Schubert Club announces 2025-26 International Artist Series and Music in the Park Series concerts

Ever since 1893, the Schubert Club has been bringing some of the classical world’s top musicians to Minnesota. Several will be in town as part of its 2025-26 season, some performing recitals at the Ordway Concert Hall as part of the International Artist Series, others presenting intimate chamber music at St. Anthony Park United Church of Christ as part of the Music in the Park Series.

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet: This French pianist established himself early in his four-decade career as an expert interpreter of the music of his countrymen, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. In what should be a very special musical immersion, he’ll perform Ravel’s complete solo piano works over two concerts. (Oct. 28-29)

Roderick Williams: The Schubert Club’s featured artist of the year is this English baritone, who will be joined by pianist Iain Burnside for a recital that will include a new piece by Minneapolis-based composer Libby Larsen. (Nov. 13)

Garrick Ohlsson and Richard O’Neill: Legendary pianist Ohlsson will be joined by a Grammy-winning violist for two concerts of music by Franz Schubert, Florence Price and Sergei Rachmaninoff. (Feb. 6-7, 2026)

Pablo Ferrández: If you find a single musician taking the spotlight for a solo recital uninviting, you probably missed violinist Leonidas Kavakos’ brilliant 2024 Schubert Club recital. This hot young cellist will do something similar, performing solo suites by J.S. Bach, Benjamin Britten and Gaspar Cassadó. (March 18-19, 2026)

Jordi Savall & Hespèrion XXI: For a half-century, this masterful viola da gamba player and conductor has been among the classical music world’s most respected purveyors of the sounds of the sixth through 17th centuries. In what should be the early music crowd’s destination concert of 2026, he and his expert ensemble, Hespèrion XXI, will offer a program called “Un Mar de Músicas (A Sea of Music),” covering works from 1440 to 1880. (April 16, 2026)

The Ordway Concert Hall is at 345 Washington St., St. Paul.

Julie Himmelstrup started this world-class chamber music series at St. Paul’s St. Anthony Park United Church of Christ in 1979. The Sunday afternoon tradition continues at 2129 Commonwealth Av., now under the Schubert Club’s auspices. All concerts start at 4 p.m.

David Finckel, Wu Han and Benjamin Beilman: These three were part of a memorable week of outdoor concerts at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in the summer of 2021, and they’ll band together again for two Piano Trios by Franz Schubert. (Oct. 5)

The Danish String Quartet: Speaking of memorable past Schubert Club presentations, this foursome performed all 15 of Beethoven’s string quartets over the course of six concerts in November 2021. It returns to play quartets by Alfred Schnittke and Dmitri Shostakovich, and offer some of the kind of Nordic folk-flavored creations it offered on the magnificent “Last Leaf” album. (Nov. 23)

Nathan Amaral: The Brazilian violinist who won the 2024 Sphinx Competition will perform a recital with pianist Alice Chenyang Xu. (Feb. 15, 2026)

Le Consort: The exciting French early music ensemble makes its Twin Cities debut with a program full of trio sonatas from the 1700s. (March 15, 2026)

The Miró Quartet: A string quartet of rapidly increasing renown will perform a spanning-the-centuries program called “Musical Mystics” with saxophonist and composer Steven Banks. (April 12, 2026)

Subscriptions for either concert series go on sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday at schubert.org or 651-292-3268. International Artist Series subscriptions range from $114-$310, while Music in the Park Series subscriptions are $135.

Students and children are free. To purchase a student or child subscription, call 651-292-3268. Tickets to individual concerts will go on sale in August. Details on the adventurous Schubert Club Mix season will be announced later this spring.

Rob Hubbard can be reached at wordhub@yahoo.com.