Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
David Finckel and Wu Han, Artistic Directors
2025–2026 New York City Concert Season
Alice Tully Hall • Rose Studio at CMS
Kaplan Penthouse
WINTER FESTIVAL: VIOLIN CELEBRATION (Feb 20 – Mar 8)
Celebrating the limitless potential of the violin,
from Baroque to 21st Century
OPENING NIGHT:
THE COMPOSER’S VIOLINIST: JOSEPH JOACHIM (Oct 19)
Dedicated to the violinist and composer who inspired Brahms, the Schumanns and Dvořák
SEASON FINALE: SCHUBERTIADE (May 17)
Exploring Schubert in three settings, featuring Anne-Marie McDermott,
Benjamin Beilman, David Finckel and Wu Han
STRING QUARTET SERIES
Miró Quartet (October 28)
Escher String Quartet (February 10, May 3)
Viano Quartet (March 22)
Shanghai Quartet (April 19)
GILBERT KALISH AT 90 (Oct 23)
Honoring the longtime CMS artist, featuring Kalish alongside Tony Arnold, Erin Keefe, Nicholas Canellakis, Tara Helen O’Connor, and Jose Franch-Ballester
AN EVENING WITH JEAN-EFFLAM BAVOUZET (Nov 18)
A landmark recital of Ravel’s complete published solo piano works
CMS COMMISSIONS AND PREMIERES BY
Charlotte Bray, Valerie Coleman, Kian Ravaei, Chris Rogerson, Frederic Rzewski, Sean Shepherd, David Byrd-Marrow, Cory Smythe, and Ye Xiaogang
SONIC SPECTRUM SERIES
Four Concerts of Late-20th and 21st-Century Music
Valerie Coleman, Takashi Yoshimatsu, Chen Yi, Huang Ruo, Kian Ravaei, Sean Shepherd, Ye Xiaogang, Charlotte Bray, Jörg Widmann, John Corigliano, David Serkin Ludwig, Frederic Rzewski, Vivian Fung, Joan Tower, Lou Harrison
CMS DEBUTS
Fleur Barron, Mezzo-Soprano • Andriana Chuchman, Soprano
John Novacek, Piano • Cory Smythe, Piano • Yoobin Son, Flute
Jake Thonis, Bassoon • Angus Webster, Piano
BAROQUE FESTIVAL IN DECEMBER
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and other Baroque violin concertos
Bach Cantatas, including the “Coffee Cantata”
The Brandenburg Concertos – Annual Holiday Tradition
SUMMER EVENINGS IN ALICE TULLY HALL IN JULY
The summer tradition returns for its tenth anniversary!
Free post-concert receptions with the artists
All Tickets $20 or Free via Lottery
New York, NY: January 27, 2025 — The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) announces its 2025–26 season, which delivers 80 concerts of chamber music (including lecture/performances) by 104 composers across 345 years, performed by its international, intergenerational roster of artists. The season’s focus is The Magnificent Violin, an exploration of the indispensable role the violin has played in chamber music from its development in the mid-16th century through the present day; CMS’s roster of nearly two dozen violinists shines in programs interspersed throughout the season. This season’s Winter Festival is dedicated entirely to violin repertoire, and the season opens with a concert dedicated to 19th-century violinist Joseph Joachim (1831–1907) to whom Dvořák, Brahms, and Schumann dedicated their violin masterworks. The violin is also featured in three newly commissioned works by Chris Rogerson, Sean Shepherd and Charolotte Bray; a program of Baroque violin concertos in December’s Baroque Festival; a series of four lectures dedicated to the story of the instrument and more.
“It’s nearly impossible to overstate the importance of the violin in chamber music over the past five centuries,” said CMS Artistic Directors David Finckel and Wu Han. “Our Magnificent Violin season provides a showcase for CMS’s deep roster of fantastic violinists, many of whom are playing on legendary instruments. Those less familiar with the violin will discover its signature singing tone, while violin veterans can deepen their knowledge through initiatives like our violin lecture series. Everyone will surely walk away with a newfound appreciation for the versatility of the violin.”

