A visit to the Palau: your new ritual

Mexican-born Gabriela Ortiz and Tortosa native Josep Ollé will be the guest composers this season; while Kebyart saxophon quartet, Trio Fortuny and Frames Percussion will be the resident ensembles.

Under the name Generation C, the Palau once again states its commitment to promoting local emerging talent by bringing together a group of contemporary Catalan choral composers who will feature prominently in programming at the Palau and in the repertoire performed by the Orfeó choir family.

This season, the Palau will mark the centenary of the death of Antoni Gaudí, and will also commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Manuel de Falla and the twofold memorial for Juli Garreta, celebrating 150 years since his birth and marking 100 since his death.

Ritual will be the theme of the season.

• Simon Rattle, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Zubin Mehta, Lang Lang, Sondra Radvanovsky, Piotr Beczała, Cecilia Bartoli, Teodor Currentzis, Núria Rial, Sabine Devieilhe, Beatrice Rana, Janine Jansen, Daniele Gatti, María Dueñas, Seong-Jin Cho, Philippe Herreweghe, Jakub Józef Orliński, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Bomsori, Yuja Wang, Julia Kleiter, Andràs Schiff, Isata Kanneh-Mason and Grigori Sokolov are some of the big names performing this season.

• Graphic designer Carsten Gueth, poet Mireia Calafell and visual artist Isabel Servera round off the list of guest artists invited this season. The Palau strengthens its collaboration with the Úniques Foundation by promoting the work of the Mallorcan artist Isabel Servera, and with Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, with which it will organise a number of different events and activities over the course of the season.

• Other anniversaries that the Palau will commemorate in its programming include the 150th anniversary of the birth of pianist Ricard Viñes, and the centenaries of the birth of composer Josep Cercòs and organist Montserrat Torrent, as well as the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Barcelona-born soprano and pianist Conxita Badia.

• If we include the 180 concerts scheduled for families and schools through productions put on by the Palau’s Education Service at the Palau, the programme this season reaches the figure of 359 concerts.

• Other figures for the season: the Palau will perform works by 45 Catalan composers, 120 Catalan artists will perform on stage, and the concert hall will be the venue for 29 world premières. 

Ritual is the theme of the season, under the slogan A visit to the Palau: your new ritual

Since the beginning of time, human beings have developed rituals both big and small, from customs that shape the most ordinary days to ceremonies that give meaning to extraordinary moments. Rituals that go deeper than merely completing actions, imbuing them with a meaning that reaffirms us as individuals, representing shared values that make us feel part of a something bigger. Rituals are a series of gestures, words and actions that are carried out systematically, with a symbolic, cultural and social purpose. Buildings are constructed to celebrate rituals, and in this sense the Palau de la Música Catalana is a temple to music, a space where rituals, like concerts, take place to honour the musical experience. Rituals exist to be followed and enjoyed, but also to be rethought and broken. Throughout the 2025–26 season, the Palau’s programming will feature a wide range of works inspired by rituals, perhaps most notably Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, a pinnacle of pagan ritual, and Bach’s two complete Passions, perhaps the ultimate expression of religious ritual. Musicians, chamber ensembles, choirs, orchestras and conductors will serve as celebrants for the musical rituals that will fill the Palau with music. This season, the Palau would like to invite audiences to share the experience of ritual, accompanied by leading international figures in classical music and outstanding local talent. 

Gabriela Ortiz and Josep Ollé i Sabaté, this season’s guest composers

Gabriela Ortiz, a Mexican composer with an acclaimed international career and one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Latin American music, will be a guest composer for the 2025-26 season at Palau de la Música Catalana. Ortiz made history last February when she won 3 Grammy Awards for her album Revolución Diamantina. Ortiz's work is characterised by its balance between tradition and the avant-garde, rooted in the culture of her home country while open to global influences, producing a result that is vibrant, full of rhythm and rich in colour.

