Past Concerts
25/26 Season

Nicholas Eanet, violin
Jungeun Kim, piano
Natalie Helm, cello
Bharat Chandra, clarinet

Recipient of a 2011 Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement, violinist Nicholas Eanet was senior concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for almost two decades and has been the first violinist of the Juilliard and Mendelssohn string quartets. Pianist Jungeun Kim is director of instrumental accompaniment at the Curtis Institute and has performed worldwide with numerous distinguished artists. They collaborate with Sarasota Orchestra principal cellist Natalie Helm in piano trios by Schubert and Dvořák, and principal clarinetist Bharat Chandra in Bela Bartok’s Contrasts, a piece commissioned by Benny Goodman.

Celebrate the dedication of Dr. Joseph Holt as a star of Sarasota’s music scene for the past 16 years. Formerly ASC’s director of artist programs and artistic director of Choral Artists of Sarasota, he is currently the host of the Music Monday series of the Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning. In this performance, he joins Sarasota Orchestra concertmaster Daniel Jordan and assistant principal cellist Christopher Schnell in an all-Russian program of Rachmaninoff, Kabalevsky, and Shostakovich, exploring each composer’s response to Soviet oppression.

By popular demand, The Queen’s Six returns to Sarasota for an encore to their sold-out 2023 ASC performance. As members of the lay clerks of St. George’s Chapel of Windsor Castle, The Queen’s Six performs at weekly services and special events for the royal family—including the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Now they bring their unique style of entertainment to a much wider audience with diverse repertoire extending far beyond the reach of the choir stalls. From austere early chant, florid Renaissance polyphony, lewd madrigals, and haunting folk songs, to upbeat jazz and pop arrangements, The Queen’s Six promises a memorable evening of positively royal fun!

Featuring Emerging Artists:
Eleni Katz, bassoon
Nina Bernat, double bass

Two of classical music’s most “under the radar” instruments step into the spotlight for a delightful program of unusual duets. A winner of the 2022 Concert Artist Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition, bassoonist Eleni Katz has established herself as a prominent soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. Double bassist Nina Bernat is a recipient of a 2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant, and recently made her concerto debut with the Minnesota Orchestra and Osmo Vänskä to great acclaim. They come together for a program titled “Basso Vox” that includes music by Bach, Mozart and Piazzolla.  

Featuring:
Misha Vayman, violin
Michael Siess, violin
Juan-Salvador Carrasco, cello
Nathan Ben-Yehuda, keyboard

Astral Mixtape creates groundbreaking original music with classical instruments and electronics. By combining their wide-ranging listening interests with a lifetime of classical training, they have created a personal musical language all their own. Their live performances synthesize the spectacle of pop, the spontaneity of jazz, and the experimentation of contemporary music. This program includes original works that combine music by Rimsky-Korsakov, Vaughan-Williams, Astor Piazzolla, and Andrew Lloyd Webber with contemporary electronics for a uniquely exhilarating experience.

Featuring:
Robert Waters, violin
Rebecca McFaul, violin
Bradley Ottesen, viola
Anne Francis Bayless, cello

Praised as “a triumph of ensemble playing” by The New York Times, Fry Street Quartet captured the Grand Prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and is in residence at Utah State University. Their program begins with Claude Debussy’s only string quartet and concludes with Beethoven’s powerful Opus 130 quartet. In between is Source Code by Grammy Award-winning composer Jessie Montgomery, Performance Today’s 2025 Classical Woman of the Year.

Featuring Emerging Artists:
Risa Hokamura, violin
Oliver Neubauer, violin
Toby Appel, viola
James Baik, cello
Bennett Tsai, cello

YCA on Tour is an extraordinary chamber music touring ensemble that is made up of the incredible talent of current Young Concert Artists and esteemed alumni from the YCA family. The unique initiative brings together the brightest emerging musicians and the seasoned veterans who have already made a significant impact in the classical music world. Their program features Franz Schubert’s final chamber work, his poignant String Quintet in C major for two cellos.

Featured Emerging Artists
Erin Wagner, mezzo soprano
Daniel McGrew, tenor

With
Jesse Martins, piano

Spend the morning surrounded by the glorious sounds of two outstanding Young Concert Artists. Winner of multiple vocal competitions, mezzo soprano Erin Wagner made her Metropolitan Opera debut during the 2024-25 season. Tenor Daniel McGrew has been heard in recital at Merkin Hall and the Kennedy Center, and in performance with the Boston Pops. Accompanied by Sarasota Opera pianist Jesse Martins, their program includes music from opera and Broadway along with some holiday favorites.

