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A Concert for Ukraine

On Monday, March 14, at 6PM ET, the Metropolitan Opera will present a benefit performance to support Ukrainian citizens under attack, with all ticket sales and donations going to support relief efforts in Ukraine. Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will lead the Met Orchestra and Chorus and star soloists in a 70-minute program, featuring music...

Brandenburg Concerto #1: Met Orchestra Chamber Ensemble prepares for Carnegie Hall

Hear the Met Orchestra Chamber Ensemble rehearse Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto #1 The next Chamber Ensemble concert takes place on Monday January 24th at 7:30, 2022 at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. A few tickets remain for purchase. For more information and tickets, please use the following link: https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2022/01/24/The-MET-Orchestra-Chamber-Ensemble-0730PM Program: R. STRAUSS Sextet from Capriccio, Op....

Eurydice: A View from the Percussion Section

We are excited to partner with The Metropolitan Opera in creating this video with members of our Eurydice percussion section! Catch this fascinating conversation with composer Matthew Aucoin, Principal Percussionist Greg Zuber, Principal Timpanist Parker Lee and Assistant Principal Timpanist and Percussionist Steven White, as they discuss Aucoin’s eclectic use of percussion to highlight motifs...

Tenor Klaus Florian Vogt plays the horn after 6 hour “Meistersinger”

  Videography: Joan Argemí It was somewhat of a surreal experience to play the Horn quartet from the third act of Wagner‘s “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” with Tenor Klaus Florian Vogt, immediately after performing the 6 hour opera with Vogt as “Walther von Stolzig”, which is one of the main roles of the opera. We...

Happy Birthday Angela Gheorghiu!

We had so much fun celebrating soprano Angela Gheorghiu’s Birthday! The Metropolitan Opera’s Music Director Yannick Nezet-Seguin conducts the entire MET Orchestra in a Verdi “La Traviata” and “Happy Birthday” mashup, arranged by MET Principal Horn Erik Ralske. The idea to celebrate Ms. Gheorghiu was hatched by MET Hornist Barbara Jostlein Currie when she remembered...

The Met Opera Reunites, With Mahler’s ‘Resurrection’

“Led by the Met’s music director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the “Resurrection” Symphony brought the full company and its audience back together in grand style: 90 minutes; an orchestra of 116; a chorus of 100; and 2,500 attending in the park, as well as hundreds more listening from the street.” Read more from Zachary Woolfe in the...

Mahler Symphony #1 NFT (MET Orchestra x Dallas Symphony)

The MET Orchestra Musicians are thrilled to announce a collaboration with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra- offering the first ever NFT (Non-Fungible Token) by a major symphony orchestra. In a pioneering partnership with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, this exclusive NFT is now for sale featuring exciting new content from our Mahler Symphony #1 “Titan” concert which...

MET Orchestra Musicians travel to Dallas with Katherine Fong and Sylvia Danburg Volpe

“For musicians, we start when we’re little kids. It’s not just a job, it’s a calling. When it’s something you do your whole life, and suddenly nobody needs you, it was really just devastating, honestly… a project like this has been uplifting… it’s been good for my heart.” – Sylvia Danburg Volpe, Associate Principal Second...

MET Opera Horns play “Music for the Royal Fireworks”

Here is a clip from our recent MET Orchestra Spotlight Series concert featuring some of the MET Opera Horns section: Erik Ralske (Principal Horn), Javier Gándara (Third Horn), Brad Gemeinhardt (Third Horn), and Barbara Jostlein Currie (Fourth Horn). ***We would like to thank many people who made this concert possible, especially those behind the scenes....

“Ave Maria” from Verdi’s Otello

This aria from Verdi’s “Otello” is beautifully sung by soprano Mihoko Kinoshita of the Nikikai Opera Foundation in Tokyo. We collaborated with the Hibiya Festival in Tokyo, which aired this performance at the luxury arts and entertainment complex in Tokyo, the 東京ミッドタウン / Tokyo Midtown Hibiya. Enjoy! Lyrics Translation: Hail Mary, full of grace, chosen...