The Palau will host the première of two works commissioned by the concert venue itself: Mujer Ángel, co-commissioned by the Palau and three other international cultural institutions (Carnegie Hall, Centro Nacional de Difusión Musical and The Phillips Collection), in which the Attaca Quartet will make its European début; and a world première performed by the Palau de la Música Catalana chamber choir, the Cor de Cambra, under the baton of Júlia Sesé. Works by Ortiz will also be featured in seven other concerts performed on the Palau’s modernist stage, including: Antrópolis 2019 performed by Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès and conducted by Andrés Salado; in a second concert, the same orchestra and conductor will be joined by trumpeter Pacho Flores to perform Kauyumari and Concert per a trompeta “Alma bronce”. Audiences will also have the chance to enjoy Altar de neón, performed by GIO Symphonia and Frames Percussion and conducted by Francesc Prat; Cosmos Quartet will give a rendition of Exilios alongside flautist Alejandro Escuer; while Frames Percussion will perform Liquid Brothers; Patios serenos, Su muy Key, Preludio y estudio núm. 3 will be played in a recital by pianist Noelia Rodiles; while last but not least De cuerda y madera will present a concert with violinist María Dueñas and pianist Alexander Malofeev.

Josep Ollé i Sabaté has also been invited as a guest composer this season at the Palau. He is a prominent member of the newly formed Generation C, an initiative that the Palau kicks off this season to boost emerging talent in Catalan choral composition. Josep Ollé focuses his work on the choral repertoire, with a special predilection for Catalan poetry and sacred texts. With stunning melodic beauty and a delicate harmonic sensibility, his works have been performed all over the world and are commonly found in the programmes of choirs throughout Catalonia.

At the Palau de la Música Catalana, the Orfeó Català choir family will perform works from its catalogue as part of concerts that will take place within the concert series La Casa dels Cants. The Orfeó Català will première the work Te Deum, composed to mark the close of the millennium anniversary of Montserrat, which will be performed for the first time in the monastery in December. The Palau commissioned Trio by Ollé, a work for trio and piano, which will be performed by Trio Fortuny in the same modernist building. This concert is one of 7 performances of his work at the Palau, including two starring the Palau chamber choir, the Cor de Cambra, who will give renditions of Ave Maris Stella and Al principi era el vent. His compositions Te Deum and Missatge de Pau will be performed again as part of the Concert de Sant Esteve, while Ave Maris Stella returns in a second performance by the renowned ensemble Voces8, and Ave Virgo Sanctissima will feature in a concert by the Xarxa Coral. As part of his residency at the Palau, but in a different venue—the Church of Sant Felip Neri—audiences will also be able to enjoy several choral works, performed by Cor Pedrell and Esteve Costa.

Kebyart, Frames Percussion and Trio Fortuny, resident ensembles

In line with its ongoing commitment to support home-grown ensembles and encourage their artistic development, the Palau de la Música Catalana welcomes the saxophone quartet Kebyart as ensemble-in-residence this season. The group is made up of Pere Méndez (soprano saxophone), Víctor Serra (contralto saxophone), Robert Seara (tenor saxophone), and Daniel Miguel (baritone saxophone). Kebyart are driven by an endless and sincere passion for chamber music, and the Palau has witnessed their artistic journey first-hand—Kebyart won the El Primer Palau Prize in 2016, and they were later selected for the prestigious ECHO Rising Stars concert series during the 2021–22 season. By naming them as resident ensemble for the next two seasons (2025–26 and 2026–27), the Palau has shown its commitment to deepening this relationship still further. During the upcoming season at the Palau, audiences will be able to hear them perform works by Bach, Mendelssohn, Albright, Gershwin, Ravel, Stravinsky, Ciesla, Reich and Shaw.

Frames Percussion, one of the most prominent groups on the current music scene, brings together a new generation of percussionists from Catalonia, and will bring their residence to a close this season. The group were recognised for their commitment to contemporary music and new compositions with the 2024 Ensemble Award from the Ernst von Siemens Foundation, in appreciation of innovative and interdisciplinary approach. The ensemble, which took up residency at the Palau during the 2024-25 season, is now entering its second and final year of residency with a season in which they will perform works by Gabriela Ortiz in two concerts, as well as works by composers such as Schnittke, Einaudi, Richter and Lang, among others. Also noteworthy is their concert featuring Clara Aguilar's Requiem, with the Palau Cor de Cambra.

