2026 GLCMF Brochure by ArtOps

Marking Twelve Years of Paul Watkins’ Artistic Leadership

Becoming Sky

[From the Believe In Spring series] by Elizabeth Youngblood

Photo credit: CJ Berringer

WELCOME TO THE 33rd FESTIVAL

TIME SIGNATURES

Honoring 12 Years of Paul Watkins’ Artistic Leadership

Music unfolds in time.

Each phrase has its own pulse, each work its own rhythm, each season its own signature. In Time Signatures, the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival marks a defining moment: the final season of Artistic Director Paul Watkins, whose twelve-year tenure shaped the Festival with clarity, generosity, and deep musical intelligence. Like a well-crafted score, his leadership balanced structure and freedom—honoring tradition while making space for discovery, collaboration, and bold artistic voices.

This season is both a reflection and a continuation. From first notes to final bows, we celebrate the music that has defined our shared journey—works that return like familiar motifs, alongside performances that point toward what comes next. Together, they set the tempo for a resonant future.

GET THE MOST OUT OF THE FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

The Festival unfolds over two weeks like a carefully paced composition. Concerts range from grand evening performances to intimate midday encounters, from formal halls to museums, libraries, and community spaces.

To make planning simpler, concerts are now grouped into Time Signature Series and Partner Series, allowing you to choose the rhythm that works best for you.

2026 HIGHLIGHTS

Stone Composerin-Residence David Serkin Ludwig shapes our opening and closing nights with music that bridges tradition and the present moment.

The Calidore String Quartet returns—once part of our Shouse Institute, now one of America’s leading ensembles.

A spectacular two-piano recital from Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung performed in the round with the audience gathered close to the music.

Alessio Bax & Lucille Chung

Calidore String Quartet

David Serkin Ludwig

MARKING THE MOMENT

A Message from Paul Watkins

When I became Artistic Director of the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, I was struck by the spirit of dialogue between artists, between audiences, and between past and present. Over twelve seasons, I have seen those relationships deepen and expand, shaped by trust, curiosity, and an unwavering belief in the power of chamber music to connect us.

The theme Time Signatures feels especially meaningful now. In music, a time signature provides structure, but it does not dictate expression. Within it, musicians listen, respond, and together breathe life into a piece. That balance between form and freedom has guided my time with this Festival.

This season brings together works that have marked important moments along our path, alongside contemporary voices that remind us why chamber music continues to matter: because it is intimate, human, and shared in real time. I am profoundly grateful to the musicians, staff, board, and audiences who have made this journey possible. Thank you for listening so deeply, and for being part of this extraordinary community.

Paul Watkins, Artistic Director

SPONSORS AND FUNDERS

Wilda C. Tiffany Trust Burton A. Zipser & Sandra D. Zipser Foundation

Maxine and Stuart Frankel Foundation

Phillip & Elizabeth Filmer Memorial Charitable Trust

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Time Signature Series Festival-Ticketed Concerts (subscription eligible)

These performances are presented and ticketed directly by the Festival and may be included in a Festival Flex Pass Subscription package or purchased individually. Concerts take place at core Festival venues, feature world-renowned artists, and offer the full chamber music experience.

TICKET PRICING

$45 General Admission

$15 Student

OPENING NIGHT

SUN JUNE 14 • 7 PM

Seligman Performing Arts Center

22305 13 Mile Rd., Beverly Hills

CLOSING NIGHT

SAT JUNE 27 • 7 PM

Kirk in the Hills – Refectory

1340 W. Long Lake Rd., Bloomfield Hills

Sponsored by the Maxine and Stuart Frankel Foundation

CLOSING NIGHT:

SWAN SONG

A CELEBRATION OF PAUL WATKINS

Snyder, Vonsattel, Hristova, Setzer, Pajaro-van de Stadt, Arron, Watkins, Shifrin, members of Amnis Piano Quartet & Trio Eris

BEETHOVEN Clarinet Trio in B-flat major, Op. 11

LUDWIG Swan Song

POPPER Requiem for Three Cellos and Piano

MENDELSSOHN Octet in E-flat major

Tickets are very limited. Reserve early.

Join composer David Serkin Ludwig for a pre-concert Q&A at 6:30 p.m.

CLOSING NIGHT ENCORE! The Kingsley Bloomfield Hills

39475 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills

Join the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival for a reception following the concert.

Tickets: $100 per person.

