NEW ORLEANS – The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) announced its 2025 BENEFIT CONCERT: A TRIBUTE TO ELLIS MARSALIS JR., taking place Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Orpheum Theater beginning at 8 p.m. Organizers share that this event will celebrate the legacy of the late Ellis Marsalis Jr., a pioneering jazz pianist, educator, and patriarch of one of the most iconic musical families in New Orleans, featuring musical performances by Grammy-winning saxophonist BRANFORD MARSALIS, award-winning trombonist, composer, and producer DELFEAYO MARSALIS, and jazz drummer, composer, and producer JASON MARSALIS. For more information, visit www.lpomusic.com.
“This concert is more than a tribute—it’s a statement about what music can do in our communities,” said Anwar Nasir, executive director of the LPO. “By supporting this event, you’re helping us expand access to transformative musical experiences for students, families, and neighborhoods across Louisiana.”
The evening will also include the world premiere of a new orchestral work by acclaimed composer ROGER DICKERSON, a Pulitzer Prize nominee and lifelong friend of Ellis Marsalis Jr., commissioned specifically for this event, which will feature saxophonist Branford Marsalis.
This concert weaves together a distinctly New Orleans program, showcasing a diverse selection of works that celebrate the symphony orchestra’s remarkable versatility. The concert includes works by Leonard Bernstein, Duke Ellington, and Ellis Marsalis Jr.’s very own The Fourth Autumn. Also featured will be Marsalis Jr.’s son, WYNTON MARSALIS’s Swing Symphony, featuring his brothers Delfeayo and Jason as guests.
“It’s always special to perform at home in New Orleans. I’m excited to join the LPO alongside two of my brothers in this special concert honoring our father.” said Branford Marsalis, GRAMMY Award-winning saxophonist, EMMY and Tony Award nominee, and featured classical soloist.
In what would have been one of his final performances, Ellis Marsalis Jr. was last slated to play with the LPO on March 14, 2020; however, the concert was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic effectively shutting down all concerts. Tragically, the world lost the musical titan to complications of COVID-19 less than three weeks later. This evening will present a long-awaited tribute that honors Ellis Marsalis Jr.’s legacy and his immeasurable impact on music, education, and the cultural fabric of New Orleans.
TICKETS
Tickets are available beginning at $45. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.lpomusic.com or contact the LPO Box Office by calling 504.523.6530. Sponsorship opportunities are available now at http://www.lpomusic.com/benefit-concert.