Also concluding their residency at the Palau after three remarkable seasons (2023–24, 2024–25, and 2025–26) is the Trio Fortuny, made up of Joel Bardolet, Pau Codina, and Marc Heredia. This season, they continue to showcase their unique talent as a trio through three thoughtfully curated programmes featuring works by Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms, Ravel, and the world premiere of a work commissioned by the Palau.

Generation C: Contemporary and Choral Catalan Composers

This season, the Palau takes another step in its mission to promote young Catalan talent. In an initiative that crystallises this long-standing objective, the Palau has formed a group under the name Generation C, bringing together talented emerging young Catalan composers who stand out for their passion for choral music, their contemporary language and their strong Catalan roots.

This season, Generation C will be made up of Anna Capmany, Josep Ollé, Carles Prat, Joan Magrané and Bernat Vivancos. Their compositions works will be performed on the modernist stage and will be featured in the programming of the Orfeó Català choirs—the artists and ambassadors who steward the Palau’s legacy. Marked by extraordinary quality, range, and originality, the members of Generation C are the unmistakable standard-bearers of the exceptional present—and bright future—of Catalan choral composition.

Other guest artists for the season and special collaborations

The guest visual artist for the 2025-26 season is Carsten Gueth, an architect and designer trained in Stuttgart, who has been chosen by the Palau for his aesthetic sensitivity and his affinity with this season’s central theme: ritual. The work he has created for this season’s graphics stands out for its vibrant use of colours and for a combination of digital textures and halftone textures. His work will play a major role in the Palau's communication campaign, and a selection of his pieces will be on display in an exhibition that will open next autumn.

Poet and cultural producer Mireia Calafell is the guest literary voice for the 2025-26 season. With award-winning works that have been translated into several languages, she focuses her story on the body as a space for reflection and resistance. Her poetic voice connects with the concept of ritual through a critical lens—challenging what is taken for granted and inviting reconsideration. Her contributions will feature in a concert and activities organised as part of the Hivernacle concert cycle, and her texts will be weaved throughout this season’s narrative.

Rounding off this year’s lineup of guest artists is Mallorcan painter Isabel Servera, in collaboration with Fundació Úniques, an organisation dedicated to promoting the work of women artists from the Catalan-speaking regions. Servera explores the meaning of repetition and accumulation through manual processes inspired by craft traditions and family memory. With works that evoke the texture of the tapestry, the Mallorcan painter intertwines tradition and contemporaneity in a visual poetry that balances fragility and strength. Rooted in the gesture of weaving, her artistic approach holds a deep resonance with the theme of ritual that underpins this season at the Palau, which will host a solo exhibition of her work in the spring.

After two years of collaborative projects with the Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, in which both institutions worked together to foster dialogue between artistic disciplines, this season’s partnership will take shape in three concerts at the Palau connected to exhibitions at La Pedrera, and two exhibitions hosted at the Palau itself: one focused on the artist Cristina Iglesias, and another on the Nabis, the group of post-impressionist Parisian artists.

The three great commemorations of this season: the centenary of the death of Antoni Gaudí, the 150th anniversary of the birth of Manuel de Falla, and the continued commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the birth and centenary of the death of Juli Garreta

The Gaudí Year, which will be celebrated in 2026 to mark the centenary of the death of the iconic Reus-born architect, will undoubtedly be a highlight of the Catalan cultural calendar—and the Palau de la Música Catalana is proud to take part. A student of Lluís Domènech i Montaner and one of the most internationally recognised figures of Catalan modernism, Antoni Gaudí shared with the architect of the Palau a vision of creating unique spaces that spark the imagination of the public and helped to turn architecture into an experience.

