On Saturday, October 18th, Cal Performances will host a reception for UC Berkeley students attending the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Santtu-Matias Rouvali.
Currently celebrating its 80th birthday, London’s stellar Philharmonia Orchestra returns to Berkeley with Finnish maestro Santtu-Matias Rouvali—one of the most sought-after conductors of his generation—making his Bay Area debut! In two programs featuring 2025–26 season Artist in Residence Víkingur Ólafsson, orchestra, conductor, and soloist take us on a spectacular journey through a sublime collection of works, from Romantic masterpieces to an exciting new commission.
The first of two concerts features Ólafsson as soloist in Beethoven’s iconic Emperor concerto, as well as the orchestra performing Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony, a majestic work evoking a vast, unfolding Nordic landscape. The program also includes the Bay Area premiere of a new commission by Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz, a truly original voice in concert music who won three 2025 Grammy Awards for a recording of her most recent orchestral works.
For the 2025–26 season, Cal Performances has planned four post-performance receptions to celebrate the UC Berkeley students in our community and to provide a space for you to connect with other students who share a love for live performance! Free light refreshments will be served on the Zellerbach Hall Mezzanine for all UCB student ticketholders and their guests. For information about Cal Performances events, exclusive Cal student post-concert receptions, and discounted tickets, visit here.
