Musicians from the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic will perform in a wide variety of musical styles throughout the upcoming season.
Courtesy of Darren Elias Photography
Following a summer of concerts, the NEPA Philharmonic (PHIL) continues its America250 celebration with three more special events this fall.
At 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 10, Indraloka Animal Sanctuary’s Art Barn in Clarks Summit will host Cider & Wild Strings, featuring an upbeat string trio performing Gershwin, fiddle tunes, and more. Guests can enjoy cider and small bites from Friedman Hospitality, with an optional sanctuary tour beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Following this is the Luzerne County 240th Celebration at 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 25, at the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre, presented in partnership with Luzerne County, the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Wilkes-Barré Preservation Society, the Luzerne Foundation, WVIA, and other community partners.
The program celebrates Pennsylvania’s rich heritage through music, multimedia projections of local history, guest narrators, dancers, and performances by NEPA-native artists, including Broadway vocalist Celia Hottenstein and NEPA PHIL Battle of the Bands winner Gracie Jane Sinclair.
Highlights include Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring and Lincoln Portrait, alongside favorite Broadway selections.
The NEPA PHIL’s Sensory Friendly series then continues with a free sensory friendly strings performance at 1 p.m., Monday, Oct. 5. Presented by the Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock, and in collaboration with Misericordia University Occupational Therapy, Children’s Service Center, and other local partners, the program offers an accessible live string trio experience with upbeat jazz and Americana favorites.
The NEPA PHIL’s 2026-27 season features the return of the (Candle)LIT Festival, running Oct. 15 through Feb. 6, with hundreds of electric candles illuminating each performance.
October opens with the iconic 1922 silent film “Nosferatu,” accompanied by a live string quartet Oct. 15 at Montage Mountain Resorts, followed by immersive 360° brass performances beneath the rotundas of Marywood University and the Luzerne County Courthouse on Oct. 28 and 29.
Iconic classical ensemble works take center stage in two candlelit Scranton performances: Brahms’ German Requiem on Nov. 12 at Elm Park United Methodist Church, and Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 on Jan. 29 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.
Two (Candle)LIT Savor the Sounds events pair music with food and drink: a string quartet performance of film favorites at the Westmoreland Club in Wilkes-Barre on Nov. 19, and a three-course holiday dinner at the Beaumont Inn in Dallas on Dec. 13 featuring brass and vocalists.
The beloved holiday orchestral concerts, this year titled (Candle)LIT Holiday Magic, come to Scranton on Dec. 10 and Wilkes-Barre on Dec. 11, featuring the Abington Heights High School Choir, Ballet Theatre of Scranton, plus Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Additional holiday programs include a free memory friendly concert on Dec. 1 at Marywood University’s Marian Chapel, and a return to Honesdale’s Cooperage Project with brass madrigals on Dec. 12. Rounding out the festival are (Candle)LIT 90’s at the F.M. Kirby Center’s Chandelier Hall on Jan. 15, and rock-and-roll electric strings at Mohegan Pennsylvania Casino on Saturday, Feb. 6.
For details on the entire season or more about the Philharmonic, visit NEPAPHIL.org or call the Box Office at 570-270-4444.