The Palau de la Música Catalana will pay tribute to Gaudí by scheduling a total of five concerts with works inspired by him, from diverse genres and formats. Of these concerts, the world première of Els set somnis de Gaudí stands out. The work by Olivia Pérez-Collellmir will be conducted by American-born Marin Alsop in a concert with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Palau Cor de Cambra, and the Cor Jove and Cor de Noies of the Orfeó Català. The stage at the Palau will also play host to Gaudí by Albert Guinovart, performed by the Cor Jove and Orquestra OSTO conducted by Belén Clemente and Albert Torrebella; "Fantasia del Trencadís" from the opera Gaudí by Joan Guinjoan with the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona and conducted by Stephanie Childress; a work that the Palau has commissioned to Joan Magrané that will be performed by the Orquestra Simfònica Camerata XXI and pianist Daniel Banch under the baton of Daniel Montané; and Simfonia de Gaudí by Albert Guinovart with the Banda Simfònica de Barcelona, conducted by José Ramon Pascual-Vilaplana.

The programme for the season will also mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Manuel de Falla, a composer with a Catalan mother and close ties to Catalonia, and one of the most internationally acclaimed Spanish composers. Born in Cádiz, his music draws richly from Andalusian traditions, shaped by his unique sense of orchestration and rich timbre. His works held a prominent place in the early years of the Palau de la Música Catalana, with notable premières including Psyché on 9 February, 1925, and the Concerto for harpsichord and five instruments on 5 November, 1926. Between this year and next, the modernist concert hall will revisit these two works over two concerts: Psyché with an ensemble including harpist José Antonio Domené; this anniversary will culminate, once the 2026–27 season has begun, with Concerto for harpsichord and five instruments with Benjamin Alard, Miguel Colom, Fernando Arias, Álvaro Octavio, Luis Ángel Sánchez and Vicente Alberola.

The Palau will also present a performance of Falla’s El sombrero de tres picos with the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès and conducted by Néstor Bayona; two piano recitals—one by Javier Perianes and another by Jan Lisiecki—featuring works by the composer from Cádiz; El amor brujo performed by the Orquestra Julià Carbonell de les Terres de Lleida under the baton of Xavier Pagès-Corella; Granada 1920, a concert for piano and narrator performed by Daniel Ligorio and Borja Espinosa respectively; and Noches en los jardines de España, performed by pianist Judith Jauregui with the Franz Schubert Filharmonia, and conducted by Lina González-Granados, as part of the philharmonic orchestra’s own concert season.

This season, the Palau will also continue to pay tribute to the dual commemoration of Juli Garreta—150 years since his birth and 100 years since his passing—an homage that began last season. Following the six concerts dedicated to the composer from Sant Feliu de Guíxols last year, five more will be added this season to further explore and share his catalogue of works. Audiences will have the opportunity to hear the “Sardana” from the Sonata in C Major in a recital by pianist Enrique Bagaría; a selection of sardanes performed by the Cobla Sant Jordi-Ciutat de Barcelona; Matinada performed by Tempus Trio; Mar Plana with cellist Ramon Bassal and pianist Maria Canyigueral; and Les illes Medes with the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona and conducted by Stephanie Childress.

More commemorations: 150th anniversary of the birth of Ricard Viñes, 50th anniversary of the death of Conxita Badia and 100th anniversary of the births of Josep Cercós and Montserrat Torrent

In addition to these three great anniversaries, there will be another series of commemorations related to Catalan musicians and composers. The 150th anniversary of the birth of pianist Ricard Viñes (in 2025) will be commemorated with a piano recital by Lluís Rodríguez Salvà, who will perform works by Ravel, Debussy and Mussorgsky. 2025 will also mark the 50th anniversary of the death of the Barcelona pianist and soprano Conxita Badia. The Palau will remember her in a concert in her honour with pianist Pau Casan, soprano Ulrike Haller and rhapsodist Eulàlia Domènech. In 2025, the concert hall will also commemorate one hundred years since the birth of Catalan composer Josep Cercós, with a performance of the work of Garreta and Brahms by Tempus Trio. Meanwhile 2026 will see the celebration of one hundred years since the birth of organist Montserrat Torrent, dean of the organ in Catalonia and Spain and teacher of several generations of organists. A collective organ recital is planned in her honour, featuring her students and outstanding international organists.

