall, where she play-directed the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1. Among her orchestral performances, she will embark on a major European tour with the Swedish Radio Orchestra beginning in March 2026, in addition to her play-directing on tour with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. Other orchestral appearances this season include performances with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, The Cleveland Orchestra, and the Rotterdam Philharmonic.
Since its foundation in 1997, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra (MCO) has established itself as one of the world's leading chamber orchestras. Working as a “global collective,” the MCO is led by its members of over 25 different countries who unite for each tour or project, in collaboration with its Berlin-based management office. The Orchestra’s philosophy that they call “The Sound of Listening” is inspired by the Orchestra’s founding mentor and longtime partner Claudio Abbado.
In the 2024/2025 season, the MCO performed with conductors and soloists such as Antonello Manacorda, Riccardo Chailly, Leif Ove Andsnes and many others. The MCO is also known for its performances without a conductor; Artistic Partners Yuja Wang and Mitsuko Uchida, with whom the orchestra went on several tours, often lead the MCO from the piano. In 2025/2026, the MCO joins the stage with Maxim Emelyanychev, Gianandrea Noseda, Augustin Hadelich, Kian Soltani, Adam Fischer, Igor Levit, Yuja Wang, Joana Mallwitz, Piotr Beczala, Hélène Grimaud, Vikingur Olafsson, Thomas Adès, Daniel Harding, Daniil Trifonov and many others.
The Orchestra maintains residencies in Berlin and Lucerne. From March 2026 through 2028, it will succeed the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra at the Baden-Baden Easter Festival. In 2024, the MCO assumed the role of Artistic Director of Musikwoche Hitzacker, a long-established music festival in Northern Germany, where it presents a diverse repertoire characterized by chamber music every year.
The MCO continually explores new musical and social initiatives. Its program, Feel the Music, introduces music to deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, while the MCO Academy allows orchestra members to share their expertise with the next generation of musicians. Additionally, the MCO’s school concerts foster introspection through the power of music. The MCO has also co-developed a series of XR concert formats. Since July 2024, several of the chamber music pieces produced in XR have been made available in the Mahler Chamber Orchestra app for Apple Vision Pro.
Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall is located at 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Ticket prices start at $41 and are available at the Philharmonic Society box office at (949) 553-2422, or online at www.philharmonicsociety.org, and at the Center’s box office at (714) 556-2787.
All artists, dates, venues, programs, and prices are subject to change.
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ABOUT THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY OF ORANGE COUNTY:
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 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 80,000 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 nearly 450 volunteer members who provide more than 50,000 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, connecting with colleges and universities to conduct masterclasses and workshops and providing pre-concert lectures to introduce audiences to program selections.
CONTACT:
Marie Songco-Torres Rosiana Falzon
(949) 553-2422, ext. 230 (949) 553-2422, ext. 105
marie@philharmonicsociety.org rosiana@philharmonicsociety.org