The Kennedy Center, NSO, Goerne/Trifonov, October 2025
NSO Presents: Matthias Goerne & Daniil Trifonov
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THE
OCTOBER 21, 2025 AT 7 P.M. | CONCERT HALL
NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS
Matthias Goerne, baritone
Daniil Trifonov, piano
FRANZ SCHUBERT Winterreise (Winter Journey), D. 911
Gute Nacht
Die Wetterfahne
Gefrorne Tränen
Erstarrung
Der Lindenbaum
Wasserflut
Auf dem Flusse
Rückblick
Irrlicht
Rast
Frühlingstraum
Einsamkeit
Die Post
Der greise Kopf
Die Krähe
Letzte Hoffnung
Im Dorfe
Der stürmische Morgen
Täuschung
Der Wegweiser
Das Wirtshaus
Mut!
Die Nebensonnen
Der Leiermann
Please note the National Symphony Orchestra does not perform at this concert.
THANK YOU TO OUR SEASON SPONSORS
The NSO Music Director Chair is generously endowed by Roger Sant and Congresswoman Doris Matsui
Noseda Era Fund Supporters
The Amici di Gianandrea
Patrons
Welcome
Dear Friends,
As we open the National Symphony Orchestra’s 95th season, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt thanks to you—our devoted patrons, supporters, and friends. Your presence this evening, and your unwavering support throughout the year, mean more than words can convey. It is your love of music, your generosity, and your steadfast belief in the arts that delight this remarkable orchestra.
In 1931, Hans Kindler founded the NSO with a bold vision: to build a world-class symphony orchestra in the heart of our nation’s capital. Nearly a century later, that vision continues to be our driving force. Today, under the dynamic artistic leadership of Gianandrea Noseda, we are more inspired than ever to share powerful performances with our audiences. The NSO is not simply an orchestra; it is a family of artists joined together through a shared love of music, unity of purpose, and commitment to something greater than us.
The NSO is more than what you see on stage—it is a living, breathing institution devoted to enriching lives. Our robust education and community engagement programs reach thousands of students, educators, and families each year. Between our Youth Fellowship Program and Summer Music Institute, to Young People’s Concerts, we strive to make music accessible to everyone—especially the next generation.
This commitment to connect with broader audiences is also seen through our vibrant, genre-defying series, led by the remarkable Steven Reineke, our Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor. Steven brings a wide-reaching musical vision to the NSO, bridging genres and generations. His programming has opened the door for new audiences to discover a love for orchestral music, while continuing to captivate longtime fans with the highest levels of artistry.
As we embark on this milestone season, we are reminded that our journey would not be possible without you. Thank you for being an essential part of this vibrant and enduring musical community.
With deepest gratitude and warmest regards,
Executive Director
National Symphony Orchestra
From the Music Director
Cari amici,
It is with immense joy and anticipation that I welcome you to the National Symphony Orchestra’s 95th anniversary season. This moment is more than a milestone—it is a celebration of our deep musical legacy and a renewed commitment to bringing powerful, moving performances to our community and beyond. This is only the beginning. The 95th season is filled with musical discovery, celebrated artists, and unforgettable experiences.
I am deeply grateful to share this journey with you. Your presence in the Concert Hall is what brings our music fully to life. Thank you for being a part of the NSO family—for your passion, your applause, and your unwavering support.
Con tutto il cuore,
Gianandrea Noseda
Music Director, National Symphony Orchestra Che la musica vi porti gioia e ispirazione—may music bring you joy and inspiration.
Notes on the Program
Winterreise (Winter Journey), D. 911
FRANZ SCHUBERT
Born January 31, 1797 in Vienna, Austria
Died November 19, 1828 in Vienna, Austria
On January 31, 1827, Franz Schubert turned 30. He had been following a bohemian existence in Vienna for over a decade, making barely more than a pittance from the sale and performance of his works, and living largely by the generosity of his friends, a devoted band of performers and music-lovers who rallied around his convivial personality and exceptional talent. The pattern of Schubert’s daily life was firmly established by that time: composition in the morning, long walks or friendly visits in the afternoon, companionship for wine and song in the evening. The routine was broken by occasional trips into the countryside to stay with friends or families of friends—he visited Dornbach, near the Vienna Woods, for several weeks in the spring of 1827, and Graz in September.
A curious dichotomy marked Schubert’s personality during those final years of his life, one that suited well the Romantic image of the inspired artist, rapt out of quotidian experience to carry back to benighted humanity some transcendent vision. “Anyone who had seen him only in the morning, in the throes of composition, his eyes shining, speaking, even, another language, will never forget it—though in the afternoon, to be sure, he became another person,” recorded one friend. The duality in Schubert’s character was reflected in the sharp swings of mood marking both his psychological makeup and his creative work. “If there were times, both in his social relationships and his art, when the Austrian character appeared all too strongly in the vigorous and pleasure-loving Schubert,” wrote his friend the dramatist Eduard von Bauernfeld, “there were also times when a black-winged demon of sorrow and melancholy forced its way into his vicinity; not altogether an evil spirit, it is true, since, in the dark concentrated hours, itoften brought out music of the most agonizing beauty.” The ability to mirror his own fluctuating feelings in his compositions—the darkening cloud momentarily obscuring the bright sunlight—is one of Schubert’s most remarkable and characteristic achievements, and touches indelibly upon the incomparable series of works—Winterreise, the “Great” C major Symphony, the last three Piano Sonatas, String Quintet No. 15, two Piano Trios, Impromptus—that he created during the last months of his brief life.
Early in 1827, Schubert, always alert for poetry that he could wrap with music, discovered a four-year-old copy of the Leipzig periodical Urania that contained 12 poems collectively titled Die Winterreise (The Winter Journey) by Wilhelm Müller, whose Die schöne Müllerin (The Beautiful Maid of the Mill), a narrative poetic cycle about youthful love turned tragic, he had set in 1823. Müller, born in 1794 into the family of a tailor in Dessau, studied linguistics and history in Berlin and volunteered for the Prussian army in 1813 to fight Napoleon. Late the following year he returned to Berlin, where he resumed his studies and made his way into some of the city’s most fashionable salons with his charm and literary talents. In 1817, he set off on an extended tour around the Mediterranean, developing a deep love for the civilizations of southern Europe before returning to his native Dessau in December 1818 to teach classics and work as a translator, editor, critic, and poet. He was appointed court librarian by Duke Leopold Friedrich of AnhaltDessau in 1820 and privy councilor four years later, but his rising success was abruptly terminated by his sudden death on September 30, 1827. In 1815, he confided to his diary, “I can neither play nor sing, and my verses lead but half a life until music breathes life into them. But courage! A kindred soul may yet be found who will hear the tunes behind the words and reflect them back to me.” Müller could have found no better a “kindred soul” than Schubert, who not only brought his poems fully to life but also established the integrated song cycle as a viable musical form with Die Schöne Müllerin.