A season of growth at the Palau

This season the Palau will see its concert programme grow even further, increasing the total number of concerts offered to an impressive 179.

We can also add 180 concerts that have been scheduled for families and schools, with productions created by the Education Service at the Palau. These in-house creations number a total of 11 productions, among which there is a première every year; this year will feature Let's fly with Tchaikovsky - Music of the ballet.

The sum of both figures brings the final number of concerts for the 2025-26 season at the Palau to 359 concerts.

Palau 100 concert series: 12 concerts plus 5 special performances, with leading figures from the international music scene

Palau 100, the modernist venue’s most iconic concert series, brings together the most acclaimed conductors, ensembles and international soloists, and this season will offer twelve concerts plus five special performances, featuring world-renowned ensembles: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden and Budapest Festival Orchestra, among others. The concert series will welcome some of the most acclaimed conductors on the music scene, including Teodor Currentzis, Simon Rattle, Myung-Whun Chung, Daniele Gatti, Ivan Fischer and Zubin Mehta, as well as exceptional musicians such as violinists Anne-Sophie Mutter and Janine Jansen, pianists Yuja Wang and Seong-Jin Cho, and cellist Kian Soltani, not to mention the voices of Eleonora Buratto, Elina Garanča, Benjamin Bernheim and Michele Pertusi.

With a varied repertoire, the upcoming season of the concert series will continue to promote composers whose work is not so frequently performed in great concert halls, such as Anton Bruckner and Jean Sibelius, while maintaining other essential composers in its programming, such as Ludwig van Beethoven and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, among others. Palau 100 will take audiences on a musical journey that starts with Renaissance, with works by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, through to Romanticism, with compositions by Chopin, Schubert, Wagner and Beethoven, and ending in the twentieth century with Stravinsky and Ravel, to name a few.

Palau Great Voices and Palau Opera, this season’s commitment to song

The Palau Great Voices concert series will once again give audiences the chance to hear some of the most outstanding voices of the moment through six concerts with performances by Piotr Beczała, Sondra Radvanovsky, Julia Lezhneva, Benjamin Appl, Xavier Sabata and Julia Kleiter.

The Palau Opera concert series will kick off its fifth season with the goal of bringing baroque opera to audiences at the Palau, through concert or semi-staged performances of the highest quality that perfectly fit the scale of the modernist concert hall. This season, Palau Opera will offer three concerts and one special performance, including Mitridate Eupatore by Scarlatti, Alcina and Giulio Cesare by Handel and Orfeo ed Euridice by Gluck.

Palau Cambra: intimate chamber concerts in a unique setting

The Palau Cambra concert series will open the season with a concert by renowned South Korean violinist Bomsori Kim, accompanied by pianist Rafał Blechacz. Together, they will perform repertoire by Mozart, Beethoven, Paderewski and Szymanowski. This will mark the first of five concerts in this concert series, which will bring together great performers such as brothers Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason (cellist and pianist, respectively) who will perform works by Mendelssohn, Boulanger, Schumann and Clarke; and pianist Christian Zacharias, who will present works by Brahms and Schumann together with German string quartet Leipziger Streichquartett.

Also performing under the umbrella of this concert series will be Granada violinist María Dueñas, who will be accompanied by young Russian pianist Alexander Malofeev in a concert in which they will give renditions of pieces by Schubert, Gabriela Ortiz (De cuerda y madera premiered in 2024 at Carnegie Hall in New York), Debussy and Franck. The concert series will be brought to a close by the well-established Quartet Casals in a concert in which they perform alongside pianist Alexander Malofeev to mark Pau Casals as the beginning of the celebrations his 150th birthday.

Petit Palau Cambra: 22 concerts with young Catalan musicians

This concert series will include a total of 22 concerts dedicated to Catalan talent and heritage. It represents an extension of the Palau Cambra chamber concert series, with concerts at the Petit Palau. This concert series has seen quartet ensembles grow and consolidate their position in Palau programming, following in the footsteps of the Quartet Casals. This is the case for example with Cosmos Quartet, who will perform work by Ortiz accompanied by flautist Alejandro Escuer Ortiz as part of the programme; and Quartet Vivancos, who will give their rendition of repertoire by Schubert, Debussy and Shostakovich.