Gilbert Kalish, Piano
Other highlights of the season include pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet performing the complete published solo piano works of Maurice Ravel to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth; a program celebrating the 90th birthday of CMS artist Gilbert Kalish; performances by some of the world’s great string quartets, including the Miró Quartet in its 30th-anniversary season and the Shanghai Quartet in its only New York City appearance this season; and a season-closing Schubertiade.
s always, CMS continues to delve into the repertoire to present chamber music works from across the centuries, including 45 that are completely new to CMS in New York, as well new commissions; the season offers three world premieres and seven New York premieres, with music by 19 living composers.
Following six Summer Evenings concerts in Alice Tully Hall in July, the main 2025–26 season in New York begins on October 19, 2025, and runs through May 17, 2026, with performances in Alice Tully Hall, the Daniel and Joanna S. Rose Studio at CMS, and the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse. CMS continues to bring its artists to cities around the country and the world, with more than 70 events on tour, including annual residencies. Among the New York City season’s other offerings are a variety of lectures, concerts for young listeners, and master classes. CMS also offers its Alice Tully Hall concerts for purchase on-demand (and free to ticket buyers of live concerts) through its Digital Encores program and provides free, live-streamed concerts from the Rose Studio at CMS.
2025-26 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
WINTER FESTIVAL: VIOLIN CELEBRATION (Feb 20–Mar 8)
The centerpiece of the 2025–2026 season’s focus on the violin is the Winter Festival, offering four programs celebrating the instrument’s vital role in chamber music. Works from Bach and Tartini to Beach, Janáček, and Kreisler trace the lineage of the violin’s development and showcase its limitless potential in the hands of CMS artists.

Kristin Lee (left), Daniel Phillips (top left), Chad Hoopes, Violin
From Bach to Beethoven (Feb 20)
Tartini, Mozart, Beethoven
The violin emerged as the stringed instrument of choice during the Baroque era, culminating in the solo works, concertos, and chamber music of J.S. Bach. The Winter Festival begins with music by Tartini, Mozart (a proficient violinist himself) and Beethoven.
The Age of Romance (Feb 24)
Schubert, Beach, Brahms, Mendelssohn
Composers of the 19th century were influenced by the skillful performers of their era. The expressive sound of the violin resonates throughout this program with Schubert’s masterful violin-piano duo; Amy Beach’s soul-searching Romance, dedicated to violinist Maud Powell; Brahms’s lyrical sonata, inspired by his friendship with Joseph Joachim and Clara Schumann; and Mendelssohn’s sonata, which went unpublished for over 100 years until its revival by Yehudi Menuhin.
Violin Visionaries (Feb 28)
Janáček, Enescu, Ravel, and Bloch
The dawn of the 20th century witnessed revolutions in music, literature, philosophy, and science. Composers, liberated by Romanticism, explored disparate cultures and wrote music in powerful new ways. This concert presents works for violin and piano by four innovative European composers — Janáček, Enescu, Ravel, and Bloch — each influenced by world events and societies around them.
Destination: Kreisler (Mar 8)
Ysaÿe, Wieniawski, Strauss, Kreisler
Many violinists throughout history have astounded audiences with their technique and virtuosity, but none was as beloved as Friedrich “Fritz” Kreisler. Born in Vienna in 1875, he was adored by listeners and musicians alike, and his playing and numerous compositions redefined the late-Romantic voice of the violin. The final concert in this season’s Winter Festival pays tribute to Kreisler, beginning with works by his predecessors Ysaÿe, Wieniawski, and Strauss, and culminating in an assortment of Kreisler’s own arrangements and original works.

