National Chamber Orchestra’s

Inaugural Gala, June 27th 2026

What to Expect

Flutist and conductor JEAN FERRANDIS enjoys an international career that takes him throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. He has presented recitals, performed chamber music, and appeared as soloist with orchestra in such prestigious concert halls as the Salle Pleyel and Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris, Alice Tully Hall in New York, the Taipei Arts Center, Wigmore Hall in London, La Fenice in Venice, Hamarikyu Hall in Tokyo, the Vigado in Budapest, the Palau de la Musica Catalana in Barcelona, and the Moscow Tschaikovsky Conservatory, under such conductors as Leonard Bernstein, Tibor Varga, Laurent Petitgirard, and Yoram David.

Mr. Ferrandis has been invited to numerous festivals, including the Lanaudière in Canada, Switzerland’s Sion Festival, the Budapest Spring Festival, the Midem Festival in Cannes, and the Berlioz Festival in Lyon. Chamber music collaborators have included Gidon Kremer, Ivry Gitlis, Jean-Philippe Collard, and Emile Naoumoff. His appearances at the 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2014 National Flute Association conventions in Pittsburgh, New York, Charlotte, and Chicago included gala headliner concerts and master classes.

Jean Ferrandis currently teaches at l’Ecole Normale in Paris and at California State University-Fullerton. Among his highly acclaimed recordings are the J.S. Bach Trio Sonatas, BWV 525-530, with pianist Léla Katsarava and the chamber works of Yuko Uebayashi, both released on the EA (Europ & Art) label. He is the co-founder and conductor of Egédé, a Paris-based chamber orchestra. In great demand for his creative and insightful master classes, he has been invited to many of the finest music schools in the United States, including the Juilliard School, the Eastman School of Music, Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, and Indiana University.

The National Chamber Orchestra represents an exceptional convergence of elite artistry, drawing from the most accomplished professional musicians across the Washington Metropolitan Area, the nation, and the international stage. This dynamic ensemble features principal players and section leaders from the area's most prestigious orchestras while continuously welcoming distinguished soloists and performers from around the globe. 

Founded in 2022 by Conductor Julien Benichou and Clarinetist YaoGuang Zhai, the National Chamber Orchestra (NCO) brings together the greatest instrumentalists of the Capital area. Offering an intimate, immersive experience that invites audiences into direct dialogue with performers, NCO embraces this intimacy as both an artistic philosophy and a community building mission.  These personal settings, shaped by musicians of diverse geographic and artistic backgrounds become a living conversation, where different musical traditions and interpretive approaches interact in real time.  This amplifies chamber music’s inherently collaborative spirit, transforming each performance into a shared cultural exchange.


We are planning a brand-new launch of our Annual NCO Charity Gala on June 27th, 2026 in Potomac, MD to support our mission. This event will feature internationally acclaimed flautist Jean Ferrandis, refreshment, and our silent & live auction. If you have any questions or would like more information about donating or the Gala itself, please reach out to Caleb Bates at: administration@ncomusic.org.

❋ Would you like to contribute to our auction?

By contributing an item , service, or experience for auction, you would be aiding us in raising funds to support our upcoming season. For business owners, to show our support we would be happy to recognize your business on our promotional materials for this event.