We love classical music concerts in D.C. Inside venues like The Kennedy Center, orchestras, string quartets, pianists and more treat audiences to live tributes dedicated to our favorite classical works (and some of these performances are completely free). Whether you’re a seasoned classical music fan or just getting started, Washington D.C. offers a vibrant scene full of concerts, festivals and top-class performers for you to enjoy. Curious to know more? We’ve got the scoop on all things classical music in D.C. below.
Venues hosting classical concerts in D.C.
1. Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center — a cultural landmark built with live music performances in mind. The prestigious venue’s grand Concert Hall features a “shoebox” design in order to optimize the acoustics, while the iconic Opera House adorned in red velvet walls has been praised for its superior noise insulation and sound quality.
Pianists like Martha Argerich and Herbie Hancock as well as opera singer Martina Arroyo have taken to the stage inside the venue’s grand opera house. It’s home to the National Symphony Orchestra and famous composers including Philip Glass, Valerie Coleman and Carlos Simon have led classical music concerts here.
📍2700 F St NW
2. The Music Center at Strathmore
Located in North Bethesda, The Music Center at Strathmore is a premier live music venue that offers excellent acoustics inside a modern concert hall. Iconic composers such as Ludovico Einaudi and Nils Frahm are some of the famous faces who’ve performed here and conductors like Jonathon Heyward and Xian Zhang often lead classical concerts performed by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
📍5301 Tuckerman Ln, North Bethesda
3. The CUA’s Ward Recital Hall
Inside The Catholic University of America lies the Ward Recital Hall, an intimate performance venue that’s home to a 9-foot Steinway concert grand piano. It’s no surprise, then, that piano performances are super popular here. Students of the university as well as professional pianists like Francesca Hurst perform a variety works by the likes of Chernin, Foumai, Chopin and Debussy every month.
📍348 University Dr NE NE
4. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library is an active venue for classical music concerts in D.C. The library hosts chamber music events throughout the year, featuring works by the likes of Fiona Linnane, Oswald Russell and Samuel Barber performed by local classical musicians. The venue also hosts the magical Candlelight series which invites string quartets such as the Listeso String Quartet to put their spin on the works of Vivaldi and Bach as well as contemporary tunes, film scores and more.
📍901 G St NW
5. Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral is a gorgeous 14th-century English Gothic cathedral that hosts a number of classical music concerts in D.C. The cathedral’s resident organist Thomas Sheehan performs organ recitals for free every month and the Washington National Cathedral Choir and Orchestra often performs works like Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and Brahms’ Requiem throughout the year.
📍3101 Wisconsin Ave NW
Orchestras in D.C.
National Symphony Orchestra
Founded by cellist Hans Kindler in 1931, the National Symphony Orchestra is one of the longest-running orchestras in D.C. The Kennedy Center is their home turf, but they put on around 175 shows a year in venues across the country. When they’re not gracing presidential inaugurations like Jimmy Carter’s, you’ll find them paying tribute to works by the likes of Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov or bringing movies to life by accompanying live film screenings.
Apollo Orchestra
Apollo Orchestra is a free professional orchestra, meaning a ticket to one of their concerts won’t cost you a dime. It was founded in 2010 with the mission to bring high-quality classical performances to local neighborhoods across D.C. Led by renowned composer David Chan, the orchestra has performed in D.C. venues like The Kennedy Center to bring compositions by Brahms, Beethoven, Strauss, Verdi and more to life.
DC Concert Orchestra
DC Concert Orchestra has roots dating all the way back to 2007. A group of amateur chamber musicians got together to form a new ensemble and by 2014, it had evolved into an 80-piece symphony orchestra that operated under the management of music director Randall Stewart. During the 2024-2025 season, they presented Metamorphosis — a journey through the works by renowned composers which featured performances of Brahms’ Symphony No. 4. and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 “Pastorale”, among others.
Classical concert events in D.C.
Washington D.C. International Music Festival
Hosted inside The Kennedy Center, the Washington D.C. International Music Festival is held every two years, usually during the month of April. It brings together choirs, bands and orchestras from high schools, colleges and community organisations to showcase new talents in D.C. and its surrounding areas. The five-day festival also hosts some outdoor performances outside D.C. landmark such as the Lincoln, Jefferson and WWII Memorial (weather permitting, of course).
Washington International Piano Festival
The WIPF is a non-profit event that takes place annually at both The Catholic University of America and The Kennedy Center. Every year between July and August, over 650 participants of all ages perform 30-minute piano recitals over the course of the week-long festival. The concerts are completely free and open to the public, while lectures and workshops held at The CUA’s Ward Recital Hall have a $10 entry fee.
Memorial Day Choral Festival
The Memorial Day Choral Festival welcomes choirs from across the country to The Kennedy Center to pay their respects to service members through choral performances. The event is held on the last Monday in May to coincide with Memorial Day and has featured performances by a 200-voice Memorial Day Festival Chorus and the Capital Wind Symphony in the past. Tickets are free but must reserved in advance.