Danbi Um (left), James Thompson (top right), Aaron Boyd, Violin
The Magnificent Violin Lecture Series (Dec 3, Feb 19, Mar 4, Mar 8)
This series of four lectures further illuminates CMS’s 2025–26 season focus, the violin. The first lecture, which takes place during the Baroque Festival, traces the evolution of the violin from its earliest days. The remaining events accompany the Winter Festival: a second lecture follows the violin from the hands of Bach all the way through the Romantic era, followed by two round-table discussions—one on performing and composition today, the other exploring the life, music, and influence of Fritz Kreisler. Lecturers and hosts include violinist Aaron Boyd, a frequent presence on CMS stages and an expert on violin history, as well as popular radio host Fred Child. Guests include CMS violinists; prominent contemporary violin maker Samuel Zygmuntowicz; composer and Juilliard’s Dean and Director of the Music Division David Serkin Ludwig; and Amy Biancolli, author of Fritz Kreisler: Love’s Sorrow, Love’s Joy, the definitive contemporary biography of Kreisler.
OPENING NIGHT: THE COMPOSER’S VIOLINIST: JOSEPH JOACHIM (Oct 19)
CMS’s season celebrating the violin opens with a concert program uniting Clara and Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms with the legendary violinist who inspired them: Joseph Joachim. Joachim was the dedicatee of the Brahms Violin Concerto, Robert Schumann and Dvořák’s concertos, and many more. The program includes Clara Schumann’s Three Romances for Violin and Piano, her husband’s Sonata in D minor for Violin and Piano, Brahms’s Sextet No. 2 in G major for Two Violins, Two Violas, and Two Cellos, and the Romance for Violin and Piano by Joachim himself. Performing on this season-opening concert are pianist Gilles Vonsattel, violinists Stella Chen and Lun Li, violists Paul Neubauer and James Thompson, and cellists David Finckel and Paul Watkins.

Wu Han and Anne-Marie McDermott, Piano
SCHUBERTIADE (May 17)
The “Schubertiade” was a concert invented during Franz Schubert’s lifetime by his friends, who would gather for long evenings to enjoy their favorite composer’s music. The finale of CMS’s 2025–2026 season is its own Schubertiade exploring Schubert in three settings: four-hand piano, with the Fantasie in F minor for Piano, Four Hands played by Wu Han and Anne-Marie McDermott; violin and piano duo, with the Rondo in B minor for Violin and Piano played by Benjamin Beilman and Anne-Marie McDermott; and the Trio No. 2 in E-flat major, which took the genre to new heights, played this evening by Beilman, David Finckel, and Wu Han.
STRING QUARTET SERIES
Throughout the 2025–2026 season, CMS welcomes distinguished string quartets from around the world, in varying stages of their careers, to perform great works for this quintessential configuration of instruments.

Top row: Viano Quartet (left) and Miró Quartet; Bottom row: Shanghai Quartet (left) and Escher Quartet
On October 28, the Miró Quartet, well known to CMS audiences, returns in its 30th-anniversary season with a program of works by Haydn, Ginastera, Franck, and Debussy. Following its presentation of the complete Bartók string quartets in the 2023–2024 season, the Escher String Quartet returns on February 10 to perform quartets by Mozart and Dvořák, as well as the New York Premiere of a new viola quintet co-commissioned by CMS, by American composer Chris Rogerson (the 2022 winner of CMS’s Elise L. Stoeger Prize), on which they are joined by violist Paul Neubauer. The Escher String Quartet also performs Verdi and Sibelius quartets on May 3. The 2024–2025 season marked the Viano Quartet’s debut as a CMS Bowers Program ensemble; they return on March 22 for a dedicated program on which they offer a remarkable range of repertoire, from Haydn and Mendelssohn to Shostakovich and Webern. On April 19, CMS presents the Shanghai Quartet in its only New York City appearance this season. They bring a cross-cultural program, with works by Haydn, Dvořák, and Gershwin, as well as Tan Dun’s Feng Ya Song, a piece that launched his international career.
GILBERT KALISH AT 90 (Oct 23)
To honor the 90th birthday of legendary pianist and longtime CMS artist Gilbert Kalish, CMS presents this special event in the Kaplan Penthouse. Kalish first performed Schoenberg’s wild, expressionistic Pierrot Lunaire in the 1950s as a member of Gramercy Chamber Ensemble. This program, curated by Kalish, explores the origins of Pierrot, with Kalish performing solo piano works by Brahms, followed by chamber works of Webern and culminating in Schoenberg’s masterwork itself. Joining Kalish are soprano Tony Arnold, violinist/violist Erin Keefe, cellist Nicholas Canellakis, flute/piccolo player Tara Helen O’Connor, and clarinet/bass clarinetist Jose Franch-Ballester.
