New York, NY: November 18, 2025 — The Colorado Symphony, under Music Director Peter Oundjian, performs at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage on Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 2:00 PM, joined by 16-time GRAMMY® Award-winning violinist and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom Itzhak Perlman. This marks the Colorado Symphony’s first performance at Carnegie Hall in 50 years and represents an onstage reunion for Perlman and Oundjian, whose friendship and working relationship goes back decades.

“To collaborate with Itzhak Perlman is always a profound joy, both musically and personally,” said Peter Oundjian. “He brings an incomparable sense of humanity to his playing where every note is infused with wisdom and soul. As a conductor, there’s nothing more rewarding than supporting an artist who connects so effortlessly with audiences. Sharing the stage with him at Carnegie Hall, with this orchestra, will be one of the most meaningful moments of my career.”

Perlman (whose 80th birthday was in August), joins the Colorado Symphony for six works that showcase the breadth of his artistry, including John Williams’s haunting theme from Schindler’s List, which Perlman performed on the Oscar-winning film’s soundtrack; three pieces by violin virtuoso Fritz Kreisler; Dvořák’s Romance in F minor; and Carlos Gardel’s “Tango (Por Una Cabeza)” from Scent of a Woman, arranged by Williams. To open the concert, the Colorado Symphony gives the New York Premiere of John Adams’s Frenzy, a one-movement symphony described by the Daily Telegraph as “a tense nocturnal chase, with a touch of film noir glamour.” Oundjian conducts Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition to bring the program to a fittingly powerful close.

Oundjian and Perlman
The connection between Oundjian and Perlman began when Oundjian was just 12 years old growing up in South London, and his father took him to hear a young violinist who was already being hailed as a sensation: Itzhak Perlman. Oundjian was spellbound from the very first notes, and inspired to dedicate himself to his own violin studies. Seven years later, at 19, Oundjian had the opportunity to play for Perlman ahead of his audition for Juilliard. What started as a virtuoso and a starstruck kid turned into a mentor-student relationship, which has blossomed over the years into a deep musical friendship. 

“Itzhak invites us all to be part of the magic of the musical experience,” Oundjian says. “Whether we are players or listeners, the level of dedication he has always demonstrated to mentorship, to teaching us not only about musical values but how to care for others, is itself a huge inspiration.”

Sunday, February 1 at 2:00 pm
Carnegie Hall Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
Tickets and Information: Carnegie Hall

Itzhak Perlman, Violin
Peter Oundjian, Conductor
Colorado Symphony

JOHN ADAMS Frenzy
DVOŘÁK Romance in F Minor, Op. 11
KREISLER Liebesfreud
KREISLER Schön Rosmarin
KREISLER Tambourin chinois
JOHN WILLIAMS Theme from Schindler's List
GARDEL "Tango (Por Una Cabeza)" (arr. John Williams)
MUSSORGSKY Pictures at an Exhibition (orch. Ravel)

Itzhak Perlman Bio
Peter Oundjian Bio

Resident Conductor Christopher Dragon conducts the Colorado Symphony at Boettcher Hall in Denver

Colorado Symphony at Radio City Music Hall 
The concert at Carnegie is the culmination of Colorado Symphony’s whirlwind New York City tour. On Friday, January 30 and Saturday, January 31 at 8:00 PM, the Symphony displays the versatility for which it is widely recognized with a performance at another iconic New York City venue: Radio City Music Hall. Renowned for its cross-genre projects, the orchestra reunites with singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov — a South African-born American singer and songwriter currently based in Boulder, CO — for two sold-out concerts led by Resident Conductor Christopher Dragon. The Symphony’s long-standing collaboration with Isakov has become one of its most celebrated cross-genre projects, blending classical instrumentation with indie‑folk authenticity. Such collaborations exemplify the Colorado Symphony’s innovative spirit and its commitment to expanding access to live symphonic music that resonates with diverse audiences.

“To be featured on two of New York City’s most legendary stages, alongside artists as singular as Itzhak Perlman and Gregory Alan Isakov,” said Daniel Wachter, President & CEO of the Colorado Symphony, “underscores the incredible talent of our musicians as well as the innovative programming and artistic range that defines the Colorado Symphony.  As Colorado’s flagship orchestra, we’re proud to share the beauty, creativity, and inclusive spirit of our state with audiences far beyond Colorado, fulfilling our mission to inspire and unite people while pioneering the future of live symphonic music.”

To learn more about the Colorado Symphony, visit coloradosymphony.org.