Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota is preparing for a major new season of live music, bringing 24 concerts to Sarasota and Venice between October 11, 2026, and May 17, 2027.
The 2026-2027 season marks the organization’s 31st year and continues its longtime focus on presenting world-class musicians in intimate settings where audiences can experience chamber music, classical performance, jazz, crossover programs, opera, and genre-blending concerts up close. The new lineup follows the organization’s spectacular 30th anniversary season, which helped set the stage for another ambitious year.
The season is sponsored by Jan and Bill Farber, and Paul and Sharon Steinwachs. Discounted tickets are available through August 31, with the exception of concerts at Sarasota Yacht Club and Plantation Golf & Country Club. Tickets and season details are available by visiting Artist Series Concerts or by calling (941) 306-1202.
A Season Designed for Music Lovers Who Want Something Personal
Artist Series Concerts has built its reputation on a simple but powerful idea: music feels different when the audience is close enough to see the expressions, energy, and communication between the performers. Many of the organization’s concerts are presented in smaller venues, giving patrons a more personal connection to the artists than a traditional large concert hall experience.
That approach continues throughout the new season, which includes performances at the Fischer/Weisenborne residence, First Presbyterian Church of Sarasota, First Congregational United Church of Christ, Sarasota Yacht Club, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Plantation Golf & Country Club in Venice, Church of the Palms, The Ora, and the Historic Asolo Theater.
The season also reflects the organization’s broader mission to support the next generation of musicians. Artist Series Concerts presents educational outreach programs and is home to the Suncoast Music Scholarships, which provide annual financial awards to talented high school musicians in Sarasota and Manatee counties.
Soirée Series Opens and Closes the Season
The season begins with Artist Series Concerts’ signature Soirée series, known for its intimate Sunday and Monday afternoon performances in the music room of the Fischer/Weisenborne residence.
Trio Sinfonia opens the season on October 11 and 12 with an “all Romantic” program featuring Brahms’ Trio in B Major and Mendelssohn’s Trio in C Minor. The ensemble won the Grand Prize in the 2026 Coltman Chamber Music Competition Senior Division String and Piano category.
On March 28 and 29, the Soirée series presents Prized Partners, pairing violinist Nathan Meltzer with pianist Evren Ozel for sonatas by Beethoven and Fauré, along with Schubert’s Fantasy in C Major.
The season closes May 16 and 17 with Cello-bration!, featuring Joseph Johnson on cello, Chiao-Wen Cheng on piano, and Daniel Jordan on violin. The program includes Prokofiev’s Sonata in C Major, Opus 119, along with music by George Gershwin.
Refreshments are served after each Soirée performance. The series is sponsored by Sora Yelin and Josh Yelin in loving memory of Cary F. Yelin.
Sunday Best Brings Award-Winning Musicians to First Presbyterian Church
The Sunday Best series is presented at First Presbyterian Church in Sarasota at 4 p.m., with receptions following the concerts.
The series opens October 18 with Synchrony Quartet, a Chicago-based saxophone quartet and Grand Prize winner of the 2026 Coltman Chamber Music Competition Senior Division/Mixed Instrumental category. Their program includes works by Caroline Shaw, Anton Webern, and Astor Piazzolla.
On November 22, 94 Strings features harpists Cheryl Losey Feder and Phoebe Powell in a program that includes Debussy’s Dances for Harp and Strings and André Caplet’s Masque of the Red Death for harp, string quartet, and narrator.
On January 24, Against All Odds spotlights violinist Hyun Jae Lim, whose promising solo career was interrupted by a serious accident. After years of recovery, she returned to the instrument and went on to win First Prize in the 2025 Seoul International Music Competition and the 2026 Elmar Oliveira International Competition.
The Sunday Best series concludes May 9 with the Borromeo String Quartet, one of the most respected chamber ensembles performing today. Their program includes works by Bach, Dvořák, and Beethoven’s String Quartet, Opus 127.
Top Shelf Tuesdays Features Major Chamber Artists
The Top Shelf Tuesdays series offers 7:30 p.m. concerts at First Congregational United Church of Christ.
The series opens November 3 with the Ehnes Quartet and special guest Jonathan Vinocour, viola. Led by acclaimed violinist James Ehnes, the ensemble will perform Brahms’ String Quintets, Op. 88 and Op. 111.
Ehnes returns February 9 for Ehnes and Lark, a program with violinist Tessa Lark. The concert includes Ehnes performing Ysaÿe’s Ballade, Lark performing her own “Ysaÿe Shuffle,” duos by Bartók and Prokofiev, and a second half featuring friends in Bruch’s Octet for strings.
On March 23, Take Five brings together violinists Daniel Jordan and Shawn Weil, violist Philip Payton, cellist Bjorn Ranheim, and pianist Marina Radiushina for a program presented in collaboration with the Miami Chamber Music Society. The concert includes piano quintets by Dohnányi and Brahms.