AN EVENING WITH JEAN-EFFLAM BAVOUZET — COMPLETE PUBLISHED SOLO PIANO WORKS OF RAVEL (Nov 18)
French pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet brings a great artistic feat in his return to CMS: a recital dedicated to the complete published solo piano works of Maurice Ravel. 2025 marks the 150th anniversary of Ravel’s birth; his extensive output for solo piano includes gems such as Gaspard de la nuit, Le tombeau de Couperin, Valses nobles et sentimentales, and Miroirs.

Living composers whose work is being performed at CMS this season
PREMIERES & CMS COMMISSIONS
CMS is proud to present new commissions and premieres by contemporary composers throughout the season. Receiving their world premieres at CMS are works by Cory Smythe, David Byrd-Marrow, and Valerie Coleman. New York premieres include four works either commissioned or co-commissioned by CMS, by composers Sean Shepherd, Ye Xiaogang, Chris Rogerson (winner of CMS’s 2022 Elise L. Stoeger Prize) and Charlotte Bray; other New York premieres are a second work by Rogerson and new music by Kian Ravaei and Frederic Rzewski.
SONIC SPECTRUM
CMS’s series devoted predominantly to the work of living composers presents four concerts featuring work by an international roster of composers on Thursday evenings.
Composers spotlighted in this season’s Sonic Spectrum are: on November 6, Valerie Coleman (World Premiere), Takashi Yoshimatsu, Chen Yi, Huang Rao, and Kian Ravaei (NY Premiere); on January 22, Sean Shepherd (NY Premiere and CMS Co-commission), Ye Xiaogang (NY Premiere and CMS Co-commission), Charlotte Bray (NY Premiere and CMS Co-commission), and Jörg Widmann; on March 5, John Corigliano, David Serkin Ludwig, and Frederic Rzewski (NY Premiere); and on April 30, Vivian Fung, Joan Tower, and Lou Harrison.
ANNUAL DECEMBER BAROQUE FESTIVAL
A program of Baroque violin concertos, including works by Telemann, Handel, Corelli, J.S. Bach, and Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, opens this year’s Baroque Festival on December 6 and 7. On December 9, J.S. Bach’s prolific output for voice is the focus, with four of his chamber cantatas, including his only cantatas in Italian as well as the comedic “Coffee Cantata.” Vocal soloists include soprano Joélle Harvey, tenor Paul Appleby, and baritone John Moore. To conclude this year’s Baroque Festival, CMS celebrates the holiday season on December 12, 14, and 16 with its hugely popular annual presentation of J.S. Bach’s complete Brandenburg Concertos.
UNUSUAL COMBINATIONS, THEMATIC CONCERTS, AND RARELY HEARD REPERTOIRE
- Beethoven, Mozart, and Vaughan Williams (Nov 15): This concert spotlights the viola, whose unique timbre makes it an instrument of choice for composers seeking to add depth to chamber ensembles. Included are viola quintets by Beethoven, Mozart, Vaughan Williams, and Brett Dean, as well as Bowen’s two viola duos.
- An Evening with Benjamin Beilman and Gloria Chien (Nov 23): Violinist Benjamin Beilman and pianist Gloria Chien present a program exploring the violin’s versatility. The program includes works by violin virtuosi Eugène Ysaÿe (whose 1740 Guarneri del Gesù violin Beilman plays) as well as Bartók, Szymanowski, Franck, and the New York Premiere of Chris Rogerson’s Arietta for Violin and Piano. “I’ve always been intrigued by the way violin virtuosos have shaped and inspired the composers who write for them,” said Beilman. “This program shines a spotlight on how that symbiotic creativity elevates both composer and performer. You can really hear this in the majestic church bell-inspired finale that Franck wrote in honor of his dear friend Eugène Ysaÿe’s wedding, and I am especially excited to bring Chris Rogerson’s work to New York audiences for the first time — a work he wrote for my own wedding.”