MET Orchestra Musicians perform with soprano Mihoko Kinoshita

 Have you missed hearing opera arias with the MET Orchestra? ➡ Please enjoy the following opera collaboration with the Nikikai Opera Theatre in #Tokyo! This opera concert video was filmed remotely and collaboratively by members of MET Orchestra Musicians in NYC at the HighLineNine gallery in Chelsea, and Ms. Mihoko Kinoshita, soprano of Tokyo Nikikai...

MET Orchestra Musicians x MIHOKO Kinoshita (Tokyo Nikikai Opera Foundation)

The MET Orchestra Musicians are proud to perform virtually with Tokyo’s Nikikai Opera Soprano Mihoko Kinoshita! This YouTube clip is a conversation with Ms.Kinoshita and four members of the MET Orchestra: Mariko Anraku (Harp), Amy Kauffman (Violin), Barbara Jostlein Currie (Horn), and Dov Scheindlin (Viola and arranger of these three arias). Listen to the beautiful...

Special Announcement from Tom Papa and Jim Gaffigan

Here’s a special announcement from diva-comedians Jim Gaffigan and Tom Papa. Tickets for this Sunday’s performance are available at spotlight.metorchestramusicians.org

Frederica Von Stade Promo for “Songs Without Words”, a MET Orchestra Spotlight Series Concert

It doesn’t get any better than Frederica “Flicka” Von Stade! Tickets are now available at: Spotlight.METOrchestraMusicians.org for our upcoming MET Orchestra Spotlight Series concert, “Songs Without Words” on Sunday April 25th at 3PM ET

Song to the Moon with Angela Gheorghiu

MET Orchestra Musicians perform “Song to the Moon” with soprano Angela Gheorghiu from Antonín Dvořák’s opera “Rusalka” on our February 2021 MET Orchestra Spotlight Series concert. Angela Gheorghiu performs from the Romanian Atheneum in Bucharest with the MET Musicians performing in upstate New York. Tickets: Spotlight.METOrchestraMusicians.org Nancy Wu and Bruno Eicher, violin Desiree Elsevier, viola...

Tatal Nostru

Please enjoy “Tatal Nostru” (Our Father), sung by soprano Angela Gheorghiu. This performance is from our February MET Orchestra Spotlight Series concert in which she sang from Romania while accompanied by our MET Orchestra Musicians who were in New York. Our next MET Orchestra Spotlight Series concert is dedicated to those MET Musicians who we...

Grand March from Tannhäuser: MET Orchestra Brass and Percussion

One of the benefits of the MET Orchestra Spotlight Series concerts is that it allows us to come together in a safe way to make music together again. This large brass​ and percussion​ ensemble marks the first time that we have performed together in one year. What a bittersweet and beautiful time for us! We...

MET Orchestra Cellos Play Lohengrin

A year ago, our “April Fool’s Day” was sadly not very funny, as this was the start of an enormously difficult year. This marked the beginning of massive financial insecurity, musical career insecurity and an ultimate sense of loss of spirit for us as artists. Despite these enormous challenges, and with your continued support, we...

MET Orchestra Spotlight Series Concert #5

Join us this Sunday, March 28th at 3 PM Eastern as we “Celebrate Opera in a Year Like No Other”, with Host Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham! We are beyond excited to perform selections from Carmen, Lucia, La Sonnambula, Aida, Tannhäuser and others as we commemorate a year since our last performance at the The Metropolitan Opera...

Va, pensiero: Collaboration with the Chorus and Dancers of the MET

It has been over a year since we were able to perform together at the Metropolitan Opera. We felt it was important to share this with all of you because we are still here, waiting for it to be deemed safe for us to return to the house we love and have dedicated our artistic...

Celebrate Opera in a Year Like No Other with Susan Graham and the MET Orchestra Musicians

Join us this Sunday, March 28th at 3 PM Eastern as we “Celebrate Opera in a Year Like No Other”, with Host Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham! We are beyond excited to perform selections from Carmen, Lucia, La Sonnambula, Aida, Tannhäuser and others as we commemorate a year since our last performance at the The Metropolitan Opera...

