Thomas Adès (Foto: Marco Borggreve)

Creative Chair 2025/26

Thomas Adès

Composer, conductor, pianist / *1971 London, UK

Thomas Adès is one of the most sought-after contemporary composers around. He is our Creative Chair for the 2025/26 season.

Let someone say again that England is a "country without music". Others have already dispelled this verdict from 1904. A special musical voice of our time is undoubtedly that of Thomas Adès - as a composer, pianist and conductor.

"His works are immediately understandable, even though they are complex; they are attractive for the audience, but also for the musicians," says Artistic Director Ilona Schmiel.

We will get to know him in two of these roles in the first week of the season. In the opening concert, the flexibility of his musical thinking will be audible in the modern chaconne "Dawn". A few days later, he will perform as a pianist at "Literature and Music" - as he will again in June, together with our focus artist Kirill Gerstein as a piano duo. He will conduct an orchestral concert with him: In addition to Sibelius and Ravel, the programme will also include two of his own works, his piano concerto and "Aquifer" for orchestra.

Throughout the season, key works will be performed in various formats and instrumentations - from family concerts and orchestral concerts to film music and opera excerpts from his international successes "The Tempest" and "Powder Her Face".

Concerts

Experience Thomas Adès' music in the following concerts:

Creative Chair supported by Swiss Re

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September 2025

Wed 17. Sep

19.30

Season opening with Paavo Järvi & Sol Gabetta

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Paavo Järvi Music Director, Sol Gabetta Violoncello Adès, Schostakowitsch, Rachmaninow

Thu 18. Sep

19.30

Season opening with Paavo Järvi & Sol Gabetta

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Paavo Järvi Music Director, Sol Gabetta Violoncello Adès, Schostakowitsch, Rachmaninow

Fri 19. Sep

19.30

Season opening with Paavo Järvi & Sol Gabetta

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Paavo Järvi Music Director, Sol Gabetta Violoncello Adès, Schostakowitsch, Rachmaninow

Sun 21. Sep

11.15

Literature and music: Robert Hunger-Bühler meets Thomas Adès

Robert Hunger-Bühler Lesung, Katalin Károlyi Mezzosopran, Thomas Adès Klavier, Julia Becker Violine, George-Cosmin Banica Violine, Sarina Zickgraf Viola, Gabriele Ardizzone Violoncello, Samuel Alcántara Kontrabass, Thomas Adès Einführung Adès, "Metamorphosen der Pflanzen"

December

Thu 04. Dec

12.15

Chamber music lunch concert

Andreas Janke Violine, Katja Fuchs Viola, Christian Proske Violoncello, Yoshiko Iwai Klavier Boulanger, Adès, Fauré

January 2026

Sun 11. Jan

11.15

Family concert: The Frog Prince

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Julia Kurzydlak Leitung, Jeroen Engelsman Konzept und Schauspiel, Nelly Danker Konzept und Regie, Marianna Helen Meyer Ausstattung Der Froschkönig

Sun 11. Jan

14.15

Family concert: The Frog Prince

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Julia Kurzydlak Leitung, Jeroen Engelsman Konzept und Schauspiel, Nelly Danker Konzept und Regie, Marianna Helen Meyer Ausstattung Der Froschkönig

Wed 21. Jan

19.30

Paavo Järvi & Kirill Gerstein

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Paavo Järvi Music Director, Kirill Gerstein Klavier Adès, Rachmaninow, Bartók

Thu 22. Jan

19.30

Paavo Järvi & Kirill Gerstein

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Paavo Järvi Music Director, Kirill Gerstein Klavier Adès, Rachmaninow, Bartók

February

Fri 20. Feb

19.30

Sonic Matter: Pierre-André Valade & Leila Josefowicz

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Pierre-André Valade Leitung, Leila Josefowicz Violine Kendall, Adès, Chin

March

Wed 04. Mar

19.30

Franz Welser-Möst with Adès and Strauss

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Franz Welser-Möst Leitung Adès, Strauss

Thu 05. Mar

12.15

Chamber music lunch concert

Calogero Palermo Klarinette, Michael von Schönermark Fagott, Philippe Litzler Trompete, Isabel Neligan Violine, Gabriele Ardizzone Violoncello, Hendrik Heilmann Klavier Poulenc, Adès, Martinů

Thu 05. Mar

19.30

Franz Welser-Möst with Adès and Strauss

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Franz Welser-Möst Leitung Adès, Strauss

Fri 06. Mar

19.30

Franz Welser-Möst with Adès and Strauss

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Franz Welser-Möst Leitung Adès, Strauss

Wed 11. Mar

19.30

Paavo Järvi & Janine Jansen

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Paavo Järvi Music Director, Janine Jansen Violine Adès, Bruch, Mendelssohn Bartholdy

Thu 12. Mar

19.30

Paavo Järvi & Janine Jansen

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Paavo Järvi Music Director, Janine Jansen Violine Adès, Bruch, Mendelssohn Bartholdy

Fri 13. Mar

22.00

tonhalleLATE – classic meets electronic

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Paavo Järvi Music Director Adès, Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Kollektiv Packungsbeilage

April

Thu 09. Apr

12.15

Chamber music lunch concert

Diego Baroni Klarinette, Elisabeth Harringer-Pignat Violine, Ulrike Schumann-Gloster Violine, Viola, Katja Fuchs Viola, Gabriele Ardizzone Violoncello, Hendrik Heilmann Klavier Boulanger, Françaix, Jones, Copland, Adès

Thu 23. Apr

19.30

Marie Jacquot & Augustin Hadelich

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Marie Jacquot Leitung, Augustin Hadelich Violine Adès, Beethoven, Mussorgsky

Fri 24. Apr

19.30

Marie Jacquot & Augustin Hadelich

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Marie Jacquot Leitung, Augustin Hadelich Violine Adès, Beethoven, Mussorgsky

June

Wed 24. Jun

19.30

Thomas Adès & Kirill Gerstein

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Thomas Adès Leitung, Kirill Gerstein Klavier Sibelius, Adès, Ravel, Adès

Thu 25. Jun

19.30

Thomas Adès & Kirill Gerstein

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Thomas Adès Leitung, Kirill Gerstein Klavier Sibelius, Adès, Ravel, Adès

Sun 28. Jun

17.00

Cosmos of chamber music: Thomas Adès & Kirill Gerstein

Thomas Adès Klavier, Kirill Gerstein Klavier Adès, Ligeti, Messiaen

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