The Philadelphia Orchestra and Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin Return to Carolina Performing Arts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for Two Concerts November 4–5, 2025

First of three domestic tours celebrating the Orchestra’s 125th anniversary and America 250

(Philadelphia, October 6, 2025)—The Philadelphia Orchestra will embark on the first of three domestic tours throughout the 2025–26 season commemorating two major milestones: the Orchestra’s 125th anniversary and the upcoming America 250 celebration. Under the baton of Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the Orchestra will perform two concerts in partnership with Carolina Performing Arts in Memorial Hall at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, November 4–5, 2025. Concert tickets are available at carolinaperformingarts.org. In addition, 10 musicians of the Orchestra will lead clinics with student musicians, Principal Librarian Nicole Jordan will join a discussion with UNC students in a “Great Musical Works” class, and former Assistant Conductor Austin Chanu will engage with the UNC Wind Ensemble. 

The Philadelphia Orchestra is commemorating its 125th anniversary and America’s 250th anniversary by sharing works by American composers of the past and present, and masterpieces that were originally premiered in the United States by the Orchestra throughout its history. Chapel Hill audiences will have the opportunity to hear William Grant Still’s Wood Notes on November 4, presented in a new edition that was prepared by Jordan and Chanu as part of the Orchestra’s restoration of the music of the prolific Black American composer. The newly restored edition of Wood Notes, including a previously unpublished fifth movement, was given its world premiere by the Orchestra in 2024, thanks to generous support by the Pew Foundation for Arts and Culture. The piece is paired with Brahms’s Symphony No. 3 and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 featuring Emanuel Ax, who is celebrating 50 years of collaboration with the Orchestra this year. On November 5, the Orchestra will perform Brahms’s Symphony No. 4 and Jennifer Higdon’s Concerto for Orchestra, which was commissioned by The Philadelphia Orchestra and given its premiere by the ensemble on June 12, 2002, and has been one of the most widely programmed contemporary works since then. 

“Returning to Carolina Performing Arts during our 125th anniversary season is a homecoming,” said Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. “These concerts at Memorial Hall honor the roots of The Philadelphia Orchestra while embracing the energy of a new chapter. As we share this moment with our North Carolina audiences and look ahead to America’s 250th birthday, we reaffirm our belief in music’s power to unite, uplift, and move us forward together—as one country.”

“We are thrilled that the first of our three domestic tours this season will take place at UNC,” said President and CEO Ryan Fleur. “Throughout its history, The Philadelphia Orchestra has been a cultural ambassador, bringing the best of Philadelphia to audiences across the nation and around the globe. The convergence of our 125th anniversary and the America 250 celebration presents a wonderful opportunity to inspire and connect with audiences across the nation. We are grateful to the team at Carolina Performing Arts for their collaboration and commitment to classical music and look forward to building on this fruitful partnership.”

The Philadelphia Orchestra has a long and distinguished touring history, connecting with people around the world through music, and is one of the most-traveled American symphonic ensembles. The Orchestra has toured the United States extensively, with over 100 U.S. tours throughout its history. In 1936 it became the first American orchestra ever to make a transcontinental tour. The Orchestra will also embark on a tour of Florida and the Midwest during the 2025–26 season. 

About Carolina Performing Arts

Carolina Performing Arts at UNC–Chapel Hill brings artists from around the world and its own community to create live arts experiences that spark discovery, foster belonging, and bring people together. Through performances, residencies, and workshops, it connects students and communities statewide to the enduring power of the arts, supported by $11 tickets for every K–graduate student in North Carolina. Together, they’re building a community where live performance—and a sense of belonging—thrives, creating a North Carolina that is healthier, more joyful, and better connected. Learn more at carolinaperformingarts.org.