The National Concert Hall Announces its New Classical Music Season for 2025 featuring World-Class Performers, Milestone Celebrations, Landmark Premieres  & Family Friendly Concerts

The National Concert Hall (NCH), home of National Symphony Orchestra Ireland (NSOI), National Symphony Chorus Ireland (NSCI), Cór na nÓg and Cor Linn, today unveils its classical music Season 2025 (Autumn/Winter) – a bold, vibrant programme celebrating the best in Irish and international music, with major world and Irish premieres, household names and milestone celebrations, from September to December 2025.

Programme highlights include: a 90th birthday celebration of Arvo Pärt with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir; a 40th anniversary celebration of National Symphony Chorus Ireland with guests; a 75th Birthday celebration concert for Bill Whelan with NSOI and guests; a Lifetime Achievement Award for Irish composer Jane O’Leary with NSOI and ConTempo Quartet; performances by global superstars Nicola Benedetti (violin) and guests; Isata and Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and violinist Tai Murray with Europe's first majority Black and ethnically diverse orchestra, Chineke! for their 10th anniversary; Hungary’s mighty Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra with UK pianist Paul Lewis; world and Irish premieres by American composers Bryce Dessner and Cindy McTee, Grammy-nominated Anna Clyne, Master of the King’s Music Errollyn Wallen, Sir Stephen Hough, Fedora Prize-winner Michael Gallen, Rhona Clarke, and more; a concert performance of Bizet’s Carmen with NSOI and guests Noah Stewart and Natalie Kutateladze; a ‘Discover’ programme of family concerts led by Artist-in-Residence Jessie Grimes guiding young listeners through orchestral masterpieces, Culture Night events, and live film scores with NSOI including Home Alone and Psycho.

As part of its commitment to making music accessible to all, the NCH is proud to offer tickets to its main stage classical concerts as part of the Season starting from just €15. Students can enjoy €10 tickets, while additional concessions and savings of up to 20% are available through multi-buy packages. With no extra booking fees, these initiatives ensure that world-class music remains within reach of the widest possible audience.

“The 2025 Season reflects the National Concert Hall’s ambition to be a vibrant, inclusive home for music that is open to all,” said Maura McGrath, Chairperson and Robert Read, CEO of the National Concert Hall. “We are proud to present a programme that not only showcases extraordinary international and Irish talent and groundbreaking new work, but also nurtures emerging voices and champions accessibility for every member of our community. As we look to the future, our vision is clear: to inspire, innovate, and ensure that the power of live music is available for all. Today’s announcement, and our forthcoming 2026 season, to be revealed later this year, takes us one step closer to the planned redevelopment of our Earlsfort Terrace home into a world-class music campus. We will not only be transforming a space, but shaping a future where the National Concert Hall, together with National Symphony Orchestra Ireland, National Symphony Chorus Ireland, Cor Linn and Cór na nÓg remains a cornerstone of national cultural life, serving communities and artists across Ireland for generations.

We would like to extend our thanks to Travel Department for their support of the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland for the opening concert of the season, to our presenting partners, co-commissioners, corporate associates, Patrons and Friends for their ongoing support of NCH, and to Minister O’Donovan and The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for their continuing commitment to the National Concert Hall and its family of ensembles”.

National Symphony Orchestra Ireland

NSOI opens the 2025 Season in style with the Irish premiere of Timepiece by American composer Cindy McTee and Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben led by the distinguished American conductor Leonard Slatkin. Joining them will be French pianist David Fray for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in a much anticipated concert, supported by Travel Department, Ireland’s leading provider of guided group holidays.

The NSOI season of bold new music and timeless masterworks continues with almost weekly concerts at the NCH featuring: a roster of world-class conductors such as: Jessica Cottis, Hans Graf, Anna Rakitina, David Brophy and Anja Bihlmaier and a line-up of distinguished soloists, to include; American pianist Michelle Cann (for Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement), Spain’s María Dueñas (for Beethoven’s Violin Concerto), Ireland’s Mairéad Hickey (for Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto)*, Tchaikovsky competition winner, cellist Anastasia Kobekina (Dessner’s Trembling Earth) and Boris Giltburg (for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 15) so much more.
A concert performance of Bizet’s Carmen with an exceptional cast including Noah Stewart (Don José), Natalie Kutateladze (Carmen), Sarah Brady (Micaëla), and Gyula Nagy (Escamillo), led by conductor Jessica Cottis, joined by National Symphony Chorus Ireland and Cór na nÓg under directors David Young and Mary Amond O’Brien respectively.
 