- Shostakovich: 1906–1975 (Feb 1): Despite being a highly decorated member of the Communist Party, Dmitri Shostakovich also wrote works that led to multiple denouncements by the Soviets. His body of music speaks to the tension of being both celebrated and denigrated by the Soviet government. In this all-Shostakovich program, the Sitkovetsky Trio performs a work that blends lyrical beauty with uneasy discord; soprano Andriana Chuchman performs songs set to the words of fellow Soviet poet Alexander Blok; and the program concludes with a chamber version of Shostakovich’s final symphony.
- Century of Winds (Mar 13): Music written for various combinations of wind instruments has the challenge, as well as the benefit, of bringing together five distinct instruments to explore multiple blends of timbres. This program comprises Klughardt’s Quintet in C Major for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn; Farrenc’s Sextet in C minor for those five winds plus piano; and smaller-scale works by Emmanuel, Richard Strauss, Czerny, and Jolivet that combine wind instruments in various ways.

Matthew Lipman, Viola and Bridget Kibbey, Harp
- Respighi and Ravel (Mar 29): The harp, played by Bridget Kibbey, contributes its extraordinary timbre to several chamber works on this program, in which five composers — Saint-Saëns, Martinů, Ravel, Jolivet and Respighi — explore varying instrumental combinations to stunning effect.
- Parisian Voices (Apr 12): Paris has long been a haven for innovative composers. At the evening’s heart is Ravel’s Shéhérazade for Voice, Flute, and Piano, featuring the “absolutely beautiful voice” of soprano Erika Baikoff (Bachtrack). Also on this program are works by Saint-Saëns and Duparc, and Fauré’s tempestuous piano quartet.
- Invitation to the Dance (Apr 25): From music written expressly for dancing, to concert works inspired by dance forms, this concert explores the special synergy between music and dance, with works by Mozart, Schubert, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Brahms, Chopin, Tansman, Johann Strauss Jr., and David Serkin Ludwig.
ART OF THE RECITAL (ROSE STUDIO AT CMS)
CMS’s intimate concerts with programs curated by the artists themselves:
- The multifaceted musician Yura Lee — equally proficient on violin and viola — and pianist Angus Webster offer a program of works by Telemann, Schoenberg, Hindemith, Robert Schumann, and Schubert. “This recital program with my piano partner Angus Webster is my musical identity in a nutshell,” said Lee. “As a musician, my passion is understanding the depths of human emotion that drive composers to write such amazing works for us. As a violinist and violist, my zeal comes from pushing the boundaries of what instruments can do — what a human body can do — in the service of artistic creativity and freedom. The composers and works on this program are extraordinary examples of pushing boundaries through the realm of "fantasy" — musically, emotionally, and instrumentally. I look forward to going on this incredible journey with all of you." Lee plays viola in the Hindemith and Schumann works, and violin in the rest of the program. (Oct 30)

Yura Lee, Violin (Oct 30), and David Byrd-Marrow, Horn (Feb 5)
- Horn player David Byrd-Marrow, a versatile artist who is solo hornist in International Contemporary Ensemble and The Knights, and pianist Cory Smythe present an unusual program that includes two world premieres for horn and piano by the artists. “This program is meant to be an expression of gratitude for the horn and the wonderful landscape of music in which the instrument has allowed me to participate. Reflection is also a theme, but the common thread is a search for new horizons. With the introduction of two new works, by Cory Smythe and myself, I hope to discover even more expressive avenues for the instrument that has given me so much.” Also on the program is music by Jérôme Naulais, Wilder, Jörg Widmann, Strayhorn, and Messiaen. (Feb 5)
- Richard Lin and pianist Anne-Marie McDermott collaborate on works by Mozart, Brahms, Fauré and Schoenfield (who passed away in 2024). Lin describes the program as “an evening of masterpieces in A major, spanning centuries, from Mozart’s classical elegance to Schoenfield’s vibrant modernity, with Brahms and Fauré bridging the Romantic era in a rich tapestry of sound.” (Mar 26)
ROSE STUDIO SERIES (6:30 and 9:00 PM)
Concerts in the intimate Rose Studio at CMS explore both classics and rarities of the chamber music repertoire. The 6:30 PM performance offers traditional seating, while the 9:00 PM performance — available as a free livestream — offers cabaret-style seating with a complimentary glass of wine; both performances are hosted by one of the artists performing that evening. Opening the five-concert series on October 16 is the Quintet in E-flat minor for Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Double Bass by Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778–1837). Closing the series on April 23 is a string sextet by rarely heard Swiss composer and pedagogue Joachim Raff (1822–1882). In between, there is music by Mozart, Schumann, and Spohr (Nov 20); Boccherini, Barrière, and D’Ambrosio (Jan 29); and Družecký, Loeffler, and Widor (Mar 19). Complete programs can be found in the chronological list of concerts.
