Join us on Wednesday evening for music, friends, conversation, and lite refreshments in the beautifully renovated Miner Music Center at Stevenson Hall.

📅 Wednesday, June 25
🕠 Doors open at 5:30 p.m. – Come in, grab a drink, and socialize.
🎶 Music and artist conversations begin at 6:00 p.m.

This intimate evening event features a program of chamber music and conversations with the artists, performed by musicians selected from:
🎻 John Henry Crawford, cello
🎹 Victor Asuncion, piano
🎻 Helen Kim, violin
🎻 Allison Bailey, viola
🎻 Vega Quartet
🎻 Emily Daggett Smith, violin
🎻 Jessica Shuang Wu, violin
🎻 Joseph Skerik, viola
🎻 Guang Wang, cello

Space is limited to 50 people—reserve your tickets now!

Presented by the Sitka Music Festival (SMF), which inspires audiences, sparks creativity, and strengthens community across Alaska through live chamber music performances, music education, and training by artists of the highest caliber.

For over 50 years, SMF has presented classical music at the highest artistic standards. Throughout its history, SMF musicians have shared their music with Alaskans who would otherwise not have access to live chamber music of this caliber. In turn, Alaskans have shared their music, traditions, and ways of life with the visiting musicians. These shared experiences have taken SMF musicians to more than 40 Alaskan communities, including remote villages off the road system. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, SMF remains dedicated to bringing exceptional music experiences to communities statewide through performances like Bach’s Lunch and other outreach initiatives.

Join us at noon at the Odess Theater for Bach's Lunch!

What is Bach's Lunch? It’s a free lunchtime community concert where you can enjoy world-class classical music while bringing your own Bach’s (boxed) lunch. Connect with fellow music lovers, meet the incredible artists, and experience the beauty of live music in a relaxed setting.

📅 Thursday, June 19 at 12 p.m.
🎶 Program TBA featuring the following artists:
🎤 Danielle Talamantes, soprano
🎤 Kerry Wilkerson, bass-baritone
🎹 Henry Dellinger, piano & composer
🎻 Jessica Shuang Wu, violin
🎻 Emily Daggett Smith, violin
🎻 Allison Bailey, viola
🎻 Guang Wang, cello
🎻 Zuill Bailey, cello

Presented by the Sitka Music Festival (SMF), which inspires audiences, sparks creativity, and strengthens community across Alaska through live chamber music performances, music education, and training by artists of the highest caliber.

For over 50 years, SMF has presented classical music at the highest artistic standards. Throughout its history, SMF musicians have shared their music with Alaskans who would otherwise not have access to live chamber music of the highest caliber and, in turn, Alaskans have shared their music, traditions, and ways of life with the visiting musicians. These shared experiences have taken SMF musicians to more than 40 Alaskan communities, many of which are small, remote villages off the road system. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, SMF remains dedicated to bringing exceptional music experiences to communities statewide.

Join us on Wednesday evening for music, friends, conversation, and lite refreshments in the beautifully renovated Miner Music Center at Stevenson Hall.

📅 Wednesday, June 18
🕠 Doors open at 5:30 p.m. – Come in, grab a drink, and socialize.
🎶 Music and artist conversations begin at 6:00 p.m.

This intimate evening event features a program of chamber music and conversations with the artists, performed by musicians selected from:
🎤 Danielle Talamantes, soprano
🎤 Kerry Wilkerson, bass-baritone
🎹 Henry Dellinger, piano & composer
🎻 Jessica Shuang Wu, violin
🎻 Emily Daggett Smith, violin
🎻 Allison Bailey, viola
🎻 Guang Wang, cello
🎻 Zuill Bailey, cello

Space is limited to 50 people—reserve your tickets now!

Presented by the Sitka Music Festival (SMF), which inspires audiences, sparks creativity, and strengthens community across Alaska through live chamber music performances, music education, and training by artists of the highest caliber.

For over 50 years, SMF has presented classical music at the highest artistic standards. Throughout its history, SMF musicians have shared their music with Alaskans who would otherwise not have access to live chamber music of this caliber. In turn, Alaskans have shared their music, traditions, and ways of life with the visiting musicians. These shared experiences have taken SMF musicians to more than 40 Alaskan communities, including remote villages off the road system. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, SMF remains dedicated to bringing exceptional music experiences to communities statewide through performances like Bach’s Lunch and other outreach initiatives.

Join us at noon at the Odess Theater for Bach's Lunch!

What is Bach's Lunch? It’s a free lunchtime community concert where you can enjoy world-class classical music while bringing your own Bach’s (boxed) lunch. Connect with fellow music lovers, meet the incredible artists, and experience the beauty of live music in a relaxed setting.

📅 Thursday, June 12 at 12 p.m.
🎶 Program TBA featuring the following artists:
🎻 Mark and Maggie O’Connor
🎻 Kurt Nikkanen, violin
🎹 Maria Asteriadou, piano
🎻 Zuill Bailey, cello

Presented by the Sitka Music Festival (SMF), which inspires audiences, sparks creativity, and strengthens community across Alaska through live chamber music performances, music education, and training by artists of the highest caliber.

For over 50 years, SMF has presented classical music at the highest artistic standards. Throughout its history, SMF musicians have shared their music with Alaskans who would otherwise not have access to live chamber music of the highest caliber and, in turn, Alaskans have shared their music, traditions, and ways of life with the visiting musicians. These shared experiences have taken SMF musicians to more than 40 Alaskan communities, many of which are small, remote villages off the road system. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, SMF remains dedicated to bringing exceptional music experiences to communities statewide.

Join us at noon at the Odess Theater for Bach's Lunch!

What is Bach's Lunch? It’s a free lunchtime community concert where you can enjoy world-class classical music while bringing your own Bach’s (boxed) lunch. Connect with fellow music lovers, meet the incredible artists, and experience the beauty of live music in a relaxed setting.

Thursday, June 5 at 12 p.m.

Program TBA featuring the following artists:
🎻 Zuill Bailey, cello
🎻 Christian Colberg, viola
🎻 Katerina Chatzinikolau, violin
🎶 Amy Taylor, flute
🎹 Robert Koenig, piano

Presented by the Sitka Music Festival (SMF), which inspires audiences, sparks creativity, and strengthens community across Alaska through live chamber music performances, music education, and training by artists of the highest caliber.

