2024/25 Season Brochure

2024/25 performance season

Hiromi

2024/25 Calendar

Emanuel Ax

Thursday | October 10 | 8pm | GH

Sunday | October 13 | 3pm | JH

Australian Chamber Orchestra

Friday | October 18 | 8pm | JH

Paul Lewis

Friday | October 25 | 8pm | JH

Jerusalem Quartet

Friday | November 1 | 8pm | JH

Hiromi’s Sonicwonder

Saturday | November 9 | 8pm | BK

Castalian String Quartet DEBUT SERIES

Thursday | November 14 | 7:30pm | PK

Ina Garten

Be Ready When the Luck Happens: An Evening Conversation with Ina Garten

Friday | November 15 | 8pm | SH

Abdullah Ibrahim Trio

Saturday | November 16 | 8pm | BK

Berliner Philharmoniker

Wednesday | November 20 | 8pm | SH

Martha Graham Dance Company

Friday | November 22 | 8pm | CM

Saturday | November 23 | 2pm | CM

Alisa Weilerstein & Inon Barnatan

Sunday | November 24 | 3pm | JH

What Makes It Great? with Rob Kapilow

George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue

Friday | December 6 | 8pm | JH

The Kingdom Choir

Sunday | December 15 | 5pm | BK

Yulianna Avdeeva DEBUT SERIES

Wednesday | January 15 | 7:30pm | PK

Thursday | January 16 | 8pm | GH

Malpaso Dance Company

Friday | January 17 | 8pm | OS

Saturday | January 18 | 2pm | OS

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

Wednesday | January 22 | 8pm | SH

Dafnis Prieto Sí o Sí Quartet

Friday | January 24 | 8pm | BK

Jamie Barton, Matthew Lipman, & Tamar Sanikidze

Saturday | January 25 | 8pm | JH

Jad Abumrad

How to Talk to a Human

Friday | January 31 | 8pm | ST

Meklit

Saturday | February 1 | 8pm | BK

Seong-Jin Cho

Sunday | February 2 | 3pm | SH

Caleb Teicher & Conrad Tao

Counterpoint

Friday | February 7 | 8pm | BA

Saturday | February 8 | 2pm & 8pm | BA

STAVE SESSIONS

Courtney Swain

Tuesday | February 11 | 7:30pm | CB

Owls

Wednesday | February 12 | 7:30pm | CB

Seth Parker Woods

Thursday | February 13 | 7:30pm | CB

The Westerlies

Friday | February 14 | 7:30pm | CB

Dover Quartet

Friday | February 14 | 8pm | JH

Yuja Wang & Víkingur Ólafsson

Friday | February 21 | 8pm | SH

Lang Lang

Friday | February 28 | 8pm | SH

Jason Moran

Duke Ellington: My Heart Sings

Saturday | March 1 | 8pm | BK

Daniil Trifonov & Leonidas Kavakos

Wednesday | March 5 | 8pm | SH

Midori

Thursday | March 6 | 8pm | GH

Friday | March 7 | 8pm | JH

KODO

Warabe

Sunday | March 9 | 5pm | SH

JAZZ FESTIVAL

Sean Mason Quartet

Thursday | March 13 | 7pm & 9pm | AR

Linda May Han Oh

Friday | March 14 | 7pm & 9pm | AR

Mali Obomsawin Quartet

Saturday | March 15 | 7pm & 9pm | AR

Brandee Younger Trio

Sunday | March 16 | 5pm & 7pm | AR

An Evening with Meow Meow

Saturday | March 15 | 8pm | ST

Fleur Barron & Kunal Lahiry DEBUT SERIES

Tuesday | March 18 | 7:30pm | PK

Calidore String Quartet with Xavier Foley

Sunday | March 23 | 3pm | JH

Julia Fischer & Jan Lisiecki

Friday | March 28 | 8pm | JH

Action at a Distance Graveyards and Gardens

Friday | March 28 | 8pm | AR

Saturday | March 29 | 2pm & 8pm | AR

Noam Pikelny & Friends

Saturday | March 29 | 8pm | BK

Zlata Chochieva DEBUT SERIES

Tuesday | April 1 | 7:30pm | PK

What Makes It Great? with Rob Kapilow

The Songs of Simon & Garfunkel

Saturday | April 5 | 8pm | JH

David Sedaris

Sunday | April 6 | 7pm | SH

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

Friday | April 11 | 8pm | JH

Zlatomir Fung DEBUT SERIES

Wednesday | April 16 | 7:30pm | PK

Thursday | April 17 | 8pm | GH

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Thursday | April 24 | 8pm | WT

Friday | April 25 | 8pm | WT

Saturday | April 26 | 2pm & 8pm | WT

Sunday | April 27 | 3pm | WT

Evgeny Kissin

Tuesday | April 29 | 8pm | SH

Samara Joy

Saturday | May 3 | 8pm | BK

Tessa Lark, Joshua Roman, & Edgar Meyer

Friday | May 9 | 8pm | ST

AR | Arrow Street Arts

BA | Boston Arts Academy Theatre

BK | Berklee Performance Center

WT | Boch Center Wang Theatre

CB | Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre

GH | Groton Hill Music Center

JH | NEC’s Jordan Hall

CM | Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College

OS | Robert J. Orchard Stage (Paramount Center)

PK | Longy’s Pickman Hall

ST | Sanders Theatre

SH | Symphony Hall

Cover photo by Mitsuru Nishimura. For a list of all photo credits, visit:

celebrityseries.org/photo-credits

Welcome to the 2024/25 season!

Dear Friends,

A new season is upon us, and I’d like to welcome you, or welcome you back, to Celebrity Series! As we share the new season, we also want to introduce some new partnerships, notably a deepened relationship with Boston Arts Academy, a recently rebuilt treasure of our city’s, and Arrow Street Arts, a newly renovated black box venue in Harvard Square.

The Boston Arts Academy partnership offers a new home for dance in the academy’s brand-new theater. In addition to activating this intimate and well-appointed performance space, Celebrity Series will also create opportunities for BAA students to connect with world-renowned artists. Arrow Street Arts, a flexible space, allows us to think outside the box with our programming and will host both the return of our acclaimed Jazz Festival and a contemporary dance and music installation.

We also continue to expand our footprint outside of the city as we return to Groton Hill Music Center, presenting in both concert halls that allow you to hear every nuance of the music. Nicole has programmed a wonderful season, curating a roster of stunning artists with a satisfying blend of the new and familiar. I hope you enjoy exploring this book, and all of us at Celebrity Series look forward to seeing you at a performance in the upcoming season.

Warmly,

Gary Dunning President and Executive Director

The Debut Series at Longy’s Pickman Hall

Hear artists you’ll be talking about for years to come in one of the city’s most intimate music venues.

Since 2012, Celebrity Series has been bringing you Boston debuts of artists whose stars are on the rise. In the 2024/25 season, we introduce musicians from around the world as new-to-the-Series artists take the Pickman Hall stage at Longy School of Music of Bard College.

Learn more at celebrityseries.org/debutseries

Dear Friends,

One of my favorite parts of building each season is the opportunity I have to work within a variety of venues, and the flexibility it provides me to pair artists with spaces best suited for their work. There is no shortage of events at our longtime venues, though I hope you will be excited to explore some new spaces we’ll introduce this season.

We welcome two exciting dance and music collaborations in new venues–Caleb Teicher and Conrad Tao at Boston Arts Academy with their latest collaboration Counterpoint, and Action at a Distance’s innovative installation, Graveyards and Gardens, at Arrow Street Arts. This new venue will also host the return of our celebrated Jazz Festival, where you can hear a diverse range of jazz artists. We return to the Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College for Martha Graham Dance Company’s 100th-anniversary program featuring a restaging of Agnes de Mille’s Rodeo with music by Aaron Copland.

