An evening celebrating the expressive power of the voice through opera and American song.

From the grand stages of opera to the intimacy of the recital hall, this program explores the richness and versatility of the vocal tradition. Beloved operatic arias are paired with works by American composers, revealing the shared emphasis on lyrical beauty, storytelling, and emotional expression. Soprano Laura León and pianist Robert Koenig present a recital that highlights the enduring partnership between voice and piano while offering a diverse portrait of music inspired by both European tradition and the American musical landscape.

Two masterpieces that reveal the warmth, richness, and expressive depth of Brahms’s chamber music.

Brahms’s two string quintets are among the greatest achievements of nineteenth-century chamber music. By adding a second viola to the traditional string quartet, he created a darker, richer sonority that allows every instrument to contribute equally to the musical conversation. Balancing lyrical beauty with remarkable structural craftsmanship, these late works reflect Brahms at the height of his creative powers. The Ehnes Quartet joins San Francisco Symphony Principal Viola Jonathan Vinocour to bring these extraordinary works to life.

This compelling piano recital brings together three of the most distinctive voices in the piano repertoire, exploring a world of imagination, passion, and extraordinary musical expression. Ravel’s Ondine evokes a shimmering, mysterious world of water and enchantment, combining breathtaking virtuosity with exquisite delicacy and color. Three works by Scriabin reveal the composer’s richly expressive musical language, from the elegance and sensuality of the Waltz and the intimate lyricism of the Poème to the sweeping passion and dramatic intensity of the Fantasy.

The program culminates in Chopin’s magnificent Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, one of the towering masterpieces of Romantic piano literature. Its soaring melodies, profound introspection, and exhilarating finale bring the recital to a thrilling conclusion. Together, these works trace a fascinating journey through contrasting musical landscapes, celebrating the piano’s remarkable capacity for poetry, emotional depth, and virtuosity.

An evening celebrating the artistry and collaboration at the heart of chamber music.

The string quartet has long been regarded as chamber music’s most refined form of musical dialogue. Joined by clarinetist Alexander Fiterstein, four principal musicians of the New York Philharmonic explore the expressive possibilities created when individual virtuosity meets thoughtful collaboration. Their performance reflects the essence of chamber music: attentive listening, shared interpretation, and the dynamic exchange of musical ideas that has captivated audiences for centuries.

Two masterpieces of French chamber music at the height of the Belle Époque.

Composed within little more than a decade of one another, Ernest Chausson's Concerto for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet and César Franck's Piano Quintet in F minor stand among the most ambitious achievements of the French chamber music tradition. Both works combine expansive Romantic expression with the cyclical forms and richly chromatic harmonies that became hallmarks of the French school in the late nineteenth century. Chausson's unique concerto blends the intimacy of chamber music with the virtuosity of a concerto, while Franck's passionate quintet unfolds with remarkable emotional intensity and structural unity. Performed by the Balourdet Quartet together with pianist Asiya Korepanova and violinist Arnaud Sussmann, this program celebrates two composers whose works helped define a distinctive French voice in chamber music.

A journey through the great Romantic piano tradition.

This recital brings together three composers who expanded the expressive possibilities of the piano while leaving an enduring mark on its repertoire. Rachmaninoff’s Variations on a Theme of Corelli and monumental Second Piano Sonata frame the program with works of sweeping lyricism and virtuosity. Between them stand Beethoven’s groundbreaking Waldstein Sonata and selections from Scriabin’s Preludes and Études, tracing a fascinating path from Classical innovation to the mystical harmonies of the early twentieth century.

Three composers explore memory, spirituality, and modern musical expression.

Spanning nearly a century of musical thought, this program presents three distinctive approaches to chamber music. Samuel Barber’s String Quartet combines lyrical warmth with dramatic intensity, while Philip Glass’s Quartet No. 3, “Mishima,” transforms film music into a work of hypnotic rhythmic energy. Osvaldo Golijov’s Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind, featuring clarinet, draws upon Jewish musical traditions to create a deeply evocative and spiritual work. Together, these compositions offer compelling reflections on identity, memory, and imagination.

Three quartets tracing Beethoven’s extraordinary artistic evolution.

No composer transformed the string quartet more profoundly than Ludwig van Beethoven. This program follows his remarkable creative journey, from the elegance and wit of the early Op. 18 quartets through the concentrated intensity of the Quartetto Serioso to the transcendent vision of the late Quartet in C-sharp Minor, Op. 131. Together, these masterpieces reveal a composer continually redefining the possibilities of chamber music while inspiring generations of musicians that followed.

A recital spanning more than two centuries of piano literature.

Sir Stephen Hough’s imaginative program explores the remarkable breadth of the piano repertoire. Beginning with Schubert and Brahms, it continues through the innovative musical languages of Schoenberg and Stockhausen before arriving at Beethoven’s monumental Waldstein Sonata. Following intermission, Schumann’s beloved Carnaval offers a gallery of vivid musical portraits, while Hough’s own Mary Poppins Suite concludes the evening with inventive concert arrangements that celebrate the enduring appeal of familiar melodies through the lens of the classical piano tradition.

A showcase of the saxophone’s remarkable versatility across musical styles.

Although a relatively recent addition to the classical concert stage, the saxophone has become one of today’s most adaptable instruments. Valentin Kovalev’s program demonstrates its extraordinary range through music spanning the Baroque, Romantic, Impressionist, and twentieth-century traditions. From the lyricism of Debussy and Massenet to Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and the dazzling Carmen Fantasy, the recital illustrates how the saxophone brings fresh color and expressive possibilities to both familiar masterpieces and beloved concert works.