Upbeat Live brings you closer to the music through engaging pre-concert talks with scholars, guest artists, and LA Phil musicians. Explore the stories, ideas, history, and cultural context behind the program before the concert begins.

Upcoming talks

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nov 6–8, 2026

Daniel Harding Leads Bernstein & Brahms

Speaker: Thomas Neenan

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nov 13 & 15, 2026

Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony

Plus works by Sibelius and Childs

Speaker: Marc Gaspard Bolin

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nov 20–22, 2026

Ravel, Falla & Ortiz

Speaker: Russell Steinberg

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vie  dic 4, 2026  8pm

Simply Beethoven Festival

“Eroica” and Piano Concerto No. 1 with Dudamel

Speaker: Zach Neufeld

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sáb  dic 5, 2026  8pm

Simply Beethoven Festival

“Eroica” and Piano Concerto No. 2 with Dudamel

Speaker: Tiffany Kuo

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dom  dic 6, 2026  2pm

Simply Beethoven Festival

“Eroica” and Piano Concerto No. 3 with Dudamel

Speaker: Kristi Brown-Montesano

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dic 10–13, 2026

Simply Beethoven Festival

Dudamel Conducts the Fifth Symphony and Piano Concerto No. 4

Speaker: Alan Chapman

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dic 18–20, 2026

Celebrating Christmas with Le Concert d’Astrée

Speaker: Thomas Neenan

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ene 8–10, 2027

Daniel Harding Leads Strauss

Speaker: Christopher Russell

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dom  ene 10, 2027  7:30pm

Michael Hey

Organ Recital

Speaker: Zach Neufeld

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ene 14–17, 2027

Simply Beethoven Festival

The “Emperor” Concerto and Symphony No. 4

Speaker: Alan Chapman

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ene 21–24, 2027

Mitsuko Uchida & Esa-Pekka Salonen

Speaker: Tiffany Kuo

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mar  ene 26, 2027  8pm

Rituals Festival

A Day in the Life

Green Umbrella New Music Series

Speaker: Ara Guzelimian

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ene 29–31, 2027

Salonen Leads Smith & Sibelius

Speaker: Ara Guzelimian

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feb 5–7, 2027

Rituals Festival

One Morning Turns Into an Eternity with Esa-Pekka Salonen

Speaker: Geoffrey Pope

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feb 11–14, 2027

Rituals Festival

Requiem
Esa-Pekka Salonen Conducts Mozart and Ligeti

Speaker: Celina Kintscher

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feb 18–21, 2027

Fountains and Pines of Rome

Speaker: Geoffrey Pope

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jue  feb 25, 2027  8pm

Minimalist Icons Festival

Wolfe & Mattingly

Green Umbrella New Music Series

Speaker: Thomas Kotcheff

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feb 26–27, 2027

Minimalist Icons Festival

Vasks, Pärt & Górecki

Speaker: Veronika Krausas

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dom  mar 7, 2027  2pm

Minimalist Icons Festival

Steve Reich

Speaker: Geoffrey Pope

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dom  mar 7, 2027  7:30pm

Olivier Latry

Organ Recital

Speaker: Zach Neufeld

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mar 12–13, 2027

Minimalist Icons Festival

Anna Handler Conducts Philip Glass

Speaker: Tiffany Kuo

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mar  mar 16, 2027  8pm

John Adams/Rhythmic Lines

Green Umbrella New Music Series

Speaker: Tiffany Kuo

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mar 18–20, 2027

Mozart & Brahms

Speaker: Christian Campos

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mar 25 & 27, 2027

Dvořák’s “New World”

Speaker: Brian Lauritzen

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abr 2–4, 2027

Nicola Benedetti Plays Mendelssohn

Speaker: Christopher Russell

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abr 9–11, 2027

Schumann’s Piano Concerto

Speaker: Michael Basak

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abr 16–18, 2027

Minimalist Icons Festival

John Adams

Speaker: Marc Gaspard Bolin

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abr 23–25, 2027

Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto

Speaker: Kristi Brown-Montesano

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mar  abr 27, 2027  8pm

James McVinnie’s Power Switch

Green Umbrella New Music Series

Speaker: Geeta Dayal

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abr 29 & may 1, 2027

Schumann’s Third Symphony

Speaker: Rachel Iba

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may 6–9, 2027

Dudamel Leads Prokofiev & Stravinsky

Speaker: Michael Basak

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may 13–16, 2027

Rituals Festival

The Rite of Spring with Salonen

Speaker: Rachel Iba

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dom  may 16, 2027  7:30pm

Nathaniel Gumbs

Organ Recital

Speaker: Thomas Neenan

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may 20 & 22–23, 2027

Chopin’s First Piano Concerto with Hayato Sumino

Speaker: Russell Steinberg

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mar  may 25, 2027  8pm

Water Dreams and Air Songs

Green Umbrella New Music Series

Speaker: Jason King

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may 27–28 & 30, 2027

John Williams & Mahler with Anna Handler

Speaker: Kristi Brown-Montesano

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Upbeat Live Podcast

Continue exploring the music with recordings of select Upbeat Live talks, available wherever you listen to podcasts and on our website.

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