The series concludes April 20 with La Voix, featuring soprano Liv Redpath and pianist Georg Fu. Redpath is attracting growing attention in the opera world, while Fu was recognized with a Gramophone Award in 2025 and shortlisted for a Royal Philharmonic Society Award in 2026. Their program includes music by William Walton, André Previn, and Gabriel Fauré.
The Top Shelf Tuesdays series is sponsored by Jan and Bill Farber, and The Lara and Mark D’Agostino Family Fund and MD Behavioral Health.
Lunch and Listen Returns to Sarasota Yacht Club
The Lunch and Listen series at Sarasota Yacht Club offers 11 a.m. concerts followed by lunch.
The series opens November 12 with Caroline Campbell – Without a Net. Violinist Caroline Campbell has performed with major artists including Andrea Bocelli, Paul McCartney, and Beyoncé. Joined by pianist Joseph Holt, her program includes arrangements inspired by The Magic Flute, West Side Story, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
On December 17, Sarasota Opera artists Virginia Mims, Jake Stamatis, and Jesse Martins present Lifted in Song, featuring opera arias, art song, operetta, and holiday favorites.
Sticks and Strings follows on January 14, featuring Marcelina Suchocka on mallet percussion and Helen Liu Gerhold on harp in music by Tournier, Smetana, and Piazzolla.
On March 11, Higher Ground pairs Sarasota Orchestra clarinetist Bharat Chandra with Martha Conwell Long, principal flutist of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Their program explores the upper range of sound through works by Mason Bates, Libby Larsen, and others.
The series closes April 29 with Sweet & Low, featuring Nate Seman on tuba and Jason Donnelly on euphonium in a program that showcases the expressive range of low brass instruments, including music by Vaughan Williams, Bizet, and others.
The Lunch and Listen series is sponsored by Jo Ann and Don Burhart and Kandy Kaak.
Lighter Fare Blends Classical Music With Fresh Energy
The Lighter Fare series offers outdoor concerts at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus and indoor concerts with dinner at Plantation Golf & Country Club in Venice.
The series opens November 17 at Selby Gardens with Biribá Union, a trio made up of Mike Block on cello and vocals, Christylez Bacon on beatbox, guitar and rhymes, and Patricia Ligia on electric bass and vocals. Their music blends hip-hop, Go-go, Brazilian forró and choro, American roots music, and jazz.
PROJECT Trio returns by popular demand December 8 at Plantation Golf & Country Club. Known for its beatboxing flutist and high-energy approach, the trio’s repertoire ranges from Mozart and Bach to Bernstein, Grieg, and The Beatles.
On February 16, Selby Gardens hosts Bach in the Americas, led by Spanish violinist Leticia Moreno. The program explores Bach’s influence on composers throughout the Americas.
Atlys Quartet closes the Lighter Fare series March 2 at Plantation Golf & Country Club. The female string quartet is known for its classical training and modern crossover style. Their program includes two original works by Chicago-based composer Ari Barack Fisher: The Sonnenberg Suite and Mahzorim: Jewish Cycles.
Three Special Events Add Variety to the Season
Daniel Jordan, Artist Series Concerts’ director of artistic planning, has also included three special events for the 2026-2027 season.
On January 5, Schmaltz & Pepper comes to The Ora with a program inspired by klezmer, Yiddish swing, jazz, and classical music. The ensemble is known for combining virtuosity with humor and a lively stage presence.
Piano Grand VI returns January 30 at Church of the Palms. The popular program features sisters Michelle Cann and Kimberly Cann, along with Joseph Holt and Thomas Purviance.
The final special event of the season is Heartstrings – ArcoStrum and Empire Wild, presented April 11 at the Historic Asolo Theater. The program brings together ArcoStrum, featuring Strauss Shi and TY Zhang, and Empire Wild, featuring Mitchell Lyon and Ken Kubota. The concert travels across musical styles and cultures, with fresh arrangements of Vivaldi, tango, Polyphia, traditional Chinese music, Japanese melodies, and Scottish fiddling. Suncoast Post readers may remember ArcoStrum from Artist Series Concerts’ eclectic March lineup earlier this year.
Why This Season Matters
For Sarasota and the Florida Suncoast, the new Artist Series Concerts season is more than a calendar of performances. It is another example of why the region continues to be recognized as one of Florida’s most vibrant arts communities, alongside major programming such as The Ringling’s 2026-2027 Art of Performance season.
The 2026-2027 lineup gives audiences a chance to hear internationally respected artists, rising stars, competition winners, opera voices, chamber ensembles, crossover performers, and adventurous collaborations in settings designed to bring the music closer to the listener.
Keren Shani-Lifrak, executive director of Artist Series Concerts, described the season as “bold, brilliant, and beautifully unexpected,” noting that the lineup includes everything from the spontaneity of Caroline Campbell – Without a Net to the Ehnes and Lark duo and the spirited sound of Schmaltz & Pepper.
For longtime patrons, the season offers the level of artistry Artist Series Concerts is known for. For newcomers, it is an inviting way to experience live music in a more personal, accessible, and memorable setting.
For tickets, season information, and the complete concert schedule, visit Artist Series Concerts or call (941) 306-1202.
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