Chamber Music in NorCal

Room: Veranda. The Miró Quartet returns in a program that features Schubert’s final word on the string quartet: his epic G major Quartet, one of his most expansive and psychologically complex works.

Step into the refined world of the French royal court with a delightful morning of music by François Couperin, a leading composer at the court of King Louis XIV, the “Sun King.” Performed by members of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra on period instruments and in the style of the time, Couperin’s chamber works blend Italian passion with French elegance, unfolding in graceful dances, lyrical tunes, and rich color from Baroque-era wooden flutes. This intimate concert evokes the salons of Paris and the grandeur of Versailles, all in the welcoming atmosphere of a relaxed morning coffee concert. Hosted by The Conservatory at One Sansome , with free coffee and pastries provided by our friends at Holbrook House . With support from 836M . Free and open to the public. Perfect for downtown professionals, neighbors, and anyone looking to escape into a sound world of the past. Program COUPERIN — Sonade from “La Françoise” from Les Nations COUPERIN — Concert Royaux No. 1 COUPERIN — Dance Suite from “La Françoise” from Les Nations Performers Stephen Schultz, flute Mindy Rosenfeld, flute Elisabeth Reed, viola da gamba Corey Jamason, harpsichord Next Up Coffee Concert – September 18

Date: Tue, Aug 25, 7:30 PM

Noontime Concerts: Karina Tseng, piano

Format: OrchestraFree

Venue: Old St. Mary's Cathedral • Neighborhood: San Francisco Bay Area • Map • Details

FREE EVENT LIVE STREAM LINK (Available at time of concert) Karina Tseng returns to perform a tour-de-force solo recital at Noontime Concerts. A native of the Bay Area, Karina has established herself as a compelling performer on the international stage. The festival is proud to welcome her back for this special program. Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) From Preludes & Fugues Op.87 Prelude & Fugue No.7 in A Major Prelude & Fugue No.5 in D Major Ludwig van Beethoven ( 1770-1827) Sonata No. 13 in E-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1, "Sonata quasi una fantasia" Franz Liszt (1811-1886) Sonata in B minor, S. 178 Karina Tseng, piano* *Laureate of the Ross McKee Piano Competition American pianist Karina Tseng is a San Francisco Bay Area native currently based in Italy and Switzerland. Karina has performed alongside the Vallès Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Festival Orchestra, Palo Alto Philharmonic, and New Millennium Chamber Orchestra, and given recitals in the United States and Italy. She was winner of the 2025 Andrea Baldi Competition in Bologna, Italy, and earned top recognition at the 2025 Ricard Viñes (Lleida, Spain), 2025 National Chopin (Miami, USA), and 2025 Samson François (Nice, France) Competitions. She was also the winner of the 2022 Marian Garcia Competition and a finalist at the 2023 Bösendorfer USASU Competition. In 2020, Karina was inducted into the distinguished MTAC (Music Teachers Association of California) Young Artist Guild, through which she was offered recital opportunities throughout California. As an artist who cherishes connecting and engaging with her audience, she c

Date: Tue, Aug 25, 10:00 PM

McKee Masterclass I: Elizabeth Dorman

Format: OrchestraFree

Venue: Noe Valley Ministry • Neighborhood: San Francisco Bay Area • Map • Details

FREE RESERVATION The McKee Masterclass series has become a staple of the San Francisco International Piano Festival. Distinguished pianist and educator Elizabeth Dorman will launch the series, coaching young artists in masterpieces of the piano literature. All are welcome to this free event! Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) Une barque sur l’océan from Miroirs Meining Wu, piano* György Ligeti (1923-2006) Etude no.13 “L’escalier du diable” Claire Chang, piano* *Laureate of the Ross McKee Piano Competition Praised by Joshua Kosman of the San Francisco Chronicle for her “elegance and verve,” pianist Elizabeth Dorman enjoys performing music both new and old as a soloist and chamber musician. A prizewinner of the 2018 Leipzig International Bach Competition and the 2017 Pro Musicis Father Merlet Award, Elizabeth has been widely recognized as a leading performer for her inquisitive interpretations of Bach’s music on th modern piano. Elizabeth has appeared as soloist with orchestras including the Louisville Orchestra, the Leipzig Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra, the Santa Rosa Symphony, the California Symphony, the Vallejo Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Folsom Lake Symphony, the Stanford Summer Symphony, Symphony Parnassus, as a soloist for interdisciplinary projects at New World Symphony, and she can be heard regularly performing as guest Keyboard at the San Francisco Symphony. She has recorded for Navona and Delos records, including as a soloist with Santa Rosa Symphony. Elizabeth and wasawarded a Doctor of Musical Arts from Stony Brook University where she studi

Date: Sun, Aug 30, 11:00 PM

Festival Finale: Symphonic Dances

Format: OrchestraTicketed

Venue: Old First Concerts • Neighborhood: San Francisco Bay Area • Map • Details

TICKETS LIVE STREAM LINK The festival concludes its kaleidoscopic journey with a program of dazzling musical fireworks. Beginning with Gershwin's irresistible Cuban Overture for two pianos, the program includes performances from Liam Teague and Jaden Teague-Núnez that showcase the versatility and virtuosity of the steelpan. The festival will close with Rachmaninoff's final masterpiece, the Symphonic Dances (1940). Written while Rachmaninoff was living in the United States, it would prove to be his last major composition. This two piano score was given its private premiere with the composer and Vladimir Horowitz in Beverly Hills in August of 1942. Originally subtitled "Noon", "Twilight", and "Midnight", the three movements of this expansive work weave together driving rhythms of city life, endlessly beautiful melodies, shadowy chromaticism, and allusions to Rachmaninoff's own first symphony with the Dies Irae chant that haunted his music throughout his life. The festival is proud to welcome Elizabeth Dorman to the stage in her festival debut. A San Francisco native, Ms. Dorman has performed nationally and abroad to great acclaim, including appearances with the Leipzig Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra, the Louisville Orchestra, as keyboardist with the San Francisco Symphony, and as recitalist and chamber musician at prominent venues including Carnegie Hall, Tanglewood, and the Banff Centre. Dorman is joined by founder and artistic director Jeffrey LaDeur, pianist and educator known for his musical leadership and compelling performance style. Don't miss this thrilling conclusion

Room: Silverado Room. Perpetual motion in music evokes the illusion of something that never stops; sound set into continuous motion with unbroken energy. This technically dazzling non-stop program begins with Paganini's Moto perpetuo and concludes with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio in D minor.