Notes on the Program
Die Winterreise, with its nameless character’s hopelessly lost love, his frigid emotional world, and his welcome acceptance of his own mortality, struck Schubert as deeply as any words he ever put to music. Though only 30, and with a growing confidence in his own creative abilities and a reputation quickly spreading beyond his native Vienna, Schubert had already begun considering closely the subject of death. His own health had by then been seriously undermined by the complications of syphilis—Die schöne Müllerin was largely composed during a hospital stay—and he was much disturbed by reports that Ludwig van Beethoven, whom he admired immensely as both a composer and an exemplar of the creative artist, was near death. (Schubert visited him on March 19, 1827, a week before Beethoven died; it was the only time they ever met. Schubert was one of the 36 torchbearers in Beethoven’s funeral procession.) In February, Schubert composed the dozen Winterreise poem, and performed them for some friends. “Schubert had been gloomy for some time and seemed strained,” Joseph von Spaun recorded, “and he told me, ‘Well, you will soon hear and understand. I will sing a cycle of somber songs to you. They have moved me more than any other songs I have done.’ With great emotion he sang Winterreise to us. We were all amazed at the melancholy mood of these songs.” When Schubert accompanied the baritone Johann Michael Vogl in the cycle that summer, they had to stop the performance because all of the auditors, men and women alike, had been reduced to tears. (Winterreise had a similar lachrymose effect on the young Franz Liszt, who transcribed the complete cycle for solo piano in 1839.) In September, Schubert discovered the remaining 12 poems of Müller’s cycle in the 1824 complete edition of the work (dedicated to Carl Maria von Weber), and he set them the following month. The Viennese firm of Tobias Haslinger published the first 12 songs of Winterreise in January 1828 (Schubert dropped the definite article from his title), and the balance of them in December, a month after the composer had died. Correcting the latter edition’s proofs in his sick bed was Schubert’s last substantive work.
Winterreise, unlike Die schöne Müllerin, does not tell a story. It is instead a series of two dozen contemplations of despair and longing for death through evocations of frozen nature, of loneliness, of lost love, of pointless wandering, of vain hope, of painful memory. At the end of this motionless journey, after the poet-singer has inquired about a place in a cemetery (“Das Wirtshaus”), mocked hope (“Mut!”) and wished for the extinction of the third sun that lit his way (“Die Nebensonnen,” representing love, hope, and life itself), he is lured by the poignant drones of Der Leiermann to try his songs in the uncertain next world.
“On paper,” Brian Newbould wrote in his biography of Schubert, “Winterreise looks too gloomy, too monochrome, too doom-laden by half. In the best of performances, however, a spell is cast and maintained through more than an hour of music, music which— however one responds to the unrelieved self-obsession of the poetry—achieves immense expressive power, as much by context and accumulation as by the potent yet simple inventiveness of each individual song.” In a review of Part I of Winterreise on March 29, 1828, the critic for Vienna’s Theaterzeitung wrote, “Schubert’s spirit soars so boldly that he carries along all who approach him and are borne through immeasurable depths of the human heart into worlds beyond, where the promise of the infinite opens up longingly in the radiance of the setting sun, but where also the gentle confining hand of the present joins with the fearful bliss of an inexpressible premonition to define the boundaries of human existence.”
Text by Wilhelm Müller (1794–1827)
1. Gute Nacht (Good Night)
Fremd bin ich eingezogen,
As a stranger I arrived, Fremd zieh’ ich wieder aus.
As a stranger again I leave. Der Mai war mir gewogen May was kind to me Mit manchem Blumenstrauss. With many bunches of flowers. Das Mädchen sprach von Liebe, The girl spoke of love, Die Mutter gar von Eh’ — Her mother even of marriage — Nun ist die Welt so trübe,
Now the world is bleak, Der Weg gehüllt in Schnee. The path covered by snow.
Ich kann zu meiner Reisen
I cannot choose the time Nicht wählen mit der Zeit,
Of my departure; Muss selbst den Weg mir weisen I must find my own way In dieser Dunkelheit.
In this darkness. Es zieht ein Mondenschatten
With a shadow cast by the moonlight Als mein Gefährte mit,
As my traveling companion, Und auf den weissen Matten I’ll search for animal tracks Such’ ich des Wildes Tritt.
On the white fields.
Was soll ich länger weilen,
Why should I linger, waiting Dass man mich trieb hinaus?
Until I am driven out?
Lass irre Hunde heulen
Let stray dogs howl Vor ihres Herren Haus;
Outside their master’s house; Die Liebe liebt das Wandern — Love loves to wander — Gott hat sie so gemacht — God has made her so — Von einem zu dem andern.
From one to the other. Fein Liebchen, gute Nacht!
Will dich im Traum nicht stören,
Dear love, good night!
I will not disturb you in your dreaming, Wär schad’ um deine Ruh’,
It would be a pity to disturb your rest; Sollst meinen Tritt nicht hören — You shall not hear my footsteps Sacht, sacht die Türe zu! Softly, softly shut the door! Schreib’ im Vorübergehen
On my way out I’ll write Ans Tor dir: Gute Nacht, “Good Night” on the gate, Damit du mögest sehen, So that you may see An dich hab’ ich gedacht. That I have thought of you.
2. Die Wetterfahne (The Weather Vane)
Der Wind spielt mit der Wetterfahne
The wind plays with the weathervane Auf meines schönen Liebchens Haus. Atop my beautiful beloved’s house. Da dacht ich schon in meinem Wahne, In my delusion I thought Sie pfiff den armen Flüchtling aus. It was whistling at the poor fugitive.
Er hätt’ es eher bemerken sollen, If he had seen it before, Des Hauses aufgestecktes Schild, The crest above the house, So hätt’ er nimmer suchen wollen Then he never would have looked for Im Haus ein treues Frauenbild. A woman’s fidelity in that house.
Der Wind spielt drinnen mit den Herzen
The wind plays with hearts within Wie auf dem Dach, nur nicht so laut. As on the roof, but not so loudly. Was fragen sie nach meinen Schmerzen? What is my suffering to them? Ihr Kind ist eine reiche Braut. Their child is a rich bride.
3. Gefrorene Tränen (Frozen Tears)
Gefrorene Tropfen fallen
Frozen tear drops fall Von meinen Wangen ab:
From my cheeks: Ob es mir denn entgangen, Can it be that, without knowing it, Dass ich geweinet hab’? I have been weeping?
Ei Tränen, meine Tränen,
O tears, my tears, Und seid ihr gar so lau, Are you so lukewarm, Dass ihr erstarrt zu Eise
That you turn to ice Wie kühler Morgentau?
Like cold morning dew?
Und dringt doch aus der Quelle
Yet you spring from a source, Der Brust so glühend heiss, My breast, so burning hot, Als wolltet ihr zerschmelzen
As if you wanted to melt Des ganzen Winters Eis!
All of the ice of winter!
4. Erstarrung (Numbness)
Ich such’ im Schnee vergebens
I search in the snow in vain Nach ihrer Tritte Spur,
For a trace of her footsteps Hier, wo wir oft gewandelt
Here where we two used to stroll Selbander durch die Flur.
Across the meadow.
Ich will den Boden küssen,
I want to kiss the ground, Durchdringen Eis und Schnee
Piercing the ice and snow Mit meinen heissen Tränen,
With my hot tears, Bis ich die Erde seh’.
Until I see the earth below.
Wo find’ ich eine Blüte,
Where will I find a blossom? Wo find’ ich grünes Gras?
Where will I find green grass? Die Blumen sind erstorben
The flowers are dead, Der Rasen sieht so blass. The turf is so pale.
Soll denn kein Angedenken
Is there then no souvenir Ich nehmen mit von hier?
To carry with me from here? Wenn meine Schmerzen schweigen,
When my pain is stilled, Wer sagt mir dann von ihr? What will speak to me of her?
Mein Herz ist wie erfroren,
My heart is as if frozen, Kalt starrt ihr Bild darin; Her image is cold within, Schmilzt je das Herz mir wieder, If my heart should one day thaw, Fliesst auch ihr Bild dahin!