In perhaps the most out-of-the-box experience of all, we invite you to get close to the artistry when teaching artists from the Ailey company will lead Revelations Celebrations across the city. Dance along and let your heart soar as you participate in this iconic and beloved masterpiece of modern dance. I hope you enjoy browsing the upcoming performances and curating your own 2024/25 season. It was a pleasure to assemble this array of fantastic artists for you!

Sincerely,

Nicole Taney Artistic Director

“We always have a great experience and have never been disappointed! We try to attend at least 3-5 shows a season, and always look forward to our next event.”

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–CELEBRITY SERIES SUBSCRIBER

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Arrow Street Arts

2 Arrow Street

Cambridge, MA

Get ready to experience Arrow Street Arts’ black box theater, the home for our backby-popular-demand Jazz Festival and the compelling dance performance Graveyards and Gardens

Harvard Square’s Arrow Street Arts, a non-profit performing arts center with two flexible performance spaces, offers the best of everything to audiences and artists. The newly renovated, accessible, and convenient black box theater promises an immersive, up-close audience experience, with fully customizable seating, including bespoke risers that can be tailored to many different performance experiences.

At our Jazz Festival—featuring Sean Mason Quartet, Linda May Han Oh, Mali Obomsawin, and Brandee Younger—choose the audience experience that’s right for you in our pop-up jazz club with table and traditional theater seating. Action at a Distance (composer and vocalist Caroline Shaw and dancer and choreographer

Vanessa Goodman) performs the fascinating Graveyards and Gardens on an intimate proscenium stage with riser seating, giving you an up-close view of this genre-bending and detailed work.

Boston Arts Academy Theatre

174 Ipswich Street Boston, MA

Full of light and creative energy, with upper floors that overlook Fenway Park, the brand-new Boston Arts Academy is an investment in the talent, vision, and creativity of Boston’s performing arts students. The school is a full-inclusion public high school for the visual and performing arts, with students in Grades 9-12. It is a joint project of the Professional Arts Consortium, Inc., and the Boston Public Schools. Boston Arts Academy serves as a laboratory and a beacon for artistic and academic innovation, preparing a diverse community of aspiring artist scholars to be successful in their college or professional careers and to be engaged members of a democratic society.

The campus, an energy-efficient community hub that embodies BPS’ Green New Deal commitments, is home to a beautifully appointed 475-seat theater with outstanding in-house light and sound. Our already substantive partnership with the Boston Arts Academy community deepens when we present in the venue: students will shadow performers, production artists, and theater technicians when tap dance innovator Caleb Teicher and brilliant pianist Conrad Tao present their collaboration, Counterpoint, this winter.

Emanuel Ax piano

Thursday | October 10 | 8pm | Groton Hill Music Center’s Concert Hall

Sunday | October 13 | 3pm | NEC’s Jordan Hall

Celebrity Series audiences love Emanuel Ax! After more than 30 appearances on the Series, he always impresses with his impeccable skill at putting the music first.

The two sonatas of Beethoven’s Opus 27, rarely heard together, throw the form’s rules aside: tempo, structure, and flow are at the composer’s whim. Ax pairs the two works with Corigliano’s meditation on the experimental ostinato passage in Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, Schumann’s wistful and delicate Arabeske, and his virtuosic showpiece Fantasie in C Major, dedicated to Liszt and published to raise funds for a statue of Beethoven in Bonn.

Hear a master of his craft uncover unexpected connections and share moments of beauty when Emanuel Ax returns to Celebrity Series.

PROGRAM: FANTASIES

Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Sonata, Op. 27, no. 1

“Quasi una fantasia”

John Corigliano Fantasia on an Ostinato Beethoven Piano Sonata, Op 27. no. 2

“Moonlight”

Robert Schumann Arabeske, Op. 18 Schumann Fantasie in C, Op. 17

“How many artists have performed at his level for so long? How many have treated us so reliably to such taste and good sense as he? How many have had his ability… to make music sound so simply right?”

– THE NEW YORK TIMES

Australian Chamber Orchestra

Friday | October 18 | 8pm | NEC’s Jordan Hall

Richard Tognetti artistic director and violin

Joseph Tawadros oud

James Tawadros riq

Celebrate Vivaldi’s masterpiece with an unforgettable journey through Venice and the Middle East when Australian Chamber Orchestra make their triumphant return to Jordan Hall.

The Venice of Antonio Vivaldi’s time was one of the great cosmopolitan and entrepreneurial centers of the early 18th century. Artistic expression throughout Europe thrived due to freeflowing influence from the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond.

In a stunning recasting of The Four Seasons, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, renowned for their innovative collaborations, breathes new life and new perspectives into Vivaldi’s iconic work. Celebrated violinist Richard Tognetti and the seventeen musicians of the Australian Chamber Orchestra will be joined by brothers Joseph Tawadros, oud (Middle Eastern lute) virtuoso, and James Tawadros, a master of the tambourine-like riq.

PROGRAM:

Antonio Vivaldi The Four Seasons

Joseph Tawadros Selections for oud, riq, and orchestra

“One of the most rhapsodic, lyrical, explosive, and imaginative Four Seasons you’re ever likely to hear.”

–THE WEST AUSTRALIAN

Paul Lewis piano

Friday | October 25 | 8pm | NEC’s Jordan Hall

More than a decade ago, pianist Paul Lewis made his Boston and Celebrity Series debut with a sensational sold-out recital of Schubert’s last three piano sonatas.

In the intervening years, Lewis returned as a solo recitalist, recital partner, and orchestral soloist, always drawing praise for the deftness, shading, and intelligence of his interpretations.

Celebrated as the “world’s most compelling interpreter of Schubert piano music” (The Arts Desk), Lewis returns this season, once again immersed in a worldwide recital tour of the composer’s final three sonatas. These introspective and profound works offer endless opportunities for reflection, and we invite you to experience— again or for the first time—these masterworks with the brilliant Paul Lewis.

PROGRAM:

All-Schubert Program: The Last Sonatas

Piano Sonata No. 19 in C minor, D. 958

Piano Sonata No. 20 in A Major, D. 959

Piano Sonata No. 21 in B-flat Major, D. 960

Jerusalem Quartet

Friday | November 1 | 8pm | NEC’s Jordan Hall

Alexander Pavlovsky violin

Sergei Breisler violin

Ori Kam viola

Kyril Zlotnikov cello

Since coming together as a quartet in 1993 and making their debut in 1996, the Jerusalem Quartet has impressed critics and moved audiences with striking interpretations of time-tested quartet repertoire and beyond. The members of this foursome have grown together as artists, becoming “a virtuosic ensemble with a glorious, meaty sound and irresistible panache” (The Guardian).

Highlighting their range, the Quartet’s program reflects three centuries of quartet repertoire, spanning the early Classical through twelve-tone modern styles. The program also encompasses countless moods: the clarity of Haydn’s monothematic movements, the teeming darkness and vigor of Shostakovich, and one of Dvořák’s loveliest slow movements.

PROGRAM:

Joseph Haydn String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 50, no. 1 "Prussian"

Dmitri Shostakovich String Quartet No. 12 in D-flat Major, Op. 133

Antonín Dvořák String Quartet in G Major, Op. 106

Buy tickets at celebrityseries.org

Buy tickets at celebrityseries.org

Hiromi’s Sonicwonder

Saturday | November 9 | 8pm | Berklee Performance Center

Hiromi Uehara piano, keys

Adam O’Farrill trumpet

Gene Coye drums

Hadrien Feraud bass

“One of jazz piano’s most brazenly virtuosic players,” (The New York Times), Grammy Award-winning pianist Hiromi returns to Celebrity Series following her explosive solo debut with her latest project, Sonicwonder. Celebrating her 2023 album Sonicwonderland, this tour reunites the powerhouse ensemble of French bassist Hadrien Feraud, drummer Gene Coye, and trumpeter Adam O’Farrill. Together, they create an all-electric wonderland of thrilling improvisation, funky arrangements, and exuberant music-making.