The Palau’s ensembles-in-residence will also play a leading role in this concert series: Kebyart will take part in two concerts: the first solo with repertoire by Bach, Gershwin and two own arrangements of works by Mendelssohn and Albright, and a second concert with pianist Albert Canoi and clarinetist Pablo Barragán, performing repertoire that will include The Firebird Suite by Stravinsky, work by Reich, Shaw and Ciesla, and their own arrangement of La Valse by Maurice Ravel.  Trio Fortuny will also perform in two concerts, the first together with violist Jonathan Brown and violinist Oliver Ville, featuring repertoire by Schumann and Brahms; and a second solo concert with work by Schubert, Ravel and Ollé.

This concert series will be rounded off with performances featuring pianists Sira Hernández, Maria Canyigueral, Rebeka Stojkoska, Noelia Rodiles, Teodora Oprisor, Victoria Guerrero and Stanislav Angelov, harpist José Antonio Domené, cellist Ramon Bassal, guitarist Bernardo Rambeau, and the ensembles Tempus Trio, SenArts Quintet, and Cobla Sant Jordi-Ciutat de Barcelona. This concert series will also give audiences the chance to hear the voices of tenors David Alegret and Roger Padullés; baritones Gerrit Illenberg and Joan Martín-Royo; sopranos Marta Mathéu, Elionor Martínez and Sabrina Gárdez, and mezzo-sopranos Mireia Pintó and Beatriz Miranda.

Big names feature in the upcoming season of Palau Piano

This season, the Palau Piano concert series offers twelve concerts and three special performances. The legendary Grigory Sokolov—for many, the best pianist in the world today—will return to the Palau this season, marking his 20th season performing at the concert hall. Other great names who will perform this season include András Schiff, Nikolay Lugansky—who will perform repertoire by Wagner—, and Lang Lang (one of the special performances for this season), who will give a rendition of a programme including work by Granados and Albéniz, alongside Mozart and Beethoven.

The modernist stage will also host performances by German-born Igor Levit, with repertoire by Schubert, Schumann and Chopin; young Icelandic pianist Víkingur Olafsson, who will perform works by Bach, Beethoven and Schubert; and Javier Perianes, with a rendition of works by Falla and Chopin. Not to mention pianists Beatrice Rana, who will play works by Debussy, Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev; and Elisabeth Leonskaja, who will offer a recital of Bach Sonatas.

Other names included in this concert series are Christian Blackshaw, Alba Ventura, Stephen Hough, Jan Liesiecki, Lluis Rodríguez-Salvà (who will lead a tribute to Ricard Viñes) and Jaeden Izik-Dzurko – Beca Alicia de Larrocha 2025.

Palau Bach showcases the legacy of one of the steadfast composers at the modernist hall

This season, the Palau Bach concert series will feature a variety of chamber concerts and orchestral performances over a total of nine concerts (seven normal concerts and two special performances). Highlights include a concert with acclaimed Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt, who will open the season with her interpretation of the Goldberg Variations on what will be the 50th anniversary of the first time she performed them. The concert series will also feature what is already a tradition during Easter Week at the Palau—the Bach Passions. This season, the Monteverdi Choir, together with the English Baroque Soloists and conducted by Peter Whelan, have been entrusted with the performance of the St John Passion, while the RIAS Kammerchor, together with baroque orchestra Archangelo and conducted by Jonathan Cohen, will bring the St Matthew Passion to the modernist stage.

The Palau chamber choir, the Cor de Cambra, will feature as part of this concert series in a performance alongside Il Gardelino under the baton of Christoph Prégardien. Together, they will perform Bach’s Christmas Oratorio as part of a tour that will take them to different locations throughout Spain and Europe (Antwerp and Amsterdam), of course including a stop at the Palau. Also over the Christmas period, the concert series will host soprano Núria Rial who, along with the ensemble Café Zimmermann, will perform a repertoire featuring Christmas cantatas by Bach and Telemann.