For over 50 years, SMF has presented classical music at the highest artistic standards. Throughout its history, SMF musicians have shared their music with Alaskans who would otherwise not have access to live chamber music of the highest caliber and, in turn, Alaskans have shared their music, traditions, and ways of life with the visiting musicians. These shared experiences have taken SMF musicians to more than 40 Alaskan communities, many of which are small, remote villages off the road system. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, SMF remains dedicated to bringing exceptional music experiences to communities statewide.

Galvin Cello Quarter with Victor Asuncion, piano

Popper, Polonaise de Concert - arr. Sebastian van Eck

Tchaikovsky, Andante Cantabile - arr. Ka-Wai Yu

Schumann, Fantasiestücke

Fauré, Romance

~ Intermission ~

Nobre, Poema Azevedo/Abreu - Brasileirinho/Tico-tico no Fubá

Wilkomirski, Ballada i Rapsodia

Composed of members from Brazil, South Korea, and the United States, the Galvin Cello Quartet burst onto the scene after capturing the Silver Medal at the 2021 Fischoff Competition, followed by winning the 2022 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition and joining the Concert Artists Guild roster. The Quartet takes its name from the Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music where three of its members – Sydney Lee, Haddon Kay, and Luiz Fernando Venturelli – met as students in the studio of acclaimed pedagogue Hans Jørgen Jensen. In June of 2024, the Quartet welcomed James Baik, another former student of Jensen, as their newest member.

With their untamable desire to create, change, and ultimately bring joy through music, the Galvin Cello Quartet is incredibly excited to explore and expand the possibilities of the cello quartet. Using the limitless range of a cello ensemble, the group's mission is to bring together new works from diverse cultural backgrounds while seeking to establish the cello quartet as a core part of the classical music world. The Galvin Cello Quartet embodies virtuosity, with each member bringing their own artistic nuance and acclaimed background to the ensemble. Recent and upcoming highlights include performances and residencies at Bravo! Vail, Ravinia, Ascent International Cello Festival, Newport Classical, Merkin Hall, and the Walton Arts Center.

Sydney Lee captured First Prize at the 2022 Washington International Competition and Second Prize at the Classic Strings International Competition in Dubai, as well as First Prize at the 10th Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition. She has performed in venues such as the Kennedy Center Palladium Center for the Performing Arts, Pittsburgh Symphony’s Heinz Hall, and Verizon Hall. Haddon Kay first debuted with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago as a finalist for the Chicago Symphony Young Artist Competition. Most recently, he captured Third Prize at the George Enescu International Competition and First Prize at the Luminarts and American Opera Society competitions. 

Luiz Fernando Venturelli made his solo debut at the São Paulo Hall at the age of 9 and has since been featured as a soloist with numerous orchestras, including the São Paulo State Symphony, the Goiás Philharmonic, and the Bahia Symphony. He has recently been a prizewinner in the Sphinx Competition, the Samuel and Elinor Thaviu String Competition, and the New York International Artists Association. Also a student of Hans Jørgen Jensen, James Baik is a First Prize winner of the 2023 Susan Wadsworth Young Concert Artists International Auditions and recipient of the Paul A. Fish Memorial Prize and the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Prize. He is a YCA Jacobs Fellow and has played chamber music at the Ravinia and Bridgehampton Festivals. He studies at the Colburn School under Clive Greensmith. 

The Sitka Music Festival, a 501 (c)(3) Nonprofit is Alaska's premier chamber music presenter with the mission of providing the finest classical music experience in Alaska through performance and education.  Winter Classics is presented in part by Alaska Airlines, The Atwood Foundation, University of Alaska Anchorage, GCI, Alaska State Council on the Arts, and the Sitka Music Festival Foundation.

Galvin Cello Quartet with Victor Asuncion, piano

Rossini, Une Larme

Saint-Saëns, The Swan

Beethoven, 12 Variations on a Theme from Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus - arr. Ka-Wai Yu

~ Intermission ~

Janacek, Pohadka

Coleridge Taylor / Perkinson - Lamentations

Elizondo, Danzas Latinoamericanas

Composed of members from Brazil, South Korea, and the United States, the Galvin Cello Quartet burst onto the scene after capturing the Silver Medal at the 2021 Fischoff Competition, followed by winning the 2022 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition and joining the Concert Artists Guild roster. The Quartet takes its name from the Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music where three of its members – Sydney Lee, Haddon Kay, and Luiz Fernando Venturelli – met as students in the studio of acclaimed pedagogue Hans Jørgen Jensen. In June of 2024, the Quartet welcomed James Baik, another former student of Jensen, as their newest member.

With their untamable desire to create, change, and ultimately bring joy through music, the Galvin Cello Quartet is incredibly excited to explore and expand the possibilities of the cello quartet. Using the limitless range of a cello ensemble, the group's mission is to bring together new works from diverse cultural backgrounds while seeking to establish the cello quartet as a core part of the classical music world. The Galvin Cello Quartet embodies virtuosity, with each member bringing their own artistic nuance and acclaimed background to the ensemble. Recent and upcoming highlights include performances and residencies at Bravo! Vail, Ravinia, Ascent International Cello Festival, Newport Classical, Merkin Hall, and the Walton Arts Center.

Sydney Lee captured First Prize at the 2022 Washington International Competition and Second Prize at the Classic Strings International Competition in Dubai, as well as First Prize at the 10th Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition. She has performed in venues such as the Kennedy Center Palladium Center for the Performing Arts, Pittsburgh Symphony’s Heinz Hall, and Verizon Hall. Haddon Kay first debuted with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago as a finalist for the Chicago Symphony Young Artist Competition. Most recently, he captured Third Prize at the George Enescu International Competition and First Prize at the Luminarts and American Opera Society competitions. 

Luiz Fernando Venturelli made his solo debut at the São Paulo Hall at the age of 9 and has since been featured as a soloist with numerous orchestras, including the São Paulo State Symphony, the Goiás Philharmonic, and the Bahia Symphony. He has recently been a prizewinner in the Sphinx Competition, the Samuel and Elinor Thaviu String Competition, and the New York International Artists Association. Also a student of Hans Jørgen Jensen, James Baik is a First Prize winner of the 2023 Susan Wadsworth Young Concert Artists International Auditions and recipient of the Paul A. Fish Memorial Prize and the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Prize. He is a YCA Jacobs Fellow and has played chamber music at the Ravinia and Bridgehampton Festivals. He studies at the Colburn School under Clive Greensmith. 