“Breathtaking displays of flat-out swing, funky grooving and classical references, often all in the same piece”

– THE GUARDIAN

DEBUT SERIES

Castalian String Quartet

Thursday | November 14 | 7:30pm | Longy’s Pickman Hall

Sini Simonen violin

Daniel Roberts violin

Ruth Gibson viola

Steffan Morris cello

The Castalian Quartet, currently a quartet-in-residence at the University of Oxford, is gaining renown for interpretations “full of poetry, joy, and sorrow, realized to such perfection” (The Observer).

In their Celebrity Series debut, the Castalian Quartet unveils a diverse repertoire that showcases their versatility and depth. From the nuanced moods, rich allusions, and intricate textures of Schubert to Kurtág’s collection of disparate miniature sound worlds; and from the sprightly and stately dances by Coleridge-Taylor to Beethoven’s “Serioso” Quartet, full of experimental techniques that set the stage for the composer’s later period, their program is a vivid journey through the landscape of classical music.

Experience the extraordinary talent of this next-generation quartet when they appear on the Debut Series!

PROGRAM:

Franz Schubert

György Kurtág

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Ludwig van Beethoven

String Quartet No. 13 in A minor, D. 804 “Rosamunde”

Six Moments musicaux, Op. 44

Five fantasiestücke, Op. 5

String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 95 “Serioso”

Ina Garten

Be Ready When the Luck Happens: An Evening Conversation with Ina Garten

Friday | November 15 | 8pm | Symphony Hall

Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) is the author of thirteen bestselling cookbooks, a beloved Food Network personality, Instagram sensation, and cultural icon, with millions of followers in the US and abroad. She is the host of Be My Guest and Barefoot Contessa on Food Network and Max, for which she has won five Emmy Awards and three James Beard Awards.

In Fall 2024 Ina Garten will publish her long-awaited memoir Be Ready When the Luck Happens (Crown / Penguin Random House). For the first time, Ina Garten will present an intimate, entertaining, and inspiring account of her remarkable journey, sharing her personal story with readers hungry for a seat at her table.

Pre-Performance Dinner for Dress Circle Members!

Join the Dress Circle with a gift of $1,250 and gain access to a special Ina Garten-inspired pre-performance buffet dinner at Symphony Hall! For more information about membership levels, or how to make a gift, visit celebrityseries.org/membership. Make your gift with your subscription, or pay over time in monthly installments!

Note: Mrs. Garten will not be attending this dinner.

Abdullah Ibrahim Trio

Saturday | November 16 | 8pm | Berklee Performance Center

South African piano titan Abdullah Ibrahim makes his Celebrity Series debut after decades of performance, composition, and activism. The Cape Town of his youth provided a rich assortment of influences—from homegrown rhythms to Western themes—giving his music dynamic texture, depth, and diversity.

Ibrahim’s illustrious career has seen him perform alongside legends like Max Roach and Duke Ellington while creating his own indelible sound that reflects his country’s cultural abundance and resilience in the face of political oppression.

Ibrahim continues to build on his legacy, creating new works with his trademark textures, rhythms, and melodies. Don’t miss the Series debut of a performer who transformed the landscape of jazz and uplifted the soul of a nation!

Berliner Philharmoniker

Kirill Petrenko conductor

Wednesday | November 20 | 8pm | Symphony Hall

The magnificent Berliner Philharmoniker returns to Symphony Hall under the baton of Music Director Kirill Petrenko, revealing the intricacies and majesty of Bruckner’s monumental Fifth Symphony. Renowned for their clarity and roster-wide virtuosity, the orchestra draws out every detail of Bruckner’s writing: evocative and questioning woodwinds, spacious brass, and propulsive strings.

Music Director Kirill Petrenko, now in his sixth season and second Boston appearance with the ensemble, continues the Berlin tradition of interpreting and championing Bruckner. For more than a century, the composer, an organist by training, has been central to the Philharmoniker’s performance and recording identity.

Movement by movement, Kirill Petrenko and the Berliner Philharmoniker expertly build one of Bruckner’s “cathedrals of sound,” culminating in a powerful and transcendent finale that illuminates the whole mighty structure.

PROGRAM:

Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 5

“Even at the very top of the field, playing this spectacular—this virtuosic, colorful, confident, unified and committed—is vanishingly rare.”

– ZACHARY WOOLFE, THE NEW YORK TIMES

Martha Graham Dance Company

Friday | November 22 | 8pm

Saturday | November 23 | 2pm

Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College

One hundred years ago, Martha Graham started a conversation to redefine contemporary dance and the social, psychological, and sexual ideas it can portray. Her celebrated company perpetuates this legacy, keeping her choreography fresh and vital—solidifying Graham as an essential American artist.

For the twelfth time since their 1945 debut, and for the first time since 2005, Martha Graham Dance Company returns to Celebrity Series. The performance, pairing classic and contemporary works, is part of the three-year GRAHAM100 celebration leading up to the group’s 2026 centennial.

PROGRAM:

Martha Graham Dark Meadow Suite (highlights from Dark Meadow, 1946)

Agnes DeMille Rodeo (1942)

New work To be Announced

Alisa Weilerstein cello

Inon Barnatan piano

Sunday | November 24 | 3pm | NEC’s Jordan Hall

Cellist Alisa Weilerstein and pianist Inon Barnatan reunite for their fourth appearance together on the Series since their joint debut in 2008. After nearly two decades of shared stages, collaborative recordings, and various other artistic projects, their profound artistic connection and heartfelt camaraderie radiate with every performance.

Their recital program masterfully pairs Brahms and Shostakovich sonatas for cello and piano with transcribed and arranged works originally written for other string instruments by the same iconic composers.

PROGRAM:

Johannes Brahms Sonata for Cello and Piano in D Major, Op. 78 (arr. from Violin Sonata)

Dmitri Shostakovich Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor, Op. 40

Brahms Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 1 in E minor, Op. 38

Shostakovich Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 147 (transcribed for cello by Daniil Shafran)

“Weilerstein and Barnatan worked their way through the music...with impressive unanimity, precise articulation, and a feel for the narrative.”

– THE ASPEN TIMES

What

Makes It Great? with Rob Kapilow

George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue

Friday | December 6 | 8pm | NEC’s Jordan Hall

As the 100th Anniversary year of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue comes to a close, Rob Kapilow—author, pianist, composer, conductor, and NPR contributor—returns to highlight the rarely heard original version, written for piano and jazz band.

In this What Makes It Great? performance, Kapilow shares how Gershwin’s compositional choices set the work apart. In teaching audiences to listen to works, not simply hear them, he demonstrates how rhythmic, harmonic, and stylistic moments can defy expectations and delight audiences. Kapilow illustrates what made Rhapsody in Blue both an immediate sensation in its time and an enduring, era-defining piece of American art.

Buy tickets at celebrityseries.org

The Kingdom Choir

Sunday | December 15 | 5pm | Berklee Performance Center

London’s Kingdom Choir fills Berklee Performance Center with soul-stirring beauty when they make their Boston debut.

The gospel choir’s talent and dedication captured the world’s attention when they sang at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018. With just one performance, the choir wowed a global audience, and achieved a new level of fame and renown. As they perform all over Britain and the world, the group’s foundational values shine through, keeping them committed to each other and to sharing their talents with delighted audiences.

Founded 20 years ago, this ensemble of vocalists from London come together under the direction of Karen Gibson MBE to share love, hope, and inspiration with the world. Their journey, a result of years of community-building and worship, has been dedicated to honing individual artistry and cultivating their harmonious sound.

DEBUT SERIES

Yulianna Avdeeva piano

Wednesday | January 15 | 7:30pm | Longy’s Pickman Hall

Thursday | January 16 | 8pm | Meadow Hall at Groton Hill Music Center

Pianist Yulianna Avdeeva, a Chopin Competition gold medalist with a flourishing career throughout Europe, makes her eagerly anticipated Celebrity Series debut, offering a bold and audacious program. Avdeeva performs Liszt’s daring, convention-defying keyboard compositions, each piece a captivating narrative with its own distinct mood—from brooding and introspective to frenzied and impassioned—before plunging into Beethoven’s mighty “Hammerklavier” Sonata. A towering masterpiece that has served as a proving ground for generations of brilliant pianists, the work embodies a profound fusion of rigorous structure and deep feeling, and the intricacies of a multi-voiced fugue.

