NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo (NHKSO) marks its 100th Anniversary in 2026

NHKSO was founded as Japan's first full-scale professional orchestra on October 5, 1926, under the name of the New Symphony Orchestra. Since then, through continuous performances with the world's most renowned conductors and soloists, it has grown into an orchestra to represent Japan. In 1951, it started to receive financial support from NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), and was renamed the NHK Symphony Orchestra. Since then, “N-Kyo”, by which the orchestra came to be known, has become a household name. Its brilliant history filled with innumerable masterly performances is now reaching a major milestone in the year 2026, therefore we will be hosting a variety of commemorative concerts and events starting January 2026. In order to express our gratitude to all of you for your valuable support and favor rendered to our activities throughout our long history, we have prepared concerts and events filled with our wishes for the "the next one hundred years." We hope you will look forward to the special year of the NHKSO.

Listen to the music from everyone’s favorite timeless classic game by the performances of the NHKSO, which recorded the first orchestral version.

Friday, February 27, 2026 7:00pm
Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre

Tatsuya Shimono, conductor

* Concerts are scheduled to be held at other venues on different dates.

The concert is filled with valuable projects, including the revival of the theme music of NHK's historical saga drama Minamoto-no Yoshitsune (composed by Toru Takemitsu, to mark 30 years after his death), the score of which has long been lost.

Thursday, March 5, 2026 7:00pm
NHK Hall

Nodoka Okisawa, conductor and others

* Concerts are scheduled to be held at other venues on different dates.

In commemoration of the auspicious occasions of both countries, the NHKSO will perform in Singapore for the first time in 24 years.

Wednesday, April 29, 2026 7:30pm
Esplanade Concert Hall

Tatsuya Shimono, conductor
Kyohei Sorita, piano

The NHKSO has commissioned works from two composers at home and abroad. The works will be given the world premiere performances - Yoichi Sugiyama (in July) and Miroslav Srnka (in December).

Music Tomorrow 2026

Friday, July 3, 2026 7:00pm
Tokyo Opera City

Yoichi Sugiyama, conductor

December 2026 Subscription Concert Program B

Thursday, December 10, 2026 7:00pm
Friday, December 11, 2026 7:00pm
Suntory Hall

Maxim Emelyanychev, conductor
Nicolas Altstaedt, cello

Concert tour in a fantastic collaboration between Pokémon, which marks its 30th anniversary in 2026, and the NHKSO at four locations nationwide.

Friday, August 21, 2026 7:00pm Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre
Saturday, August 22, 2026 3:30pm Kyoto Concert Hall
Sunday, August 23, 2026 2:00pm The Symphony Hall
Monday, August 24, 2026 7:00pm ACROS Fukuoka

Kanade Yokoyama, conductor

Mahler's masterpiece to powerfully celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the NHKSO.

Saturday, October 3, 2026 6:00pm
Sunday, October 4, 2026 2:00pm
NHK Hall

Fabio Luisi, conductor
Ying Fang, soprano
Tamara Mumford, mezzo soprano
New National Theatre Chorus, chorus

Fabio Luisi, who has successfully led numerous prestigious opera houses around the world, will conduct an opera performance for the first time with the NHKSO.

Saturday, October 10, 2026 4:00pm
Monday/ National holiday, October 12, 2026 4:00pm
Suntory Hall

Fabio Luisi, conductor
Tosca: Elena Stikhina
Cavaradossi: Riccardo Massi
Baron Scarpia: Ambrogio Maestri
Angelotti: Hidekazu Tsumaya
Sacristan (Church keeper) : Soshiro Ide
Spoletta: Shuhei Itoga
Tokyo Opera Singers, chorus
NHK Tokyo Children's Chorus, children's chorus

* Concert organized by Suntory Hall

Complete cycle of Brahms Symphonies by 99-year-old Herbert Blomstedt and 86-year-old Christoph Eschenbach.

Friday, October 30, 2026 7:00pm
Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre

Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4
Herbert Blomstedt, conductor

Saturday, October 31, 2026 4:00pm
Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre

Symphonies Nos. 3 & 1
Christoph Eschenbach, conductor

Luisi & NHKSO's first New Year Concert to brilliantly celebrate the start of the orchestra's new century with world renowned singers.

Sunday, January 10, 2027 3:00pm
Monday/ National holiday, January 11, 2027 3:00pm
NHK Hall

Fabio Luisi, conductor
Camilla Nylund, soprano
Klaus Florian Vogt, tenor

* Concerts are scheduled to be held at other venues on different dates.

Featuring works of Japanese composers of the Showa Era closely associated with the NHKSO.

February 2026 Subscription Concert Program C

Friday, February 13, 2026 7:00pm
Saturday, February 14, 2026 2:00pm
NHK Hall

Mussorgsky (arr. Hidemaro Konoe)/ Pictures at an Exhibition, suite, and more
Gergely Madaras, conductor

April 2026 Subscription Concert Program C

Friday, April 24, 2026 7:00pm
Saturday, April 25, 2026 2:00pm
NHK Hall

Toyama / Divertimento for Orchestra
Ifukube / Ballata Sinfonica (Symphonic Ballad) and more
Tatsuya Shimono, conductor

May 2026 Subscription Concert Program B

Thursday, May 14, 2026 7:00pm
Friday, May 15, 2026 7:00pm
Suntory Hall

Kazuo Yamada / Also sang ein Jüngling (Thus Sang a Young Man), small symphonic poem
Sugata/ Symphonic Overture
Kazuki Yamada, conductor

Franz Schmidt's masterpiece with vocal music, Fabio Luisi's life's work, to open the 2026/27 season.

Saturday, September 12, 2026 6:00pm
Sunday, September 13, 2026 2:00pm
NHK Hall

Fabio Luisi, conductor
Michael Laurenz, tenor (Johannes)
David Steffens, bass (Voice of God)
Miho Sakoda, soprano
Asami Fujii, mezzo soprano
Tatsundo Ito, tenor
Hirotaka Kato, bass
New National Theatre Chorus, chorus

Prior to the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's death in 2027, a complete cycle of Beethoven's symphonies will be performed under the baton of familiar faces returning to conduct subscription concerts.

Friday, September 25, 2026 7:00pm
Saturday, September 26, 2026 2:00pm
NHK Hall

Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3 (Eroica)
Fabio Luisi, conductor

Friday, October 23, 2026 7:00pm
Saturday, October 24, 2026 2:00pm
NHK Hall

Symphonies Nos. 8 & 5
Christoph Eschenbach, conductor

Friday, November 13, 2026 7:00pm
Saturday, November 14, 2026 2:00pm
NHK Hall

Symphonies Nos. 2 & 6 (Pastoral)
Tugan Sokhiev, conductor

Friday, December 4, 2026 7:00pm
Saturday, December 5, 2026 2:00pm
NHK Hall

Symphonies Nos. 4 & 7
Charles Dutoit, conductor

Thursday, December 17, 2026
Friday, December 18, 2026
Saturday, December. 19, 2026
Sunday, December 20, 2026
Tuesday, December 22, 2026
Concert start times TBA
NHK Hall

Symphony No. 9, Choral
Marek Janowski, conductor



A commemorative magazine detailing the orchestra's 100-year history will be published.

The magazine will trace the orchestra's 100-year history with a detailed chronology and rare photographs, based on the "NHK Symphony Orchestra's 100-year History" series published in orchestra’s magazine "Philharmony" and the "NHK Symphony Orchestra's History" series published on the orchestra's official website.

Digitalized records of the concerts the NHKSO has performed over the past 100 years will be made public and available on a database for online search.