The Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS (DFP) and Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) have unveiled their 2027 concert season, spanning classical masterpieces, orchestral film screenings, popular music and Malaysian cultural heritage.
Beginning in January 2027, the 29th season carries the theme “Where Every Beat Tells A Story”, reflecting a commitment to making orchestral music more accessible and engaging for Malaysian audiences.
Here are the highlights to look out for, particularly the film screenings and anime concerts, which tend to sell out quickly.
MPO's Japanese music director Junichi Hirokami will lead 10 classical concerts, including New Year’s Concert: Strauss & Co (Jan 23), An Evening Of Mozart (Jan 30), Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 (June 26) and Brahms In Full (Oct 30).
The MPO will present Symphony of Memories – Nostalgic Hong Kong Classics II on Feb 27, offering a post-Chinese New Year celebration of Cantopop under conductor Francis Kan, joined by guest vocalists.
Beyond the classical repertoire, six film screenings at DFP will feature live orchestral accompaniment. From family outings and date-night picks to blockbusters and a Malay classic best enjoyed with friends, there is something for every occasion.
These special evenings include Baahubali: The Beginning (Feb 13), Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (May 8 and 9), Titanic (July 10), How To Train Your Dragon (Sept 25), In The Mood For Love (Oct 2) and Tan Sri P. Ramlee’s classic Antara Dua Darjat (Oct 16).
The season will also span pop genres and generations with Beatles Go Baroque – Hello Again (Jan 17) and Symphonic Disco: Stayin’ Alive (March 20), both conducted by MPO resident conductor Gerard Salonga. Other highlights include The Music Of Celine Dion (Sept 18), conducted by Brent Havens and featuring vocalist Olivia Valli.
Anime and gaming fans can look forward to Naruto – A Symphonic Experience (March 27 and 28) and Distant Worlds: Music From Final Fantasy (Nov 6 and 7), the latter marking the video game franchise’s 40th anniversary in 2027.
Aina Abdul returns to DFP on April 17, reuniting with the MPO after their acclaimed 2024 debut collaboration, with her hits reimagined under conductor Ahmad Muriz Che Rose.
The season will also feature several MPO debuts, including London-based Malaysian pianist Magdalene Ho, British soprano Katherine Broderick, violinists Kristof Barati (Hungary) and Andrea Obiso (Italy), teenage Japanese trumpeter Hayato Kodama, Polish-Russian conductor Andrey Boreyko and American organist Cameron Carpenter, who will perform on the DFP’s Klais Pipe Organ.
Returning guest performers include conductors - US-based Tengku Irfan (Malaysia), Stanislav Kochanovsky (Russia), Kirill Karabits (Ukraine), Christian Arming (Austria) and Michael Seal (Britain) -alongside Chinese-Australian cellist Qin Li-Wei, violinists Yang Tianwa (China) and Lorenzo Gatto (Belgium), and pianists Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (France) and Barry Douglas (Britain), who last performed with the MPO in 2000.
A major highlight next December is a two-week Beethoven Festival featuring some of the composer’s best-known works, including the Pastoral Symphony (Dec 11) and Symphony No. 9 (Dec 18).
Tickets for the 2027 season will go on sale to the public on Nov 3.
More info here.