The Sitka Music Festival, a 501 (c)(3) Nonprofit is Alaska's premier chamber music presenter with the mission of providing the finest classical music experience in Alaska through performance and education.  Winter Classics is presented in part by Alaska Airlines, The Atwood Foundation, University of Alaska Anchorage, GCI, Alaska State Council on the Arts, and the Sitka Music Festival Foundation.

The Galvin Cello Quartet

with

Zuill Bailey, cello & Victor Asuncion, piano

Paganini, Variations on a Theme by Rossini (“Moses”)

Forino, Preghiere for Cello Quartet, Op. 27, No. 3

Vivaldi, Winter from Four Seasons

Fauré, Sicilienne

~ Intermission ~

Menotti, Suite for 2 Cellos and Piano

Popper, Requiem

Debussy, Reverie

Composed of members from Brazil, South Korea, and the United States, the Galvin Cello Quartet burst onto the scene after capturing the Silver Medal at the 2021 Fischoff Competition, followed by winning the 2022 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition and joining the Concert Artists Guild roster. The Quartet takes its name from the Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music where three of its members – Sydney Lee, Haddon Kay, and Luiz Fernando Venturelli – met as students in the studio of acclaimed pedagogue Hans Jørgen Jensen. In June of 2024, the Quartet welcomed James Baik, another former student of Jensen, as their newest member.

With their untamable desire to create, change, and ultimately bring joy through music, the Galvin Cello Quartet is incredibly excited to explore and expand the possibilities of the cello quartet. Using the limitless range of a cello ensemble, the group's mission is to bring together new works from diverse cultural backgrounds while seeking to establish the cello quartet as a core part of the classical music world. The Galvin Cello Quartet embodies virtuosity, with each member bringing their own artistic nuance and acclaimed background to the ensemble. Recent and upcoming highlights include performances and residencies at Bravo! Vail, Ravinia, Ascent International Cello Festival, Newport Classical, Merkin Hall, and the Walton Arts Center.

Sydney Lee captured First Prize at the 2022 Washington International Competition and Second Prize at the Classic Strings International Competition in Dubai, as well as First Prize at the 10th Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition. She has performed in venues such as the Kennedy Center Palladium Center for the Performing Arts, Pittsburgh Symphony’s Heinz Hall, and Verizon Hall. Haddon Kay first debuted with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago as a finalist for the Chicago Symphony Young Artist Competition. Most recently, he captured Third Prize at the George Enescu International Competition and First Prize at the Luminarts and American Opera Society competitions. 

Luiz Fernando Venturelli made his solo debut at the São Paulo Hall at the age of 9 and has since been featured as a soloist with numerous orchestras, including the São Paulo State Symphony, the Goiás Philharmonic, and the Bahia Symphony. He has recently been a prizewinner in the Sphinx Competition, the Samuel and Elinor Thaviu String Competition, and the New York International Artists Association. Also a student of Hans Jørgen Jensen, James Baik is a First Prize winner of the 2023 Susan Wadsworth Young Concert Artists International Auditions and recipient of the Paul A. Fish Memorial Prize and the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Prize. He is a YCA Jacobs Fellow and has played chamber music at the Ravinia and Bridgehampton Festivals. He studies at the Colburn School under Clive Greensmith. 

The Sitka Music Festival, a 501 (c)(3) Nonprofit is Alaska's premier chamber music presenter with the mission of providing the finest classical music experience in Alaska through performance and education.  Winter Classics is presented in part by Alaska Airlines, The Atwood Foundation, University of Alaska Anchorage, GCI, Alaska State Council on the Arts, and the Sitka Music Festival Foundation.

Program:

Galvin Cello Quartet

Voice of the Cello

James Baik | Haddon Kay | Sydney Lee | Luiz Venturelli

Variations on a Theme by Rossini - Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840) (arr. Galvin Cello Quartet)

The Swan from Carnival of the Animals - Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) (arr. Galvin Cello Quartet)

12 Variations on a Theme from Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus - Ludvig van Beethoven (1770-1827) (arr. Kai-Wai Yu)

Une Larme (arr. Laszio Varga) - Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)

Ballada I Rapsodia - Kazimierz Wiłkomirski (1900-1995)

Andante Cantabile - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Concert Polonaise, Op. 14 - David Popper (1843-1914) (arr. Sebastian van Eck)

The Sitka Music Festival, a 501 (c)(3) Nonprofit is Alaska's premier chamber music presenter with the mission of providing the finest classical music experience in Alaska through performance and education.  Winter Classics is presented in part by Alaska Airlines, The Atwood Foundation, University of Alaska Anchorage, GCI, Alaska State Council on the Arts, and the Sitka Music Festival Foundation.

Join us for our second annual “Winterlude” at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy light fare paired with prosecco and wine, followed by an intimate, candlelit performance by the award-winning Galvin Cello Quartet. This event always sells out, so be sure to get your tickets early!

Program:

Galvin Cello Quartet

Voice of the Cello

James Baik | Haddon Kay | Sydney Lee | Luiz Venturelli

Variations on a Theme by Rossini - Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840) (arr. Galvin Cello Quartet)

The Swan from Carnival of the Animals - Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) (arr. Galvin Cello Quartet)

12 Variations on a Theme from Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus - Ludvig van Beethoven (1770-1827) (arr. Kai-Wai Yu)

Une Larme (arr. Laszio Varga) - Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)

Ballada I Rapsodia - Kazimierz Wiłkomirski (1900-1995)

Andante Cantabile - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Concert Polonaise, Op. 14 - David Popper (1843-1914) (arr. Sebastian van Eck)

Composed of members from Brazil, South Korea, and the United States, the Galvin Cello Quartet burst onto the scene after capturing the Silver Medal at the 2021 Fischoff Competition, followed by winning the 2022 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition and joining the Concert Artists Guild roster. The Quartet takes its name from the Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music where three of its members – Sydney Lee, Haddon Kay, and Luiz Fernando Venturelli – met as students in the studio of acclaimed pedagogue Hans Jørgen Jensen. In June of 2024, the Quartet welcomed James Baik, another former student of Jensen, as their newest member.

With their untamable desire to create, change, and ultimately bring joy through music, the Galvin Cello Quartet is incredibly excited to explore and expand the possibilities of the cello quartet. Using the limitless range of a cello ensemble, the group's mission is to bring together new works from diverse cultural backgrounds while seeking to establish the cello quartet as a core part of the classical music world. The Galvin Cello Quartet embodies virtuosity, with each member bringing their own artistic nuance and acclaimed background to the ensemble. Recent and upcoming highlights include performances and residencies at Bravo! Vail, Ravinia, Ascent International Cello Festival, Newport Classical, Merkin Hall, and the Walton Arts Center.

