By: Offbeat Staff
Harry Connick Jr. will mark a deeply personal milestone when he takes the main stage at Carnegie Hall for the first time in May 2026. According to The Associated Press, the renowned musician will premiere an original composition in honor of what would have been his mother’s 100th birthday, as part of the celebrated venue’s 2025-26 season.
The performance, scheduled for May 22, 2026, will serve as a tribute to Connick’s mother, Anita Frances Livingston. Connick, who lost his mother when he was just 13 years old, has tentatively titled the work “Elaboratio,” reflecting his desire to musically elaborate on her life and legacy. The program will be repeated on May 23.
Connick’s composition is set to unfold across three movements, each representing a different chapter of Livingston’s journey—from New York to Nouaceur, Morocco, and finally New Orleans. The performance will mark Connick’s first appearance on Carnegie Hall’s renowned main stage, following a previous appearance in the smaller Zankel Hall in 2005.
The significance of the date and venue is no coincidence. Seven years ago, Connick’s manager contacted Carnegie Hall executive director Clive Gillinson to secure the date, ensuring this milestone would align with his mother’s centennial.
Connick’s premiere will be a highlight of Carnegie Hall’s 2025-26 season, which carries the theme “United in Sound: America at 250,” commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Running from January to July 2026, the festival will feature more than 35 performances celebrating the diversity of American music, spanning jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, hip-hop, Broadway, and bluegrass.
The season will showcase works by celebrated composers such as Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Philip Glass, Wynton Marsalis and Julia Wolfe. It will also spotlight underrepresented composers, including Amy Beach, Florence Price, and William Dawson.
Other notable events include a March 2 concert titled “The Secret Life of the American Musical,” starring J. Harrison Ghee and Betsy Wolfe, inspired by Jack Viertel’s book on the evolution of Broadway productions. Additionally, the prestigious Perspectives series will feature conductor Marin Alsop, pianist Lang Lang, mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, and violinist Maxim Vengerov.
Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, who will turn 90 in September, will hold the Debs Composer’s Chair. While Pärt will not travel to New York due to his age, his presence will be felt through his influential body of work.
The season will open on October 7, 2025, with conductor Daniel Harding leading alumni from the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America alongside pianist Yuja Wang. The program will include selections from Leonard Bernstein’s symphonic dances from “West Side Story,” Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, and Stravinsky’s “The Firebird Suite.”
As Carnegie Hall prepares to celebrate America’s rich musical heritage, Connick’s deeply personal tribute promises to resonate with audiences, blending the signature artistry of Harry Connick Jr. with a sonorous homage to his mother’s enduring spirit.