The other two concerts in this series will feature renditions of Brandenburg Concertos, performed by Concentus Musicus Wien with conducting and harpsichord by Stefan Gottfried, and the Harpsichord Concertos performed by Il Pomo d'Oro, with conducting and harpsichord by Francesco Corti. 

Fronteres: a place to discover and explore

This concert series is a space for the Palau to explore new frontiers and contrasting spaces, experiments with classical and contemporary music in dialogue with other genres, formats and means of artistic expression, resulting in new perspectives and musical horizons. The 12 concerts that fall under the umbrella of this season’s Fronteres series offer a place for exploration and discovery.

Highlights for this season include a double concert of the Blade Runner soundtrack by Vangelis, with a screening of the film accompanied by live music. The concert will feature The Avex Ensemble performing under the baton of Pete Billington, in a production that is the result of an agreement between Avex Classics International and Warner Bross. Another highlight is the last in the trilogy of concerts that the Palau has dedicated to British composer Mike Oldfield over the last two seasons. This time the focus will be on Ommadawn, while Tubular Bells will be performed again. Once more, the performance will be given by the ensemble Opus One under the baton of Xavier Alern.

Palau Fronteres will feature works by Gabriela Ortiz in three concerts by GIO Symphonia and Frames Percussion, conducted respectively by Francesc Prat, Attaca Quartet and Frames Percussion.

Other artistic highlights in this concert series are piano-playing brothers Lucas and Arthur Jussen, who will be accompanied by two percussionists to offer a programme including a wide variety of styles, and composers such as Bartók, Gerassimez, Gershwin, Bernstein and Adams.

The other concerts in this series will be given by Ensemble Fractales; pianist Laura Farré; Bardolet will perform his work Festeig i giravolt; Gaudí by Albert Guinovart with the OSTO, the Palau Cor Jove and conducted by Clemente and Torrebella; and Frames Percussion together with Claraguilar and the Palau Cor de Cambra. 

Evenings at the Palau: Catalan heritage and eclecticism at accessible prices

The Evenings at the Palau concert series will offer nine very diverse concerts, all starting at 7 pm. The season will open with the Metropolitan Union ensemble performing Barbarismes. They will be followed by the Cobla Sant Jordi–Ciutat de Barcelona, conducted by Massana, who will give a rendition of sardanes by Juli Garreta. Next, Camerata Penedès conducted by Borrani will play a repertoire featuring Beethoven and García-Tomás, in the ensemble’s second time performing a première by the latter composer. Two concerts have been scheduled in tribute to Manuel de Falla: one with Orquestra Julià Carbonell de les Terres de Lleida alongside Pagès-Corella, who will perform El amor brujo; and Daniel Ligorio and Borja Espinosa performing Granada 1920.

This concert series will also feature Orquestra del Miracle and Juan de la Rubia, who will perform Mozart’s Requiem; the Banda Municipal de Barcelona conducted by Pascual-Vilaplana, who will play works by Brotons and Guinovart; and concerts by Simfònica de Cobla i Corda de Catalunya with the Polifònica de Puig-reig conducted by Francesc Cassú; and last but not least Orquestra Simfònica Camerata XXI alongside pianist Daniel Blanch, conducted by Daniel Montané.

ECHO Rising Stars and Primer Palau, two concert series showcasing emerging talent

The Palau de la Música Catalana renews its commitment to encouraging young talent through a number of initiatives that give a boost to new generations of performers and creators. One of the highlights of this year’s programme is the ECHO Rising Stars concert series, an initiative promoted by the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO), of which the Palau de la Música Catalana is an active member. Every year, this project selects young performers and emerging ensembles from all over Europe, offering them the opportunity to present themselves on a tour around the most prestigious concert halls in Europe. This season, the Palau will play host to three concerts under the initiative, including cimbalom player Áron Horvath, the ensemble Trio Concept, and pianist Giorgi Gigashvili.

