5.6(Wed)

Beethoven Egmont Overture

Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2

Brahms Symphony No. 4

About the Conductor

Lahav Shani

Born in Tel Aviv in 1989, Lahav Shani began his piano studies at aged six with Hannah Shalgi, before continuing with Arie Vardi at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music. He went on to study conducting under Christian Ehwald and piano with Fabio Bidini at the Academy of Music Hanns Eisler, Berlin and was mentored by Daniel Barenboim during his time there.

In February 2023, the Münchner Philharmoniker appointed Lahav Shani as their new Chief Conductor, starting from September 2026. Even before taking up his post officially, he conducts Münchner Philharmoniker both in Munich and on tour. In March 2022, Lahav Shani conducted Munich’s Benefit concert in aid of Ukraine at the Isarphilharmonie with Anne-Sophie Mutter and the three orchestras of the city, Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks and Münchner Philharmoniker. He also conducted the concert marking the 80th anniversary of liberation on May 8, 2025, at Munich's Isarphilharmonie. Under his baton, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Münchner Philharmoniker performed Mahler's Sixth Symphony – a memorable event that built cultural bridges and moved audiences deeply. The 2025/26 season also holds significant events in store for the Münchner Philharmoniker and its designated Chief Conductor: in Fall 2025, they went on a European tour with stops in Lucerne, Frankfurt, Berlin, Paris, Luxembourg, and Vienna, among other cities. In April 2026, the orchestra and Shani will also begin a 3-year residency at the Festival de Pâques in Aix-en-Provence. In addition to that, the Münchner Philharmoniker plan their first tour to to Japan, Taiwan and Korea under his baton in Spring 2026.

In the 2025/26 season, Shani will be the Artist-in-Residence at the Wiener Musikverein, the Philharmonie Essen, and the Kölner Philharmonie. Recent and upcoming guest conductor highlights include engagements with Wiener Philharmoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker, Gewandhaus Orchester, London Symphony Orchestra, Filarmonica della Scala, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris-Philharmonie and Philharmonia Orchestra.

About the Pianist

Seong-Jin Cho

Seong-Jin Cho has established himself worldwide as one of the leading pianists of his generation and most distinctive artists on the current music scene. With an innate musicality and consummate artistry, his thoughtful, poetic, virtuosic and colorful playing combine panache with purity and is driven by an impressive natural sense of balance. He is celebrated unanimously across the globe for his expressive magic and illuminative insights.

An artist high in demand, Seong-Jin works with the world's most prestigious orchestras including Berliner Philharmoniker, Wiener Philharmoniker, London Symphony Orchestra, Concertgebouworkest and Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductors he regularly collaborates with include Myung-Whun Chung, Gustavo Dudamel, Andris Nelsons, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Gianandrea Noseda, Sir Antonio Pappano, Sir Simon Rattle, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Lahav Shani. In the 2024/25 season, Seong-Jin took up the mantle of Artist-in-Residence with the Berliner Philharmoniker, a position which saw Seong-Jin work with the orchestra on concerto performances, chamber music collaborations, on tour to the Osterfestspiele Baden-Baden and in recital.

In the 2025/26 season, Seong-Jin Cho is the London Symphony Orchestra’s Artist Portrait. The position sees him work with the orchestra on multiple projects across the season, with concerto performances including the world premiere of a new Piano Concerto by Donghoon Shin, written especially for him. Following his successful recitals at LSO St. Luke’s, the position will also feature upcoming touring performances across Europe, as well as chamber music concerts. -

Highly sought after in recital, Seong-Jin appears in the world’s most prestigious concert halls including the main stage of the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Musikverein Wien, Alte Oper Frankfurt, KKL Luzern, Sala Santa Cecilia and more.

About the Orchestra

Münchner Philharmoniker

Since its foundation in 1893, orchestra has made an invaluable contribution to Munich’s musical life together with many renowned conductors. Under the baton by Gustav Mahler himself, they performed the world premieres of the composer’s Symphonies No. 4 and 8. In November 1911, they premiered Mahler’s Lied von der Erde under Bruno Walter’s baton.

In February 2023, the Münchner Philharmoniker appointed Lahav Shani as its Chief Conductor. Even before taking up his post officially in September 2026, he conducts the orchestra both in Munich and on tour. With the beginning of the season 2025/26 Shani and the Münchner Philharmoniker went on a European tour to Lucerne, Frankfurt, Berlin, Paris, Luxembourg and Vienna. In April 2026, the orchestra and Shani will also begin a 3-year residency at the Festival de Pâques in Aix-en-Provence. In addition to that, the Münchner Philharmoniker plan their first tour to Japan, Taiwan and Korea under his baton in spring 2026.

Among the pioneering conductors who have worked with the Münchner Philharmoniker include such luminaries as Ferdinand Löwe, Eugen Jochum, Hans Rosbaud, Fritz Rieger and Rudolf Kempe. In 1979, the orchestra appointed Sergiu Celibidache as its musical director. The legendary Bruckner concerts under his baton boosted its international reputation. From 1999 to 2004, the Münchner Philharmoniker’s chief Conductor was James Levine. In 2004, Zubin Mehta was appointed as the orchestra’s first ever conductor laureate. Christian Thielemann continued the Munich Bruckner tradition during his tenure from 2004 until 2011 as well as upholding the classical-romantic repertoire. He was succeeded by Lorin Maazel, who was the orchestra’s chief Conductor until his death in 2014. His successor, Valery Gergiev, held this position from 2015 to 2022, during which time they recorded all of Anton Bruckner’s symphonies in St. Florian Basilica on the orchestra’s own MPHIL label.