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Historic 427 Chestnut Street exterior housing Benjamin Franklin Hall
Image: Beyond My Ken / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Classical DateBook venue guide

Benjamin Franklin Hall at the American Philosophical Society classical concerts

Old City · Philadelphia

Associated programming: American Philosophical Society

Benjamin Franklin Hall is the American Philosophical Society's Chestnut Street auditorium for lectures, meetings, ceremonies, chamber music, and public programs.

chamber musiclectures and talkshistoric auditoriumOld City
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Next performance

Carmit Zori, violin Catherine Cho, violin Daniel Phillips, viola Todd Phillips, viola Marcy Rosen, cello Peter Wiley, cello

Sunday, October 25 at 2:00 PM · Sold out

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What to expect

Planning a visit to Benjamin Franklin Hall at the American Philosophical Society

Choose Benjamin Franklin Hall for a chamber-scale or lecture-format program in the Society's 427 Chestnut Street auditorium. Confirm the hall name, presenter, admission or seating format, program, run time, accessibility arrangements, and ticket terms on the event page, then use the Society's address and transportation guidance rather than heading to Philosophical Hall on Fifth Street.

Nearby picks

Before or after the performance

Check current hours, performance-day service, travel time, and reservations before relying on any stop.

  • Restaurant

    Fork ↗

    A reservation-oriented Old City restaurant for a full dinner before an evening program; allow for service and the walk back toward Fifth or Sixth Street.

  • Restaurant

    High Street Philadelphia ↗

    A casual all-day restaurant on South Ninth Street that can suit an earlier meal before the event; confirm current service and travel time to the venue.

  • Quick bite

    FRIEDA ↗

    A café on Walnut Street for coffee, pastries, or a lighter daytime stop close to the historic district; check current hours before relying on it.

  • Attraction

    Independence National Historical Park ↗

    Use the National Park Service visitor information to plan an earlier historic-district stop, checking building hours, security, timed entry, and closures.

  • Attraction

    Museum of the American Revolution ↗

    Pair the Old City museum with a later performance, confirming admission, gallery hours, special exhibitions, and enough time to reach the venue.

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10 artists • 1 composers • 4 formats • 16 venues • 1 neighborhoods

(Benjamin Franklin Hall at the American Philosophical Society) Filtered Results: 5Clear Venue Filter

Date: Sun, Nov 8, 2:00 PM EST

Format: ChamberTicketed
Venue: Benjamin Franklin Hall, American Philosophical Society • Neighborhood: Philadelphia metro • • Details

This concert is supported in part by Sevgi Rodan, in memory of Gideon A. Rodan Program: Kodály : Serenade for Two Violins and Viola, Op. 12 Kodály : String Quartet No. 2, Op. 10 Dvořák : Piano Trio in F Minor, Op. 65 Watch the livestreamed concert via the video player below. Help Us Keep the Music Playing PCMS livestreams are offered on a pay what you wish basis. These performances are possible only because of the generous support of friends like you. We thank you for contributing as generously as you can when watching these events. Gifts of any size are deeply appreciated. Please use the form below to give or text PCMS to 44321. If you encounter any technical issues while donating, please try refreshing the page or donating via PayPal . Special thanks to Drs. A. Charles & Susan Winkelman with support from The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, Theodore Presser Foundation, Dot and Rick Nelson, Sid Kaplan, and the American Philosophical Society for their support of our livestream series, and for helping us deliver world-class artistry to audiences around the globe.

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INSTRUMENTS

#piano

Date: Wed, Nov 11, 7:30 PM EST

Format: ChamberTicketed
Venue: Benjamin Franklin Hall, American Philosophical Society • Neighborhood: Philadelphia metro • • Details

Hailed as the new face of classical guitar worldwide, Raphaël Feuillâtre returns to PCMS following a dazzling 2024 debut that left audiences in awe of his “consistently stunning musicality” (Cleveland Classical) . From Spain to Argentina and Italy to Brazil, Feuillâtre leads us on a journey through music by Scarlatti, Villa-Lobos, Piazzolla, and Albéniz, as well as the lesser-known but equally captivating Tárrega and Solés, demonstrating extraordinary expressivity and complete mastery of his instrument. Program: Latin Passions Tárrega : Caprice arabe Tárrega : Prelude No. 18 in D Major, Lágrima Tárrega : Recuerdos de la Alhambra Albéniz : Torre Bermeja (Arr.) Albéniz : Asturias: Leyenda (Arr.) Solés : El Testament d’Amelia Castelnuovo-Tedesco : El sueño de la razón produce monstruos Castelnuovo-Tedesco : Capriccio Diabolico , Op. 85 Scarlatti : Presto, from Sonata in D Major, K. 492 Barrios : Mazurka Appassionata Lauro : Valse No. 3 Lauro : Anna Florencia (Canción de Cuna) Brouwer : La Huida de los Amantes por el Valle de Los Enamorados S. Assad : Cateretê , from Suite Brasileira , No. 4 Villa-Lobos : Suite Populares Brésilienne (Sel.) Villa-Lobos : Etude No. 12 Piazzolla : Invierno Porteño (Arr.) Dyens : Fuoco Watch the livestreamed concert via the video player below. Help Us Keep the Music Playing PCMS livestreams are offered on a pay what you wish basis. These performances are possible only because of the generous support of friends like you. We thank you for contributing as generously as you can when watching these events. Gifts of any size are deeply appreciated. Please use the form below to give or text PCMS to 44321. If you encounter any technical issues while donating, please try refreshing the page or donating via PayPal . Special thanks to Drs. A. Charles & Susan Winkelman with support from The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, Theodore Presser Foundation, Dot and Rick Nelson, Sid Kaplan, and the American Philosophical Society for their support of our livestream series, and for helping us deliver world-class artistry to audiences around the globe.