Avdeeva’s interpretation promises to be a riveting introduction to Boston. Experience her debut and hear her remarkable artistry.

PROGRAM:

Franz Liszt La lugubre gondola II, S. 200/2

Bagatelle sans tonalité, S. 216a

Csárdás macabre, S. 224

Unstern! Sinistre, disastro, S. 208

Legend No. 2, S. 175/2 “St. François de Paule marchant sur les flots”

Ludwig van Beethoven Sonata in B-flat Major, Op. 106 “Hammerklavier”

Buy tickets at celebrityseries.org

Malpaso Dance Company

Friday | January 17 | 8pm

Saturday | January 18 | 2pm

Robert J. Orchard Stage (Paramount Center)

Cuba’s most in-demand contemporary dancers return to Boston with a vibrant program showcasing the company’s commitment to working with international choreographers while also nurturing Cuban artistry.

“Sparklingly present… and remarkably strong” (The New York Times), the dancers of Malpaso Dance Company have worked with such notable international choreographers as Ronald K. Brown, Aszure Barton, Ephrat Asherie, and more. The program will feature Brown’s Why You Follow, created on the company in Cuba in 2013, and other works to be announced.

“As the theatre begins to vibrate with accumulated energy, you get the feeling that they could dance just about any genre with jawdropping style…[making] their unique expression of Cuban culture in all its profound and complex glory all the more special.”

–

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

Wednesday | January 22 | 8pm | Symphony Hall

Impeccably tight and always in the pocket, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis returns, after a sold-out performance at Symphony Hall in 2024, to lend their old-school class and effortless polish to covers of jazz standards, 20th-century classics, originals by Marsalis and other band members, and more.

Founded in 1987, Jazz at Lincoln Center shares their quintessentially American art form with the world through classes for all ages, concerts, and advocacy. Seeing jazz—with its focus on freedom, finding common ground, and solving problems together—as a metaphor for democracy, they remind us what’s possible when we work together and listen to each other.

Dafnis Prieto Sí o Sí Quartet

Friday | January 24 | 8pm | Berklee Performance Center

Peter Apfelbaum saxophones, percussion

Martin Bejerano piano

Ricky Rodríguez bass

Dafnis Prieto drums, compositions

When someone asks if you want to hear Dafnis Prieto play, there’s only one right answer.

Cuban-born drummer Dafnis Prieto returns to Celebrity Series with his dynamic Sí o Sí Quartet. Prieto—a Grammy Award winner and MacArthur Fellow—is known for blending Cuban percussion instrumentation, rhythms, and textures with the classic jazz drum kit, providing a distinctive pulse for the foursome’s “ecstatic and intelligent” (AllAboutJazz) contemporary post-bop explorations.

Jamie Barton mezzo-soprano Matthew Lipman viola Tamar Sanikidze piano

Saturday | January 25 | 8pm | NEC’S Jordan Hall

In a Celebrity Series first, the thrilling combination of a mezzo-soprano, a violist, and a pianist share the stage for a program featuring Romantic-era classics and culminating in the Boston premiere of a Celebrity Series co-commission by Joel Thompson written for the ensemble.

American mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, considered one of the brightest stars in opera, provides striking vocals as renowned violist Matthew Lipman and critically acclaimed pianist Tamar Sanikidze complete the trio of well-matched and generously collaborative musicians. Ineffable moments of drama and beauty will fill the concert hall with works by Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms before the program concludes with a yet-to-be titled Music Accord co-commission by composer, conductor, and pianist Joel Thompson.

PROGRAM:

Clara Schumann Six Lieder, Op. 13

Johannes Brahms Sonata in E-flat Major for viola and piano, Op. 120, no. 2

Johannes Brahms Two Songs for voice, viola, and piano, Op. 91

Joel Thompson New work, Celebrity Series co-commission

Jad Abumrad

How to Talk to a Human

Friday | January 31 | 8pm | Sanders Theatre

Journalist Jad Abumrad, creator and former co-host of NPR’s Radiolab, returns to Celebrity Series with his latest project, How to Talk to a Human, an innovative, lively, and timely presentation about the art and science of interviews and tough conversations.

Drawing on his first-hand experience in journalism, Abumrad delves into proven strategies for important conversations and considers methods used by professionals in disparate fields: how do therapists, salespeople, or hostage negotiators draw out necessary information and win over their conversation partners?

Through a captivating mix of audio clips, personal anecdotes, and interactive games, Abumrad entertains and educates. He equips the audience with practical skills that can be used to navigate difficult or high-stakes conversations with confidence and empathy.

Meklit

Saturday | February 1 | 8pm | Berklee Performance Center

Meklit Hadero is an Ethiopian American vocalist, songwriter, composer, and former refugee known for her electric stage presence, innovative sound, and cultural advocacy. Meklit refracts American funk, soul, indie pop, and jazz through traditional Ethiopian styles, incorporating complex polyrhythms and propulsive grooves with her soulful, melismatic vocals. The result is an irresistible sound that is entirely her own.

Meklit and her sextet will perform selections from their 2024 EP, Ethio Blue, and other originals and covers.

“Her voracious musical appetite is always evident, and she manages to honor her heritage while remaining fiercely original.”

– JAZZ TIMES

Buy tickets at celebrityseries.org

Seong-Jin Cho piano

Sunday | February 2 | 3pm | Symphony Hall

Pianist Seong-Jin Cho returns to Celebrity Series with an all-Ravel program following his sold-out Jordan Hall debut in 2023.

A frequent guest of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Cho takes to our largest stage for music, Symphony Hall, with an epic recital that spans the entirety of Ravel’s extant works for solo piano, written before the composer turned his attention to work for ensembles, orchestras, and the stage.

Cho’s affinity for Ravel’s works—encompassing orchestral appearances, a forthcoming recording, and this recital tour—promises a performance full of depth, mastery, and commitment.

PROGRAM:

Maurice Ravel Sérénade grotesque

Menuet antique

Pavane pour une infante défunte

Jeux d’eau

Sonatine

Miroirs

Gaspard de la nuit

Menuet sur le nom d’Haydn

Valses nobles et sentimentales

Prélude

Á la manière de Borodine

Á la manière de Chabrier

Le tombeau de Couperin

Caleb Teicher & Conrad Tao

COUNTERPOINT

Friday | February 7 | 8pm

Saturday | February 8 | 2pm & 8pm

Boston Arts Academy Theatre

Counterpoint is the latest collaboration between pianist and composer Conrad Tao and choreographer and tap dancer Caleb Teicher, last seen together on the Series in More Forever (2020). In this dynamic duet performance, the artists engage in a mesmerizing dialogue of harmonic, theatrical, and rhythmic interplay, bridging their disparate traditions and creating a collective experience that fires the imagination and opens the heart.

Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, itself a union of styles, threads through the program’s other musical selections, including the Aria from Bach’s Goldberg Variations, Art Tatum’s otherworldly stride piano, Schoenberg’s ironic take on a Viennese waltz, and a delicate miniature from Tao’s score for More Forever.

Through it all, Tao and Teicher will dazzle you with their virtuosity and audacity, and will surprise you with the magic they find in the dialogue between their art forms.

Buy tickets at celebrityseries.org

STAVE SESSIONS

February 11-14

CRYSTAL BALLROOM AT SOMERVILLE THEATRE

Courtney Swain | Tuesday | February 11 | 7:30pm

Courtney Swain, heard with Bent Knee at a Stave Sessions show in 2018, makes her debut as a headliner. A multi-instrumentalist, composer, vocalist, songwriter, and sound artist, Swain is artistically fearless, conjuring soundscapes that surround audiences with murmuring, echoing electronics, providing a canvas for her vocals, live instruments, and witty, insightful songwriting.

