Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia: Ancient Airs

The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia is playing Ancient Airs at Mitchell Hall on Friday, November 6, at 7:30 PM. If you can't make the Friday night, they're doing a second show on Sunday, November 8, at 4 PM at the Church of the Holy Trinity on Rittenhouse Square. Both are in Center City, so you can pick the night and the neighborhood that works best for you.

The program is all strings, conducted by Music Director David Hayes. It opens with Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite No. 3, which is exactly what the title says—old melodies reimagined for a modern string ensemble. From there, they move into Diamond's Rounds for String Orchestra, and they close with Beethoven's String Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135, arranged for the full orchestra by Leonard Bernstein. The whole thing runs an hour and ten minutes with no intermission, so you're in and out in one go.

For a bit of context, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia has been around since 1964. It's a 33-musician ensemble known for its string sound and for programming that doesn't always stick to the usual suspects. They put on more than 30 subscription, neighborhood, and educational programs each season, and they host the biennial Lloyd Piano Competition—this year's winner, Elliot Wuu, joins them as a soloist. David Hayes took over as music director in 2024, becoming the orchestra's fourth, and the season eventually leads up to Orchestra in the Garden, where they take the music out of the hall and into natural landscapes across the region. This particular program is built around the versatility of the string orchestra, and it's one of the many stops on their 2026 calendar.

So, you've got two options: Friday, November 6, at 7:30 PM at Mitchell Hall (19 S. 22nd St), or Sunday, November 8, at 4 PM at the Church of the Holy Trinity on Rittenhouse Square (1904 Walnut St). Both are in Philadelphia, PA 19103.