Orchestras

New England Conservatory offers orchestra concerts virtually every week of the year.

In the College, which trains adults who are on the brink of careers with professional orchestras, Hugh Wolff is NEC's Stanford and Norma Jean Calderwood Director of Orchestras, and personally conducts many of the NEC Philharmonia's concerts. David Loebel, Associate Director of Orchestras, conducts most of the NEC Symphony Orchestra's season. Donald Palma coaches the conductorless NEC Chamber Orchestra. Guest conductors this season include Paul Biss, Jeffrey Kahane, Steven Lipsitt, and Andrew Litton. Early in the season, a performance of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice is supported by the NEC Philharmonia under Stephen Lord's baton.

Spearheading the Preparatory School's multitiered system are its senior orchestras, the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and Youth Symphony. At the podium for YPO concerts are Wolff and Loebel, joined this season by Boston Symphony Orchestra Principal Horn James Sommerville, while Steven Karidoyanes returns with YS.

2012–2013 season

For the most up to date information on NEC's orchestra concerts, bookmark this page, signup for NEC e-mail news, or follow us at twitter.com/NEC_concerts.

2013-07-27 Festival Youth Orchestra + Bolter

2013–2014 season

For updates, bookmark this page, signup for NEC e-mail news, follow us at twitter.com/nec_concerts, or become a fan of facebook.com/necmusic.

2013-09-07 A Far Cry
2013-09-25 NEC Philharmonia + Wolff
2013-10-02 NEC Philharmonia + Wolff
2013-10-09 NEC Symphony + Loebel
2013-10-16 NEC Chamber Orchestra
2013-10-23 NEC Philharmonia + Kuerti
2013-11-06 NEC Philharmonia + Kahane
2013-11-11 NEC Youth Symphony + Karidoyanes
2013-11-13 NEC Symphony + Loebel
2013-11-20 NEC Chamber Orchestra
2013-11-21 NEC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra + Wolff
2013-12-04 NEC Philharmonia + Wolff
2013-12-11 NEC Philharmonia + Wolff
2013-12-12 NEC Lab Orchestra
2014-01-11 A Far Cry
2014-02-05 NEC Symphony + Loebel
2014-02-11 NEC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra + Wolff
2014-02-12 Beethoven: Symphony No. 9
2014-02-26 NEC Chamber Orchestra
2014-03-05 NEC Philharmonia + Wolff
2014-03-07 A Far Cry
2014-03-12 NEC Symphony + Loebel
2014-03-31 NEC Philharmonia + Wilkins
2014-04-09 NEC Symphony + Biss
2014-04-16 NEC Chamber Orchestra
2014-04-23 NEC Philharmonia + Wolff at Symphony Hall
2014-05-01 NEC Lab Orchestra
2014-05-17 Commencement Concert
2014-05-22 NEC Youth Symphony + Karidoyanes
2014-05-29 NEC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra + Wolff

The reviews are in

The Boston Musical Intelligencer, "a virtual journal and blog of the classical music scene in Boston," has quickly established itself as the go-to source for reviews of Boston concerts. They frequently attend NEC orchestral concerts, and here's the report card.

2011-10-07 "interesting mixture of delicacy and virility … clean-cut, rousing playing"
2011-09-28 "dramatic moments were all well earned"
2011-05-07 "equal to many a professional ensemble"
2011-02-19 "the cadenzas were dynamite"
2011-02-10 "glory, precision, and light-footedness"
2011-02-06 "the world needs talent like this"
2010-10-22 "completely in sympathy with Brahms's aims"
2010-09-29 "a most blissful space"

The Boston Globe rarely reviews school concerts, but NEC's 2011 Mahler Unleashed project got their attention.

2011-09-29 "as thrilling as any performance on record"

Past performances

Many of NEC's orchestra concerts are posted to our InstantEncore channel for streaming and downloads. Become a fan of our channel to receive notifications of new tracks and other music news.

2012-10-03 NEC Philharmonia + Wolff
2012-10-17 NEC Symphony + Loebel
2012-10-24 NEC Philharmonia + Kahane
2012-10-30 John Cage: Cheap Imitation
2012-10-31 NEC Chamber Orchestra
2012-11-07 NEC Philharmonia + Wolff
2012-11-12 NEC Youth Symphony + Karidoyanes
2012-11-14 NEC Symphony + Loebel
2012-11-27 NEC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra + Loebel
2012-11-28 NEC Chamber Orchestra
2012-12-05 NEC Philharmonia + Loebel
2012-12-08 NEC String Chamber Orchestra/Youth Repertory Orchestra
2012-12-12 NEC Philharmonia + Litton
2012-12-13 NEC Lab Orchestra + conducting majors
2013-01-11 A Far Cry
2013-01-24 Salute to Verdi
2013-02-06 NEC Symphony + Lipsitt
2013-02-12 NEC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra + Sommerville
2013-02-13 NEC Philharmonia + Loebel
2013-02-27 NEC Chamber Orchestra
2013-03-06 NEC Philharmonia + Biss
2013-03-11 NEC Philharmonia + Wolff
2013-03-13 NEC Symphony + Loebel, Szymanski
2013-04-09 Mahler's Ninth Symphony: Disavowing Farewell lecture
2013-04-10 NEC Symphony + Wolff, Lio
2013-04-17 NEC Chamber Orchestra
2013-04-24 NEC Philharmonia + Wolff
2013-04-25 NEC Lab Orchestra + conducting majors
2013-05-08 NEC Prep and College Orchestras at Boston Ballet
2013-05-16 NEC String Chamber Orchestra/Youth Repertory Orchestra
2013-05-18 NEC Commencement Concert
2013-05-23 NEC Youth Symphony + Karidoyanes
2013-05-24 A Far Cry
2013-05-25 NEC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra + Wolff

NEC's programs for orchestral musicians

• Explore College orchestras at NEC
• Explore NEC's graduate program in Orchestral Conducting
• Explore Preparatory orchestras at NEC
• Explore NEC's summer Festival Youth Orchestra

2013-06-05