SUMMER EVENINGS, July 2025
Before the fall season begins, CMS returns to Alice Tully Hall in July to present the tenth-anniversary season of Summer Evenings. The season’s six concerts take place July 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, and 26, with all tickets just $20. Each concert features artists from the CMS roster in programs of chamber music that complement the summer spirit — refreshing, invigorating, and fun. CMS is once again offering at least 100 free tickets per performance to the public via lottery partnership with TodayTix; details of the lottery will be available later this spring. Following each performance, the entire audience is invited to a free wine reception with the artists in the lobby.
INSIDE CHAMBER MUSIC
Distinguished composer and radio personality Bruce Adolphe provides insights into masterworks, many of which will be performed during the season. Each lecture includes live performance excerpts from the featured work and a full performance of one movement at the end. The 2025–26 season spotlights works by Felix Mendelssohn (Oct 29), Brahms (Nov 5), Ravel (Nov 12), Mozart (Nov 19 and Feb 11), Dvořák (Feb 4), Stravinsky (Feb 18), and Shostakovich (Feb 25).
CHILDREN’S AND FAMILY CONCERT SERIES
Meet the Music! is CMS’s series of concerts for children ages six and up. Host Bruce Adolphe performs as the wacky Inspector Pulse, the world’s greatest and only private ear. The 2025–26 season starts with Musical Fairy Tales, a journey through fairy tales around the world that are brought to life through music (Nov 16). Magical Mystical Moonlight celebrates the mysteries of the moon with music by Crumb, Beethoven, Debussy, Schoenberg, and Bruce Adolphe (Mar 15). Finally, in Inspector Pulse Pops a String, the Inspector teams up with his string-playing friends to explore pizzicatos, crescendos, vibrato, and more (Apr 26). Children can visit the instrument “petting zoo” before each concert to see and touch the instruments up-close.
Sundays, November 16, March 15, and April 26 at 2:00 PM in Alice Tully Hall, for ages 6 & up.
CMS Kids offers relaxed performances in the Rose Studio at CMS, curated for children ages 3 to 7. Each CMS Kids program is an inclusive concert experience adapted for neurodiverse audiences, including children with autism or other special needs. These performances are presented in a judgment-free environment, and are less formal and more supportive of sensory, communication, movement, and learning needs. A pre-concert guide of “what to expect” is also available for parents and educators to share with children in advance.
Sundays, October 5, January 11, and March 1 at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM in the Rose Studio.
Chronological List of Concerts, CMS 2025-26
COMMITMENT TO ACCESS AND ACCESSIBILITY
During the 2025–26 Season, CMS continues to forge deep connections with the community, as CMS’s activities build stronger bonds with New Yorkers of diverse abilities and heritages.
- Free Performances in the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn: CMS brings free concerts to the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn through the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Initiative for Music and Community Engagement. Audiences will have the chance to hear some of the same progams being presented by CMS at Lincoln Center and on tour.
- Relaxed Performances: All CMS Kids performances are open to all and designed for people with autism, sensory, and communication disorders or learning disabilities, providing a supportive social environment. The artistic integrity of the presentation remains unchanged; however, modifications to social and sensory environment may be made.
- Free Livestreams of Rose Studio Lectures and Performances: Livestreams of performances will be offered regularly and for free on the Chamber Music Society’s website for audiences unable to attend in person.