So too would her image melt away!
5. Der Lindenbaum (The Linden Tree)
Am Brunnen vor dem Tore
By the fountain, near the gate, Da steht ein Lindenbaum; There stands a linden tree; Ich träumt in seinem Schatten I have dreamed in its shadows So manchen süssen Traum.
So many sweet dreams. Ich schnitt in seine Rinde I carved on its bark So manches liebe Wort; So many loving words; Es zog in Freud’ und Leide I was always drawn to it, Zu ihm mich immer fort. Whether in joy or in sorrow.
Ich musst’ auch heute wandern
Today, too, I had to pass it Vorbei in tiefer Nacht, In the dead of night. Da hab’ ich noch im Dunkel And even in the darkness Die Augen zugemacht. I had to close my eyes. Und seine Zweige rauschten, And its branches rustled Als riefen sie mir zu:
As if calling to me: Komm her zu mir, Geselle, “Come here, to me, friend, Hier find’st du deine Ruh’! Here you will find your peace!”
Die kalten Winde bliesen
The frigid wind blew Mir grad ins Angesicht; Straight in my face, Der Hut flog mir vom Kopfe, My hat flew from my head, Ich wendete mich nicht. I did not turn back. Nun bin ich manche Stunde Now I am many hours Entfernt von jenem Ort, Away from that spot, Und immer hör’ ich’s rauschen: And still I hear the rustling: Du fändest Ruhe dort! There you would have found peace!
Manche Trän’ aus meinen Augen
6. Wasserflut (The Deluge)
Many tears from my eyes Ist gefallen in den Schnee; Have fallen into the snow; Seine kalten Flocken saugen Whose icy flakes thirstily drink Durstig ein das heisse Weh. My burning grief.
Wenn die Gräser sprossen wollen
When the grass begins to sprout, Weht daher ein lauer Wind, A mild wind will blow there, Und das Eis zerspringt in Schollen And the ice will break up Und der weiche Schnee zerrinnt. And the snow will melt.
Schnee, du weisst von meinem Sehnen, Snow, you know my longing, Sag’, wohin doch geht dein Lauf? Tell me, to where will you run? Folge nach nur meinen Tränen, Just follow my tears Nimmt dich bald das Bächlein auf. And then before long the brook will take you in.
Wirst mit ihm die Stadt durchziehen, It will take you through the town, Muntre Strassen ein und aus; In and out of the lively streets. Fühlst du meine Tränen glühen, When you feel my tears glow, Da ist meiner Liebsten Haus. That will be my beloved’s house.
7. Auf dem Flusse (By the Stream)
Der du so lustig rauschtest,
You who rushed along so merrily, Du heller, wilder Fluss, You clear, wild stream, Wie still bist du geworden,
How quiet you have become, Gibst keinen Scheidegruss. You offer no parting words.
Mit harter, starrer Rinde
With a hard, solid crust Hast du dich überdeckt, You have clothed yourself. Liegst kalt und unbeweglich You lie cold and motionless Im Sande ausgestreckt. Stretched out in the sand.
In deine Decke grab’ ich
On your surface I carve Mit einem spitzen Stein
With a sharp stone Den Namen meiner Liebsten
The name of my beloved Und Stund’ und Tag hinein: And the hour and the day:
Den Tag des ersten Grusses,
The day of our first meeting, Den Tag, an dem ich ging; The day I went away: Um Nam’ und Zahlen windet Name and numbers entwined Sich ein zerbroch’ner Ring. By a broken ring.
Mein Herz, in diesem Bache
My heart, in this brook Erkennst du nun dein Bild? Do you recognize your own image? Ob’s unter seiner Rinde Is there, under your surface, too, Wohl auch so reissend schwillt?
A surging torrent?
8. Rückblick (Backward Glance)
Es brennt mir unter beiden Sohlen, A fire burns under the soles of my feet, Tret’ ich auch schon auf Eis und Schnee, Though I walk on ice and snow; Ich möcht’ nicht wieder Atem holen, Yet I’ll not pause for a breath Bis ich nicht mehr die Türme seh’.
Hab’ mich an jeden Stein gestossen,
Until the towers are out of sight.
I have stumbled on every stone, So eilt’ ich zu der Stadt hinaus; So hastily did I leave the town; Die Krähen warfen Bäll’ und Schlossen
The crows threw snowballs and hailstones
Auf meinen Hut von jedem Haus. at my hat from every house.
Wie anders hast du mich empfangen,
How differently did you welcome me, Du Stadt der Unbeständigkeit!
An deinen blanken Fenstern sangen
You town of infidelity!
At your bright windows sang Die Lerch’ und Nachtigall im Streit. The lark and the nightingale in competition.
Die runden Lindenbäume blühten, The round linden trees were blooming,
Die klaren Rinnen rauschten hell,
The clear streams rushed by, Und ach, zwei Mädchenaugen glühten. — And, ah, two maiden eyes were glowing, — Da war’s gescheh’n um dich, Gesell!
Kömmt mir der Tag in die Gedanken,
Then you were done for, my friend.
When that day comes into my thoughts Möcht’ ich noch einmal rückwärts seh’n, I wish to glance back once more, Möcht’ ich zurücke wieder wanken, I wish I could stumble back Vor ihrem Hause stille steh’n. And stand in silence before her house.
9. Irrlicht
(Will-O’-the-Wisp)
In die tiefsten Felsengründe
Into the deepest chasms Lockte mich ein Irrlicht hin:
A will-o’-the-wisp enticed me; Wie ich einen Ausgang finde, How I will discover a path Liegt nicht schwer mir in dem Sinn. Does not concern me much.
Bin gewohnt das Irregehen,
I am used to going astray; ‘S führt ja jeder Weg zum Ziel:
Every path leads to one goal; Uns’re Freuden, uns’re Leiden,
Our joys, our woes, Alles eines Irrlichts Spiel! Are all a will-o’-the-wisp game!
Durch des Bergstroms trock’ne Rinnen
Down the mountain stream’s dry course Wind’ ich ruhig mich hinab, I will calmly wend my way. Jeder Strom wird’s Meer gewinnen, Every stream finds the sea, Jedes Leiden auch sein Grab. Every sorrow finds its grave.
10. Rast (Rest)
Nun merk’ ich erst, wie müd’ ich bin,
Now I first notice how weary I am Da ich zur Ruh’ mich lege:
As I lay down to rest; Das Wandern hielt mich munter hin
Wandering had sustained me Auf unwirtbarem Wege.
As I walked a desolate road. Die Füsse frugen nicht nach Rast, My feet do not ask for rest, Es war zu kalt zum Stehen; It was too cold to stand still; Der Rücken fühlte keine Last, My back felt no burden, Der Sturm half fort mich wehen. The storm helped me blow along.
In eines Köhlers engem Haus
In a coal-burner’s narrow hut Hab’ Obdach ich gefunden; I have found shelter.
Doch meine Glieder ruh’n nicht aus:
Still, my limbs cannot rest, So brennen ihre Wunden. So fiercely my wounds burn. Auch du, mein Herz, in Kampf und Sturm You too, my heart, in struggles and storm
So wild und so verwegen, So wild and so bold, Fühlst in der Still’ erst deinen Wurm
Only now in the quiet do you feel the sharp sting Mit heissem Stich sich regen! of the worm that lives within you!