 A Year of Milestones

Celebrated Irish composer Jane O’Leary, and founding member of Aosdána, Concorde Ensemble and Music for Galway, receives the 2025 NCH Lifetime Achievement Award at a special concert featuring her work Triptych performed by NSOI and ConTempo Quartet, under the baton of Kensho Watanabe. 
National Symphony Chorus Ireland celebrates its 40th anniversary with a major concert with NSOI under conductor Gerhard Markson featuring guests: Ailish Tynan (soprano), Anna Stéphany (mezzo-soprano), Sunnyboy Dladla (tenor) and James Atkinson (baritone) for works by Wagner, Bruckner and Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 ‘The Great’.
A celebratory concert for Bill Whelan’s 75th birthday, with NSOI and Gavin Maloney, conductor, featuring Zoë Conway (fiddle), Tara Howley (uilleann pipes), and Séamus Ó Flatharta (voice, harp, whistle) and Damien Mullane (accordion).
 

World-Renowned International Orchestras, Choirs and Musicians

As part of her first solo tour for more than a decade, acclaimed Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti returns to perform classics by Sarasate, Clara Schumann, Vaughan Williams and Paganini alongside new works and arrangements of traditional Scottish music. Guests: Plínio Fernandes (guitar) and Samuele Telari (accordion).
Superstar siblings, cellist and pianist Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason and American violinist Tai Murray join Chineke! Orchestra, Europe's first majority Black and ethnically diverse orchestra, for their 10th anniversary featuring a world premiere by Master of the King’s Music ’24, Errollyn Wallen.
Philip Glass Explored - a unique recital of works by one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century, Philip Glass, for organ and piano with James McVinnie and Maki Namekawa to include his Piano Etudes, No. 11 & 20, ‘Award Montage’ from Mishima and more.
The mighty Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra, one of Hungary’s oldest ensembles with more than 100 years of history, makes a welcome return with Chief Conductor András Keller and distinguished British pianist Paul Lewis, for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and more.
Named by The Economist as one of 20 Living Polymaths, British pianist Sir Stephen Hough, is regarded as a true renaissance man, a leading concert pianist, writer, composer and painter. He joins Viano Quartet in an eagerly awaited recital to include the Irish premiere of Hough’s Piano Quintet Les noces Rouges.
A tribute to Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, for his 90th birthday, with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, conductor Tõnu Kaljuste and organist Kadri Toomoja.
 

World & Irish Premieres

The 2025 Season presents an array of bold new commissions, including world-premieres by:

American composer Bryce Dessner’s Trembling Earth - co-commissioned by NSOI, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Konzerthaus Berlin and Borletti-Buitoni Trust.
Celebrated Irish composer Bill Whelan for his 75th birthday concert.
Renowned Irish composer Rhona Clarke’s Points of Light, co-commissioned by NSOI and NSCI, for its 40th anniversary celebration.
Landmark Irish premieres will also feature across the season with compositions by:

2025 Fedora prize-winner Michael Gallen - Bád ón Alltar - for culture night, co-commissioned by NSOI, Ulster Orchestra, L’Orchestre National de Bretagne.
Master of the King’s Music 2024 Errollyn Wallen - Flourish - for Chineke’s 10th anniversary concert.
Sir Stephen Hough and his Viano Quartet of Hough’s Piano Quintet Les noces Rouges
Grammy-nominated Anna Clyne‘s Oceans and American composer Cindy McTee’s Timepiece will both be performed by NSOI.
Composer Lab Public Workshops return in partnership with the Contemporary Music Centre and RTÉ lyric FM, nurturing the next generation of Irish composers: Solfa Carlile, Elis Czernick, Bianca Gannon and Caterina Schembri, all facilitated by David Fennessy and featuring NSOI.
 

Discover Family-Friendly and Accessible Events

Based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, the popular animated adventure Zog and The Highway Rat film screenings with NSOI and Terry Davies, conductor present the ideal opportunity to introduce children to live orchestral music.
Symphony Shorts - younger audiences are encouraged to discover orchestral masterpieces, Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet and Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker in a relaxed, ASD friendly performance by the NSOI, led by NCH Artist-in-Residence, Jessie Grimes**.
NSOI’s Christmas Lunchtime Concert, a festive and fun jamboree of seasonal favourites with Christopher Bell returns, a favourite with audiences year on year.
A vibrant Culture Night programme blending classical, traditional, and world music, features conductor David Brophy, Persian/Irish ensemble Navá, renowned Irish singer/flute player, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, violinist Sarah Brazil, viola and vocals, Maria Ryan, piano and vocals, Michael Gallen, fiddle and vocals, Dónal O Connor with the NSOI.***
Live Screenings of seasonal family favourites; Home Alone with NSOI Ireland and Cór na nÓg and Alfred Hitchcock’s classical Hollywood thriller, Psycho conducted by movie music specialist Anthony Gabriele.
Music in the Classroom: Leaving Certificate: An overview of Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique will be presented by Artist-in-Residence Jessie Grimes with NSOI.
 

