Excellence, Innovation, and Engagement: The 2026–27 Oberlin Artist Recital Series

First established in 1878, Oberlin College and Conservatory’s annual Artist Recital Series is one of the longest-running concert series in the country. From Rhiannon Giddens to Yo-Yo Ma, and from Midori to the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Artist Recital Series (ARS) has built a reputation for presenting artists of the highest caliber.  

​“The series has long brought some of the world’s greatest musicians to Oberlin, providing an opportunity for our students, the Oberlin community, and the Northeast Ohio region to experience their artistry firsthand,” says Dean of the Conservatory Bill Quillen.

​Continuing a tradition that spans nearly 150 years, the Artist Recital Series' 2026–27 season demonstrates how a historic institution can continue to evolve—honoring tradition while embracing new voices, new genres, and new ways of engaging audiences. The lineup features the Juilliard String Quartet, cello-piano duo Jean-Guihen Queyras and Alexandre Tharaud, electronic music artist King Britt, opera tenor Lawrence Brownlee, pianist Yefim Bronfman, and saxophonist, clarinetist and composer Paquito D’Rivera, with a bonus special residency by flutist Claire Chase.

​This season—a product of deep collaboration between Associate Dean of Artistic Programming Sally Takada and conservatory faculty—represents a commitment to music’s past, present, and future. It is dedicated to presenting today’s top performing musicians, advancing the art form by spotlighting contemporary work and emerging genres while centering community engagement.

​“This season will be a real mix of bringing new perspectives and celebrated icons, as well as a deep reflection of what interests our community,” Takada says. “I want to capture as much of the variety reflected in our students’ areas of study as is possible in seven concerts.”

The season will kick off in September with the renowned Juilliard String Quartet. Celebrating its 80th anniversary, the ensemble has distinguished itself with a dual focus on interpreting the classics and spotlighting new work. The quartet’s discography has won four Grammy Awards and been continually reissued by Sony Masterworks. In 2011, they were the first classical music ensemble to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, cementing their legendary status.

​Following the Juilliard Quartet, cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras and pianist Alexandre Tharaud will continue ARS’s focus on classical excellence. In just the last year, Queyras has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and BBC Philharmonic, playing on a Kaiser Stradivarius made in 1707. Meanwhile, Tharaud has championed the French piano style with over 25 solo albums and even a major role in the 2012 Oscar-nominated film Amour. The duo will bring an intimate approach to a program of rare gems and familiar favorites.

​Alongside highlighting the best in classical repertoire, the 2026–27 season will also spotlight emerging work and genres.

​This balance between classic and new will be epitomized in the recital given by celebrated tenor Lawrence Brownlee, who has graced the world’s top opera stages in New York, Paris, and Tokyo while serving as a leading advocate for representation in the industry. His concert with pianist Kevin Miller will draw from the bel canto Italian repertoire, in which his expertise is lauded, while also introducing an inclusive perspective with works from his recent album Rising, a series of commissions by Black composers with texts drawn from Harlem Renaissance poetry.

​ARS’s ability to adapt and make space for innovative works and genres will be embodied by King Britt and his Blacktronika residency, the series’ first electronic-based headliner.  

​Whether collaborating with the likes of John Legend and director Michael Mann or serving as a professor at UC San Diego, Britt is a performer, creator, and scholar. A leading authority on Afrofuturism in music, he will draw on his research of innovators of color in genres like Chicago House and Detroit Techno.

​“We have wanted to program an electronic music artist for years, and for King Britt we loved both the combination of what he can offer as a professor as well as his depth of experience as a performer and curator,” says Takada.  

​In addition to classical excellence and contemporary innovation, the 2026-27 season reflects a commitment to engaging the Oberlin campus and community, with each artist leading master classes and public discussions alongside their performances.

​“This engagement enhances audience members’ experiences in the concert setting,” says Takada. “As a conservatory of music in a college town, the learning aspect is hugely important.”

​This learning focus is evident with Paquito D’Rivera, a legend in Latin jazz and classical music. Winner of 16 Grammy and Latin Grammy awards, D’Rivera works across genres and instruments as a composer. He will carry this multidisciplinary approach into working with jazz, classical, and composition students. In addition to his ARS performance with pianist Alex Brown, D’Rivera will coach chamber ensembles in learning his compositions, serve as guest lecturer for the annual composition forum, and perform with students in the Oberlin Jazz Ensemble.

​Meanwhile, Yefim Bronfman, universally admired for his exceptional technique, will instruct students in the annual Como-Piano master classes. Bronfman is especially popular among Northeast Ohio audiences, performing frequently with the Cleveland Orchestra and previously appearing on the Artist Recital Series in 2011. 

​“Public master classes with Mr. Bronfman are a rare occurrence,” says Professor Alvin Chow, chair of Oberlin’s piano department. “These mini-residencies present once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for our students to interact, engage, and be inspired by the leading artists of our time.”

Students and community members will also engage with Oberlin alumna Claire Chase ’01, founder of the celebrated International Contemporary Ensemble and the first flutist to receive the MacArthur Fellowship. Chase will lead a week-long residency covering ongoing projects like the 24-year-long commissioning initiative, Density 2036, offering a look into musical performance at its most cutting edge. Her residency will conclude with a free concert with conservatory student performers.

​​Overall, the 2026–27 season represents the Artist Recital Series at its best, offering audiences an opportunity not only to listen but also to engage deeply with some of the finest musical artistry across genres, traditions, and time periods.

​2026–27 Artist Recital Series:
All concerts are at 7:30 PM in Finney Chapel

Juilliard String Quartet
Saturday, September 26, 2026

Jean-Guihen Queyras and Alexandre Tharaud
Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Blacktronika: Afrofuturism in Electronic Music featuring King Britt
Saturday, February 27, 2027

Lawrence Brownlee, tenor
Thursday, March 18, 2027

Yefim Bronfman, piano
Tuesday, March 30, 2027 

Paquito D'Rivera
Wednesday, April 14, 2027 

Special Free Event:
Claire Chase Residency
April 6-10, 2027
Culminating concert: April 10, 2027, Warner Concert Hall
No ticket required

Subscriptions and Single Tickets

Subscriptions to the 2026–27 Artist Recital Series, with full-season and Pick 3 packages both offering significant savings over individual ticket prices, will be available July 20.

Get tickets for the full season—all six Artist Recital Series concerts—for just $180, a savings of $5 per ticket. Seniors age 55 and older, members of the military, and Oberlin staff and alumni pay just $150, and students pay only $48.

Pick 3 packages allow you to select any three concerts on the Artist Recital Series (pending availability) and save $5 off the regular price of each ticket.

Single tickets for individual concerts will be on sale August 17.

Thanks to the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark, Oberlin students can receive free tickets to each concert on the Artist Recital Series with a valid OCID.

Subscription packages available for the general public July 20.

Single tickets available August 17.

Oberlin’s Central Ticket Service will open for business on August 1. Patrons may reserve tickets by calling 800-371-0178 or visiting at the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Annex (67 N. Main Street) from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.