The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is bringing audiences closer to the music next season with four intimate Winstead Chamber Series concerts, including a rare performance by Music Director Cristian Măcelaru on violin.
Named for longtime CSO bassoonist Bill Winstead, who spent 32 years with the orchestra, the series is curated by CSO musicians and features chamber performances in the Music Hall Ballroom.
The 2026-27 season opens Sept. 22 with “Brahms: Radiant Joy,” a program featuring Alyssa Mercedes Mena’s “El Ajiaco,” Valerie Coleman’s “Umoja: Anthem of Unity,” Carl Nielsen’s “Serenata in vano,” Keeril Makan’s “2” and concluding with Brahms’ String Sextet No. 1.
On Jan. 19, “Strings in Conversation” pairs film composer Miklós Rózsa’s Sonata for Two Violins and Alexander Borodin’s String Quartet No. 2 – which inspired themes in the Broadway show “Kismet” – with Mendelssohn’s youthful Octet. The concert also marks Măcelaru’s return to his roots as a violinist as he joins CSO musicians in the Mendelssohn.
The series continues April 20 with “Faith & Reflection,” featuring contrasting works – Osvaldo Golijov’s distinctly Jewish “The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind” followed by Brahms’ singular, iconic Clarinet Quintet.
The season wraps up May 11 with “Debussy, Mendelssohn & Dvořák: On Love & Dance,” featuring Debussy’s Petite Suite for Flute, Clarinet and Piano; Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No. 2; and Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 10.
All concerts begin at 7 p.m. More details available on the CSO website.
Discover more from Movers & Makers
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.