Classical music

Soprano Sarah Fleiss and pianist Nikolay Verevkin present a bold, wide-ranging program that celebrates the emotional power of the English language and the music that brings these words vividly to life. From Samuel Barber’s engagement with ancient texts to Benjamin Britten’s iconic settings of W. H. Auden, the program highlights the expressive range of English-language music, spanning the Baroque era through the works of Leonard Bernstein. By removing the barrier of translation, this concert offers an immediate and immersive listening experience, forging a direct connection between text, music, and audience. Sarah Fleiss is represented by Curtis Artist Management at Curtis Institute of Music.

Harpsichordist, John Walthausen plays music from the Francis Hopkinson Collection of Music, one of the most important sources of early American music and Philadelphia’s early history. Hopkinson, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, amassed a treasure trove of harpsichord music from both the “old” and “new” worlds. From country dance to tunes from Highland reels and Philadelphia hymns, this recital will provide a glimpse into the popular music at the time of America’s founding. Revolution Tunes is one of the events in Tempesta di Mare’s Soundtrack of Independence, celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. This dynamic project brings the music of the founding era vividly to life, from songs and dances heard in bustling taverns to refined works performed in drawing rooms and revolutionary gatherings. Soundtrack of Independence showcases the diverse influences that shaped a new nation—English ballads, Scottish reels, and emerging American compositions—revealing how music fueled community, political expression, and a growing cultural identity. Performed on period instruments and grounded in rigorous research, these concerts illuminate the powerful role music played in forging an American voice at a pivotal moment in history.

Join us for an evening celebrating the expressive power of voices and piano featuring the vocal virtuosity of Variant 6 in their program, Equinox. Serving as the centerpiece of the program is Philadelphia composer Benjamin C. S. Boyle’s cantata, To One in Paradise. Set to Edgar Allan Poe’s poem of the same title—written during the poet’s mature period and rich with his signature themes of young love, divinity, and death—the cantata, composed twenty years ago, will be heard in an all-new transcription created by Boyle for the vocal soloists of Variant 6 and pianist Laura Ward. The program also features a selection of compelling vocal works for voices and piano, including music by Fauré, Poulenc, and more. Variant 6 explores the expressive potential of the human voice through vocal chamber music that is at once virtuosic, poignant, and approachable. Composed of artists with a diverse set of skills and a wide range of expertise, they seek out repertoire that embodies this potential. Their collaboration with artists of many disciplines creates refreshing interpretations of music of the past and innovative premieres of new works. Enjoy a unique and intimate musical experience that fosters deep conversation between artists and audience.

Admiration for each other's musicianship and great friendship inspired Marja Kaisla, Elina Snellman-Lang, and Yevgeniy Dyo to form Trio Excelsior! Beyond the sheer joy of playing together, they use the rich and intimate piano trio repertoire to further explore their connection to music and one another. Trio Excelsior! brings this shared experience to audiences of all ages, offering a unique window into the lives of great composers and the ways in which they expressed the essence of human existence through their music. The ensemble's name, Excelsior!, embodies what their goals as musicians are, "still higher!"

Enjoy an evening with The Erinys Quartet, currently in residence at the Curtis Institute of Music. They will be performing a program of string quartet favorites, including Mozart’s Quartet in B-flat major, K. 589, which he wrote under financial stress in hopes of flattering and gaining a position in the court of Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm II, an amateur cellist. The first half of their program will finish with Benjamin Britten’s...