NEPA Philharmonic Announces 2025-26 Season

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, with Music Director Mélisse Brunet, is excited to announce its 2025-26 Season, Presented by PNC. The season contains an expansive array of unique musical experiences ranging from candlelit concerts to a Battle of the Bands to films live in concert, including Jurassic Park™. Season subscriptions and individual tickets are available at NEPAphil.org or by calling 570-270-4444. New ticket prices start at $29 for adults and $16 for students for most concerts.

The NEPA Philharmonic’s long-time supporter of the orchestra, PNC, will also debut as the Philharmonic’s first ever Season Presenting Sponsor for 2025-26. Additional series sponsorships include the Thalenfeld Family Movie Series, the Dr. Seth W. and Carolyn Fisher Pops Series, the Thalenfeld Family Symphony Series, and the Stoppini Foundation Chamber Series.

“Extending our relationship with the Philharmonic to become the first season-long presenting sponsor reflects our shared belief in the power of the arts and culture to bring our community together,” said Pete Danchak, PNC regional president for Northeast PA. “The arts are a key economic driver across our region and the Philharmonic’s upcoming season offers programs that further reinforce what we’ve long known – Northeast PA is the perfect place to live, work and play.”

Following appearances by the Philharmonic at the Scrantastic Spectacular and Wilkes-Barre’s Old Fashioned Fourth of July, the NEPA Philharmonic expands its Stoppini Chamber Series this summer with two outdoor concerts presented by Harmony in the Woods in Hawley. After a recent concert of Americana Brass in the Woods with the NEPA Philharmonic Brass Quintet on July 5, the NEPA Philharmonic String Quartet joins Regina Sayles on Sunday, August 17, 5:30PM for Regina Sayles & Summer Strings, a program of pop favorites and original works benefiting WVIA.

In September, the Philharmonic offers its first ever Sensory Friendly chamber concert with a wind quartet at the Pittston Library on Saturday, September 13, 10AM and 1PM, free for the public. On Saturday, September 27, 7PM, the orchestra opens the Dr. Seth W. and Carolyn Fisher Pops Series with Defying Gravity: Bewitching Broadway at the F.M. Kirby Center. Scott Coulter’s Spot-On Entertainment returns with the Philharmonic for a program of spooky, show-stopping hits from musicals such as Wicked, Sweeney Todd, and more.

The Philharmonic brings two “Savor the Sounds” chamber music experiences this fall, featuring a relaxed atmosphere of premium table seating, small bites, and a bar with signature drinks. Autumn Tango at Montage features an afternoon of fall foliage and Piazzolla on Sunday, October 5, 3PM at Montage Mountain Resorts in Scranton. Then on Thursday, November 6, 7PM, Lace Village in Scranton glows with a candlelit string quartet performing reimagined pop hits.

The shimmering Lace Village event is also part of the Philharmonic’s new hallmark (Candle)LIT Festival, concerts from October to December fully illuminated by hundreds of electric candles. The Thalenfeld Symphony Series presents two performances of (Candle)LIT Mozart’s Requiem, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Wilkes-Barre on Thursday, October 23, 7PM and at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Scranton on Friday, October 24, 7PM, featuring the Marywood University Concert Choir; organist Mark Laubach; and rising-star vocalists Jessica Leigh, Inayah Raheem, Dylon Crain and Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Artist Sunghoon Han.

The (Candle)LIT Festival continues with the fanfare-filled Courthouse: (Candle)LIT Brass Quintet in the Luzerne County Courthouse Rotunda on Friday, November 21, 7PM, and the joyous (Candle)LIT Holidays on Saturday, December 6, 7PM at the Scranton Cultural Center, featuring the full orchestra with the Ballet Theatre of Scranton and the Abington Heights High School Concert Choir. The holidays don’t stop there, with a double bill of animated films The Snowman™ and The Snowman and the Snowdog™ live in concert with the Philharmonic on Saturday, December 20, 7PM at the F.M. Kirby Center, presented by the Thalenfeld Movie Series.

A new event this season is Battle of the Bands presented by ROCK107, at Mohegan Pennsylvania Casino on Saturday, January 31, 2026, 7PM. Local bands will compete for a grand prize of $5,000 and the opportunity to perform with the full NEPA Philharmonic orchestra in the 2026-2027 season. Bands of any genre are encouraged to apply at nepaphil.org/events/battle-of-the-bands, and the deadline to apply is October 11; finalist bands will be announced on November 7 and will perform on January 31.

The Stoppini Chamber Series continues in 2026 with Cello Starry Night on Friday, January 16, 7PM at St. Luke’s in Scranton, Dreams & Klezmer with clarinet and string quartet on Sunday, February 22, 3PM at WVIA’s Sordoni Theatre in Pittston, and flute-marimba Duo Zuber with Debussy & Frenemies on Thursday, March 26, 7PM at the Luzerne County Courthouse Rotunda. Meanwhile, the orchestral season marks St. Patrick’s Day week with Celtic & Bluegrass Sky on Thursday, March 12, 7PM at Kingston’s Kirby Center for the Creative Arts.

Then, relive the magic of Jurassic Park™ on the big screen accompanied by a thrilling, live performance of the NEPA Philharmonic, coming to the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre, PA on Saturday, April 11, 7PM. Audiences can experience Jurassic Park™ as never before: projected in HD with a full symphony orchestra performing John Williams’ iconic score live to picture.

Finally, enter the cosmic world of Planets, Moons, & Star Wars on Friday, May 1, 7PM at the Scranton Cultural Center, featuring the Choral Society of NEPA and the Marywood University Concert Choir along with stunning artistic multimedia projections.

Visit NEPAphil.org or call 570-270-4444 for more information.