Rusalka and Pann’s “Tatal Nostru”

Soprano Angela Gheorghiu joins musicians from the MET Orchestra on the next Spotlight Series concert on Sunday, February 21st at 3:00 PM Eastern. The glamorous soprano joins the musicians from Bucharest in the beautiful Atheneum with MET musicians performing in New York in works by Dvořák and Pann. Enjoy the String Quintet #2, “Song to...

Andante con moto from Schubert’s Death and the Maiden String Quartet

There is still time to enjoy some “Warmth from Other Suns” by purchasing a ticket at Spotlight.MetOrchestraMusicians.org! This concert features Sphinx Organization Medal of Excellence winner Carlos Simon, Pulitzer-prize winning composer Caroline Shaw, Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden”, arrangements from the “Magic Flute”, “William Tell” and the Flower Duet from Delibes! Tickets are only $15...

Selections from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”

Chelsea Knox (Principal Flute) and Julia Bruskin Wunsch (Cello) perform a selection from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” arranged by Eric Stephenson, on our third MET Orchestra Spotlight Series concert January 17th, 2021. Tickets are still available at: Spotlight.METOrchestraMusicians.org for $15

MET Orchestra Spotlight Series presents: Warmth from Other Suns

Please mark your calendars for the next performance in our MET Orchestra Spotlight Series, Warmth from Other Suns, premiering on Sunday, January 17 at 3pm EST. Hosted by bass-baritone Eric Owens, this program of woodwinds, strings and piano features new works by Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw and Sphinx 2021 Medal of Excellence winner Carlos Simon as well as operatic...

SupportNYC with MET Orchestra Musicians

We are very grateful to SupportNYC and ARKAI for producing this beautiful video of our players performing at Reed Yeboah Fine Violins. With their mission of lifting up small businesses like Julie Reed Yeboah’s wonderful fine instrument shop and musicians like the MET Orchestra Musicians, SupportNYC is doing vital work during these challenging times. Thanks...

Introducing MET Orchestra Spotlight Series OPENS NOV 22 at 3pm EST

Join the MET Orchestra Musicians NOV 22 at 3PM EST for the opening concert of their NEW Spotlight Series. Tickets available here. The program will include the beloved opera aria Nessun Dorma from Puccini’s Turandot arranged for four horns, Tchaikovsky’s tour de force for string sextet, Souvenir de Florence and the genre-bending string quartet Strum...

NAPA Masterclass – Evan Epifanio and Anton Rist

Please enjoy the next video in our series of masterclasses given by MET Orchestra Musicians in collaboration with Festival Napa Valley. Today’s class features Evan Epifanio, principal bassoon and Anton Rist, principal clarinet. This masterclass series was founded and organized by MET Orchestra Musician Stephanie Mortimore, principal piccolo as a tribute to Joel Revzen who...

Mozart at the High Line Nine Art Gallery

Please enjoy this performance of Mozart’s Duo for Violin and Viola, performed by MET Orchestra violinist Caterina Szepes on viola with her husband, Peter Winograd of the American String Quartet on violin.

Play For The Vote: MET Orchestra Musicians (Ave Verum, Mozart)

PlayForTheVote.com You may have seen our musicians around the city today, as they did #PlayForTheVote! Here’s a peek at our MET Opera Horns in action playing Mozart’s Ave Verum. Hope everyone got out and voted! The #METOrchestraMusicians dedicate this performance of Mozart’s ‘Ave Verum’ to MET Orchestra Violinist Patmore Lewis, who passed away this morning....

NAPA Masterclass- Dov Scheindlin

#WeWillMetAgain has become a mantra for us during this difficult time. One way that we have remained engaged with who we are in our core is through teaching. We are happy to present these masterclasses to you, which we gave this past summer for students of the Blackburn Academy of Festival Napa Valley. These masterclasses...

Stories from the Pit: Julia Bruskin, Cello

MET Orchestra #cellist Julia Bruskin talks to MET #violinist Julia Choi about falling vacuum cleaners, her favorite operas to play, what she misses most about being away from the orchestra, and advice for young musicians during these challenging times. For the rest of this interview and more, check out Entr’acte with Julia: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/…/entrac… Spotify:...