11. Frühlingstraum (A Dream of Springtime)
Ich träumte von bunten Blumen, I dreamt of colorful flowers So wie sie wohl blühen im Mai; Such as bloom in May; Ich träumte von grünen Wiesen, I dreamt of green meadows, Von lustigem Vogelgeschrei. Of merry bird songs.
Und als die Hähne krähten,
And when the roosters crowed, Da ward mein Auge wach; My eyes awoke; Da war es kalt und finster, It was cold and dark, Es schrien die Raben vom Dach. The ravens were shrieking on the roof.
Doch an den Fensterscheiben,
But there on the window panes, Wer malte die Blätter da? Who painted those leaves? Ihr lacht wohl über den Träumer, Do you laugh at the dreamer, Der Blumen im Winter sah? Who saw flowers in winter?
Ich träumte von Lieb’ und Liebe, I dreamt of requited love, Von einer schönen Maid, Of a beautiful girl, Von Herzen und von Küssen, Of hearts and of kisses, Von Wonne und Seligkeit. Of bliss and happiness.
Und als die Hähne krähten,
And when the roosters crowed, Da ward mein Herze wach; My heart awoke. Nun sitz ich hier alleine Now I sit here alone, Und denke dem Traume nach. And think about my dream.
Die Augen schliess’ ich wieder,
I shut my eyes again, Noch schlägt das Herz so warm. My heart still beats warmly. Wann grünt ihr Blätter am Fenster?
Wann halt’ ich mein Liebchen im Arm?
Wie eine trübe Wolke
When will you leaves on the window turn green?
When will I hold me beloved in my arms?
12. Einsamkeit (Loneliness)
As a dark cloud Durch heitre Lüfte geht, Passes through clear skies, Wenn in der Tanne Wipfel When a faint breeze wafts Ein mattes Lüftchen weht: Through the tops of the pine trees:
So zieh ich meine Strasse
So I make my way Dahin mit trägem Fuss, With heavy steps, Durch helles, frohes Leben, Through bright, joyful life, Einsam und ohne Gruss. Alone and ungreeted.
Ach, dass die Luft so ruhig!
Ah, the air is so calm, Ach, dass die Welt so licht! Ah, the world is so bright! Als noch die Stürme tobten, When the tempests were raging, War ich so elend nicht. I was not so miserable.
13. Die Post (The Post)
Von der Strasse her ein Posthorn klingt. A posthorn sounds from the street. Was hat es, dass es so hoch aufspringt, What is it that makes you leap so, Mein Herz? My heart?
Die Post bringt keinen Brief für dich.
The post brings no letter for you. Was drängst du denn so wunderlich, Why do you surge, then, so wonderfully, Mein Herz? My heart?
Nun ja, die Post kömmt aus der Stadt,
And now the post comes from the town Wo ich ein liebes Liebchen hatt’, Where once I had a true beloved, Mein Herz! My heart?
Willst wohl einmal hinüberseh’n
Do you want to look out Und fragen, wie es dort mag geh’n,
And ask how things are back there, Mein Herz? My heart?
14. Der greise Kopf (The Grey Head)
Der Reif hatt’ einen weissen Schein
The frost sprinkled a white coating Mir übers Haar gestreuet; All through my hair; Da glaubt’ ich schon ein Greis zu sein
It made me think I was already greyhaired, Und hab’ mich sehr gefreuet. And that made me very happy.
Doch bald ist er hinweggetaut,
But soon it thawed, Hab’ wieder schwarze Haare, Again my hair is black, Dass mir’s vor meiner Jugend graut — And so I grieve to have my youth — Wie weit noch bis zur Bahre!
Vom Abendrot zum Morgenlicht
How far still to the funeral bier!
From dusk to dawn Ward mancher Kopf zum Greise. Many a head has turned grey. Wer glaubt’s? und meiner ward es nicht
Who would believe it? And mine has not Auf dieser ganzen Reise!
In the whole course of this journey!
Eine Krähe war mit mir
15. Die Krähe (The Crow)
A crow was with me Aus der Stadt gezogen, From out of the town, Ist bis heute für und für Even up to this moment Um mein Haupt geflogen. It circles above my head.
Krähe, wunderliches Tier,
Crow, strange creature, Willst mich nicht verlassen? Will you not forsake me? Meinst wohl, bald als Beute hier Do you intend, very soon, Meinen Leib zu fassen? To take my corpse as food?
Nun, es wird nicht weit mehr geh’n
Well, it is not much farther An dem Wanderstabe. That I wander with my staff in hand. Krähe, lass mich endlich seh’n Crow, let me see at last Treue bis zum Grabe! A fidelity that lasts to the grave!
16. Letzte Hoffnung (Last Hope)
Hier und da ist an den Bäumen
Here and there may a colored leaf Noch ein buntes Blatt zu sehn, Be seen on the trees. Und ich bleibe vor den Bäumen And often I stand before the trees Oftmals in Gedanken steh’n.
Lost in thought.
Schaue nach dem einen Blatte, I look for a single leaf Hänge meine Hoffnung dran; On which to hang my hope; Spielt der Wind mit meinem Blatte, If the wind plays with my leaf, Zittr’ ich, was ich zittern kann. I tremble all over.
Ach, und fällt das Blatt zu Boden,
Ah! if the leaf falls to ground, Fällt mit ihm die Hoffnung ab; My hope falls with it; Fall’ ich selber mit zu Boden, And I, too, sink to the ground, Wein’ auf meiner Hoffnung Grab. Weeping at my hope’s grave.
17. Im Dorfe (In the Village)
Es bellen die Hunde, es rascheln die Ketten; The hounds are barking, their chains are rattling;
Die Menschen schnatchen in ihren Betten, People are snoring in their beds, Träumen sich manches, was sie nicht haben, They dream of the things they do not have, Tun sich im Guten und Argen erlaben; Find refreshment in good and bad things.
Und morgen früh ist alles zerflossen.
Je nun, sie haben ihr Teil genossen
And tomorrow morning everything is vanished.
Yet still, they have enjoyed their share, Und hoffen, was sie noch übrig liessen, And hope that what remains to them, Doch wieder zu finden auf ihren Kissen. Might still be found on their pillows.
Bellt mich nur fort, ihr wachen Hunde, Bark me away, you waking dogs! Lasst mich nicht ruh’n in der Let me not find rest in the hours of slumber!
Schlummerstunde!
Ich bin zu Ende mit allen Träumen. I am finished with all dreaming Was will ich unter den Schläfern säumen? Why should I linger among sleepers?
18. Der stürmische Morgen (The Stormy Morning)
Wie hat der Sturm zerrissen
See how the storm has torn apart Des Himmels graues Kleid! Heaven’s grey cloak!
Die Wolkenfetzen flattern Shreds of clouds flit about Umher im matten Streit. In weary strife.
Und rote Feuerflammen
And fiery red flames
Zieh’n zwischen ihnen hin; Burst forth among them: Das nenn’ ich einen Morgen This is what I call a morning So recht nach meinem Sinn! Exactly to my liking!
Mein Herz sieht an dem Himmel
My heart sees its own image
Gemalt sein eig’nes Bild — Painted in the sky Es ist nichts als der Winter, It is noting but winter, Der Winter, kalt und wild! Winter, cold and savage!
