Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota Announces its 2024-2025 Season: Talent Unveiled

July 19, 2024 | Sarasota

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota will present 26 concerts during its 29th season, Talent Unveiled. The season – sponsored by Ernie Kretzmer – runs from September 22, 2024 through May 8, 2025 and offers a diverse range of musical experiences featuring emerging and established classical, jazz, pops, and chamber artists. Discounted tickets are available through July 31; regular prices take effect August 1. For more information, visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or call (941) 306-1202.

The season opens September 22 with a concert in the Sunday Best series presented at First Presbyterian Church in Sarasota at 4:00 p.m. September Serenade features violist Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, clarinetist Bharat Chandra, and pianist Natalie Nedvetsky in a program of trios by Mozart, Bruch, and Robert Schumann, and an arrangement of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet for viola and piano. Excelsis Percussion Quartet, winner of the 2024 Chamber Music America Artistic Projects Grant, is comprised of four international women whose unique programs are rooted in their belief that music can unite us all. This concert, on November 24, features music spanning from classical to avant garde to pop.

On March 2, Harp Royalty brings together four of the country’s most celebrated harpists, each of whom has Sarasota roots: Hannah Cope Johnson, Eleanor Kirk, Phoebe Powell, and Katherine Siochi. Their diverse program includes works for harp ensemble by living harpist-composer Caroline Lizotte, innovative arrangements from the classical canon, and hits from the Great American Songbook. The Grammy Award-winning Catalyst Quartet seeks to redefine and reimagine the classical music experience. They present a program of music by Gershwin, Piazzolla, and Ravel on March 30.

On May 4, the Sinta Quartet takes the stage for Scintillating Saxophones. Performing entirely from memory, the quartet provides an interactive, fresh take on chamber music. Their programming mixes classics from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries with commissions by today’s composers and rollicking in-house arrangements from various folk traditions. Concerts in the Sunday Best series are followed by a reception with the artists. A 15% discount is offered when purchasing the complete Sunday Best series.  

Top Shelf Tuesdays is a new series featuring international superstars in concert at Church of the Palms and First Congregational United Church of Christ. French-born violinist Arnaud Sussmann and pianist Michael Stephen Brown present French Connection– a concert of French music including sonatas by Debussy and Saint-Saëns – on October 8. They have been featured on PBS Live broadcasts as Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center artists. 

James Ehnes and Friends, on December 17, features violinist James Ehnes, who has been awarded Grammy, Gramophone, and JUNO awards, and pianist Orion Weiss performing Beethoven’s “Kreutzer” Sonata. Ehnes also joins forces with violinist Daniel Jordan, violists Stephanie Block and Nathan Frantz, and cellists Natalie Helm and Bjorn Ranheim for Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence string sextet. On January 7, the Aznavoorian Sisters present a program that includes Robert Schumann’s Piano Quintet with violinists Daniel Jordan and Shawn Weil, and violist Philip Payton. Virtuoso performers of Armenian and classical repertoire, Ani (cello) and Marta (piano) Aznavoorian have performed at the White House, Kennedy Center, and Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall along with touring internationally. 

Imani Winds, 2024 Grammy Award winner in the classical compendium category, has led both a revolution and evolution of the wind quintet through their dynamic playing and adventurous programming. Twenty-six seasons of full-time touring have taken Imani Winds to every major chamber music series, performing arts center, and summer festival in the United States; their concert is February 11. Violinist Tessa Lark is one of the most unique and captivating artistic voices of our time. Nominated in 2020 for a Grammy in the best classical instrumental solo category, she is also a highly acclaimed fiddler in the tradition of her native Kentucky. This program, on April 8, is comprised of original works inspired by her combination of classical training and Appalachian upbringing – a style she lovingly calls “Stradgrass.” A 15% discount is offered when purchasing the complete Top Shelf Tuesdays series.   