Featuring
Mike Block, cello/vocals
Joe K. Walsh, mandolin/vocals
Zachariah Hickman, bass/vocals

Mike Block Trio is led by Mike Block, a cellist, singer, composer, and member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, who has been hailed by Gramophone Magazine as “one of the bravest, most intriguing musicians on the American fusion scene.” Block is teamed with equally virtuosic partners Joe K. Walsh, a bluegrass mandolin player, and bassist Zachariah Hickman. The trio fertilizes American roots and Appalachian folk music with contemporary and international influences, bringing an exciting and personal perspective to the acoustic music scene.

Featured Emerging Artists
Elizabeth Stewart, violin
Joosep Reimaa, violin
Marija Räisänen, viola
Stergios Theodoridis, cello

The Erinys Quartet was founded in 2018 at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. With roots in Estonia, Lithuania, Greece, the U.S., and Finland, it is named for the Erinyes (a.k.a. the Furies) from the Greek tragedy Oresteia by Aeschylus. Bronze medalists at the 2024 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, Erinys Quartet has been the Maltzahn String Quartet in Residence at the Curtis Institute for the past two years. Their program includes music by Schubert, Bartok, and Brahms.

Featured Emerging Artist
William Leathers, trumpet

With
Joseph Holt, piano

Canadian trumpeter William Leathers is the principal trumpet of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and the Santa Fe Opera. He has performed across Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and the Caribbean, including guest performances with the New York Philharmonic Brass, Cleveland Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Philadelphia Orchestra. Joined by Joseph Holt on piano, Leathers’ program includes trumpet music by film composer John Williams. A multi-talented artist, the program also features Chopin’s Ballade #1 with Leathers himself at the piano!

Featured Emerging Artists
Blake Pouliot, violin
Henry Kramer, piano

Grand Prize Winner at the 2016 Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal Manulife Competition, violinist Blake Pouliot has performed with orchestras throughout North and South America and Europe. His decade-long collaborator is pianist Henry Kramer, whose numerous accolades include Second Prize at the Queen Elisabeth Competition (2016) and an Avery Fisher Career Grant (2019). Together, they present a program devoted to the influence of art song on instrumental music, including selections by Schumann and Chausson, Pouliot’s own arrangement of Dvořák’s Zigeunerlieder, and music from the opera Carmen. 

Featuring:
James Ehnes, violin
Andrew Armstrong, piano
Daniel Jordan, violin
Stephanie Block, viola
Nathan Frantz, viola
Natalie Helm, cello
Bjorn Ranheim, cello

Those who attended James Ehnes’ 2024 ASC program were treated to an extraordinary performance by one of the world’s preeminent violin soloists. Repeat the treat when Ehnes returns for an encore performance. Joined by long-time recital partner pianist Andrew Armstrong, the pair will play Elgar’s expansive Violin Sonata and assorted violin showpieces. After intermission Ehnes will be joined by violinist Daniel Jordan, violists Stephanie Block and Nathan Frantz, and cellists Natalie Helm and Bjorn Ranheim in Arnold Schoenberg’s harmonically lush string sextet, Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night). 

Enjoy music along the shore of Sarasota Bay by singers Michaela Ristaino, Adelaide Boedecker, Amy Connours, Justin Gomlak, and Jesse Martin, with Dr. Joseph Holt at the piano, performing popular operetta selections including music from Showboat and Porgy & Bess. Cocktails will be served during and following the performance, then move into the ballroom to continue the evening with a lovely and sumptuous dinner, more music, fabulous live auction items, and other surprises. ASC’s pearl anniversary celebration, the splendor of Selby Gardens, and lighthearted music combine for an unforgettable evening!

Featured Emerging Artists
Strauss Shi, violin
Tengyue Zhang, guitar

Committed to redefining the 21st century violin-guitar art form, ArcoStrum presents innovative chamber music that blends multiple genres, eras, and cultures. The duo champions unique concert programming through original transcriptions of beloved classical repertoire, progressive rock, and traditional Chinese instrumental music featuring the erhu and dizi. Known for their charisma, virtuosity, and dynamic on-stage chemistry, ArcoStrum won the Audience Prize at the 2023 Concert Artists Guild Competition.