19. Täuschung (Delusion)
Ein Licht tanzt freundlich vor mir her, A friendly light dances before me, Ich folg’ ihm nach die Kreuz und Quer; I followed it this way and that; Ich folg’ ihm gern und seh’s ihm an, I follow it eagerly and watch its course Dass es verlockt den Wandersmann. As it lures the wanderer onward. Ach! wer wie ich so elend ist,
Ah! one that is wretched as I Gibt gern sich hin der bunten List, Yields himself gladly to such cunning, Die hinter Eis und Nacht und Graus That portrays, beyond ice, night, and horror,
Ihm weist ein helles, warmes Haus. A bright warm house. Und eine liebe Seele drin — And inside, a loving soul — Nur Täuschung ist für mich Gewinn!
Ah, my only victory is in delusion!
20. Der Wegweiser (The Signpost)
Was vermeid’ ich denn die Wege,
Why do I avoid the routes Wo die ander’n Wand’rer gehn, Which the other travelers take, Suche mir versteckte Stege To search out hidden paths Durch verschneite Felsenhöhn? Through snowy cliff tops?
Habe ja doch nichts begangen,
I have truly done no wrong Dass ich Menschen sollte scheu’n. That I should shun mankind. Welch ein törichtes Verlangen What foolish desire Treibt mich in die Wüstenein? Drives me into the wastelands?
Weiser stehen auf den Strassen,
Signposts stand along the roads, Weisen auf die Städte zu, Signposts leading to the towns; Und ich wand’re sonder Massen And I wander on and on, Ohne Ruh’ und suche Ruh’. Restlessly in search of rest.
Einen Weiser seh’ ich stehen
One signpost stands before me, Unverrückt vor meinem Blick; Remains fixed before my gaze. Eine Strasse muss ich gehen, One road I must take, Die noch keiner ging zurück. From which no one has ever returned.
21. Das Wirtshaus (The Inn)
Auf einen Totenacker
Into a graveyard Hat mich mein Weg gebracht; my path has brought me. Allhier will ich einkehren, Here would I lodge, Hab’ ich bei mir gedacht. I thought to myself.
Ihr grünen Totenkränze
You green death-wreaths Könnt wohl die Zeichen sein, might well be the signs, Die müde Wand’rer laden That invite the weary traveler Ins kühle Wirtshaus ein. into the cool inn.
Sind denn in diesem Hause
But in this house Die Kammern all’ besetzt? are all the rooms taken? Bin matt zum Niedersinken, I am weak enough to drop, Bin tödlich schwer verletzt. fatally wounded.
O unbarmherz’ge Schenke,
O unmerciful innkeeper, Doch weisest du mich ab? do you turn me away? Nun weiter denn, nur weiter, Then further on, further on, Mein treuer Wanderstab! my faithful walking stick.
Fliegt der Schnee mir ins Gesicht,
22. Mut (Courage)
The snow flies in my face, Schüttl’ ich ihn herunter. I shake it off.
Wenn mein Herz im Busen spricht, When my heart cries out in my breast, Sing’ ich hell und munter. I sing brightly and cheerfully.
Höre nicht, was es mir sagt,
I do not hear what it says, Habe keine Ohren; I have no ears, Fühle nicht, was es mir klagt, I do not feel what it laments, Klagen ist für Toren.
Lamenting is for fools.
Lustig in die Welt hinein
Merrily stride into the world Gegen Wind und Wetter! Against all wind and weather! Will kein Gott auf Erden sein, If there is no God on earth, Sind wir selber Götter! We are gods ourselves!
23. Die Nebensonnen (The Phantom Suns)
Drei Sonnen sah ich am Himmel steh’n, I saw three suns in the sky, Hab’ lang und fest sie angeseh’n; I stared at them long and hard; Und sie auch standen da so stier, And they, too, stood staring Als könnten sie nicht weg von mir.
As if unable to leave me. Ach, meine Sonnen seid ihr nicht!
Ah, but you are not my suns! Schaut ander’n doch ins Angesicht!
Stare at others in the face, then: Ja, neulich hatt’ ich auch wohl drei;
Until recently I, too, had three; Nun sind hinab die besten zwei.
Now the best two are gone. Ging nur die dritt’ erst hinterdrein!
But let the third one go, too! Im Dunkeln wird mir wohler sein.
In the darkness I will fare better.
24. Der Leiermann (The Organ-Grinder)
Drüben hinterm Dorfe
There, behind the village, Steht ein Leiermann, Stands an organ-grinder, Und mit starren Fingern
And with numb fingers Dreht er, was er kann. He plays the best he can.
Barfuss auf dem Eise
Barefoot on the ice, Wankt er hin und her; He staggers back and forth, Und sein kleiner Teller
And his little plate Bleibt ihm immer leer. Remains ever empty.
Keiner mag ihn hören,
No one wants to hear him, Keiner sieht ihn an,
No one looks at him, Und die Hunde brummen
And the hounds snarl Um den alten Mann. At the old man.
Und er lässt es gehen
And he lets it all go by, Alles, wie es will, Everything as it will, Dreht und seine Leier He plays, and his organ Steht ihm nimmer still. Is never still.
Wunderlicher Alter,
Strange old man, Soll ich mit dir geh’n?
Shall I go with you? Willst zu meinen Liedern
Will you grind out my songs Deine Leier dreh’n?
On your hurdy-gurdy?
Meet the Artists
Matthias Goerne, baritone
Matthias Goerne is one of the most versatile and internationally sought-after vocalists and a frequent guest at renowned festivals and concert halls. He has collaborated with the world’s leading orchestras, conductors, and pianists. Born in Weimar, he studied with Hans-Joachim Beyer in Leipzig and later with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.
Goerne has appeared on the world’s principal opera stages, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Teatro Real in Madrid, the Paris Opera, and the Vienna State Opera. His roles range from Wolfram, Amfortas, Wotan, Orest, and Jochanaan to the title roles in Bé la Bartó k’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle and Alban Berg’s Wozzeck. Goerne’s artistry has been documented on numerous recordings, many of which have received prestigious awards, including four Grammy® nominations, an ICMA Award, a Gramophone Award, the BBC Music Magazine Vocal Award 2017, and a Diapason d’Or arte. After his legendary recordings with Vladimir Ashkenazy and Alfred Brendel for Universal Music, he recorded a series of selected Schubert songs on 12 CDs for harmonia mundi (The Goerne/Schubert Edition) with eminent pianists. His recent recordings of Brahms songs with Christoph Eschenbach, of Schumann songs with Markus Hinterhä user, of Mahler songs with the BBC Symphony, and of Wagner arias with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra have received rave reviews.
Daniil Trifonov, piano
Grammy Award®–winning pianist Daniil Trifonov (dan-EEL TREEfon-ov) has made a spectacular ascent of the classical music world as a solo artist, champion of the concerto repertoire, chamber and vocal collaborator, and composer. Combining consummate technique with rare sensitivity and depth, his performances are a perpetual source of awe. “He has everything and more, … tenderness and also the demonic element. I never heard anything like that,” marveled pianist Martha Argerich. With Transcendental, the Liszt collection that marked his third title as an exclusive Deutsche Grammophon artist, Trifonov won the Grammy Award® for Best Instrumental Solo Album of 2018. Named Gramophone’s 2016 Artist of the Year and Musical America’s 2019 Artist of the Year, he was made a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 2021. As The Times of London notes, he is “without question the most astounding pianist of our age.”
