2026 - 27 | Season 44
Dates, times, programs, and artists subject to change.
Not a Violin
Chamber Series
Wednesday, October 7, 12:10 pm
Grace Church, White Plains
Martin Agee, violin and raconteur
Michael Roth, violin
Martin Agee, Phil violinist and recently published poet, explores love, fear, and the sometimes hilarious inner thoughts of a violinist in readings from his new book of poems, Not A Violin. Accompanied by music of Bartok, LeClair, Gliere, Milhaud, and more, with the Phil's principal second violinist, Michael Roth, collaborating.
This concert is offered free of charge with a donation suggested at the door to support Downtown Music.
This concert is offered free of charge with a donation suggested at the door to support Downtown Music.
The Sum of All Things
Main Stage Series
Sunday, October 18, 3:00 pm
Benjamin Hochman, piano and conductor
Deborah Wong, violin
Kyle Armbrust, viola
Maureen Hynes, cello
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 6 in F Major
Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 3 in C Minor
Pärt: Summa
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 14 in E-flat Major, K. 449
Four pieces of music that add up to the totality of the human spirit. Beethoven's joy and playfulness (yes, that Beethoven). Brahms' pure mastery of sound, shape and emotion. Arvo Pärt summarizing the nature of the universe with 22 string players and 5 minutes. And Chef Amadeus cooking up a three course repast to thoroughly thrill all your senses. Benjamin Hochman and Phil musicians Deborah Wong, Kyle Armbrust, and Maureen Hynes thrilled our chamber series audiences in 2025 with this same Brahms Quartet, reprised here for the wider audience it deserves.
Brahms to Ellington: The Concert Hall Meets the Music Hall
Chamber Series
Wednesday, November 11, 12:10 pm
Grace Church, White Plains
Frank Morelli, bassoon
Nenad Ivović, piano
Music of Brahms, Gershwin, Bernstein, Ellington, Weill, and more.
What we call classical music was the popular music of its day. And popular music now is mostly shaped by classical conventions. Frank Morelli and Nenad Ivović bring the music of Bernstein, Weill, Gershwin, and yes, Brahms and Ellington, wherein the genres are blurred and the dots become connected.
This concert is offered free of charge with a donation suggested at the door to support Downtown Music.
Inspiration Point
Main Stage Series
Sunday, December 13, 3:00 PM
Purchase Performing Arts Center
Glenn Dicterow, violin
Robert Chausow, violin
Karen Dreyfus, viola
Liuh-Wen Ting, viola
Eugene Moye, cello
Roberta Cooper, cello
Halvorsen: Passacaglia for Violin and Viola (after Handel's Suite in G Minor)
Tchaikovsky: Souvenir de Florence
Brahms: Sextet in B-flat Major, Op. 18
Johan Halvorsen “sampled” Handel for one of the most celebrated string duets in the repertoire. Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir started as just a quick sketch of a theme, inspired by the bright sun and blue skies - strange sights to a Russian - while visiting Florence. After mostly cool receptions to his work, a 26 year-old Brahms finally found public acceptance with his Sextet, a work of both grandeur and simplicity. The New York Philharmonic’s celebrated concertmaster for 35 years, Glenn Dicterow is on every musician's must-play-with list. He is joined by the Phil’s principal strings and the distinguished violist - as well as Dicterow’s wife and frequent collaborator - Karen Dreyfus.
Phantastic Journey: Music for Strings and Winds
Chamber Series
Sunday, January 31, 2:00 pm
Crawford Mansion, Rye Brook
Robert Chausow, violin
Ah-Ling Neu, viola
Roberta Cooper, cello
Gregg August, bass
Kathy Halvorson, oboe
Benjamin Baron, clarinet
Britten: Phantasy
Dohnányi: Serenade
Prokofiev: Quintet in G Minor, Op. 39
Your first stop on this journey is London, via Britten’s “consummately crafted” work evoking the English countryside and 16th century folk style. Next is Budapest and Dohnányi’s earthy, Hungarian folksy-ness. Finally 1924 Russia, for a work originally commissioned as a ballet while Prokofiev was an expat living in Paris...adventurous and circus-like, full of evocative textures and clashing harmonies.
