Mälkki Conducts Bartók at Walt Disney Concert Hall

Susanna Mälkki returns to the Los Angeles Philharmonic podium this October for a program built around Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra. It is one of the stronger LA concerts on the fall calendar for anyone who likes a full orchestra showing off every section.

When: Friday, October 9, 2026, 11:00 AM (a further performance follows on October 11 at 2:00 PM) Where: The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall, Downtown Los Angeles Tickets: Through the LA Phil's event page

What's on the program

The evening opens with a new work by Miroslav Srnka, a US premiere and an LA Phil commission running about 18 minutes. Then comes Martinů's Oboe Concerto, with LA Phil Principal Oboe Ryan Roberts as soloist. It is lyrical, jazz-inflected and at one point even gives a nod to a Czech polka, which makes it a charming counterweight to the rest of the night.

The centerpiece is Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra. Written in the 1940s, it passes the spotlight around the entire ensemble: brass chorales, a game of paired woodwinds, a haunting string-led elegy and a finale that races to the finish. Mälkki, a Finnish conductor known for precision and clarity in twentieth-century repertoire, is a natural fit for it.

Plan on roughly two to two and a half hours including a 20-minute intermission.

Why go

If you are looking for live music in Los Angeles that goes beyond the usual, this is it. Hearing a world-class orchestra in Frank Gehry's hall, where the sound wraps around you from every side, is half the appeal. The Bartók in particular rewards a live setting, since the quiet passages and the big brass climaxes both land harder in the room than on a recording.

New to classical? This program is approachable. The pieces are tuneful, rhythmic and full of color, and none of them demands homework beforehand.

Practical info

Walt Disney Concert Hall sits on Grand Avenue in Downtown LA, an easy ride on Metro to the Civic Center / Grand Park or Pershing Square stations. Parking is available in the Music Center garage, and street parking nearby is scarce, so give yourself extra time. Prices vary by seat and performance, so check the LA Phil page for current availability before you go.

Looking for other things to do in Los Angeles this month? Browse our concerts listings and the Los Angeles neighborhood page for more ideas.