Trifonov’s 2025–2026 season includes three performances at Carnegie Hall. He first reunites with German baritone Matthias Goerne for a performance of Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin, as the culmination of their North American tour of Schubert’s great song cycles that also sees them perform Schwanengesang in Québec City and Boston, and Winterreise in Toronto, Washington, D.C., and Dallas. After the North American performances, Trifonov and Goerne tour the cycles to multiple German and Austrian cities, as well as to Paris in the spring. In November, Trifonov returns to Carnegie Hall in the company of Cristian Măcelaru and the Orchestre National de France for two great French piano concertos: Saint-Saëns’s Second and Ravel’s jazz-inflected Piano Concerto in G. Finally, in December, Trifonov’s third Carnegie Hall appearance
Meet the Artists
of the season is a mainstage solo recital, with the same program performed throughout the season in both the U.S. and Europe. Other season highlights for Trifonov include a short duo tour in Sweden and Austria with violinist Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider; a reprise of Brahms’s Second Piano Concerto with the Cleveland Orchestra and Music Director Franz Welser-Möst, as well as three performances of the same work with the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia under the baton of Daniel Harding; and Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto with both the Cincinnati Symphony led by Măcelaru and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra—where Trifonov served as 2024–2025 artist-in-residence—led by EsaPekka Salonen.
It was during the 2010–2011 season that Trifonov won medals at three of the music world’s most prestigious competitions, taking Third Prize in Warsaw’s Chopin Competition, First Prize in Tel Aviv’s Rubinstein Competition, and both First Prize and Grand Prix—an additional honor bestowed on the best overall competitor in any category—in Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Competition. In 2013, he was awarded the prestigious Franco Abbiati Prize for Best Instrumental Soloist by Italy’s foremost music critics.
Born in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, in 1991, Trifonov began his musical training at the age of five, and went on to attend Moscow’s Gnessin School of Music as a student of Tatiana Zelikman, before pursuing his piano studies with Sergei Babayan at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has also studied composition, and continues to write for piano, chamber ensemble, and orchestra. When he premiered his own Piano Concerto, the Cleveland Plain Dealer marveled, “Even having seen it, one cannot quite believe it. Such is the artistry of pianist-composer Daniil Trifonov.”
National Symphony Orchestra
The 2025–2026 season is the National Symphony Orchestra’s 95th and Music Director Gianandrea Noseda’s ninth season. Gianandrea Noseda serves as the orchestra’s seventh music director, joining the NSO’s legacy of distinguished leaders: Christoph Eschenbach, Leonard Slatkin, Mstislav Rostropovich, Antal Doráti, Howard Mitchell, and Hans Kindler. Its artistic leadership also includes Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Steven Reineke.
Since its founding in 1931, the NSO has been committed to performances that enrich the lives of its audience and community members. In 1986, the National Symphony became an artistic affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where it has performed since the Center opened in 1971. The 96-member NSO participates in events of national and international importance, including the annual nationally televised concerts on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol, live-streamed performances on medici.tv, and local radio broadcasts on WETA Classical 90.9 FM. Since launching its eponymous recording label in 2020, the NSO has embarked on ambitious recording projects, including its first complete Beethoven Symphony cycle and the release of the first-ever cycle of George Walker’s Sinfonias, both led by Noseda. Recent projects include Four Symphonic Works by Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence Carlos Simon conducted by Noseda, and William Shatner’s So Fragile, So Blue, recorded live in the Concert Hall with the NSO under Steven Reineke. Forthcoming releases with Gianandrea Noseda include music by Gustav Mahler, William Grant Still, and Samuel Barber’s opera Vanessa.
The NSO’s community engagement and education projects are nationally recognized, and career development opportunities for young musicians include the NSO Youth Fellowship Program and its acclaimed, tuition-free Summer Music Institute.
Loud and Clear
Nine terms to know in the Concert Hall.
Symphony
An extended work with multiple sections—typically four movements.
A “symphonic” piece is a long piece with multiple interpretations of a musical idea. A repeated, transformed musical idea is called a theme.
Orchestra
A group of musicians who play together.
In the Western European tradition, an orchestra often includes the four major instrument families—brass, woodwinds, strings, and percussion. An especially large orchestra is called a symphony orchestra. A smaller orchestra is called a chamber orchestra.
Movement
A section of a musical work. Movements are often separated by silences, and they typically differ in tempo—speed.
Concerto
A piece pairing a technically advanced soloist with the support of an orchestra, usually in three movements. Though there may be multiple soloists, the contrast between a larger ensemble and a soloing group defines a concerto.
Suite
Multiple pieces intended to be performed together. Suites may take from larger works such as an opera or a ballet. For 17th- and 18th-century works, “suite” often refers to a sequence of dances in the same key.
Romantic music
Works associated with the 19th-century Romantic period. Building off of the intellectual innovation of the Romanticism movement, Romantic music emphasizes self-expression, emotion, and experimentation.
Uppercase-“C” Classical music
Works associated with the 18th-century Classical period. Characteristics include an emphasis on formal structures, balance, and clear-cut melodies. Lowercase-“c” classical music may also refer to formal compositions invested in technical depth, usually derived from the European tradition.
Fanfare
A brief piece, typically played on brass instruments with percussion accompaniment. Fanfares are often lively and ceremonial.
Tone poem
An orchestral piece meant to convey a non-musical subject such as an art piece, landscape, story, or mood.
National Symphony Orchestra
GIANANDREA NOSEDA , MUSIC DIRECTOR
The Roger Sant and Congresswoman Doris Matsui Chair
STEVEN REINEKE , PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR AND ARTISTIC ADVISOR
VIOLINS
Nurit Bar-Josef, Concertmaster
Ying Fu, Associate Concertmaster, The Jeanne Weaver Ruesch Chair
Ricardo Cyncynates, Assistant Concertmaster
Xiaoxuan Shi, Second Assistant Concertmaster
Jane Bowyer Stewart
Heather LeDoux Green
Lisa-Beth Lambert
Jing Qiao
Marina Aikawa
Peiming Lin
Derek Powell
Regino Madrid**
Meredith Riley**
Marissa Regni, Principal
Dayna Hepler, Assistant Principal
Cynthia R. Finks
Deanna Lee Bien
Glenn Donnellan
Natasha Bogachek
Carole Tafoya Evans
Jae-Yeon Kim
Wanzhen Li
Hanna Lee
Benjamin Scott
Malorie Blake Shin
Angelia Cho
Kei Sugiyama**
VIOLAS
Daniel Foster, Principal, The Mrs. John Dimick Chair
Dana Kelley, Assistant Principal
Denise Wilkinson
Nancy Thomas
Jennifer Mondie
Tsuna Sakamoto
Ruth Wicker
Mahoko Eguchi
Abigail Evans Kreuzer
Rebecca Epperson
Chiara Dieguez**
Jacob Shack**
CELLOS
David Hardy, Principal, The Hans Kindler Chair, The Strong Family and the Hattie M. Strong Foundation
Raymond Tsai, Assistant Principal
David Teie
James Lee
Rachel Young
Mark Evans
Eugena Chang Riley
Loewi Lin
Britton Riley
Noah Krauss
BASSES
Robert Oppelt, Principal
Richard Barber, Assistant Principal
Jeffrey Weisner
Ira Gold
Paul DeNola
Charles Nilles
Alexander Jacobsen
Michael Marks
HARP
Adriana Horne, Principal
FLUTES
Aaron Goldman, Principal
Leah Arsenault Barrick, Assistant Principal
Matthew Ross
Carole Bean, Piccolo
OBOES
Nicholas Stovall, Principal, The Volunteer Council Chair
Jamie Roberts, Assistant Principal
Harrison Linsey***
Kathryn Meany Wilson***, English Horn
CLARINETS
Lin Ma, Principal
Eugene Mondie, Assistant Principal
Paul Cigan
Peter Cain, Bass Clarinet
BASSOONS
Sue Heineman, Principal
David Young, Assistant Principal
Steven Wilson
Sean Gordon, Contrabassoon
HORNS
Abel Pereira, Principal, The National Trustees’ Chair
James Nickel, Acting Associate Principal
Markus Osterlund***
Scott Fearing
Robert Rearden
Geoffrey Pilkington**
TRUMPETS
William Gerlach, Principal, The Howard Mitchell Chair, The Strong Family and the Hattie M. Strong Foundation
Michael Harper, Assistant Principal
Michail Thompson
Tom Cupples
TROMBONES
Craig Mulcahy, Principal
Evan Williams, Assistant Principal
David Murray
Matthew Guilford, Bass Trombone
TUBA
Stephen Dumaine, Principal, The James V. Kimsey Chair
TIMPANI
Jauvon Gilliam, Principal, The Marion E. Glover Chair
Scott Christian, Assistant Principal
PERCUSSION
Eric Shin, Principal, The Hechinger Foundation Chair
Erin Dowrey, Assistant Principal
Scott Christian
Jason Niehoff*
KEYBOARD
Lambert Orkis, Principal
Lisa Emenheiser*
ORGAN
William Neil*
LIBRARIANS
Elizabeth Cusato Schnobrick, Principal
Zen Stokdyk, Associate
Karen Lee, Assistant
PERSONNEL
Karyn Garvin, Director
Sufyan Naaman**, Coordinator
STAGE MANAGERS
David Langrell, Manager
N. Christian Bottorff, Assistant Manager
The National Symphony Orchestra uses a system of revolving strings. In each string section, untitled members are listed in order of length of service.
