The New Mexico Philharmonic is the state’s largest professional classical symphony orchestra. Featuring more than 70 professional musicians, the orchestra performs a variety of music, ranging from classical pieces to soundtracks from movies. I recently attended one of the Philharmonic’s Coffee Concerts, which are special concerts that occur on Friday mornings at the First United Methodist Church, and it was a great way to get my weekend started early.
The highlight of the concert was hearing 17-year-old pianist Akilan Sankaran perform. He played a work by Joseph Haydn, and it was safe to say the entire audience was stunned at his stellar performance. He is incredibly talented, and I loved to see the New Mexico Philharmonic invite talented young people to perform alongside them.
Then, the entire orchestra played Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F Major. This was a cheerful piece, perfect for springtime, that was exciting to hear live. Music director Roberto Minczuk provided an introduction about the piece, which was helpful and interesting, especially for those of us who aren’t familiar with classical music.
The performance was beautiful. I enjoyed watching the musicians who clearly played with passion. I also enjoyed talking to some of the other patrons before the concert and during the intermission, who expressed how lucky New Mexico is to have a professional orchestra like the Philharmonic.
The Philharmonic’s 2024-2025 season has come to a close. The 2025-2026 season will have something for everyone. It will include evening performances at Popejoy Hall featuring works by Debussy, Ravel, Mahler and others; a series of affordable, family-friendly concerts at Immanuel Presbyterian Church; an afternoon classics series at the National Hispanic Cultural Center; and casual Friday morning coffee concerts at First Presbyterian Church.