The popular Lighter Fare series offers concerts outdoors at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Downtown Campus, and indoors at Plantation Golf and Country Club (PGCC) in Venice. Programs at PGCC include dinner following the concert. The series kicks off October 15 at PGCC with From Bach to Bluegrass. Violist Kayla Williams crosses genres, and her concert includes instrumental and vocal music with jazz pianist Chris McCarthy. On November 19, at Selby Gardens, PROJECT Trio presents their genre-blending style of traditional chamber music combined with their unique fusion of classical, jazz, hip-hop, and world music influences. PGCC hosts Violinist to the Stars Caroline Campbell on January 14. Campbell has shared the stage with Barbra Streisand, Beyoncé, Michael Bublé, Paul McCartney, Andrea Bocelli, and Sting, and she can be heard on the Frozen and The Hunger Games film soundtracks. The Lighter Fare series concludes on February 18 at Selby Gardens with KP Jazz Trio performing standards from the Great American Songbook, staying true to the original musical and lyrical content with an emphasis on melodic elegance and swinging verve. 

The trademark Soirée series returns to the one-of-a-kind music room of the Fischer/Weisenborne residence, beginning with Rhapsodies on October 20 and 21. Oboist Bobby Nunes, violist Stephanie Block, and pianist Clare Longendyke will perform Two Rhapsodies by Charles Loeffler as part of this program. Next Generation: Fleiss and Lin, on January 26 and 27, showcases Curtis Institute of Music’s Sarah Fleiss, soprano and Delvan Lin, piano in concerts focused on folk music from different traditions, including works by Manuel de Falla and Isaac Albéniz. Power Couple – Diana Cohen, violin and Roman Rabinovich, piano – present music by Clara Schumann, Schubert, Strauss, and Lutoslawski on April 20 and 21. These intimate 4:00 p.m. concerts give the audience the opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with the musicians, and refreshments are served following each performance. The Soirée series is sponsored by Sora Yelin and Josh Yelin in loving memory of Cary F. Yelin.The November Notables concerts include Yamazalde Trio – Sandy Yamamoto, violin; Matthew Zalkind, cello; and Julio Elizalde, piano – performing music by Haydn, Mendelssohn, and Paul Schoenfeld at Church of the Palms on November 2. On November 17, Artist Series Concerts will be part of the closing performance of Sarasota Rising at the Sailor Circus Arena.

The Lunch and Listen series continues at the Sarasota Yacht Club. This series spotlights gifted young artists in concert at 11:00 a.m. followed by lunch. Winner’s Circle, featuring the top three prize winners of Artist Series Concerts’ 2024 Statewide Piano Competition, is the first concert in this series on November 7. Following his riveting Artist Series Concerts debut in 2023, baritone Joseph Parrish returns on December 12 for Raise Your Voice and will be joined by Sarasota Opera’s Jesse Martins at the piano. Their program includes opera arias and art song, featuring the music of William Grant Still, Donizetti, and Rachmaninoff. Duo Karolina & Iwo is one of the most interesting and original chamber ensembles performing today, breaking all stereotypes about their instruments (violin and accordion) and defying categorization. Their concert, which features a wide-ranging repertoire from Bach and Mozart to Gershwin and Piazzolla, is February 6. Horns of Plenty, on March 13, features Sarasota Orchestra’s co-principal horn Hugo Bliss and fellow superstar Scott Sanders, Milwaukee Symphony’s hornist whose career also began in Sarasota. Their program includes Beethoven’s sextet for two horns and string quartet. Beijing Guitar Duo – Meng Su and Yameng Wang – closes this series and the season on May 8. Both Su and Wang won multiple international competitions as young guitar prodigies before joining forces to form the Beijing Guitar Duo. They launched their international concert career with a 2010 Carnegie Hall debut, have toured and recorded with legendary guitarist Manuel Barrueco, and were nominated for a Latin Grammy.The Lunch and Listen series is sponsored by Don and JoAnn Burhart and Kandy Kaak.

Discounted tickets are available through July 31; regular prices take effect August 1. For more information, visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or call (941) 306-1202.