Owls | Wednesday | February 12 | 7:30pm

Alexi Kenney violin Gabriel Cabezas cello

Ayane Kozasa viola Paul Wiancko cello

Called “a dream group” by The New York Times, Owls’ two-cello sound and eclectic programming—offering new works and their arrangements of music from the 1600s to the present—make them a must-hear group for adventurous music lovers.

Courtney Swain

Owls

Stave Sessions returns to Davis Square's Crystal Ballroom for four nights to celebrate contemporary music of all kinds in a relaxed club setting. Enjoy a drink from the full bar, gather round, and get ready for surprises.

Seth Parker Woods cello & voice | Thursday | February 13 | 7:30pm

Hailed by The Guardian as “a cellist of power and grace” who possesses “mature artistry and willingness to go to the brink,” two-time Grammy-nominated cellist Seth Parker Woods is a versatile artist and innovator across multiple genres. For his Celebrity Series debut, Woods pairs three Sarabande movements from Bach’s unaccompanied cello suites with 20th- and 21st-century works, including Fredrick Gifford’s Difficult Grace for speaking cellist and electronics.

The Westerlies | Friday | February 14 | 7:30pm

Riley Mulherkar trumpet

Chloe Rowlands trumpet

Andy Clausen trombone

Addison Maye-Saxon trombone

From Carnegie Hall to Coachella, The Westerlies navigate a wide array of venues and projects with the precision of a string quartet, the audacity of a rock band, and the charm of a family sing-along.

Seth Parker Woods

The Westerlies

Dover Quartet

Friday | February 14 | 8pm | NEC’s Jordan Hall

Joel Link violin

Bryan Lee violin

Julianne Lee viola

Camden Shaw cello

Founded at the Curtis Institute of Music in 2008, where they now serve as an ensemble in residence, the Dover Quartet has achieved international acclaim, beginning with a careerlaunching sweep of all the major prizes at the 2013 Banff String Quartet Competition.

Since that pivotal moment, the Quartet has consistently built upon their success, undertaking ambitious projects such as recording the complete cycle of Beethoven’s quartets, and earning a Grammy Award nomination for their exemplary interpretation of Schumann’s quartets. For their Series program, the Quartet performs Schumann’s Quartet No. 1 alongside Tchaikovsky’s moving first string quartet, and Dvořák’s 1893 “American” Quartet, written in an Iowa Czech immigrant community.

PROGRAM:

Antonín Dvořák

Robert Schumann

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

String Quartet in F Major, Op. 96 “American”

String Quartet No. 1 in A minor, Op. 41, no. 1

String Quartet No. 1 in D Major, Op. 11

Víkingur Ólafsson piano

Yuja Wang piano

Friday | February 21 | 8pm | Symphony Hall

Pianists Víkingur Ólafsson and Yuja Wang have consistently wowed audiences as solo recitalists, chamber music partners, and orchestral soloists. This season, they come together on Symphony Hall’s stage for a two-piano and piano four hands recital featuring Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, John Adams’ “Hallelujah Junction”, and more.

In recent seasons, Icelandic pianist Ólafsson has left Series audiences awestruck thanks to his prolific and captivating performance style. Awarded her first Grammy in 2024 for Best Classical Instrumental Solo, Wang’s unstoppable rise within the classical music world is a testament to her dazzling skill and charisma. Ólafsson and Wang are sure to deliver an unforgettable experience: illuminating, surprising, and joyful.

PROGRAM:

Luciano Berio “Wasserklavier” for two pianos

Franz Schubert Fantasie in F minor for piano four hands

György Ligeti No. 3 “Bewegung” from Three Pieces for Two Pianos

Dave Brubeck “Fugue” from Points on Jazz

Conlon Nancarrow No. 6 from Studies for Player Piano (arr. Thomas Adès)

John Adams “Hallelujah Junction” for piano duo

Arvo Pärt “Hymn to a Great City” for two pianos

Sergei Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 (arranged for two pianos by the composer)

Lang Lang piano

Friday | February 28 | 8pm | Symphony Hall

Lang Lang’s expressive piano mastery and passion are evident to audiences across the globe. He consistently and expertly conveys the sweeping drama of music through his gestures, expressions, and sumptuous playing. As a performer and philanthropist, Lang Lang has made it his life’s work to share the beauty of the piano and classical music with audiences of all ages and levels of familiarity.

For this season’s recital, Lang Lang conjures vivid worlds of energy and emotion with essential Romantic-era classics from Schubert, Schumann, and Chopin: a treat for aficionados and newcomers alike.

PROGRAM:

Franz Schubert Impromptu in G-flat Major, D. 899

Robert Schumann Kreisleriana, Op. 16

Frédéric Chopin Selected Mazurkas

Frédéric Chopin Polonaise in F-sharp minor, Op. 44

Jason Moran

Duke Ellington: My Heart Sings

Saturday | March 1 | 8pm | Berklee Performance Center

Guided by Duke Ellington’s great canon, Moran takes a solo piano climb up “Mount Ellington” in this extraordinary celebration of the composer’s enduring legacy 125 years after his birth. Experience the timeless genius of Ellington’s music, brilliantly reimagined by Moran.

“The most provocative thinker in current jazz.”

– ROLLING STONE

Leonidas Kavakos violin

Daniil Trifonov piano

Wednesday | March 5 | 8pm | Symphony Hall

Two superstars join forces for a chamber recital spanning highlights of the piano and violin repertoire. Violinist Leonidas Kavakos makes a return to the Series for the first time since 2019, appearing with Daniil Trifonov for an evening of virtuosity highlighting 19th- and 20thcentury classics from Beethoven, Bartók, and more.

“Kavakos is one of those soloists who makes the seemingly impossible sound as natural as breathing.... no technical difficulties fazed him, not even the demand for pin-point intonation in the high registers. The applause was vociferous…”

[Daniil Trifonov] “showed off a Romantic temperament to go with intelligence, imagination, tone, and a fabulous technique. It made for a riveting evening…”

– THE BOSTON GLOBE

Midori violin

Özgür Aydin piano

Thursday | March 6 | 8pm | Meadow Hall at Groton Hill Music Center

Friday | March 7 | 8pm | NEC’s Jordan Hall

Renowned for the expressive agility of her playing, violinist Midori returns to the Series for the first time since 2012 with a program that lends her finely honed touch to songs of mourning and lamentation across cultures.

Drawing on her ability to summon finesse and purity as readily as warmth and power, Midori builds her program around Poulenc’s Sonata for Violin and Piano, dedicated to the memory of Spanish poet Federico García Lorca. Inspired by comparisons of countrywide weeping to the sound of “an immense violin,” Midori expresses a musical tale of loss and bereavement.

Performing Poulenc’s Sonata alongside Che Buford’s new work Spirituals, Brahms’ Violin Sonata No. 1, and Ravel’s “Kaddish” and “Tzigane,” Midori gives voice to expressions of sorrow that depict, as she puts it, “spiritual verities that tie humanity together.”

PROGRAM:

Che Buford Spirituals

Johannes Brahms Sonata No. 1 in G Major, Op. 78

Francis Poulenc Sonata for violin and piano, FP 119

Maurice Ravel “Kaddish” from Two Hebrew Songs (arr. Garban)

Maurice Ravel “Tzigane”

KODO Warabe

Sunday | March 9 | 5pm | Symphony Hall

In Japanese, the word KODŌ holds a double meaning. Written one way, it can be translated as “heartbeat,” the primal source of all rhythm. Written another way, the characters of the name read “drum” and “child,” reflecting the company’s mission: to play the drums with the simple heart of a child.

For the company’s 40th anniversary, they created two programs, Tsuzumi and Warabe, based on the two syllables of the name. The former program, a thunderous sold-out sensation at Symphony Hall in 2023, was inspired by the “drum” character.

KODO returns to the Celebrity Series with the latter, Warabe—a soul-stirring program evoking the “child” character. In this performance, KODO’s drummers, singers, and other traditional instrumentalists look to the group’s classic repertoire and early days, blending simple forms of taiko expression that celebrate their unique sound, resonance, and physicality. Come and experience the soul-stirring rhythm of life firsthand.