Phantastic Journey: Music for Strings and Winds
Chamber Series
Wednesday, February 11, 12:10 pm
Grace Church, White Plains
Robert Chausow, violin
Ah-Ling Neu, viola
Roberta Cooper, cello
Gregg August, bass
Kathy Halvorson, oboe
Benjamin Baron, clarinet
Britten: Phantasy
Dohnányi: Serenade
Prokofiev: Quintet in G Minor, Op. 39
Your first stop on this journey is London, via Britten’s “consummately crafted” work evoking the English countryside and 16th century folk style. Next is Budapest and Dohnányi’s earthy, Hungarian folksy-ness. Finally 1924 Russia, for a work originally commissioned as a ballet while Prokofiev was an expat living in Paris...adventurous and circus-like, full of evocative textures and clashing harmonies.
This concert is offered free of charge with a donation suggested at the door to support Downtown Music.
Influencers
Chamber Series
Sunday, March 14, 2:00 pm
Crawford Mansion, Rye Brook
Gregg August, bass
Todd Reynolds, violin
Christopher Oldfather, piano
Beethoven: Septet (composer's trio arrangement)
August: Los Tres Golpes
Clara Schumann: Andante from Piano Trio in G Minor
Her more famous husband Robert never composed a piano trio...until he heard wife Clara's astonishing work. Beethoven influenced himself, arranging his own widely lauded Septet for trio. As an award-winning composer including a 2020 Grammy nomination, Phil bassist Gregg August's work revels in the influence of Latin jazz. You will find yourself under the influence of magical music-making.
Influencers
Chamber Series
Wednesday, March 17, 12:10 pm
Grace Church, White Plains
Gregg August, bass
Todd Reynolds, violin
Christopher Oldfather, piano
Beethoven: Septet (composer's trio arrangement)
August: Los Tres Golpes
Clara Schumann: Andante from Piano Trio in G Minor
Her more famous husband Robert never composed a piano trio...until he heard wife Clara's astonishing work. Beethoven influenced himself, arranging his own widely lauded Septet for trio. As an award-winning composer including a 2020 Grammy nomination, Phil bassist Gregg August's work revels in the influence of Latin jazz. You will find yourself under the influence of magical music-making.
This concert is offered free of charge with a donation suggested at the door to support Downtown Music.
A Voice of One
Main Stage Series
Sunday, April 18, 3:00 pm
Purchase Performing Arts Center
Daniel Rachev, conducting
Haydn: Symphony No. 49 ("La Passione")
Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
La Passione was an accidental but convenient nickname for Haydn’s deep and dark 49th. Originally intended for the theater, it was slotted for performance during a holy week celebration at which all secular music was banned. Calling it La Passione kept the church happy for a week, and the rest of us astounded for another 250 years. Inspired by George Meredith’s poem The Lark Ascending, Vaughan Williams created a tonal tableau of brilliant color, soaring song, and spiritual freedom. If you are one of the 7.5 million people who have heard Alana Youssefian’s magnificent performance of Vivaldi’s Spring, you’ll instantly understand why she is meant for this music. Beethoven’s towering Seventh transcends everything we think about composers, symphonies, and classical music. Joyful, then somber, then giving way to a relentless, infectious energy that will move your body without you realizing it. Daniel Rachev’s incisive artistry and riveting presence captivates the orchestra and audience.
The Art of the String Quartet
Chamber Series
Sunday, May 2, 2:00 pm
Crawford Mansion, Rye Brook
Robert Chausow, violin
Martin Agee, violin
Michael Roth, viola
Eugene Moye, cello
Repertoire to be announced soon.
The Art of the String Quartet
Chamber Series
Wednesday, May 5, 12:10 pm
Robert Chausow, violin
Martin Agee, violin
Michael Roth, viola
Eugene Moye, cello
Repertoire to be announced soon.