Sydney Lee captured First Prize at the 2022 Washington International Competition and Second Prize at the Classic Strings International Competition in Dubai, as well as First Prize at the 10th Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition. She has performed in venues such as the Kennedy Center Palladium Center for the Performing Arts, Pittsburgh Symphony’s Heinz Hall, and Verizon Hall. Haddon Kay first debuted with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago as a finalist for the Chicago Symphony Young Artist Competition. Most recently, he captured Third Prize at the George Enescu International Competition and First Prize at the Luminarts and American Opera Society competitions. 

Luiz Fernando Venturelli made his solo debut at the São Paulo Hall at the age of 9 and has since been featured as a soloist with numerous orchestras, including the São Paulo State Symphony, the Goiás Philharmonic, and the Bahia Symphony. He has recently been a prizewinner in the Sphinx Competition, the Samuel and Elinor Thaviu String Competition, and the New York International Artists Association. Also a student of Hans Jørgen Jensen, James Baik is a First Prize winner of the 2023 Susan Wadsworth Young Concert Artists International Auditions and recipient of the Paul A. Fish Memorial Prize and the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Prize. He is a YCA Jacobs Fellow and has played chamber music at the Ravinia and Bridgehampton Festivals. He studies at the Colburn School under Clive Greensmith. 

The Sitka Music Festival, a 501 (c)(3) Nonprofit is Alaska's premier chamber music presenter with the mission of providing the finest classical music experience in Alaska through performance and education.  Winter Classics is presented in part by Alaska Airlines, The Atwood Foundation, University of Alaska Anchorage, GCI, Alaska State Council on the Arts, and the Sitka Music Festival Foundation.

Program:

Galvin Cello Quartet

Voice of the Cello

James Baik | Haddon Kay | Sydney Lee | Luiz Venturelli

Variations on a Theme by Rossini - Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840) (arr. Galvin Cello Quartet)

The Swan from Carnival of the Animals - Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) (arr. Galvin Cello Quartet)

12 Variations on a Theme from Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus - Ludvig van Beethoven (1770-1827) (arr. Kai-Wai Yu)

Une Larme (arr. Laszio Varga) - Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)

Ballada I Rapsodia - Kazimierz Wiłkomirski (1900-1995)

Andante Cantabile - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Concert Polonaise, Op. 14 - David Popper (1843-1914) (arr. Sebastian van Eck)

Composed of members from Brazil, South Korea, and the United States, the Galvin Cello Quartet burst onto the scene after capturing the Silver Medal at the 2021 Fischoff Competition, followed by winning the 2022 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition and joining the Concert Artists Guild roster. The Quartet takes its name from the Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music where three of its members – Sydney Lee, Haddon Kay, and Luiz Fernando Venturelli – met as students in the studio of acclaimed pedagogue Hans Jørgen Jensen. In June of 2024, the Quartet welcomed James Baik, another former student of Jensen, as their newest member.

With their untamable desire to create, change, and ultimately bring joy through music, the Galvin Cello Quartet is incredibly excited to explore and expand the possibilities of the cello quartet. Using the limitless range of a cello ensemble, the group's mission is to bring together new works from diverse cultural backgrounds while seeking to establish the cello quartet as a core part of the classical music world. The Galvin Cello Quartet embodies virtuosity, with each member bringing their own artistic nuance and acclaimed background to the ensemble. Recent and upcoming highlights include performances and residencies at Bravo! Vail, Ravinia, Ascent International Cello Festival, Newport Classical, Merkin Hall, and the Walton Arts Center.

Sydney Lee captured First Prize at the 2022 Washington International Competition and Second Prize at the Classic Strings International Competition in Dubai, as well as First Prize at the 10th Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition. She has performed in venues such as the Kennedy Center Palladium Center for the Performing Arts, Pittsburgh Symphony’s Heinz Hall, and Verizon Hall. Haddon Kay first debuted with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago as a finalist for the Chicago Symphony Young Artist Competition. Most recently, he captured Third Prize at the George Enescu International Competition and First Prize at the Luminarts and American Opera Society competitions. 

Luiz Fernando Venturelli made his solo debut at the São Paulo Hall at the age of 9 and has since been featured as a soloist with numerous orchestras, including the São Paulo State Symphony, the Goiás Philharmonic, and the Bahia Symphony. He has recently been a prizewinner in the Sphinx Competition, the Samuel and Elinor Thaviu String Competition, and the New York International Artists Association. Also a student of Hans Jørgen Jensen, James Baik is a First Prize winner of the 2023 Susan Wadsworth Young Concert Artists International Auditions and recipient of the Paul A. Fish Memorial Prize and the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Prize. He is a YCA Jacobs Fellow and has played chamber music at the Ravinia and Bridgehampton Festivals. He studies at the Colburn School under Clive Greensmith. 

The Sitka Music Festival, a 501 (c)(3) Nonprofit is Alaska's premier chamber music presenter with the mission of providing the finest classical music experience in Alaska through performance and education.  Winter Classics is presented in part by Alaska Airlines, The Atwood Foundation, University of Alaska Anchorage, GCI, Alaska State Council on the Arts, and the Sitka Music Festival Foundation.

Join us for the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Sitka Music Festival, hosted by our Board of Directors. This hybrid event will take place in person at the Miner Music Center at Stevenson Hall, as well as virtually for board members and stakeholders across the state. The evening will begin with a special performance by our Artistic Director, Zuill Bailey, followed by a presentation highlighting the Festival's achievements in 2024. The event will conclude with the presentation of the first-ever Paul Rosenthal Award(s).

To reserve your spot, please fill out the form below. If you're attending virtually, you will receive an email with the link to join ahead of the meeting. We look forward to celebrating another successful year with you!

Ignite Your Holiday Spirit!

Join us at the Miner Music Center in Stevenson Hall on December 18th, from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m., for a festive holiday sing-along led by Sitka's own Andrew Hames, with Debby Shabo Wade accompanying on piano! Celebrate the season by singing a variety of holiday songs and carols. Bring your voice or your instrument—music will be provided in the key of C, and all skill levels are welcome.

After the sing-along, warm up with winter refreshments courtesy of Hames Corporation and stay for the Sitka Music Festival's Annual Meeting at 7:00 p.m. We look forward to sharing this joyous occasion with you!