Member Thank-You Event!

Join the Friends Circle with a membership gift of $100 or more. Friends Circle members will receive an invitation to a special post-performance reception following the KODO performance at Symphony Hall!

For more information about membership levels, or how to make a gift, visit celebrityseries.org/membership. Make your gift with your subscription, or pay over time in monthly installments!

tickets at celebrityseries.org

An Evening with Meow Meow

Saturday | March 15 | 8pm | Sanders Theatre

Post-post-modern diva Meow Meow has hypnotized, inspired, and terrified audiences globally with unique creations and sold-out performances from New York’s Lincoln Center to Berlin’s Bar Jeder Vernunft to London’s West End to the Sydney Opera House.

The international cabaret goddess returns to Boston for her Series debut, An Evening with Meow Meow, featuring an array of the chansons, cabaret classics, and covers that have made her a favorite around the world. Expect mischief, mayhem, marvelous singing, and, perhaps, a little audience participation.

Experience Meow Meow’s “devilish funny bones and heavenly vocal chords” (The Evening Standard) when she returns to Boston for one night only!

JAZZ FESTIVAL

MARCH 13-16

ARROW STREET ARTS

Four nights of fascinating, exhilarating jazz at Harvard Square’s newly renovated theater and entertainment hotspot: Arrow Street Arts.

Celebrity Series takes over this flexible space, creating a showcase for exciting next-generation jazz artists who understand and embrace the art form’s limitless capacity for freedom and self-expression.

Sean Mason Quartet

THURSDAY | MARCH 13 | 7PM & 9PM

Pianist and composer Sean Mason artfully navigates the confluence of contrasts, masterfully blending the past and the future, the fresh and the timeless, uptown glamor and downtown grit, the blues joint and the church pew. This visionary young bandleader illuminates the rich tapestry of jazz history to show a new path forward.

Linda May Han Oh

FRIDAY | MARCH 14 | 7PM & 9PM

Malaysian Australian bassist and composer Linda May Han Oh shares her remarkable musicianship and distinctive voice with Celebrity Series audiences. Celebrated for her pivotal role as both the inspiration for a character and a featured bassist in the Pixar movie Soul, Linda also earned a Grammy Award for her contributions to Terri Lyne Carrington’s New Standards, Vol. 1. in 2023. The Financial Times lauded “her vibrant tone, close control, and confident attack,” underscoring her status as a highly sought-after talent in the music world.

Mali Obomsawin

SATURDAY | MARCH 15 | 7PM & 9PM

Mali Obomsawin, from Odanak First Nation, is a multifaceted artist known for her prowess as a bassist, singer-songwriter, and composer. Recognized as one of GRAMMY.com’s top ten emerging jazz artists to watch in 2023, Obomsawin stands out among the vibrant community of up-and-coming Indigenous jazz artists. Reflecting on her journey, she says, “my people have had to innovate endlessly to get our stories heard… but sometimes words fail us, and we must use sound.”

Brandee Younger

SUNDAY | MARCH 16 | 5PM & 7PM

Harpist Brandee Younger, current Resident Artistic Director at the illustrious SFJAZZ, is carving a unique path in the music world while honoring the legacy of those who paved her way. Her most recent album, Brand New Life, pays tribute to jazz harp trailblazer Dorothy Ashby, a Black female musician who defied expectations by becoming a bandleader and composer on an unconventional instrument.

Buy tickets at celebrityseries.org

Fleur Barron

mezzo-soprano and Kunal Lahiry piano

The Power and the Glory

Tuesday | March 18 | 7:30pm | Longy’s Pickman Hall

Mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron and pianist Kunal Lahiry present a personal, deeply resonant program that delves into intricate themes of identity and colonialism and confronts the legacies of Empire. Both of dual Asian and Western heritage, Barron and Lahiry shed light on the complex narratives of dominant powers, the silenced voices of the oppressed, and the emergence of hybrid art forms and identities from these entangled cultures.

Their program, The Power and the Glory, weaves together works from Latin America, Europe, and Asia, bringing a new voice to traditional and historical works, and showcasing contemporary creations. Together, Barron and Lahiry create meaningful moments of profound beauty, making space for empathy and understanding.

Calidore String Quartet with Xavier Foley

Sunday | March 23 | 3pm | NEC’s Jordan Hall

Jeffrey Myers violin

Jeremy Berry viola Ryan Meehan violin

Estelle Cho cello with Xavier Foley double bass

The Calidore Quartet makes a return appearance at the Series during an exciting phase of their career. With over a decade of shared experiences, this relatively young group has cultivated a deep chemistry and musical kinship that demonstrates “the kind of sublimity other quartets spend a lifetime searching [for]” (Los Angeles Times).

The ensemble’s dynamic is further enriched in this performance by celebrated bassist and composer Xavier Foley. Recognized as an Avery Fisher Career Grantee in 2018, as was the Quartet, Foley joins the group for quintet works by Jessie Montgomery, Antonín Dvořák, and his own Good Times (2022). Called “a dazzling player who hears borders between styles as limitations best ignored” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Foley stands at the forefront of a new generation of boundary-blurring creators.

PROGRAM:

Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat Major, Op. 74 “Harp”

Jessie Montgomery Strum for string quintet

Xavier Foley Good Times for string quintet

Antonín Dvořák String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 77

Julia Fischer violin

Jan Lisiecki piano

Tuesday | March 28 | 8pm | NEC’s Jordan Hall

Renowned German violinist Julia Fischer, also a concert pianist of note, takes the stage with acclaimed Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki for a recital program featuring a selection of violin sonatas from Mozart, Beethoven, and Schumann. The artists are well-matched, sharing a commitment to precision, balance, and detail; their pairing promises an evening of sublime artistry and technical prowess as they make Celebrity Series debuts.

PROGRAM:

W. A. Mozart

Ludwig van Beethoven

Robert Schumann

Violin Sonata No. 26 in B-flat Major, K. 378

Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24 “Spring”

Violin Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op. 121

“The onstage results were impeccable and often exhilarating. In the concerto’s first movement especially, Fischer’s playing combined flawless intonation with a spirit of exuberance that created a marvelous balance.”

–SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

[Lisiecki is] “perhaps the most ‘complete’ pianist of his age”

–BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

Action at a Distance

Graveyards and Gardens

Friday | March 28 | 8pm

Saturday | March 29 | 2pm & 8pm

Arrow Street Arts

Caroline Shaw composer, electronics, violin, vocals

Vanessa Goodman choreographer and dancer

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and vocalist Caroline Shaw, previously heard on the Series as a founding member of Roomful of Teeth, and esteemed dancer and choreographer Vanessa Goodman draw profound inspiration from the life of soil in their innovative dance and music installation, Graveyards and Gardens.

This artistic collaboration delves into the rich, nurturing bed of soil as a metaphor for life’s eternal cycle, weaving a tapestry of memory, movement, and melody that celebrates the interconnectedness of death, renewal, and life.

Performance Talkback and Reception! Join us after the Saturday afternoon performance for a special artist talkback and reception. Open to all ticketholders for the 2pm matinee!

“I’m

not going to spoil the ending except to say it left me pondering the cycle of life, the history and evolution of music, and the entire process of artistic creation. All in less than an hour.

–THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT (VANCOUVER)”

Noam Pikelny & Friends

Saturday | March 29 | 8pm | Berklee Performance Center

Bluegrass banjo standout Noam Pikelny brings together accomplished friends for this concert that promises virtuosity, playful and unbounded musicianship, and, if Pikelny’s self-deprecatingly hilarious YouTube outings are any indication, plenty of smiles and humor.

Pikelny is a dynamic bandleader who’s also an inventive collaborative musician. Part of traditional bluegrass supergroup Mighty Poplar, and a founding member of Punch Brothers, Pikelny has some talented friends to call on, and it will be a treat to hear them perform together!

