INTERNATIONAL CLASSICAL CONCERTS OF THE DESERT

THE HERMITAGE PIANO TRIO

January 17, 2026 / 3:00 PM

Now entering their second decade, the United States-based Hermitage Piano Trio has solidified its place as one of the world’s leading piano trios, garnering multiple GRAMMY® Award nominations and receiving both audience and press accolades for their performances. The Washington Post singled them out as possessing “such power and sweeping passion that it left you nearly out of breath.”

JOYCE YANG, PIANO

February 14, 2026 / 3:00 PM

Blessed with “poetic and sensitive pianism” (Washington Post) and a “wondrous sense of color” (San Francisco Classical Voice), Grammy-nominated pianist Joyce Yang captivates audiences with her virtuosity, lyricism, and interpretive sensitivity. She first came to international attention in 2005 when she won the silver medal at the 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. The youngest contestant at 19 years old, she took home two additional awards: Best Performance of Chamber Music (with the Takàcs Quartet), and Best Performance of a New Work.

THE JUILLIARD STRING QUARTET

February 21, 2026 / 3:00 PM

With unparalleled artistry and enduring vigor, the Juilliard String Quartet continues to inspire audiences around the world. Founded in 1946 and hailed by The Boston Globe as "the most important American quartet in history," the ensemble draws on a deep and vital engagement to the classics, while embracing the mission of championing new works, a vibrant combination of the familiar and the daring.

SIRENA HUANG, VIOLIN

CHIH-YI CHEN, PIANO

March 14, 2026 / 3:00 PM

A gold-medal winner in the prestigious Indianapolis International Violin Competition and praised by The Baltimore Sun for her “impeccable technique…deeply expressive phrasing…and poetic weight," Sirena Huang is one of her generation’s most celebrated violinists. She brings not only technical brilliance and powerful artistry to the stage, but also a profound sense of connection to her audience.

Pianist Chih-Yi Chen's versatile qualities as a collaborative partner, chamber musician, soloist and teacher have contributed to a distinguished career, nationally and internationally. She has been on the faculty of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music since 2003 and is the Associate Chair of the Chamber and Collaborative Music Department, inaugurated in 2016. HerRecent solo appearances include Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” and Stephen Paulus’s piano concerto with the IU Wind Ensemble.

DAVID FINCKEL, CELLO / WU HAN, PIANO

March 28, 2026 / 3:00 PM

Cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han, honored as Musical America’s Musicians of the Year, stand among today’s most distinguished figures in classical music. Their multi-faceted musical lives encompass world-class performances, acclaimed recordings and visionary artistic direction. From the stages of New York to the premier concert halls across the United States, Europe and Asia, they have captivated audiences globally. "He played with a deep and burnished tone and she with a sparkling virtuosity," The New York Times.