Featuring: Upward Notes classical string ensemble & Beatboxer/DJ Karim Manning

Bring your blanket or chairs and get ready for a Fun-Filled outdoor event suitable for the entire family, and children of all ages, along the shores of beautiful Sarasota Bay.
Fun Music in a Beautiful Park Setting.
Sponsored by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation

Featuring:
Nick Montopoli, violin/banjo/vocals
Zach Matteson, violin/vocals
Karl Mitze, viola/mandolin/vocals
Geoff Manyin, cello/vocals

Invoke successfully dodges even the most valiant attempts at genre classification. The multi-instrumental quartet encompasses traditions from across America, including classical, bluegrass, Appalachian fiddle tunes, jazz, and minimalism. Fueled by their passion for storytelling, Invoke weaves together all these styles to form a unique contemporary repertoire featuring original works composed by and for the group. Their creative performances are designed to sharpen your ears, stretch your imagination, and broaden your perception of music.

Featured Emerging Artists:
Michael Turkell, violin
Victor Minke Huls, cello
Maria Parrini, piano

The delicate beauty of impressionist music forms the heart of this captivating program. Michael Turkell, principal second violin of Sarasota Orchestra, joins forces with Florida Orchestra assistant principal cello Victor Minke Huls and Lincoln Center Stage Quintet pianist Maria Parrini in a program that includes violin and piano sonatas by Enescu and Fauré, and Ravel’s duo for violin and cello.

Featured Emerging Artists:
Cate Carson, violin
Katya Moeller, violin
Sydney Whipple, viola
Lila Holyoke, cello

Grand Prize winners of the Coltman Chamber Music Competition, the members of the DragonBoot Quartet are current students in the Honors Chamber Music Program at the Juilliard School.
As an all-women group, they are particularly interested in performing works by women composers to highlight their contributions to the repertoire and to share with diverse audiences.
Their program includes Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 33, No. 1, the work that stole the show at their Coltman Competition Grand Prize-winning performance.

Featured Emerging Artists:
Cameron Crozman, cello
Meagan Milatz, piano

With:
Daniel Jordan, violin and
Margaret Dyer Harris, viola

Following their stellar 2023 ASC performance, Canadian cellist Cameron Crozman and fellow Canadian pianist Meagan Milatz return to Sarasota for a much-anticipated encore. Crozman recently won the Fernand-Lindsay Award from Fondation Père-Lindsay, one of the most prestigious awards for classical music in Quebec and Canada. Milatz was the recent winner of the prestigious 2025-2028 Mécénat Musica Prix Goyer and the 2024 Prix Opus “Discovery of the Year.” For this program, the pair will perform music by Debussy and Gershwin, and a piece written for them by composer Graham Campbell. Following intermission, they will be joined by violinist Daniel Jordan and violist Margaret Dyer Harris in a performance of Robert Schumann’s groundbreaking Piano Quartet in E-flat Major.

Featured Emerging Artist:
Valentin Kovalev, saxophone

With:
Joseph Holt, piano

Hailing from Siberia, classical saxophonist Valentin Kovalev is an ebullient and highly eclectic performer whose unique style was developed after studying in Russia, France, and the United States. Winner of multiple prestigious international competitions, Valentin gave a sold-out debut recital at Carnegie Hall during the 2023-24 season. His work is driven by his love of fostering connections, exemplified by his vast community on social media, and he has committed support to Ukrainian saxophonists and other marginalized voices in the classical music world. Joined by Joseph Holt on piano, Kovalev’s program includes music by Bach, Rachmaninoff, Bizet, and Piazzolla.

Featuring Emerging Artitsts:
Bobby Nunes, oboe
Phoebe Powell, harp

With Special Guests:
Paolo Bordignon, harpsichord; Katherine Baloff, violin; Leah Latorraca, violin; Stephanie Block, viola; David Bender, cello; John Miller, bass

Two of Sarasota’s finest step into the spotlight with a program that basks in the magical sounds of their ancient instruments.
Accompanied by strings and harpsichord, Sarasota Orchestra principal oboe Bobby Nunes and principal harp Phoebe Powell each perform a concerto for their instrument by baroque master G.F. Handel. The two also join forces for Debussy’s enchanting Album of Five Pieces for Oboe and Harp.