Philharmonia - The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music

UCLA

Philharmonia

UCLA Philharmonia on Royce Hall stage.

Philharmonia

Course Information:
Rehearsal: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:05 to 5:50 PM

Director: Neal Stulberg

UCLA Philharmonia is the flagship orchestra of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, and one of Southern California’s premiere training orchestras. Focusing on both the core symphonic and operatic repertoire, and the best in contemporary and rarely-performed works, it performs two or three different programs each quarter, Prof. Neal Stulberg has led the ensemble since 2005. UCLA Philharmonia is a for-credit course and is composed almost entirely of music majors; qualified non-majors may also audition for violin and other positions as needed. General auditions for UCLA Philharmonia are held at the beginning of each Fall Quarter. Philharmonia’s first three commercial CDs – a Yarlung Records release of previously unrecorded orchestral works by Viennese émigré composer Eric Zeisl (2012); a world-premiere Sono Luminus recording of works by Mohammed Fairouz (2014); and a Naxos recording of Ian Krouse’s “Armenian Requiem” (2019) – are available on Apple Music, amazon.com, Naxos Music Library and other retail outlets.

The Conductor

Neal Stulberg has conducted many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Atlanta, Houston, Saint Louis and San Francisco Symphonies, Netherlands Radio Symphony, West German Radio Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra and Moscow Chamber Orchestra. He has appeared as opera and ballet conductor with New York City, San Francisco and Netherlands Ballets, Long Beach Opera, Norwegian National Ballet and Hollands Diep Opera Company. His performances of Mozart concerti conducted from the keyboard are uniformly praised for their buoyant virtuosity. For West German Radio, he has recorded orchestral and solo piano works of Lazare Saminsky, Alexander Veprik and Mikhail Gnessin.

Formerly assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Carlo Maria Giulini and music director of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, he is a recipient of the Seaver/National Endowment for the Arts Conductors Award, America’s most coveted conducting prize.

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Upcoming Classical and Contemporary Performances

EXPLORE ALL SCHOOL OF MUSIC EVENTS
EXPLORE ALL SCHOOL OF MUSIC EVENTS
EXPLORE ALL SCHOOL OF MUSIC EVENTS
Oct 29 Thu
6:00pm
Free
classical
David L. Abell Piano Master Series – Elizabeth Schumann
Join the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music as we welcome pianist Elizabeth Schumann for the Fall installment of our 2026/27 David L. Abell Piano Master Series, a concert series …
Lani Hall Learn More
Oct 29 Thu
8:00pm
Free
classical
UCLA Philharmonia: The "Don Quixote" Experience
Immerse yourself in the fantastical world of Don Quixote, where comic misadventures, tender moments and heroic dreams come vividly to life in Richard Strauss’s dazzling tone poem. As the Don, …
Schoenberg Hall Learn More
Oct 30 Fri
8:00pm
Free
classical, contemporary
UCLA Wind Ensemble - American Anthems
As the United States celebrates its semiquincentennial, the UCLA Wind Ensemble opens its season with a program exploring America’s triumphs and tragedies. The concert opens with Robert Jager’s festive Esprit …
Schoenberg Hall Learn More
Regina Carter Speaks Up and Stages a Comeback
From Strings Magazine: Jazz violinist Regina Carter on overcoming an injury and fighting the stigma of performer injuries.
Music Course Explores Connections between Music and Politics
From the Daily Bruin: What do Beethoven and Beyoncé have in common? Professor David Lefkowitz explores how musical artists shape political engagement in this exciting course.
Johanna Gamboa-Kroesen Receives Faculty Career Development Award to Advance Music Education and Belonging
Dr. Johanna Gamboa-Kroesen, Assistant Professor of Music Education at UCLA, received a Faculty Career Development Award for the 2026 to 2027 academic year. This award is given by the UCLA …
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