FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 16, 2026

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota Presents Baroque Treasures on Mother's Day

Featuring a powerhouse line up of musicians

SARASOTA, Fla. (April 16, 2026) – Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota presents Baroque Treasures on May 10, 4:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church. On May 22, Artist Series Concerts co-presents Music for New Bodies with EnsembleNEWSRQ, 7:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or call (941) 306-1202.

Artist Series Concerts presents Baroque Treasures on May 10, 4:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Sarasota. This concert – on Mother's Day – begins with harpsichordist Paulo Bordignon performing music by Bach and Couperin. Sarasota Orchestra principal oboe Bobby Nunes and principal harp Phoebe Powell, accompanied by strings and harpsichord, 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. With special guests Katherine Baloff and Leah Latorraca, violin; Stephanie Block, viola; David Bender, cello; and John Miller, bass. Tickets are $50 for general seating and $70 for VIP seating.

Artist Series Concerts and EnsembleNEWSRQ co-present Matt Aucoin's Music for New Bodies, May 22, 7:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House. Created in collaboration with acclaimed director Peter Sellars, this is a bold operatic meditation on our shifting place in the natural world. Fusing poetic texts from Jorie Graham with visceral soundscapes, Aucoin crafts a work that is at once urgent and transcendent, while Sellars' visionary staging brings the music into striking visual focus. Together, they invite us to imagine new forms of life, connection, and transformation. Tickets are $50.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or call (941) 306-1202.

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota, Inc.'s 2025-2026 season is supported in part by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County; The Exchange; Gulf Coast Community Foundation; Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax Revenues; and corporate sponsor MD Behavioral Health, PLLC and The Lara & Mark D'Agostino Family Fund.

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Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota, founded in 1996, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting excellence in live musical performance by showcasing exceptional emerging and established artists. While firmly rooted in classical tradition, the organization embraces innovation—offering performances that are intimate, fresh, and designed to engage audiences of all ages in unexpected and meaningful ways. A key focus is nurturing rising talent through educational outreach and competitive scholarship programs. To date, the organization has awarded over $415,050 to 175 gifted young musicians from Sarasota, Manatee, and beyond, many of whom have gone on to study at top conservatories and pursue successful music careers.

Artist Series Concerts also brings interactive musical experiences to local schools, enriching arts education for hundreds of students annually. Through its dynamic programming and mission-driven work, it continues to honor its founders' legacy while inviting audiences to hear music—and each other—with fresh ears. For more information, visit www.ArtistSeriesConcerts.org.

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota
30th Anniversary Season (2025-2026) at a Glance (as of news release date)

Top Shelf Tuesdays
Voice of the Cello
Andres Sanchez-Lina, cello; Ying Li, piano; Daniel Jordan, violin; Margaret Dyer Harris, viola
Featured Emerging Artists
Tuesday, April 21, 2026 • 7:30 pm
First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1031 S Euclid Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34237

Cellist Andres Sanchez-Lina was named the First Prize Winner in the Senior Division of the National Sphinx Competition in January 2026, and in 2025 he was a semifinalist in the Schoenfeld International Cello Competition. Pianist Ying Li is a winner of the 2021 YCA Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, as well as recipient of the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival Prize and the Tri-I Noon Recitals Prize. She also won the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota's Piano Competition. For this program, the pair will perform music by George Crumb, Robert Schumann, and Ludwig van Beethoven's Cello Sonata no. 3 in A major, Op. 69. 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. Single ticket: $50 and $70 (VIP seating). Series sponsored by Jan and Bill Farber. Concert sponsored by Paul and Sharon Steinwachs.

Lunch and Listen
Saxophone Splendor
Valentin Kovalev, saxophone and Joseph Holt, piano
Featured Emerging Artist
Thursday, April 30, 2026 • 11:00 am performance followed by luncheon
Sarasota Yacht Club, 1100 John Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota, FL 34236

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, Kovalev 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. Single ticket: $75 (includes lunch). Series sponsored by Don and Jo Ann Burhart and Kandy Kaak. Concert sponsored by Cyndi and Howard Mumm, and Tim and Caroline Ryan.

Sunday Best
Baroque Treasures
Bobby Nunes, oboe and Phoebe Powell, harp
Featured Emerging Artists
With special guests Paolo Bordignon, harpsichord; Katherine Baloff, violin; Leah Latorraca, violin; Stephanie Block, viola; David Bender, cello; and John Miller, bass
Sunday, May 10, 2026 • 4:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church, 2050 Oak Street, Sarasota, FL 34237

Baroque Treasures – on Mother's Day – begins with harpsichordist Paulo Bordignon performing music of Bach and Couperin. Then Sarasota Orchestra principal oboe Bobby Nunes and principal harp Phoebe Powell, accompanied by strings and harpsichord, 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. Single ticket: $50 and $70 (VIP seating). Sponsored by The Lara and Mark D'Agostino Family Fund. Concert sponsored by David Chivas and Ron Rice. Artists sponsored by Charles Huisking, and Bruce Ensinger and Clark Denham.

Co-presented with EnsembleNEWSRQ
Music for New Bodies
Friday, May 22, 2026 • 7:30 pm
Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236

Matt Aucoin's Music for New Bodies, created in collaboration with acclaimed director Peter Sellars, is a bold operatic meditation on our shifting place in the natural world. Fusing poetic texts from Jorie Graham with visceral soundscapes, Aucoin crafts a work that is at once urgent and transcendent, while Sellars' visionary staging brings the music into striking visual focus. Together, they invite us to imagine new forms of life, connection, and transformation.