While it’s winter in Sitka, it’s summer in Latin America! Warm up with vibrant music by composers from the region, performed by John-Henry Crawford on cello and Victor Asuncion on piano, featuring a special guest appearance by our Grammy-winning Artistic Director, Zuill Bailey.

Program

Brazil

Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)                                                                                                                              

O canto de cisne negro
Ondulando
Melodia

Marlos Nobre (b.1939)

Poema III

Argentina
Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983)

Danzas Argentinas

Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000)

Pampamapa

Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)

Le Grand Tango

Mexico

Manuel Ponce (1882-1948)

Por ti mi Corazón
Estrellita

USA/Italy 

Giancarlo Menotti (1911-2007)

Suite for 2 Cellos and Piano

Born in the small Louisiana city of Shreveport, cellist John-Henry Crawford has been lauded for his “polished charisma” and “singing sound” (Philadelphia Inquirer) and in 2019 was First Prize Winner of the IX International Carlos Prieto Cello Competition and named Young Artist of the Year by the Classical Recording Foundation.

At age 15, Crawford was accepted into the legendary Curtis Institute of Music to study with Peter Wiley and Carter Brey and went on to complete an Artist Diploma at the Manhattan School of Music with Philippe Muller, a Master of Music at The Juilliard School with Joel Krosnick, and pursue further study in Chicago with Hans Jørgen Jensen. He has given concerts in 25 states as well as Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Mexico, and Switzerland at venues such as The International Concert Series of the Louvre in Paris, Volkswagen’s Die Gläsern Manufaktur in Dresden, and the inaugural season of the Tippet Rise Arts Center in Montana. Crawford gave his solo debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra as First Prize Winner of the orchestra’s Greenfield Competition and has performed Beethoven Triple Concerto with the Memphis Symphony, Dvorak and Gulda Cello Concertos with the Shreveport Symphony, and Haydn’s C Major Cello Concerto with the Highland Park Strings.

While in Chicago, Crawford appeared on WFMT’s Impromptu series and toured extensively with Steinway artist and pianist Victor Santiago Asuncion. He has appeared twice with Christopher O’Riley on National Public Radio’s From the Top. An advocate for the importance of social media, Crawford commands a strong Instagram presence, attracting tens of thousands of viewers to his project #The1000DayJourney, where he films artistic cinematic videos daily from his practice and performances for over 55,000 followers (@cellocrawford) to give a glimpse into the working process of a musician, recently passing the 1000-day mark.

Crawford’s numerous competition prizes also include Grand Prize and First Prize Cellist at the 2015 American String Teachers National Solo Competition, the Lynn Harrell Competition of the Dallas Symphony, the Hudson Valley Competition, and the Kingsville International Competition. He has competed in the Tchaikovsky and Queen Elisabeth competitions and was accepted at the prestigious Verbier Academy in Switzerland for study under the tutelage of Ralph Kirshbaum and Torleif Thedeen. 

Crawford has been a fellow at Music from Angel Fire in New Mexico, the National Arts Centre’s Zukerman Young Artist Program in Canada, The Fontainebleau School in France, and the Perlman Chamber Music Program. He was invited to perform at Boston’s French Cultural Museum in a chamber music concert with Boston Symphony concertmaster Malcolm Lowe, Curtis President Roberto Diaz, and members of the Borromeo Quartet, and was the only student performer on a tour series to Costa Rica, Mexico, and Brazil, collaborating with artists Soovin Kim, Roberto Diaz, and Jason Vieaux as part of Curtis on Tour. While a student at Curtis, Crawford’s recital performances were broadcast on WHYY public television in Philadelphia. He was interviewed for the recently released documentary Maestro about conductor Paavo Järvi, and is also interviewed and quoted in Dan Coyle’s The Talent Code by Dan Coyle, a best-selling book about the science and neurology behind skill development. 

Crawford is from a musical family and performs on a rare 200-year old European cello smuggled out of Austria by his grandfather, Dr. Robert Popper, who evaded Kristallnacht in 1938. He also performs on a fine French bow by the revolutionary bowmaker Tourte “L’Ainé” from 1790. Before attending Curtis, Crawford studied with concert cellist Andres Diaz of Southern Methodist University. In addition to music, he enjoys reading about astrophysics, running, performing magic tricks, and photography.

Hailed by The Washington Post for his “poised and imaginative playing,” Filipino-American pianist Victor Santiago Asuncion has appeared in concert halls in Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Spain, Turkey and the USA, as a recitalist and concerto soloist.  He played his orchestral debut at the age of 18 with the Manila Chamber Orchestra, and his New York recital debut in Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall in 1999. In addition, he has worked with conductors including Sergio Esmilla, Enrique Batiz, Mei Ann Chen, Zeev Dorman, Arthur Weisberg, Corrick Brown, David Loebel, Leon Fleisher, Michael Stern, Jordan Tang, and Bobby McFerrin.

A chamber music enthusiast, he has performed with artists such as Lynn Harrell, Zuill Bailey, Andres Diaz, James Dunham, Antonio Meneses, Joshua Roman, Cho-Liang Lin, Giora Schmidt, the Dover, Emerson, Serafin, Sao Paulo, and Vega String Quartets. He was on the chamber music faculty of the Aspen Music Festival, and the Garth Newel Summer Music Festival.  He was also the pianist for the Garth Newel Piano Quartet for three seasons. Festival appearances include the Amelia Island, Highland-Cashiers, Music in the Vineyards, and Santa Fe.

His recordings include the complete Sonatas of L. van Beethoven with cellist Tobias Werner, Sonatas by Shostakovich and Rachmaninoff with cellist Joseph Johnson, the Rachmaninoff Sonata with the cellist Evan Drachman, and the Chopin and Grieg Sonatas, also with cellist Evan Drachman. He is featured in the award winning recording “Songs My Father Taught Me” with Lynn Harrell, produced by Louise Frank and WFMT-Chicago.  Mr. Asuncion is the Founder, and Artistic and Board Director of FilAm Music Foundation, a non-profit foundation that is dedicated to promoting Filipino classical musicians through scholarship, and performance.

He received his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in 2007 from the University of Maryland at College Park under the tutelage of Rita Sloan. Victor Santiago Asuncion is a Steinway artist.

The Sitka Music Festival, a 501 (c)(3) Nonprofit is Alaska's premier chamber music presenter with the mission of providing the finest classical music experience in Alaska through performance and education.

