By: Matthew Wang

The Lincoln Center’s summer orchestra began anew this season which started on July 20, 2024, changing many of its previous approaches in the previously named “Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra.” The newly christened Festival Orchestra of the Lincoln Center introduced dramatic program changes along with director Jonathan Hayward to replace Louis Langrée, who had faithfully led this orchestra for the past 21 years.

This dramatic change comes as the Lincoln Center attempts to re-adjust to be more inclusive, allowing more different genres to flourish and expose audiences to more than its previous offerings. In a speech to the audience of his final concert, Langrée stated that, “Lincoln Center wants to present less classical because it’s elitist,” choosing to embrace other styles of music such as hip hop and R&B. Despite this change of pace, the orchestra continues to play many great classical works including from its former namesake.

Even as the orchestra’s repertoire experienced a dramatic change, Lincoln Center officials, including Langrée, wish that audiences continue to support the musicians in the orchestra. According to The New York Times, “[Langrée] pleaded with the audience to return next year to support the musicians, even if Mozart’s name is being ‘erased from the orchestra.’”

As the season continues, it is for the audiences to decide whether this change was for the better or for the worse. Already, the orchestra’s new plans have led to innovation, with events such as the Choice Symphony, where the audience was allowed to vote on the music played. Already, this has lead to audiences being exposed to more and more different styles, a recurring theme throughout this summer season. As the orchestra presses on, it becomes clearer and clearer that this rebranding has only allowed the orchestral group to retrace its roots, finding new ways of accomplishing its goal of bringing diverse music to a wider audience.