Jennifer Frautschi & Edward Arron

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Partner Series & Community Events

Venue-Ticketed or Free Events (not subscription eligible)

Some Festival events are presented in partnership with host venues or are free to the public. Tickets for these performances are either sold directly by the venue, included with museum admission, require registration, or are offered at no cost. While these concerts remain an essential part of the Festival’s artistic and community footprint, they are not eligible for subscription discounts.

THE CAPITOL THEATRE

THURS JUNE 25 • 7 PM

The Capitol Theatre – Pentastar 121 University Ave. W., Windsor, ON Sponsored by The Morris & Beverly Baker Foundation

RHYTHMS OF PLACE

CLASSICAL FORM MEETS FOLK RHYTHM

Pajaro-van de Stadt, Trio Eris, ZaRiah

MOZART Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat major

DVOŘÁK arr. Walter: String Quartet No. 12 in F major, “American” for Wind Quintet

SCOTT Startin’ Sumthin’

ARTISTIC ENCOUNTERS

A cross-border collaboration that extends the Festival’s reach and celebrates shared cultural exchange.

TICKET INFORMATION (519) 973-1238 capitoltheatrewindsor.ca

The Catherine Filene Shouse Chamber Music Institute, led by Philip Setzer, provides a platform for emerging professional ensembles. Artistic Encounters are public coachings for Shouse Institute fellows in a setting similar to a masterclass. You are invited to attend these Artistic Encounters to get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to be a professional musician. As Beyond the Notes events, Artistic Encounters are FREE for anyone to attend.

MON JUNE 15 • 11 AM

Bloomfield Township Public Library

1099 Lone Pine Rd, Bloomfield Township

PHILIP SETZER

MON JUNE 22 • 11 AM

Bloomfield Township Public Library

1099 Lone Pine Rd, Bloomfield Township

MILENA PAJARO-VAN DE STADT

WED JUNE 17 • 11 AM

Bloomfield Township Public Library 1099 Lone Pine Rd, Bloomfield Township

JENNIFER FRAUTSCHI

WED JUNE 24 • 11 AM

Kirk in the Hills

1340 W. Long Lake Rd., Bloomfield Hills EDWARD ARRON

DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS

Performances within one of Detroit’s great civic spaces, where music, visual art, and architecture intersect.

SUN JUNE 21 • 2 PM

Detroit Institute of Arts – Rivera Court

5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit

KERRYTOWN CONCERT HOUSE

An intimate listening room where audiences experience chamber music at its most personal.

FRI JUNE 19 • 7:30 PM

Kerrytown Concert House

415 N. 4th Ave., Ann Arbor

BEYOND THE NOTES

CONVERSATION & CONNECTION

Music does not exist in isolation. Through Beyond the Notes, the Festival offers space for dialogue and time for connection that provides context to the music you hear, introducing composers and sharing stories that invite audiences of all backgrounds to engage more deeply with the art form and with one another.

ARTIST TALKS

Join Festival musicians and guest artists for conversations that deepen your connection to the music. These talks provide context for what you’ll hear on stage, uncovering the stories behind the compositions and the creative choices that bring them to life. Learn about the historical moments that inspired the works and what goes into interpreting a piece of music. Whether you’re new to chamber music or a seasoned listener, these discussions offer fresh insight without requiring any prior training.

EDUCATION INITIATIVES

COMMUNITY CONCERTS

Designed for diverse audiences, these interactive musical experiences bring chamber music into senior centers, libraries, and community centers across Oakland and Wayne Counties. Our musicians foster connection through shared listening and participation. These events celebrate music as a communal language that bridges generations and creates space for everyone to connect.

Education is woven into the Festival’s rhythm through meaningful partnerships with Wayne State University, Accent Pontiac, and school districts across Southeast Michigan, including L’Anse Creuse Public Schools. This year, we’re expanding our music education support to include Pontiac Public Schools and Bloomfield Hills Schools. Festival artists engage students through collaborative learning experiences that emphasize skill building, teamwork and creative expression. These initiatives reflect the Festival’s commitment to nurturing curiosity and access to the arts throughout our region.

Next Gen Coaching sessions during the Festival will provide high school ensembles with the opportunity to work with Shouse musicians under the guidance of violinist Philip Setzer, founding member of the Emerson String Quartet. As part of this pilot program, the Festival will host ensembles from Accent Pontiac and the DSO Civic Youth Ensembles.

Accent Pontiac

L'Anse Creuse High School

ONE NOTE AT A TIME Capital Campaign

One Note at a Time, the Festival’s Capital Campaign, aims to provide long-term support for Festival activities, with emphasis on artistic and operational excellence, as well as education and engagement.