Primer Palau is a concert series organised by the Fundació Orfeó Català-Palau de la Música Catalana with the aim of giving young classical musicians the opportunity to début as soloists at the prestigious concert hall at the Palau de la Música Catalana. The programme has established itself as a leading platform for the up-and-coming generations of musicians, offering them a valuable experience on stage experience that gives them great visibility. As every season, the Palau will host the Primer Palau marathon concert, where selected young performers will make their début, and the closing concert, which will star cellist Guillem Gràcia, winner of the Primer Palau award in 2024.

More concerts to round off the season

In addition, the Palau has also programmed other important concert series, including La Casa dels Cants, which will star the in-house choir ensembles as well as guest choirs. This year it will include 18 concerts, and will host outstanding ensembles including Cor Vivaldi, Escolania de Montserrat, Balthasar Neumann Chor, Voces8 and Coral Cantiga, among other exceptional performers. This year, choirs from the Orfeó Català choral family will also make their presence known. As usual, over the course of the season the Palau will also invite Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès to the stage, as part of the Palau’s symphonic concert series, which will include a total of 14 concerts and 10 special performances.

The organ concert series at the Palau will offer two concerts this season, one in tribute to Montserrat Torrent on the centenary of her birth. Meanwhile, the Summer at the Palau concert series includes 10 concerts, while Christmas at the Palau will feature 21.

Also worthy of note are the different activities scheduled at the Hivernacle, which will offer several unique musical immersion experiences throughout the year in the exceptional location of the Rehearsal Room at the Orfeó Català premises.

Finally, the Palau would like to thank its companions and supporters, the institutions, orchestras and promoters who combine their programme with the Palau: BCN Classics, Ibercamera, Franz Schubert Filharmonia, The Project, Associació Franz Schubert, Fundació Pau Casals, Fundació Salvat and Vespres d’Arnadí.

Season tickets and concert tickets

The sale of season tickets for the upcoming Palau 100, Palau Opera and Palau Great Voices concert series have been available since 10 March. Season tickets for other concert series (Palau Bach, Palau Piano, Palau Cambra, Afternoons at the Palau and Symphonies at the Palau), as well as the ‘make your own’ season tickets, will be available from 19 May.

The sale of priority tickets for season ticket holders, members of the Orfeó Català, patrons, benefactors, subscribers to Revista Musical Catalana and people with disabilities will also open on 19 May. Starting Monday, 26 May, tickets for individual concerts will go on sale to the general public.

With almost 12,000 young people registered in the Grada Jove, almost 50% more than last year, this community has become an important target audience for the Palau. This community under the age of 35 can register for free and enjoy 50% discounts on tickets to concerts run by the Fundació, as well as exclusive access to other activities. In addition, this year a group of young singers from Orfeó Català choirs have chosen concerts that aim to appeal to the under 35s.

 

You can download the group photos from the presentation at the following links: here, from left to right: Joan Oller, General Director of the Palau de la Música Catalana; Mercedes Conde, Deputy Artistic Director of the Palau; and Joaquim Uriach, President of the Palau de la Música Catalana; and here, from left to right and back to front, back row: Marc Heredia (Trio Fortuny), Dani Espasa (Vespres d’Arnadí), Joan Oller, Mercedes Conde, Joaquim Uriach, Xavier Puig (Conductor of the Palau Chamber Choir), Pablo Larraz (Conductor of the Orfeó Català), Jordi Cos (Performer and President of the OSV), Maria Ibarz (Manager of the Orfeó Català Choirs), Pau Codina (Trio Fortuny), Montse Meneses (Conductor of the Orfeó Català Girls’ Choir), Miquel Vich (Frames Percussion), Josep Ollé (Season’s Guest Composer), and Belén Clemente (Lluís Millet Scholarship recipient of the Palau).

You can access the image gallery with a selection of photos from the 2025–26 season’s concerts here.

From 3 p.m., you will be able to watch the presentation press conference through this link.

You will find all the information about the new season here.

You can watch the video of the new season here.