*Regularly Engaged Extra Musician
** Temporary Position
***Leave of Absence
National Symphony Orchestra Staff
ADMINISTRATION
Jean Davidson, Executive Director
Sabryn McDonald, Executive Assistant
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Kasama Apfelbaum, Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis
Nigel Boon, Vice President, Artistic Planning
John Roloff, Vice President, Orchestra Operations
ARTISTIC PLANNING
Justin Ellis, Senior Producing Director
Ana Vashakmadze, Artistic Assistant Administrator
DEVELOPMENT
Kate Baker, Assistant Manager, NSO Board and Leadership Campaigns
Laney Pleasanton, Manager, NSO Individual Giving
Pamela Wardell, Senior Director of Development
EDUCATION
Stephanie Baker, Manager, Career and Development Programs
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
Eric Rubio, Director of Finance & Administration
HUMAN RESOURCES
Tony Amato, Director, Total Rewards
Chanel Kemp, Talent Acquisition Manager
Patrice McNeill, Director, HR Operations
Lisa Motti, HRIS Coordinator
Ericka Parham, Benefits Analyst
John Sanford, Senior Business Partner
MARKETING & ADVERTISING
Scott Bushnell, Senior Director, Creative and Brand Strategy
Sufyan Naaman, Personnel and Auditions Coordinator
Ava Yap, Operations Assistant
Kennedy Center Staff
Kennedy Center Staff
KENNEDY CENTER EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
KENNEDY CENTER EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
The National Symphony Orchestra also warmly acknowledges the work of the following Kennedy Center partners and their teams:
The National Symphony Orchestra also warmly acknowledges the work of the following Kennedy Center partners and their teams:
President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Ambassador Richard Grenell
President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Ambassador Richard Grenell
Chief Financial Officer Donna Arduin
Chief Financial Officer Donna Arduin
General Counsel
Elliot Berke
General Counsel Elliot Berke
Vice President of Human Resources����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� LaTa’sha M. Bowens
Senior Vice President, Development Lisa Dale
Senior Vice President, Marketing
Kim Cooper
Senior Vice President, Marketing Kimberly J. Cooper
Senior Vice President, Development Lisa Dale
Senior Vice President, Special Events Bronagh Donlon
Vice President, Public Relations
Roma Daravi
Vice President, Human Resources Ta’Sha Bowens
Vice President, Special Events
Bronagh Donlon
Vice President, Operations Matt Floca
Vice President, Education
Jordan LaSalle
Vice President, Facilities Matt Floca
Vice President, Public Relations
Roma Daravi
Director, Office of the President Rick James
Vice President, Education
Jordan LaSalle
Chief Information Officer Bob Sellappan
General Director, Washington National Opera
Timothy O’Leary
Executive Director, National Symphony Orchestra Jean Davidson
General Director, Washington National Opera
Concert Hall Staff
Concert Hall Staff
Timothy O’Leary
Chief Information Officer Bob Sellappan
Theater Manager
Allen V. McCallum Jr.
Theater Manager Allen V. McCallum Jr. Box Office Treasurer Deborah Glover
Box Office Treasurer Deborah Glover
Head Usher
Head Usher
Stage Crew
*Represented by ATPAM, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers.
The technicians at the Kennedy Center are represented by Local #22, Local #772, and Local #798 I.A.T.S.E.
AFL-CIO-CLC, the professional union of theatrical technicians.
Cathy Crocker
Zach Boutilier, Michael Buchman, Paul Johannes, April King, John Ottaviano, and Arielle Qorb
Steinway Piano Gallery is the exclusive area representative of Steinway & Sons and Boston pianos, the official pianos of the Kennedy Center.
The American Guild of Musical Artists, the union of professional singers, dancers and production personnel in opera, ballet and concert, affiliated with the AFL-CIO, represents the Artists and Staging Staff for the purposes of collective bargaining.
The box office at the Kennedy Center is represented by I.A.T.S.E, Local #868.
National Symphony Orchestra musicians are represented by the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Federation of Musicians, AFM Local 161-710.
Orchestrated Lives
Each month, the National Symphony Orchestra spotlights a different member of the Orchestra. For this program, Principal Horn Abel Pereira talks about offstage memories, the particular love affair between the cello and the horn, and the open sea.
Name: Abel Pereira
Hometown: Porto, Portugal
Instrument: Horn
Years with the NSO: 11
How did you find your way into the world of professional musicianship? When I was 14, before I went to art school, I thought I was going to become a fisherman just like my dad. Then I met this horn teacher, and he said, “You have two options. One is you spend the week fishing—going to the ocean and taking risks and being on a boat. Then you can come on weekends and play some music with the community band. Or you practice, practice, practice, and one day you will spend the whole week playing music. Then on weekends you can go on a boat and enjoy yourself.” I thought, “Well, I guess [the second’s] a better option for me,” and that's basically what I've been doing.
Have you been able to get out to the water much during your tenure? I have a boat that I like to take out. I spend the weekend days enjoying the water, because I miss that part of my life. There’s a good complement between music and the ocean. We don't have the ocean, unfortunately, but we have the bay. We have the river. It’s fine.
What attracted you to the horn? The sound of the horn can be powerful, but it can also be very mellow. It can be soft and kind, but it can also be harsh and aggressive. Some people say that the cello is the closest instrument to the human voice, but I would say it’s the horn as well as the cello. In a lot of the symphonic repertoire, the horn passages are together with the celli and violas. I think it's because the composers realized that the sound of the horn can match very, very well with the cello. It can also match very well with the woodwinds, but, curiously, it's a brass instrument. We are kind of amphibious.
What is one favorite memory from your time with the NSO? I have many great memories, right from the start during my trial year. In April of that first season, I was offered the job, which is unusual because usually it takes at least one entire season. I remember that was the week of Mahler [Symphony No.] 5, which is a big, big piece for the horn. I have a great memory of being on stage and being told by the orchestra manager that I got the job. I got very excited.