Get Tickets

INSTRUMENTS

#guitar

Date: Tue, Nov 24, 7:30 PM EST

Format: ChamberTicketed
Venue: Benjamin Franklin Hall, American Philosophical Society • Neighborhood: Philadelphia metro • • Details

“The Heifetz of the flute” (Gramophone) , Marina Piccinini, returns to PCMS with the young, Franco-American harpsichordist Justin Taylor. Praised as “an artist of fluid, flawless technique [and] bold ideas” (Classical Now), Taylor makes his PCMS debut with Piccinini with an intimate look at four of J.S. Bach’s essential sonatas for the flute. The duo showcases the harpsichord not merely as a bass voice, but as a virtuosic, equal collaborator. Program: J.S. Bach : Flute Sonata in E Major, BWV 1035 J.S. Bach : Flute Sonata in B Minor, BWV 1030 J.S. Bach : Flute Sonata in A Major, BWV 1032 J.S. Bach : Flute Sonata in E Minor, BWV 1034 (Please note – this program is 70 minutes without intermission) Watch the livestreamed concert via the video player below. Help Us Keep the Music Playing PCMS livestreams are offered on a pay what you wish basis. These performances are possible only because of the generous support of friends like you. We thank you for contributing as generously as you can when watching these events. Gifts of any size are deeply appreciated. Please use the form below to give or text PCMS to 44321. If you encounter any technical issues while donating, please try refreshing the page or donating via PayPal . Special thanks to Drs. A. Charles & Susan Winkelman with support from The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, Theodore Presser Foundation, Dot and Rick Nelson, Sid Kaplan, and the American Philosophical Society for their support of our livestream series, and for helping us deliver world-class artistry to audiences around the globe.

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Date: Tue, Dec 1, 7:30 PM EST

Format: ChamberTicketed
Venue: Benjamin Franklin Hall, American Philosophical Society • Neighborhood: Philadelphia metro • • Details

Winner of the 2025 Musical Fund Society Career Advancement Award, mezzo-soprano Amanda Lynn Bottoms has created a program paying tribute to the legendary mezzo and Philadelphia native Florence Quivar. Drawing inspiration from Quivar’s decades of repertoire, Bottoms explores the meaning of the name Florence [flɔ.ʁɑ̃s], derived from the Latin florens and florentius— “blossoming, flourishing, prosperous.” Through this lens, her PCMS recital features songs by Fauré, Brahms, Bolcom, and Florence Price, weaving together works that honor not only a profound career but also embody qualities of this inspirational artist that extend far beyond the stage: grace, dignity, resilience, and sincerity. Program: Tribute to Florence Quivar Program includes works by Fauré , Brahms , Bolcom , and Price and a selection of spirituals Watch the livestreamed concert via the video player below. Help Us Keep the Music Playing PCMS livestreams are offered on a pay what you wish basis. These performances are possible only because of the generous support of friends like you. We thank you for contributing as generously as you can when watching these events. Gifts of any size are deeply appreciated. Please use the form below to give or text PCMS to 44321. If you encounter any technical issues while donating, please try refreshing the page or donating via PayPal . Special thanks to Drs. A. Charles & Susan Winkelman with support from The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, Theodore Presser Foundation, Dot and Rick Nelson, Sid Kaplan, and the American Philosophical Society for their support of our livestream series, and for helping us deliver world-class artistry to audiences around the globe.

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Date: Sun, Oct 25, 2:00 PM EDT

Format: ChamberTicketed
Venue: Benjamin Franklin Hall, American Philosophical Society • Neighborhood: Philadelphia metro • • Details

Drawing from a lifetime of chamber music experience, this stellar group of players includes members of former renowned ensembles: the Beaux Arts Trio, Orion, Mendelssohn, and Guarneri Quartets. They open this afternoon of 19th century Romantic masterworks with 17-year old Schubert’s remarkably mature and energetic B-flat Major Quartet. It is followed by Dvořák’s Bohemian-infused C Major Quartet and the program concludes with Brahms’s first sextet, in which the sonority of its two cellos and two violas provide a glorious showcase for this powerhouse ensemble. Program: Schubert : Quartet in B-flat Major, D. 112 Dvořák : Quartet in C Major, Op. 61 Brahms : String Sextet in B-flat Major, Op. 18 Watch the livestreamed concert via the video player below. Help Us Keep the Music Playing PCMS livestreams are offered on a pay what you wish basis. These performances are possible only because of the generous support of friends like you. We thank you for contributing as generously as you can when watching these events. Gifts of any size are deeply appreciated. Please use the form below to give or text PCMS to 44321. If you encounter any technical issues while donating, please try refreshing the page or donating via PayPal . Special thanks to Drs. A. Charles & Susan Winkelman with support from The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, Theodore Presser Foundation, Dot and Rick Nelson, Sid Kaplan, and the American Philosophical Society for their support of our livestream series, and for helping us deliver world-class artistry to audiences around the globe.

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