“Whew. LOTTA LOTTA notes, all played perfectly. ... Pikelny’s new album delivers true banjo artistry, a big canvas with colors from a broad palette, executed by a master.”

–ELMORE MAGAZINE

DEBUT SERIES

Zlata Chochieva piano

Tuesday | April 1 | 7:30pm | Longy’s Pickman Hall

Pianist Zlata Chochieva, celebrated by critics and embraced by audiences throughout Europe, returns to the United States for her long-awaited Boston debut.

The program offers a journey through her recording and performance interests, notably works by Rachmaninoff. Chochieva’s recordings of Rachmaninoff’s complete ÉtudesTableaux and her role as curator for a festival at the composer’s summer villa speak volumes of her deep connection with his works. Acclaimed for “performances of huge emotional scope and intense drama” (The Guardian), Zlata Chochieva promises a can’tmiss Celebrity Series debut!

PROGRAM:

J. S. Bach/Béla Bartók Organ Sonata No. 6, BWV 530, second movement

Robert Schumann Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13

Johannes Brahms Scherzo in E-flat minor, Op. 4

Sergei Rachmaninoff Selected Preludes

Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op. 42

Mendelssohn/Rachmaninoff Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream

What Makes It Great? with Rob Kapilow

The Songs of Simon & Garfunkel

Saturday | April 5 | 8pm | NEC’s Jordan Hall

Rob Kapilow shines the What Makes It Great? spotlight on Simon & Garfunkel for an illuminating exploration of the duo’s songwriting process and compositional choices.

Featuring live performances by two vocalists, Kapilow shares the surprising stories behind iconic hit songs, including “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “The Sound of Silence,” and “Mrs. Robinson,” helping us listen to these longtime favorites with fresh ears.

“Rob Kapilow may be contemporary America’s most passionate evangelist for...‘music appreciation.’... He is a winning combination of Leonard Bernstein and Bill Nye the Science Guy, an infectiously enthusiastic explainer of the inner mechanical workings of music, that most abstract of all arts.”

– THE NEW YORK TIMES

David Sedaris

Sunday | April 6 | 7pm | Symphony Hall

The more things change—in our aging bodies, in our families and our relationships, in politics and society in general—the more we need David Sedaris. He slices through the chaos with spot-on observations, incisive wit, and, somehow, a humane and relatable point of view.

Share a smile, a laugh, or a knowing smirk with fellow fans when David Sedaris returns to Symphony Hall to read new and unpublished material you can only experience live and in person!

Plan to stay after the reading: David will meet every person in line. Bring a book for him to sign or purchase one before the show from our independent bookstore partner.

This performance will feature American Sign Language interpretation.

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

Friday | April 11 | 8pm | NEC’s Jordan Hall

Founded in 1985, with two goals, to have fun and “not to lose money,” the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain has been delighting audiences and subverting expectations all around the world for over four decades. Their self-described “world tour with only hand luggage” has taken them to prestigious venues and festivals worldwide, including the Houses of Parliament, and the Last Night of the Proms.

Making a much-anticipated return to Boston for the first time since 2018, the evening promises a mix of unexpected delights and genre-hopping virtuosity.

The group’s two previous appearances on the Series were smash hits with subscribers, so get your seats early and make sure you don’t miss the fun!

Zlatomir Fung cello

Wednesday | April 16 | 7:30pm | Longy’s Pickman Hall

Thursday | April 17 | 8pm | Meadow Hall at Groton Hill Music Center

The youngest cellist to win a Gold Medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition, 24-year-old Zlatomir Fung enjoys a busy and varied international career. His appearances with renowned orchestras have showcased canon works and new commissions, demonstrating the breadth of his technique and musical insight.

Fung, a passionate film fan, has chosen works that conjure iconic moments from opera and screen, including a new fantasia on Bizet’s Carmen, written for him by Marshall Estrin.

PROGRAM:

Johannes Brahms Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108, arr. for cello and piano

Justin Dello Joio Due Per Due for cello and piano

Bernard Herrmann “Scène d’amour” from Vertigo, arr. Zlatomir Fung

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Lensky’s Aria from Eugene Onegin, arr. Mikhail Bukinik

Marshall Estrin Fantasia Carmen, for cello and piano

Revelations Celebration

FREE PUBLIC WORKSHOPS

Saturday | March 22

Sunday | March 23

LOCATIONS AND TIMES TO BE ANNOUNCED

Free to all: all ages and abilities welcome

Save the date for a classic of American modern dance, teaching artists from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater…and you!

Join in and experience firsthand the power and joy of Mr. Ailey’s iconic Revelations in one of four free workshops at public venues and community centers in Dorchester, Hyde Park, Mattapan, and Roxbury.

Learn gestures, movements, and adapted steps from the dance that means so much to generations of audience members. No special equipment or dance experience needed: these workshops are for everyone.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Thursday | April 24 | 8pm

Friday | April 25 | 8pm

Saturday | April 26 | 2pm & 8pm

Sunday | April 27 | 3pm

Boch Center Wang Theatre

The iconic Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to the Series for an annual showcase of the company’s extraordinary technique and emotive power, reaffirming their enduring importance in the American cultural landscape.

Mr. Ailey’s choreography, rich in its dynamism and fluidity, showcases a breathtaking range of emotions and narratives, and new works created on the company by exciting contemporary choreographers explore the many facets of today’s Black American experience.

More than a show, an Ailey Company performance is a beautiful journey that captivates and uplifts, leaving audiences profoundly moved.

Connect with grace, beauty, faith, pride, strength, and joy when Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to Boston.

Evgeny Kissin piano

Tuesday | April 29 | 8pm | Symphony Hall

Room-shaking power and soul-soothing poetry come together during Evgeny Kissin’s return to Symphony Hall. The many moods of Beethoven’s Sonata No. 7 give way to Chopin’s contemplative Nocturnes. Shostakovich’s intense Piano Sonata No. 2 pairs with selections from his homage to Bach, his 24 Preludes and Fugues.

Evgeny Kissin has been a Celebrity Series audience favorite for decades, since he was a young prodigy: his artistry has only deepened over the years, and he delivers a reliably brilliant and illuminating performance every time. Don’t miss a modern master of the keyboard when Evgeny Kissin returns for his twelfth Celebrity Series engagement!

PROGRAM:

Ludwig van Beethoven

Frédéric Chopin

Dmitri Shostakovich

Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, no. 3

Selected Nocturnes

Polonaise in A Major, Op. 40, no. 1 “Military”

Piano Sonata No. 2 in B minor, Op. 61

Selected Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87

Celebrity Series SHINE! Gala

HONORING JOSHUA BOGER, PhD FOR 20+ YEARS OF CELEBRITY SERIES LEADERSHIP

Friday | May 2 | The Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts

CO-CHAIRS: STEPHANIE L. BROWN AND SUSAN & MICHAEL THONIS

Save the date for another unforgettable SHINE! gala, this time in honor of Joshua Boger, Celebrity Series’ longstanding Chair of the Board of Directors.

Since stepping into his role in 2009, Joshua’s steady, entrepreneurial leadership has grown Celebrity Series into an organization committed equally to curating unforgettable artistic experiences as it is to breaking down barriers.

This special evening gala will reflect the innovation, excitement, and breadth of Joshua’s tenure with dinner, dancing, and unforgettable artist tributes.

Please visit celebrityseries.org/gala for more information.

We’re looking forward to SHINE!-ing with you in May!

Evgeny Kissin

Samara Joy

Tuesday | April 29 | 8pm | Symphony Hall

Saturday | May 3 | 8pm | Berklee Performance Center

Vocalist Samara Joy has reached tremendous heights as a prolific rising star in the jazz world. Linger Awhile, her 2022 debut album with Verve Records, drew critical acclaim and earned her two Grammys—Best Jazz Vocal Recording and Best New Artist in any genre.