View the full 2025 Season (Autumn/Winter) here or attached. 

*The NSOI concert with soloist Mairéad Hickey to perform Tchaikovsky’s much-loved Violin Concerto will be performed in City Hall, Cork on the 18th of October 2025.

 **Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpretation will be made available on the day, and a visual guide available in advance of the concert. 

Pre-Concert Talks, for main evening concerts, will be scheduled and free to attend for ticket holders. Workshops and masterclasses with artists from across the season will also be scheduled, details of which will be announced in due course.

 

TICKETING/DISCOUNTS

Tickets to all main stage concerts from €15.
Savings of up to 20% on multi-buy concert packages.
Savings of up to 30% on NCH Friends Gala concert for NCH Friends/Patrons
Group Discounts of up to 20% on 40+ tickets or 10% on 10-40 tickets.
Limited Student Tickets available at €10
Concessions available for all concerts: 50% discount for persons with Disability and carers; 5% Discount for senior citizens and unwaged.
Family Friendly price options available for family concerts.

WHEN TO BOOK

NCH Patrons and NCH Season Friends Friday 30 May, 6pm | NCH Friends Wednesday 4 June, 10am | General Bookers & Groups Friday 6 June, 10am
***Note: Culture Night (19 September) tickets are free but ticketed. Tickets can be allocated as part of Multi-buy Packages from 30 May onwards. Individual tickets available in August.
HOW TO BOOK

Online: www.nch.ie | Phone: NCH Box Office Tel: +353 (0)1 417 0000 [Opening Hours: Monday to Friday,10am – 2pm] | NCH Friends Dedicated Booking Line: Tel: +353 (0)1 408 6777 | NCH Friends Membership Office: Tel: + 353 (0)1 417 0067. E-mail: Friends@nch.ie | In Person: NCH Box Office [Opening Hours, Monday to Friday, 10am – 6pm and 2 hours prior to Main Stage evening concerts]
 

ENDS

Media Contacts: Rosita Wolfe, Head of Communications, NCH rosita.wolfe@nch.ie / 087 4053034 | Sinead Doyle, Communications, NCH sinead.doyle@nch.ie / 087 1775334 | Roisin Dwyer, Communications, NCH roisin.dwyer@nch.ie or 085-7129628.| Assumpta Lawless, Communications, NSOI Assumpta.lawless@nch.ie 087-2904168 | Ruth Kielty, Communications, NSOI ruth.kielty@nch.ie

ABOUT THE NATIONAL CONCERT HALL: Located in the heart of Dublin beside the beautiful Iveagh Gardens, the National Concert Hall (NCH) has been Ireland’s leading cultural institution for music since 1981. Home to National Symphony Orchestra Ireland, National Symphony Chorus Ireland, Cór na nÓg and Cor Linn and resident ensembles - Chamber Choir Ireland, Irish Baroque Orchestra, Crash Ensemble, Music Generation, Music Network - the NCH plays a pivotal role in ensuring access to and enjoyment of live music performance of all genres for Irish people everywhere. Looking forward, the NCH’s ambitious redevelopment under Project Ireland 2040 will further elevate its contribution to the arts and the musical landscape of Ireland for generations to come.

NOTE TO EDITOR: The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) has been renamed National Symphony Orchestra Ireland (NSOI). The Orchestra transferred from RTÉ to the National Concert Hall in January 2022. Since then, it has embarked on a rebuilding programme—recruiting players, making key appointments to fill vacant seats, and growing audience capacity over the last two seasons. As NSOI continues to expand its international profile working with key artistic collaborators and developing its identity, this brand refresh strengthens its positioning, particularly as it plans for touring during the National Concert Hall’s redevelopment programme. 

The National Symphony Chorus (NSC) has been renamed National Symphony Chorus Ireland (NSCI), mirroring NSOI’s new identity. The Chorus also transferred from RTÉ to the National Concert Hall in January 2022 and continues to perform to full houses in its concerts with NSOI. NCH Cór na nÓg (Children’s Choir) and NCH Cór Linn (Youth Choir), which also transferred from RTÉ, complete the National Concert Hall’s family of choirs. 

The National Concert Hall’s Learning and Participation Programme has rebranded as NCH Discover. This change enables us to better spotlight and elevate this important pillar of our activity—one that engages audiences of all ages through programmes focused on learning, health and wellbeing, community outreach, and musical development.  