Jazzmas! A Holiday Jazz Brunch

Join us for a festive celebration as Sitka Jazz Week founder and director Christian Fabian returns to Sitka alongside acclaimed Broadway pianist and music director Matt Perri. Enjoy a delightful morning filled with holiday cheer, featuring mimosas, Bloody Marys, and prosecco paired with a delicious brunch

Get ready to immerse yourself in the spirit of the season with live holiday tunes. Space is limited, so be sure to grab your tickets now!

Matt Perri made his triumphant debut at Carnegie Hall with the concert and live recording of Austen's Pride and has since established himself as a celebrated name in music. He has led Broadway hits such as Bandstand and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and boasts an impressive array of credits, including Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, The Drowsy Chaperone, and Promises, Promises.

Matt's expertise also extends to television, where he has contributed to high-profile projects like NBC's The Sound of Music Live and Peter Pan Live, along with performances on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and The Late Show with David Letterman. He has made multiple appearances on ABC's The View, where he served as a staff songwriter. In 2024, he will showcase his passion for opera as Music Director and Conductor for the Seattle Opera Creation Lab Series.

In concert, Matt has collaborated with stars like Bette Midler, Kristin Chenoweth, Jessica Vosk, Kecia Lewis, and Mario Cantone, earning a reputation as a dynamic and versatile music director.

Matthew Antonio Perri's diverse educational background is integral to his development as a conductor and educator. He earned a Bachelor of Music (B.Mus) in Jazz Piano and Composition from New York University (NYU), studying under esteemed musicians such as Jim McNeely, Mike Holober, and Don Friedman. His studies in composition and orchestration were further enriched by working with distinguished composer Justin Dello Joio.

Matthew's conducting journey was significantly shaped by his mentor, Maestro Gary S. Fagin, Music Director of the Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra. Under Maestro Fagin's guidance, Matthew honed his skills, drawing from the legacy of renowned German conductor Otto-Werner Mueller.

In addition to his formal education, Matthew spent years refining his vocal skills, training with Dr. Bruce Kolb in New York City to elevate his singing abilities. This comprehensive training across jazz, classical composition, conducting, and vocal performance equips Matthew with a rich, multifaceted perspective on music, allowing him to excel as a conductor and inspiring mentor.

Experience the electrifying duo of Grammy-winning cellist, Zuill Bailey and acclaimed pianist, Awadagin Pratt.

Zuill Bailey, cello & Awadagin Pratt, piano 

Program:

Keyboard Concerto in A Major, BWV 1055 – J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750)

Variations Concertantes for Cello and Piano, Op. 17 – Felix Mendelssohn (1809 – 1847)

Quartet for the End of Time: Louange à l’Éternité de Jésus – Olivier Messiaen (1908 – 1992) 

Sonata in A minor, D. 821, “Arpeggione” – Franz Schubert (1797 – 1828)

Andante Cantabile, Op. 11 – Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893)

Zuill Bailey, widely considered one of the premiere cellists in the world, is a Grammy Award winning, internationally renowned soloist, recitalist, Artistic Director and teacher.  His rare combination of celebrated artistry, technical wizardry and engaging personality has made him one of the most sought after and active cellists today.Mr. Bailey has been featured with symphony orchestras and music festivals worldwide.  He won the Best Solo Performance Grammy Award in 2017, for his recording of  Michael Daugherty’s “Tales of Hemingway,” with the Nashville Symphony led by Giancarlo Guerrero.  His extensive discography includes his newest release – the world premier recording of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Cello Concerto with the Santa Rosa Symphony. In 2021 he released his second recording of the Bach Cello Suites for PS Audio’s Octave Records label, recorded and mixed in stereo and multichannel sound.He appeared in a recurring role on the HBO series “Oz,” and has been heard on NPR’s “Morning Edition,” “Tiny Desk Concert,” “Performance Today,” “Saint Paul Sunday,” BBC’s  “In Tune,” XM Radio’s “Live from Studio II,” Sirius Satellite Radio’s “Virtuoso Voices,” and his latest disc of Bach Suites was the disc of the week on Sirius’ Symphony Hall.Mr. Bailey received his Bachelor’s Degree from the Peabody Conservatory where he was named the 2014 Johns Hopkins University Distinguished Alumni, and received a Master’s Degree from the Juilliard School.  He performs on the “rosette” 1693 Matteo Gofriller Cello formerly owned by Mischa Schneider of the Budapest String Quartet.He is the Artistic Director of El Paso Pro-Musica (Texas), the Sitka Summer Music Festival/Series and Cello Seminar, (Alaska), Juneau Jazz and Classics, (Alaska), the Northwest Bach Festival (Washington),  Classical Inside Out Series- Mesa Arts Center (Arizona) and is Director of the Center for Arts Entrepreneurship and Professor of Cello at the University of Texas at El Paso.

