The Los Angeles Master Chorale, under the leadership of Kiki & David Gindler Artistic Director Grant Gershon, today unveiled its 2025-26 season lineup at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The season promises a compelling journey through choral music, featuring monumental classical works, cherished holiday events, and three world premieres commissioned from contemporary composers Jeff Beal, Marques L. A. Garrett, and Hyowon Woo. Associate Artistic Director Jenny Wong will also lead a program during the season.
The newly announced season explores themes of human connection, the natural world, and the unifying power of music. Performances will range from Beethoven, Verdi, and Mozart masterpieces to innovative contemporary pieces, alongside popular participatory singing events and expanded holiday offerings. Subscriptions are available now, with single tickets going on sale August 1, 2025.
“The Master Chorale’s 2025-26 season is a profound exploration of our connection to the natural world and to each other, the monumental power of music, and the unifying strength of the human spirit,” said Grant Gershon. “From the resonance of water in Sound Waves to the stirring calls for solidarity in Górecki’s Miserere, we are reminded of our shared humanity and the unique power of coming together through song.”
Season Highlights: Classics Reimagined and Contemporary Explorations
The season officially opens on October 5, 2025, with “TWO TITANS: THE MUSIC OF BEETHOVEN AND VERDI,” showcasing Beethoven’s radiant Mass in C and Verdi’s profound Four Sacred Pieces.
Audience participation takes center stage on November 9, 2025, with “LA SINGS! WHAT A BEAUTIFUL CITY.” In collaboration with MUSE/IQUE and led by Gershon and Rachael Worby, this mega sing-along invites attendees to become the choir, performing popular songs like “This Land Is Your Land” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lang’s “before and after nature” receives its Los Angeles premiere on November 16, 2025. Performed with the Bang on a Can All-Stars and featuring video projections by Tal Rosner, the work meditates on the natural world before and after human impact.
On April 19, 2026, the Chorale presents “MOZART’S REQUIEM,” the composer’s final, mysterious masterpiece. The program pairs this iconic work with Fanny Mendelssohn’s poignant Oratorio on Words from the Bible (Cholera Cantata).
World Premieres and Commissioned Works
The season features three significant world premieres:
Common Ground: The Music of Górecki and Jeff Beal (February 1, 2026)
Associate Artistic Director Jenny Wong conducts Henryk Górecki’s moving Miserere, inspired by the Polish Solidarity movement, alongside the world premiere of The Beatitudes by five-time Emmy®-winning composer Jeff Beal (known for House of Cards, Monk).
Sound Waves: The Music of Esmail, Garrett, and Woo (May 31, 2026)
This program explores the theme of water and features Malhaar: A Requiem for Water by former Swan Family Artist-in-Residence Reena Esmail, which blends Western and Hindustani traditions. It also includes world premiere commissions from rising American composer Marques L. A. Garrett and innovative South Korean composer Hyowon Woo.
Beloved Holiday Traditions Return and Expand
The Master Chorale’s popular holiday programming returns in December 2025:
- English Cathedral Christmas (Dec 14): Music spanning centuries.
- Festival of Carols (Dec 20): Traditional carols from around the globe.
- Handel’s Messiah (Dec 21): The timeless oratorio masterpiece.
- Messiah Sing-Along (Dec 22): Audience members join as the chorus.
- Carols on the Plaza (Dec 22): A free community sing-along event.
New this year is Carols for Kids! (Dec 20, 11 a.m.), a family-friendly concert designed for young children, featuring favorite carols and pre-concert activities including photos with Santa.
Ticket Information
Subscriptions for the 2025-26 season start at $108 and are available now via phone (213-972-7282) or online at lamasterchorale.org/subscribe. Single tickets for all performances will be available starting August 1, 2025.
Additional Engagements and Tours
The Los Angeles Master Chorale will also appear with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for several engagements at the Hollywood Bowl and Walt Disney Concert Hall throughout the 2025-26 season, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel and Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Furthermore, the Chorale embarks on tour:
- November 18, 2025: before and after nature at Krannert Center, University of Illinois.
- February 10–16, 2026: Music to Accompany a Departure tour (Princeton, Yale, Chapel Hill).
- February 19–March 3, 2026: Korea Tour.