MET Orchestra x Festival Napa Valley Virtual Masterclasses

The MET Orchestra Musicians are excited to announce our new series of virtual masterclasses in association with Festival Napa Valley. The masterclasses took place this summer in lieu of Festival Napa Valley’s in-person Blackburn Music Academy. The 10-part series of masterclasses was taught, produced and edited by an entirely volunteer team of MET Orchestra Musicians...

Stories from the Pit: Chelsea Knox, Principal Flute

MET Orchestra Principal #Flute Chelsea Knox speaks to MET violinist Julia Choi about funny times in the pit, her favorite operas, what she misses about being away from the orchestra, and advice for young musicians! For the rest of this interview and more, check out Entr’acte with Julia: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/…/entrac… Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2yyGXYw… Youtube: https://youtu.be/oY1BFcSFqHE

Claude Debussy – Arabesque No. 2

Please enjoy this beautiful performance by Elaine Douvas (Principal Oboe) and Howard Watkins (Assistant Conductor at The Metropolitan Opera). This piece by Debussy (arranged by Luccarelli) is the Arabesque #2 for Oboe and Piano. Enjoy!

MET Orchestra Bass Section performs the Kawakami Sonata

Current members of the MET Orchestra #Bass Section have recorded this piece in honor of our two recently retired colleagues, Charlie Urbont and Jeremy McCoy. The group writes: “We have missed Charlie in the pit everyday since his retirement before the pandemic, and things will certainly be very different without Jeremy. In addition to a...

MET Orchestra / Princeton University Study Indicates Surprising Findings About Air Flow In Trained Opera Singers

The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra – the only world-class orchestra in America furloughed with no pay since April 1, 2020 – has been actively pursuing ways to get back to work safely with the help of scientists and engineers from Princeton University and The University of Montpellier (France) / CNRS. While Metropolitan Opera management chose not...

Musical Highlights from the Lincoln Center Food Drive

Pedro Diaz, oboist and English hornist of the MET orchestra, shares highlights from the MET Orchestra Musicians’ performance on the grounds of Lincoln Center as part of a food drive to benefit the Food Bank of New York. Please enjoy these excerpts from works by Mozart, Dvorak, and Poulenc.

MET Musicians @ Lincoln Center Food Drive

Enjoy this #METOrchestraMusicians performance from the recent food drive at Lincoln Center, NYC

Stories from the Pit: Joe Anderer, Principal Horn

Joseph Anderer, recently retired Principal Horn of the MET Orchestra, shares some hilarious moments he has witnessed over the course of his career in a conversation with MET violinist Julia Choi. For the full length interview and a look into the lives of other MET Orchestra Musicians, be sure to check out Julia’s new podcast,...

MET Musician Moment: Billy Ray Hunter Jr, Principal Trumpet

It’s time to meet another MET Musician! Principal Trumpet Billy Hunter has some fascinating stories to tell, such as playing a concert with Desmond Tutu and meeting Dr. Cornel West. Billy has been a member of many orchestras including the New World Symphony, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Grant Park Orchestra, and he recently accepted an offer...

MET Orchestra Teams Up With Scientists and Engineers to Find Ways To Get Back To Work Safely

With the pandemic immobilizing Performing Arts, we are taking steps to find ways to get back to work again. Playing for science brings us strength and we hope this work will provide guidelines for a safe working environment.We have teamed up with Dr. Howard A. Stone, Dr. Philippe Bourrianne (Princeton Engineering) and Dr. Manouk Abkarian...

MET Orchestra Masterclass Series with Renaissance School of the Arts

We continue our partnership with the Renaissance School of the Arts in East Harlem.

MET Musician Moment: Craig Mumm, Associate Principal Viola

It’s MET Musician Monday! Time to meet our Associate Principal Viola, Craig Mumm. Find out how he’s improving his accordion game and learn more about his incredibly musical family! Here’s a snippet: “My grandfather was a band leader during World War I – field artillery band. My grandmother toured the country in the roaring twenties...