Through his kaleidoscopic career as a pianist, conductor, educator, and curator of memorable musical moments, Awadagin Pratt is actively inventing the artistic world he longs to live in — a world that shines light on rich voices of the past and present, amplifies the diverse talents of today’s brightest creative minds, and paves the way for a new generation of inventive musical artists. Since launching onto the international stage after winning the prestigious Naumburg International Piano Competition in 1992 and receiving a 1994 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Awadagin has received acclaim for delivering “forceful, imaginative, and precisely tinted” performances (Washington Post) and is hailed as “one of the great and distinctive American pianists and conductors of our time” (WGBH). He has appeared at addresses as familiar as 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (at the invitation of the Clinton and Obama administrations) and Sesame Street (at the invitation of Big Bird). His breakneck concert schedule has taken him across six continents for performances with the Boston and Chicago Symphony Orchestras, the New York Philharmonic, and many others; solo recitals at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center; and chamber music collaborations with Zuill Bailey, Simone Dinnerstein, and the Harlem and St. Lawrence String Quartets. Highlights of Awadagin’s 2023/24 season include concerto appearances with the Nashville, Utah, Bournemouth, and Annapolis Symphonies; A Far Cry at Boston’s Jordan Hall; and the Cincinnati, Manitoba, New Century, and IRIS Chamber Orchestras. Recital engagements include performances at Kaufman Music Center’s Merkin Hall, a program of four-hand music with Simone Dinnerstein at the Washington Performing Arts Society, and an appearance at the Irving S. Gilmore International Piano Festival. August 2023 marks the release of his first album for New Amsterdam Records, STILLPOINT, which explores the truth and beauty found within T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets through newly composed works by Tyshawn Sorey, Paola Prestini, Pēteris Vasks, Jessie Montgomery, Jonathan Bailey Holland, Alvin Singleton, and Judd Greenstein. Between performances at the piano, Awadagin maintains a bustling conducting career. This 23/24 season marks his first as Principal Conductor of the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra and a return to the podium of the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh. He recently made his conducting debut with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra (Tbilisi); his operatic debut leading Porgy and Bess with the Greensboro Opera (North Carolina); and conducted a concert featuring the music of jazz great Ornette Coleman with Bang on a Can at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. But Awadagin’s creativity cannot be confined to the stage alone. After witnessing the globally broadcast execution of George Floyd by officers of the Minneapolis Police Department, he published a podcast that quickly evolved into a multimedia musical experience. Performed primarily on college campuses across the U.S., Awadagin Pratt: Black in America fuses the music of Bach, Messaien, and Liszt with still and moving pictures by filmmaker Alrick Brown and an original narration in which he chronicles his life — from his time as a music student at the Peabody Conservatory through his ascent to international acclaim — through graphic accounts of numerous police stops and arrests he experienced for Driving While Black. In 2023, a documentary film version of Awadagin Pratt: Black in America directed by Michelle Bauer Carpenter aired in more than one million U.S. households and screened at film festivals across the country. Awadagin’s commitment to ushering in the next generation of agile, creative, and inventive pianists is evidenced by his work as founding director of the Next Generation Festival, the Art of the Piano Foundation, and the Nina Simone Piano Competition, a new biennial competition that celebrates diversity in classical music by showcasing the tremendous talents of young Black pianists. He has adjudicated the Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition, Cleveland International Piano Competition, Minnesota e-Competition, Unisa International Piano Competition, and the International Competition for Young Pianists created in memory of Vladimir Horowitz.  Having recently left his position as Professor and Artist in Residence at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) after two decades, Awadagin is now Professor of Piano at the San Francisco Conservatory. He remains the only graduate of the Peabody Institute to earn performance certificates in three areas — violin, piano, and conducting — and has received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Johns Hopkins University and honorary doctorates from Illinois Wesleyan University, Susquehanna University, and the Boston Conservatory.

Awadagin Pratt In Recital

Program:

Glassworks, 1.“Opening”  -  Philip Glass   (b. 1937)

Second livre de pieces de clavecin, Ordre sixieme  - François Couperin (1668 - 1733)    

Castillo Interior (arr. for Awadagin Pratt)   -  Pēteris Vasks (b. 1946)

Three Character Studies: I. Nocturne for Left Hand Alone   -  Fred Hersch   (b. 1955)  

Prelude in D Major, Op. 23, No. 4   - Sergei Rachmaninoff    (1873 - 1943) 

Nocturne in B Major, Opus 62, No. 1  - Frédéric Chopin  (1810 – 1849)  

“Intermezzo” from The Nutcracker  - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893), arr. M. Pletnev  

Piano Sonata in B minor, S. 178  - Franz Liszt (1811 – 1866)

Through his kaleidoscopic career as a pianist, conductor, educator, and curator of memorable musical moments, Awadagin Pratt is actively inventing the artistic world he longs to live in — a world that shines light on rich voices of the past and present, amplifies the diverse talents of today’s brightest creative minds, and paves the way for a new generation of inventive musical artists. Since launching onto the international stage after winning the prestigious Naumburg International Piano Competition in 1992 and receiving a 1994 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Awadagin has received acclaim for delivering “forceful, imaginative, and precisely tinted” performances (Washington Post) and is hailed as “one of the great and distinctive American pianists and conductors of our time” (WGBH). He has appeared at addresses as familiar as 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (at the invitation of the Clinton and Obama administrations) and Sesame Street (at the invitation of Big Bird). His breakneck concert schedule has taken him across six continents for performances with the Boston and Chicago Symphony Orchestras, the New York Philharmonic, and many others; solo recitals at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center; and chamber music collaborations with Zuill Bailey, Simone Dinnerstein, and the Harlem and St. Lawrence String Quartets. Highlights of Awadagin’s 2023/24 season include concerto appearances with the Nashville, Utah, Bournemouth, and Annapolis Symphonies; A Far Cry at Boston’s Jordan Hall; and the Cincinnati, Manitoba, New Century, and IRIS Chamber Orchestras. Recital engagements include performances at Kaufman Music Center’s Merkin Hall, a program of four-hand music with Simone Dinnerstein at the Washington Performing Arts Society, and an appearance at the Irving S. Gilmore International Piano Festival. August 2023 marks the release of his first album for New Amsterdam Records, STILLPOINT, which explores the truth and beauty found within T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets through newly composed works by Tyshawn Sorey, Paola Prestini, Pēteris Vasks, Jessie Montgomery, Jonathan Bailey Holland, Alvin Singleton, and Judd Greenstein. Between performances at the piano, Awadagin maintains a bustling conducting career. This 23/24 season marks his first as Principal Conductor of the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra and a return to the podium of the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh. He recently made his conducting debut with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra (Tbilisi); his operatic debut leading Porgy and Bess with the Greensboro Opera (North Carolina); and conducted a concert featuring the music of jazz great Ornette Coleman with Bang on a Can at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. But Awadagin’s creativity cannot be confined to the stage alone. After witnessing the globally broadcast execution of George Floyd by officers of the Minneapolis Police Department, he published a podcast that quickly evolved into a multimedia musical experience. Performed primarily on college campuses across the U.S., Awadagin Pratt: Black in America fuses the music of Bach, Messaien, and Liszt with still and moving pictures by filmmaker Alrick Brown and an original narration in which he chronicles his life — from his time as a music student at the Peabody Conservatory through his ascent to international acclaim — through graphic accounts of numerous police stops and arrests he experienced for Driving While Black. In 2023, a documentary film version of Awadagin Pratt: Black in America directed by Michelle Bauer Carpenter aired in more than one million U.S. households and screened at film festivals across the country. Awadagin’s commitment to ushering in the next generation of agile, creative, and inventive pianists is evidenced by his work as founding director of the Next Generation Festival, the Art of the Piano Foundation, and the Nina Simone Piano Competition, a new biennial competition that celebrates diversity in classical music by showcasing the tremendous talents of young Black pianists. He has adjudicated the Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition, Cleveland International Piano Competition, Minnesota e-Competition, Unisa International Piano Competition, and the International Competition for Young Pianists created in memory of Vladimir Horowitz.  Having recently left his position as Professor and Artist in Residence at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) after two decades, Awadagin is now Professor of Piano at the San Francisco Conservatory. He remains the only graduate of the Peabody Institute to earn performance certificates in three areas — violin, piano, and conducting — and has received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Johns Hopkins University and honorary doctorates from Illinois Wesleyan University, Susquehanna University, and the Boston Conservatory.