For three decades, the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival has thrived at the intersection of intimate friendships and world-class artistic dialogue. Inspired by great artists, great music, and great friends, the Festival has earned its reputation as a forward-thinking and effective institution.

Our extended family of artists, audience, board, and staff share a passion for us to grow, to expand our reach and embed ourselves more deeply in the cultural fabric of our community. We must continue to evolve, taking pride in our success while not resting on our laurels.

The world has changed dramatically since our birth in the early 1990s. Our opportunity is to leverage our experience and the good will that we have amassed to anticipate, respond to, and thrive in the new environment in which we find ourselves. One Note at a Time foresees a future of exceptional music-making and community engagement as we move forward with open eyes and ears, positioning the Festival for thirty more years of great chamber music.

To date, One Note at a Time has raised approximately $500,000 in cash and pledges toward its $1 million goal. For more information or to participate, contact Jocelyn Conselva at development@art-ops.org.

ABOUT THE COVER

Elizabeth Youngblood is an artist, educator, designer and overall a maker of interesting things. Her fine art work is abstract. It's conceptual. She intends for her work to "To create an 'air pocket' in the torrent of what’s coming at us constantly. Ideally, that 'air pocket' will become a place in which to look slowly, and to ruminate.” Youngblood’s art-making practice includes working in the mediums of drawing, ceramics, weaving, bookbinding and more. Her interests in making have always been dual, both making by hand and designing for production.

She has been a faculty member at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and SUNY Purchase, NY, managed branding with Unisys, and designed for the New York Times. Youngblood is a native Detroiter, educated in Michigan at Cass Technical High School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and Cranbrook Academy of Art. After a stint in NYC and Philadelphia, she has returned to Detroit where she maintains a studio practice and continues to investigate the intersection of her range of interests.

Becoming Sky

[From the Believe In Spring series] by Elizabeth Youngblood

Photo credit: CJ Berringer

FESTIVAL ARTISTS

PAUL WATKINS

Artistic Director, cello

CALIDORE STRING QUARTET

Jeffrey Myers, violin; Ryan Meehan, violin; Jeremy Berry, viola; Estelle Choi, cello

Jeffrey Myers sponsored by Shoula Stefos & Mark Schumacher

Henry Meyer Violin Chair (Ryan Meehan)

Paul Katz Endowed Chair in memory of Morris D. Baker (Jeremy Berry)

Estelle Choi sponsored by Cathleen Corken

DETROIT CHAMBER WINDS & STRINGS

Founded in 1982, DCWS has been a leading voice for chamber music in the Detroit area.

ADDITIONAL SPONSORS Works, Instruments, and Outreach

Cindy & Harold Daitch

Lillian & Walter Dean

Virginia & Michael Geheb

Thea Glicksman in memory of Gregory Fox

Karen & Robert Heuer

Rayna Kogan in memory of Natalio Kogan

Andrea & Woody Leung

David Nathanson

Kathleen & Randolph Schein

Franziska Schoenfeld

Dolores Silverstein

Lauren & Dwight Smith

SHOUSE CHAMBER MUSIC INSTITUTE

The Catherine Filene Shouse Chamber Music Institute brings the finest young professional chamber ensembles to the Festival for performing and coaching with Festival artists. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

AMNIS PIANO QUARTET

Linda Lee, piano; Minkyung Lee, violin; Matthew McDowell, viola; Jenny Bahk, cello

CANDIDE QUARTET

Henry Rogers, violin; Chili Ekman, violin; Amelia Krinke, viola; Vanny Hu, cello

Beverly Franzblau Baker Young Artist Chair (Vanny Hu)

TRIO ERIS

Andrew Jun Chen, piano; KJ McDonald, violin; Thomas Lim, cello

A SEASON OF CONTINUITY

Honoring twelve years of artistic leadership and welcoming the next chapter

For twelve seasons, Paul Watkins has shaped the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival with generosity, musical integrity, and a profound belief in collaboration. His leadership balanced tradition with discovery through commissioning new works and cultivating a culture artists and audiences describe as warm, rigorous, and joyful.

This season is a celebration of what has been built together. Although 2026 marks Paul's finale as Artistic Director, it is also the overture to the Festival's next chapter.

LOOKING AHEAD

Beginning in 2027, acclaimed violinist Jennifer Frautschi will assume the role of Artistic Director.