And offstage? You know, whenever we go on tour, we play in different halls every night, and it's always very, very exciting to bring our music to other cultures and let them know what we're doing here. Offstage, too. During the tours, we have more opportunities to hang out with other colleagues and friends—go out for dinner, have a drink, or just walk around visiting. Those memories will stay forever.
Support your ORCHESTRA
The mission of the National Symphony Orchestra, an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, is to engage audiences locally, across the country, and around the world through excellence in performance and education. Each year, the NSO offers approximately 150 concerts as well as some of the country’s most extensive community and educational programming. It regularly participates in events of national and international importance, including performances for state occasions, high-level government events, and regularly televised holiday appearances for Capitol Concerts and local radio broadcasts on WETA, making the NSO one of the most-heard orchestras in the country.
Give your support in this 95th season by becoming a Member, joining the NSO Circles, or pledging a Legacy Gift. Visit tkc.co/SupportNSO or scan the QR code.
Thank You to Kennedy Center Supporters
The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees
National Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors
Washington National Opera Board of Trustees
The Kennedy Center President’s Council
The Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts
President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts
National Committee for the Performing Arts
National Symphony Orchestra National Trustees
The Kennedy Center Circles Board
The Kennedy Center Community Advisory Board
The Kennedy Center Corporate Fund Board
The Kennedy Center 50th Anniversary Committee
Corporate Donors
Individual and Foundation Donors
Endowment Gifts, Bequests, and Legacy Donors
Building the Future Campaign Donors
Visit tkc.co/Support for a full listing of donors and to learn how you can join us by becoming a Member.
Andrew Geraci
Don Juan & Romeo and Juliet | Grimaud plays Gershwin
Awaken your heart Strauss’ Don Juan, a man’s restless pursuit of passion; and Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, a tale of love at its purest. Led by Jader Bignamini, the concert also features Gershwin’s jazz-infused Piano Concerto in F with Hélène Grimaud.
October 30–November 1, 2025
NSO Presents: Alexandre Kantorow
Alexandre Kantorow is the youngest winner of the Gilmore Artist Award—one of the world’s most prestigious piano prizes. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience Kantorow’s artistry, sensitivity, and technical prowess.
Please note: the NSO does not perform on this program.
November 1, 2025 at 3 p.m.
Steven’s Classical Mixtape
NSO Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Steven Reineke brings the playlist of his dreams to life! Steven’s Classical Mixtape is packed with unforgettable melodies—from Boléro to Clair de Lune, Nimrod, and Pines of Rome, plus a few surprises along the way.
November 7 & 8, 2025 at 8 p.m.
Mat Hennek
Sasha Gusov
2025–2026 CLASSICAL SEASON PERFORMANCE CALENDAR
Don Juan & Romeo and Juliet
Grimaud plays Gershwin
Thu., Oct. 30, 2025 at 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31, 2025 at 11:30 a.m.
Sat., Nov. 1, 2025 at 8 p.m.
NSO Presents*
Alexandre Kantorow
Sat., Nov. 1, 2025 at 3 p.m.
Saint-Saëns’ “Organ Symphony” Ohlsson plays Beethoven
Thu., Nov. 13, 2025 at 7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 14, 2025 at 11:30 a.m.
Sat., Nov. 15, 2025 at 8 p.m.
Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Ferrández plays Lutosławski
Thu., Nov. 20, 2025 at 7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 22, 2025 at 8 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 23, 2025 at 3 p.m.
Handel’s Messiah
Thu., Dec. 18, 2025 at 7 p.m.
Fri., Dec. 19, 2025 at 8 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 20, 2025 at 8 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 21, 2025 at 1 p.m.
The Rite of Spring Trifonov plays Brahms
Thu., Jan. 15, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 16, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 17, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Songs of Destiny & Fate
Thu., Jan. 22, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 23, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 24, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Le Poème Divin
Brahms’ Double Concerto
Thu., Jan. 29, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 30, 2026 at 11:30 a.m.
Sat., Jan. 31, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Shostakovich’s Eighth Abduraimov plays Tchaikovsky
Thu., Feb. 5, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 6, 2026 at 11:30 a.m.
Sat., Feb. 7, 2026 at 8 p.m.
American Mosaic
Thu., Feb. 19, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 21, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 22, 2026 at 3 p.m.
Shaham & Shaham play Reena Esmail
Robertson conducts Sibelius’ Fifth
Thu., Feb. 26, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 27, 2026 at 11:30 a.m.
Sat., Feb. 28, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Hahn & Woods play
Carlos Simon Brahms’ Third
Thu., Mar. 12, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 13, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 14, 2026 at 8 p.m.
NSO Presents*
Alexandra Dovgan
Sat., Mar. 14, 2026 at 3 p.m.
Death and Transfiguration
Khachatryan plays Sibelius
Thu., Apr. 2, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Fri., Apr. 3, 2026 at 11:30 a.m.
Sat., Apr. 4, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Bruckner’s Seventh Gerlach plays Haydn
Fri., Apr. 10, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 11, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Mozart’s “Jupiter” & Bach’s Brandenburg No. 1
Wed., Apr. 15, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Thu., Apr. 16, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Fri., Apr. 17, 2026 at 8 p.m.
*Please note: The National Symphony Orchestra does not perform in these concerts.
NSO Presents*
Khatia Buniatishvili
Fri., Apr. 24, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Opera in Concert
Puccini’s Il trittico
Wed., Apr. 29, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Fri., May 1, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Renée Fleming’s Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene
Fri., May 29, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Sat., May 30, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Cann plays Coleman
Fri., June 5, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Sat., June 6, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Philip Glass’ “Lincoln”
Dalene plays Barber
Fri., June 12, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Sat., June 13, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Concerts for Young Audiences
Halloween Spooktacular
Trick or treat over to the Concert Hall for some scary good tunes! The Concert Hall transforms into a ghostly sight when ghoulishly attired National Symphony Orchestra musicians perform spooky fun classics—new and old. Join in the fun of this Halloween celebration concert, conducted by Evan Roider. Most enjoyed by ages 5+
October 26, Concert Hall
Musical Tails
A National Symphony Orchestra piano quintet takes you on a journey through the timeless tales of the Mother Goose Suite by Maurice Ravel and the magical world of tails from Camille Saint-Saëns’ The Carnival of the Animals. The young and young-at-heart are invited to listen and experience these playful stories narrated in English and Spanish and performed through chamber music. Most enjoyed by ages 5+
January 24 & 25, Family Theater
Told through a mesmerizing hybrid of animated and live action filming, a magical Sprite embarks on a musical journey through the inner workings of an orchestra! Violin strings vibrate, brass valves slice air, and drumheads resonate like you’ve never seen before—all set to live music from the National Symphony Orchestra.
March 29, Concert Hall
Take home... a musical memory.
Mozart Magic Flute Earrings
These exquisite earrings bring Mozart’s masterpiece to life with fluteinspired details that create a visual symphony. $42
NSO Cap and T-shirt
Our new National Symphony Orchestra cap and tee let you show your pride in our world-class symphony. $30 each
Make Your Own Music Mug
No better way to start your day than with a coffee mug imprinted with blank sheet music and sticker notes so you can compose your own melody. $20
Visit our two gift shops on Level A and in the Hall of States. Shop online 24/7 at tkc.co/shop