Experience the electrifying duo of Grammy-winning cellist, Zuill Bailey and acclaimed pianist, Awadagin Pratt.

Zuill Bailey, cello & Awadagin Pratt, piano 

Program:

Spiegel im Spiegel – Arvo Pärt (b. 1935)

Sonata for Cello and Piano  No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69 – Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)

Variations for Cello and Piano – Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875 – 1912)

Sonata for Cello and Piano in E minor, Op. 38 – Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897)

Zuill Bailey, widely considered one of the premiere cellists in the world, is a Grammy Award winning, internationally renowned soloist, recitalist, Artistic Director and teacher.  His rare combination of celebrated artistry, technical wizardry and engaging personality has made him one of the most sought after and active cellists today.Mr. Bailey has been featured with symphony orchestras and music festivals worldwide.  He won the Best Solo Performance Grammy Award in 2017, for his recording of  Michael Daugherty’s “Tales of Hemingway,” with the Nashville Symphony led by Giancarlo Guerrero.  His extensive discography includes his newest release – the world premier recording of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Cello Concerto with the Santa Rosa Symphony. In 2021 he released his second recording of the Bach Cello Suites for PS Audio’s Octave Records label, recorded and mixed in stereo and multichannel sound.He appeared in a recurring role on the HBO series “Oz,” and has been heard on NPR’s “Morning Edition,” “Tiny Desk Concert,” “Performance Today,” “Saint Paul Sunday,” BBC’s  “In Tune,” XM Radio’s “Live from Studio II,” Sirius Satellite Radio’s “Virtuoso Voices,” and his latest disc of Bach Suites was the disc of the week on Sirius’ Symphony Hall.Mr. Bailey received his Bachelor’s Degree from the Peabody Conservatory where he was named the 2014 Johns Hopkins University Distinguished Alumni, and received a Master’s Degree from the Juilliard School.  He performs on the “rosette” 1693 Matteo Gofriller Cello formerly owned by Mischa Schneider of the Budapest String Quartet.He is the Artistic Director of El Paso Pro-Musica (Texas), the Sitka Summer Music Festival/Series and Cello Seminar, (Alaska), Juneau Jazz and Classics, (Alaska), the Northwest Bach Festival (Washington),  Classical Inside Out Series- Mesa Arts Center (Arizona) and is Director of the Center for Arts Entrepreneurship and Professor of Cello at the University of Texas at El Paso.

Through his kaleidoscopic career as a pianist, conductor, educator, and curator of memorable musical moments, Awadagin Pratt is actively inventing the artistic world he longs to live in — a world that shines light on rich voices of the past and present, amplifies the diverse talents of today’s brightest creative minds, and paves the way for a new generation of inventive musical artists. Since launching onto the international stage after winning the prestigious Naumburg International Piano Competition in 1992 and receiving a 1994 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Awadagin has received acclaim for delivering “forceful, imaginative, and precisely tinted” performances (Washington Post) and is hailed as “one of the great and distinctive American pianists and conductors of our time” (WGBH). He has appeared at addresses as familiar as 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (at the invitation of the Clinton and Obama administrations) and Sesame Street (at the invitation of Big Bird). His breakneck concert schedule has taken him across six continents for performances with the Boston and Chicago Symphony Orchestras, the New York Philharmonic, and many others; solo recitals at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center; and chamber music collaborations with Zuill Bailey, Simone Dinnerstein, and the Harlem and St. Lawrence String Quartets. Highlights of Awadagin’s 2023/24 season include concerto appearances with the Nashville, Utah, Bournemouth, and Annapolis Symphonies; A Far Cry at Boston’s Jordan Hall; and the Cincinnati, Manitoba, New Century, and IRIS Chamber Orchestras. Recital engagements include performances at Kaufman Music Center’s Merkin Hall, a program of four-hand music with Simone Dinnerstein at the Washington Performing Arts Society, and an appearance at the Irving S. Gilmore International Piano Festival. August 2023 marks the release of his first album for New Amsterdam Records, STILLPOINT, which explores the truth and beauty found within T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets through newly composed works by Tyshawn Sorey, Paola Prestini, Pēteris Vasks, Jessie Montgomery, Jonathan Bailey Holland, Alvin Singleton, and Judd Greenstein. Between performances at the piano, Awadagin maintains a bustling conducting career. This 23/24 season marks his first as Principal Conductor of the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra and a return to the podium of the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh. He recently made his conducting debut with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra (Tbilisi); his operatic debut leading Porgy and Bess with the Greensboro Opera (North Carolina); and conducted a concert featuring the music of jazz great Ornette Coleman with Bang on a Can at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. But Awadagin’s creativity cannot be confined to the stage alone. After witnessing the globally broadcast execution of George Floyd by officers of the Minneapolis Police Department, he published a podcast that quickly evolved into a multimedia musical experience. Performed primarily on college campuses across the U.S., Awadagin Pratt: Black in America fuses the music of Bach, Messaien, and Liszt with still and moving pictures by filmmaker Alrick Brown and an original narration in which he chronicles his life — from his time as a music student at the Peabody Conservatory through his ascent to international acclaim — through graphic accounts of numerous police stops and arrests he experienced for Driving While Black. In 2023, a documentary film version of Awadagin Pratt: Black in America directed by Michelle Bauer Carpenter aired in more than one million U.S. households and screened at film festivals across the country. Awadagin’s commitment to ushering in the next generation of agile, creative, and inventive pianists is evidenced by his work as founding director of the Next Generation Festival, the Art of the Piano Foundation, and the Nina Simone Piano Competition, a new biennial competition that celebrates diversity in classical music by showcasing the tremendous talents of young Black pianists. He has adjudicated the Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition, Cleveland International Piano Competition, Minnesota e-Competition, Unisa International Piano Competition, and the International Competition for Young Pianists created in memory of Vladimir Horowitz.  Having recently left his position as Professor and Artist in Residence at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) after two decades, Awadagin is now Professor of Piano at the San Francisco Conservatory. He remains the only graduate of the Peabody Institute to earn performance certificates in three areas — violin, piano, and conducting — and has received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Johns Hopkins University and honorary doctorates from Illinois Wesleyan University, Susquehanna University, and the Boston Conservatory.