A two-time GRAMMY nominee and Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient, Jennifer is internationally respected for performances that unite intellectual rigor, expressive depth, and vibrant ensemble collaboration. As both artist and educator, she brings clarity of vision and a deep commitment to chamber music as living dialogue.

Her artistic values — curiosity, precision, and connection — align seamlessly with the Festival’s mission and signal an energized, forward-looking future.

WAYS TO CELEBRATE & CONNECT

LEGACY GALA

May 9, 2026

Next Step Studio & Gallery

New for 2026: join us for an elegant evening honoring Paul Watkins’ twelve years as Artistic Director and celebrating the Festival’s past, present, and future. To receive a formal invitation, please contact development@art-ops.org.

OPENING NIGHT RECEPTION

June 14, 2026

Seligman Performing Arts Center

Following the Opening Night concert, join the Festival for a celebratory reception at Seligman. Suggested donation: $50

Q&A WITH JENNIFER FRAUTSCHI & PAUL WATKINS

June 16, 2026

Temple Beth El

Prior to the Rising Artists concert, join us for a conversation with Paul Watkins and incoming Artistic Director Jennifer Frautschi as she shares her vision for the Festival’s next chapter.

CLOSING NIGHT ENCORE!

June 27, 2026

The Kingsley Bloomfield Hills

Following the Closing Night concert, join the Festival as we honor Paul’s artistic leadership and toast the future of the Festival. Tickets: $100 per person.

SEASON CALENDAR

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE TICKETS & BOX OFFICE

Attend 3, 5, or all concerts and save up to 30%

Think of the Festival Flex Pass Subscription as your personal blueprint for the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival—designed for flexibility, value, and ease. You choose how many concerts you want. Plan ahead and order in advance or decide as you go.

WHICH CONCERTS ARE ELIGIBLE?

All concerts in the Time Signature series are eligible for use with the Festival Flex Pass Subscription. Tickets to Partner Series concerts, special events, and receptions are excluded and must be purchased separately.

WHY BUY A FLEX PASS SUBSCRIPTION?

All subscribers receive exclusive benefits, including the flexibility to exchange tickets at no extra cost and access to the “Subscriber” seating section, which is closer to the stage.

(Prices include all fees) FESTIVAL FLEX PASS SUBSCRIPTION

Purchase Your Flex Pass Subscription Choose your ticket quantity (3, 5, or 10) and purchase a Flex Pass Subscription.

Receive Your Subscription Code You will receive a Subscription code by email with your order confirmation.

WHEN TO RESERVE YOUR SEATS

Select Your Concerts & Redeem Your Flex Passes ONLINE

Add tickets to your cart and type in your Subscription code at checkout to redeem your flex passes.

BY PHONE

Call the Festival Box Office at (248) 559-2097 to redeem your flex passes.

Once a Flex Pass Subscription has been purchased, tickets can be reserved any time up until 48 hours before a concert. Because some concerts sell out well in advance, we recommend redeeming your flex passes early to secure your preferred performances and seating. Please note: once a concert is sold out, flex passes cannot be applied to that performance. Reservations must be made while tickets are still available.

QUESTIONS OR NEED ASSISTANCE?

If you would like to purchase a Flex Pass Subscription but need assistance with your order, contact the Festival Box Office at (248) 559-2097 and a team member will be happy to help!

BOX OFFICE

ORDERING TICKETS

Performers and programs are subject to change. Subscription discounts must be used as tickets to different concerts, not multiple tickets to one concert. Tickets to fundraising events are not eligible for subscription discount. Discounts will be automatically taken after you complete your order. No refunds. (248) 559-2097 • Monday – Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM

TICKET PRICING

(Prices include all fees)

● TIME SIGNATURE

$45 General Admission

SERIES

$15 Student (with valid student ID)

OPENING NIGHT SPECIAL PRICING

$75 Reserved Seating (preferred seating closer to stage)

OUR RECOMMENDATION

■ PARTNER

SERIES

Please contact the venue for specific pricing details.

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BEYOND THE NOTES

Many of these events are free and open to the public.

If you’re new to the Festival or want the most flexibility and value, a Festival Flex Pass Subscription is the best place to start.

Designed with intention and built for discovery. Just like the music itself.

GROUP DISCOUNTS

COMING WITH FRIENDS?

Planning a night out together? We offer 30% off for groups of 10 or more tickets to a single concert.

Group benefits include:

• Group seating so you can sit together

• A chance to meet Festival musicians after the concert

• A complimentary group photo opportunity

Perfect for community groups, social clubs, students, or corporate outings.