The commencement of construction on the NCH Discover Centre will be the first phase of the National Concert Hall’s redevelopment. This will transform the former UCD School of Medicine into a dedicated hub for music learning and participation. Spanning 1,400 square metres, the new Centre will include recital and workshop spaces, offices, and upgraded facilities—all designed with universal access in mind. The project both honours the historic legacy of the site and reimagines it as an inclusive space for musical exploration. The strategic realignment of National Symphony Orchestra Ireland, National Symphony Chorus Ireland, NCH Cór Linn, NCH Cór na nÓg, and NCH Discover repositions these important pillars within the National Concert Hall’s family of brands, and allows us to strengthen the Hall’s role as a vibrant cultural hub for the nation.

NATIONAL CONCERT HALL SEASON 2025 (AUTUMN/WINTER) – AT GLANCE

12.09.25, 7.30pm - NSOI, Leonard Slatkin conductor & David Fray, piano for Mozart’s Piano Concert No. 20, Cindy McTee & Strauss.

19.09.25, 7.30pm - Culture Night with NSOI: David Brophy, conductor, Navá & guests Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Maria Ryan, Michael Gallen, Dónal O Connor.

 21.09.25, 12.30pm, 3pm & 5pm - Family: Discover The Highway Rat and Zog screening with NSOI & Terry Davies, conductor.

 29.09.25,10am & 1.30pm – Composer Lab Public Workshop with NSOI, Gavin Maloney, conductor and mentor David Fennessy.

 30.09.25, 8pm - Chineke! Orchestra 10th Anniversary, cellist and pianist Sheku & Isata Kanneh Mason, Tai Murray, violin & Kevin John Edusi, conductor.

 03.10.25, 7.30pm – NSOI, Hans Graf, conductor & María Dueñas for Beethoven’s Violin Concerto and Prokofiev.

 05.10.25, 12.30pm - Family: Symphony Shorts – Discover Romeo and Juliet with NSOI, Gavin Maloney, conductor & presenter/Artist-in-Residence Jessie Grimes.

 05.10.25, 7.30pm - Philip Glass Explored with Maki Namekawa, piano and James McVinnie, organ.

 07.10.25, 8pm - Sir Stephen Hough, piano with Viano Quartet for Irish premiere of Hough’s Piano Quintet, Mozart & Dvořák.

 10.10.25, 7.30pm - NSOI: Carmen (Concert performance) guests: Natalia Kutateladze, Sarah Brady, Noah Stewart, Gyula Nagy, National Symphony Chorus Ireland & Cór na nÓg, with Jessica Cottis, conductor.

 17.10.25, 7.30pm (18.10.25, 7.30pm City Hall, Cork) - Shostakovich 50 - NSOI: Anna Rakitina, conductor & Mairéad Hickey, violin for Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto & Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5.

24.10.25, 7.30pm - NCH Lifetime Achievement Award: Jane O’Leary. NSOI, ConTempo Quartet, Kensho Watanabe, conductor. Highlight: Jane O’Leary’s Triptych.

31.10.25, 7.30pm - Psycho: Live Screening In Concert with NSOI & Anthony Gabriele, conductor.

07.11.25, 7.30pm - NSOI: André de Ridder, conductor & Anastasia Kobekina, cello. Highlights: Bryce Dessner world premiere & Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3.

21.11.25, 7.30pm - Bill Whelan at 75: NSOI & Gavin Maloney, conductor with guests Zoë Conway, Tara Howley, Séamus Ó Flatharta, Damien Mullane, accordion.

23.11.25, 7.30pm – Nicola Benedetti, violin with Plínio Fernandes, guitar, and Samuele Telari, accordion.

25.11.25, 10.30am & 12.30pm - Music in the Classroom: Leaving Certificate with NSOI & presenter Jessie Grimes.

28.11.25, 7.30pm - National Symphony Chorus Ireland – 40th Anniversary Celebration with NSOI, Gerhard Markson, conductor & guests: Ailish Tynan, Anna Stéphany, Sunnyboy Dladla, James Atkinson.

29.11.25 7.30pm - Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra. András Keller, director & Paul Lewis, piano for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3.

05.12.25, 7.30pm - NSOI: with Anja Bihlmaier & Boris Giltburg, piano for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 15.

09.12.25, 1.05pm - NSOI: Christmas Lunchtime with Christopher Bell, conductor for seasonal favourites.

09.12.25, 8pm - Arvo Pärt at 90: Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Tõnu Kaljuste, conductor & Kadri Toomoja, organ.

12.12.25, 7.30pm - NSOI: Patrik Ringborg, conductor & Michelle Cann, piano for Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement.

13.12.25, 12.30pm - Family: Symphony Shorts – Discover Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker with NSOI, Patrik Ringborg, conductor & Jessie Grimes, presenter.

17.12.25 8pm – Live Screening of Home Alone in Concert with live orchestra, NSOI, Cór na nÓg & Ernst van Tiel, conductor.

18.12.25 4pm & 8pm – Live Screening of Home Alone in Concert with orchestra, NSOI & Cór na nÓg & Ernst van Tiel, conductor.