Performance Calendar

Brilliant pianist, composer, and multimedia artist Jason Moran turns his boundless creativity and curiosity to a celebration of the life of often-overlooked African American musical pioneer James Reese Europe, credited with introducing jazz music to the European continent during World War I. 

Violinist Alexi Kenney—praised for his “beautiful, aching tone” (Strings)—makes his Celebrity Series debut this season with a program entitled Shifting Ground. In this recital for solo violin with and without electronics, which the New York Times called “breathless and often daring,” Kenney weaves selections from Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas with contemporary compositions, placing the past and the present in a compelling dialogue. 

A new force in Nordic world music is the young Scandinavian trio, Dreamers’ Circus. Contemporary and innovative in their approach, the trio draws inspiration from the deep traditions of folk music in the region and reshapes them into something bright, shiny, and new. 

Violinist Alexi Kenney—praised for his “beautiful, aching tone” (Strings)—makes his Celebrity Series debut this season with a program entitled Shifting Ground. In this recital for solo violin with and without electronics, which the New York Times called “breathless and often daring,” Kenney weaves selections from Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas with contemporary compositions, placing the past and the present in a compelling dialogue. 

Virtuosic pianist Igor Levit—who became a social media sensation during the COVID-19 lockdown for his series of 52 consecutive home performances spanning the piano repertory from Bach to Billy Joel—returns in the new season to a more habitual setting to take on three pinnacles of the piano literature. Don’t miss these masterworks performed by one of the “most important artists of his generation” (New York Times) when Igor Levit plays Beethoven’s last sonatas.  

Tenor Lawrence Brownlee, “one of the most in-demand opera singers in the world today” (NPR), returns alongside pianist Kevin Miller with a program of song based on texts by poets and authors of the Harlem Renaissance set to brand-new music that he is commissioning from acclaimed Black composers. Join Lawrence Brownlee as he shares a bold and thrilling vision: he reflects on the past as he looks ahead to a more inclusive vocal repertoire. 

Tenor Lawrence Brownlee, “one of the most in-demand opera singers in the world today” (NPR), returns alongside pianist Kevin Miller with a program of song based on texts by poets and authors of the Harlem Renaissance set to brand-new music that he is commissioning from acclaimed Black composers. Join Lawrence Brownlee as he shares a bold and thrilling vision: he reflects on the past as he looks ahead to a more inclusive vocal repertoire. 

Thanks to her lyrical, elegant, powerful playing and her visionary band leadership, Melissa Aldana has been on an amazing upward trajectory in recent years. The Chilean tenor sax player is a co-founder of the supergroup Artemis and is leading her own trio to new heights of refined playing, assured songwriting, and thoughtful self-expression. Come hear one of the leaders of the new generation in jazz! 

Across her career, multifaceted Japanese pianist Hiromi has thrilled fans and critics alike with creative energy that can’t be contained by genre. She says, “I don’t want to put a name on my music. ... It’s just the union of what I’ve been listening to and what I’ve been learning. It has some elements of classical music, it has some rock, it has some jazz, but I don’t need to give it a name.” Don’t miss this fiery solo performance from an audacious pianist! 

Born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, renowned jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon has scaled the heights of jazz over her storied career, from headlining all-star shows, to performing for presidents and other heads of state. She brings her elegant voice and compelling stage presence to the pop-up club setting of Artists For Humanity EpiCenter in what will be a memorable experience.