Room-shaking power and soul-soothing poetry come together during Evgeny Kissin’s return to Symphony Hall. The many moods of Beethoven’s Sonata No. 7 give way to Chopin’s contemplative Nocturnes. Shostakovich’s intense Piano Sonata No. 2 pairs with selections from his homage to Bach, his 24 Preludes and Fugues.

Evgeny Kissin has been a Celebrity Series audience favorite for decades,

In addition to her recording career and touring schedule, Samara reaches millions on TikTok, treating fans of all generations to her vocalese acrobatics and renditions of old-school classics.

Samara’s exceptional control and range and her refined, distinctive style appeal to a broad range of audiences, from curious newcomers to well-versed aficionados. We invite you to experience her artistry and her open-hearted authenticity during this extraordinary Celebrity Series debut concert!

“She revealed the breathtaking versatility and range of her instrument, leaping effortlessly from a Shiraz-deep contralto to a bell-pure soprano.”

– JAZZ IN EUROPE

Tessa Lark violin

Joshua Roman cello

Edgar Meyer double bass

Friday | May 9 | 8pm | Sanders Theatre

Tessa Lark, at once a widely praised violinist and acclaimed Appalachian fiddler, is more than a performer: she’s a convener of adventurous, up-for-anything collaborators. For this concert, she’s assembled an accomplished trio that spans the generations, bringing together artists who span, blend, and play with genres.

Lark blends the elegance and expressiveness of her classical training with the spontaneity and verve of bluegrass and mountain music. Her joyful style sets a beautifully collaborative tone when paired with Edgar Meyer and Oklahoma-born cellist, composer, and curator Joshua Roman.

Bassist Edgar Meyer, a Celebrity Series mainstay and perpetual fan favorite, has been collaborating with orchestras, ensembles, and other luminaries from across the musical spectrum for decades. Joshua Roman, a driving force in breaking down barriers around classical music, has been called “one of the great exemplars of the ideal 21st-century musician,” by Yo-Yo Ma.

tickets at celebrityseries.org

Mission, Vision, Equity

The Mission

To present performing artists who inspire and enrich our community.

The Vision

We believe in the power of excellence and innovation in the performing arts to enrich life experience, transform lives, and build better communities. We envision a community of Greater Boston where the performing arts are a valued, life-long, shared experience—on stages, on streets, in neighborhoods—everywhere.

Equity

Celebrity Series of Boston recognizes that many existing systems of power grant privilege and access unequally, and that equity is crucial to the long-term viability of both the arts and culture sector and communities-at-large. Our Racial Equity Plan describes our commitment to ensure that everyone who wants has equal access to a full, vibrant creative life, which is essential to a healthy and democratic society. To learn more about our ongoing efforts, see celebrityseries.org/equity

Group Sales

Great performances are meant to be shared!

Celebrity Series offers group sales at every performance throughout the season for groups of 10 or more. Get special discounts and personalized options for you and your group— plus, there’s no need to wait: groups get early access before tickets go on sale to the general public!

Visit celebrityseries.org/groups to learn more.

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Gift Certificates

Give the gift of live performing arts with a Celebrity Series gift certificate! Visit celebrityseries.org/gift to treat your friends and family to our concerts and events.

This is what's so great about Celebrity Series, I'm learning about new music and composers and performers I've never heard of before. There are genres I would never have considered exploring without Celebrity Series.

–CELEBRITY SERIES ATTENDEES

–CELEBRITY SERIES ATTENDEES “ “

Everyone at the venue, from ticket sales personnel to current Board Members, was welcoming and helpful. It was a most pleasant atmosphere to enjoy the concert. Thank you to everyone affiliated with Celebrity Series for making it memorable for a first-timer!

Buy tickets at celebrityseries.org

Thank You To Our Supporters

2024/25 SEASON SPONSORS

Crescendo Donor Advised Fund and Susan & Michael Thonis

Anonymous (4) | Jill & David Altshuler | Leslie & Howard Appleby | Amy & Joshua Boger

Stephanie L. Brown | Julia Byers & Steven Holtzman | Michael & Adrianne Canning

Yvette & Lawrence Hochberg | George & Lizbeth Krupp | Susanne Marcus Collins Foundation

Eleanor & Frank Pao | Stephen C. Perry & Oliver Radford | The Rabb Family Foundations | Reuben Reynolds

Mabel Louise Riley Foundation | Royal Little Family Foundation | Sally S. Seaver, PhD | Schrafft Charitable Trust

Jeremy Silverman & Mary Sutherland | Stifler Family Foundation | Belinda Termeer | Susan & Michael Thonis

Dorothy Altman Weber, in memory of Stephen Weber

Board of Directors

Joshua Boger, PhD, Chair+

Jill S. Altshuler+

Howard Appleby

Stephanie L. Brown+

Cherié Butts, PhD

Michael S. Canning+

Joanne Cheng

Amy d’Ablemont Burnes

Margaret Eagle

Kathleen Gaffney

Randolph Hawthorne+

Dr. Joan Helpern Goldberg*

Yvette Hochberg

Andrea Hoff

Lisa Kirk Colburn

York Lo

John D. Patterson, Jr.

Stephen C. Perry*

Dr. Beth Pinals+

Leontyne Price, Honorary Director

Melinda Rabb

Michael Raizman*+

Reuben Reynolds

Dr. Margaret Simon, ex officio

Lawrence Stifler*

Mary Elisabeth Swerz

Belinda Termeer

Susan Thonis+

Yukiko Ueno

Dorothy Altman Weber*

Janet Zwanziger*

Celebrity Series Boards

Board Emeriti

Caroline Collings

Benjamin H. Lacy

Jann E. Leeming*

Norman C. Nicholson, Jr.

Eleanor Y. Pao

Nancy Richmond Winsten*

Arnold B. Zetcher

Board of Advisors

Dr. Margaret Simon, Chair

Dr. Michael Silverman, Vice Chair

Leslie Appleby

Meryl Beckingham

Marilyn Benson*

Diana L. Bourgeois

Joseph C. Cefalu

Fernadina Chan

Geoff Chasin

Debra M. Corrado

Jolyon Cowan

JoAnne Dickinson*

Kenneth Douglass*

Amy C. Egloff

C. Nancy Fisher

Susan Y. Friedman

Alexandra Fuchs

Elkan Gamzu

Gabor Garai

Glenda Garrelts Mattes

Ellen Glanz

Dr. Peter H. Gordon*

Rosalind E. Gorin

Harriet Griesinger

Teri Groome

Zachary R. Haroutunian

Stephen C. Harrison*

Paul Hartung

Betty Hillmon

Ilisa Hurowitz

Heidi Hutton

Olu Ibrahim

Maurice Joffe

Sandy Johnston

Rachel V. Kemp

Nathan Kono

Kate Kush*

Fred Ledley

Stephen Leonard*

Margot LeStrange*

Julia LeStrange Stern

Valeria Lowe-Barehmi

Joelle Lurie

Theresa C. McLoud, MD

Dr. Michael Merport

Marilyn Miller*

Dr. Gordon Moore*

John P. Mordes, MD*

Elsa Mosquera Sterenberg

Ruth Nemzoff*

James L. J. Nuzzo

Stella J. Owen

Rich Parker, MD*

James Perrin

Charlie Popper, MD*

Suzanne Priebatsch

Kristin Qian, PhD

Oliver Radford*

Sharon L. Rich*

Mona J. Roberts*

Millard Rose

Abby Rosenfeld*

Barbara Russell

Sally S. Seaver, PhD*

Sandra Shapiro*

Susan Shapiro Magdanz*

Dr. Samuel J. Shubrooks, Jr.*

Lori Solon

Joel A. Stein*

Marylen R. Sternweiler*

Amir Tadmor

Jeffrey A. Thomson*

Sarah Rainwater Ward

Wendy L. Watson

Barnet Weinstein

Sharon R. Weinstein, MD

Peter J. Wender*

As of March 31, 2024

+ Denotes Executive Committee

* Denotes 25+-year subscriber

Your ticket to the best of jazz, classical, dance, and more!