- Free Rehearsals for NY Metro School Children: CMS deepens its relationship with schools in the NY metro area by inviting school groups to attend dress rehearsals at Alice Tully Hall and the Rose Studio at CMS.
All programs, dates, venues, and artists are subject to change.
About the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) is one of eleven constituents of the largest performing arts complex in the world, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Through its many performance, education, recording, digital, and broadcast activities, CMS brings the experience of great chamber music to more people than any other organization of its kind with a full season in New York, as well as national and international tours. Under the artistic leadership of David Finckel and Wu Han, CMS presents a wide variety of concert series and educational events for listeners of all ages, appealing to both connoisseurs and newcomers. The performing artists constitute a revolving multi-generational and international roster of the world’s best chamber musicians, enabling CMS to present chamber music of every instrumentation, style, and historical period. The CMS Bowers Program, its competitive three-season residency, is dedicated to developing the chamber music leaders of the future and integrates this selection of extraordinary early-career musicians into every facet of CMS activities. Its incomparable digital presence, which regularly enables CMS to reach hundreds of thousands of viewers and listeners around the globe annually, includes: a growing number of live-streamed programs; more than 1,600 hours of performance and education videos free to the public on its website; a 52-week public radio series across the US; radio programming in Taiwan and mainland China; appearances on American Public Media; a new relationship with Apple Music Classical; the monthly program In Concert with CMS on the ALL ARTS broadcast channel; the NY-Emmy-nominated documentary Transcending: The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Celebrates 50 Years; the PBS documentary film, Chamber Music Society Returns; and performances featured on Medici.tv, Tencent, and SiriusXM’s Symphony Hall channel.
Thousands of children, teens, and adults discover the joys of chamber music and deepen their knowledge and appreciation of this beautiful art form through CMS education and community engagement programs. CMS offers an extraordinary number of learning formats and experiences to engage and inform listeners of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of musical knowledge, and to provide unique educational opportunities for the most talented early career chamber musicians. This includes school-based programs for elementary school students; family concerts in both traditional and casual and accessible formats; teen-centered programs; free concerts in the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn through the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Initiative for Music and Community Engagement; master classes throughout the United States and internationally; pre-concert composer chats; and insightful lectures for adults on the season’s repertoire.
The Jerome L. Greene Foundation is the 2025–2026 CMS Season Sponsor.
All CMS digital programming is made possible by the Hauser Fund for Media and Technology.
CMS thanks the following for their leadership support: Ann S. Bowers, The Chisholm Foundation, Sally D. and Stephen M. Clement, III, Judy and Tony Evnin, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc., Marion F. Goldin Charitable Fund, Lincoln Center Corporate Fund, the Susan S. and Kenneth L. Wallach Foundation, Judi Flom, the Sidney E. Frank Foundation, the Howard Gilman Foundation, William B. and Inger G. Ginsberg, Mrs. Phyllis Grann, Mr. and Mrs. Paul B. Gridley, Martha Hall, Gail and Walter Harris, Matthew D. Hoffman and Donald R. Crawshaw, Robert and Suzanne Hoglund, Christopher Hughes and Sean Eldridge, Jane and Peter Keegan, The Lehoczky and Escobar Family, Beatrice Liu and Philip Lovett, Melanie and David W. Niemiec, Mr. and Mrs. James P. O'Shaughnessy, the Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund, Photeine Anagnostopoulos and James Stynes, and the US-China Cultural Institute, in memory of Shirley Young.
CMS education and community engagement programs are made possible, in part, with support from the Hearst Foundations, The Chisholm Foundation, Sally D. and Stephen M. Clement, III, the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Foundation, Tiger Baron Foundation, the Colburn Foundation, Con Edison, The Rea Charitable Trust, The Frank and Helen Hermann Foundation, Alice Ilchman Fund, the Daniel and Joanna S. Rose Fund, and the Martha Zalles Charitable Trust.
CMS new music programming is supported, in part, by Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation, Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Inc., and the Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University.
Public funds are provided by the National Endowment for the Arts; New York City Council Member Gale A. Brewer; the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council; and the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.