Performance Calendar

Violinist Itzhak Perlman returns to Symphony Hall with the Klezmer Conservatory Band and a cast of klezmer all-stars to celebrate his 80th birthday season and the 30th anniversary of his beloved Emmy-winning PBS special, In the Fiddler’s House. Don’t miss your chance to “see and hear a gifted musician experiencing the pleasure of getting in contact with his roots” (Los Angeles Times), and get ready to laugh, smile, and dance in the aisles when In the Fiddler’s House returns to Symphony Hall!

Boundary-defying sextet yMusic creates music that welcomes you in, blending the soaring beauty of classical chamber ensembles with the fresh energy and accessibility of popular music. Immersive, immediate, and unforgettable, yMusic’s live shows are must-see events that redefine the concert experience.  

Japanese pianist Mao Fujita made his United States solo recital debut in 2023 on one of this country’s most storied stages for classical music, Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium. Now, on our Debut Series, you can experience his artistry up close in the intimate setting of Longy’s Pickman Hall. It's a spectacular introduction to Boston audiences from a limitless young artist.

Called “a quartet with a difference” by the Irish Times, the Dublin Guitar Quartet is the first classical guitar quartet dedicated to modern and contemporary music. On eight-string and eleven-string acoustic guitars—and occasionally electrics—the foursome brings fresh perspectives to the stage through bold commissions and their own arrangements. The must-hear program features works by Bryce Dessner, Rachel Grimes, Marc Mellits, and Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, arranged for four guitars.

Ringdown is a self-described “cinematic electro-pop” duo creating songs that are intricate, textured, and emotionally resonant. Grounded in Danni Lee Parpan’s soulful folk/pop vocals and songwriting and launched into the abstract by Caroline Shaw’s boundary-breaking composition and performance techniques, Ringdown’s music is both intimate and expansive. Their unique blend of raw lyricism and avant-garde artistry makes this an experience as stirring as it is unforgettable.

Boston Symphony Orchestra clarinetist Chris Elchico appears with the Boston Conservatory Faculty String Quartet for a program anchored in Osvaldo Golijov's The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind (1997). Combining klezmer idions with meditative, mystical ensemble writing, the composer calls the work "a kind of epic, a history of Judaism."

Canadian Inuk singer-songwriter Elisapie’s music will get your attention. It will sound familiar, with her lovely, soulful, voice that slides effortlessly from folk to rock and back again. But listen closer. You know the tune—it’s “Time After Time” or “Heart of Glass”—but you don’t know the words: she’s singing in Inuktitut, an Inuit language. Alongside originals, Elisapie reinvents iconic pop and rock songs, beautifully and with intention, to connect to her memories of growing up in Nunavik among the people, places, and language she carries with her.

It’s always a pleasure to welcome the Danish String Quartet to our stages. Over three previous appearances, they have captivated audiences with thoughtfully curated programs, peerless ensemble playing, and the unmistakable warmth and camaraderie that come from more than two decades of performing together. 

Exuberant Jazz and Klezmer music share a double bill in the first of two concerts in our Neighborhood Arts Clarinet Weekend. Clarinetist Juan Ruiz and pianist Camila Cortina perform jazz, and Itay Dayan shares klezmer music that honors tradition while exploring new frontiers.

Second clarinetist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Christopher Elchico is a versatile performer and in-demand collaborator.  For this program, he is joined by cellist Christine Lee and pianist Meng-Chieh Liu for an elegant afternoon of classical works featuring clarinet, cello, and piano: a combination of instruments known for their warmth, depth, and lyricism.