Mead Witter School of Music

Kwanho Song - DMA Recital
2026-02-24 19:30 (America/Chicago) | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | No ticket required
Kwanho Song DMA Piano Recital
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Program
Prelude and Fugue in A Minor in Book 2, BWV889 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Piano Sonata Op.78 No.24 in F# Major Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Préludes / Book 1, L.117: 8. La fille aux cheveux de lin Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
Piano Sonata in B minor, S.178 Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Carmen J. Lemos Gonzalez - Master's Recital
2026-02-23 19:30 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | No ticket required
Carmen J. Lemos Gonzalez Master’s Piano Recital
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Program
The Well-Tempered Clavier Vol. II, Prelude and Fugue in G minor, BWV 885, No. 16 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Piano Sonata No. 30, Op. 109 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
I. Vivace ma non troppo, sempre legato – Adagio espressivo
II. Prestissimo
III. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung. Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo
Ballade Op. 6 Amy Marcy Beach (1867-1944)
Etude No. 1 in G minor Harrison Leslie Adams (1932-2024)
En la Sierra Op. 32 Alberto Williams (1862-1952)
I En la colina sombreada
Levante Osvaldo Golijov (b. 1960)
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Carmen J. Lemos Gonzalez is a pianist from Córdoba, Argentina. She is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Piano Performance at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she studies under the guidance of Dr. Jessica Johnson. She is also completing a Certificate in Higher Education Teaching and Learning.
Carmen earned her Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance at the University of Memphis, studying with Dr. Artina McCain, and completed the Trayecto Artístico Profesional in Piano at the Conservatorio Superior de Música Félix T. Garzón, where her principal teachers were Prof. Victoria Asurmendi and Prof. Gustavo Zaka.
In addition to her formal studies, she has participated in masterclasses with esteemed artists including Anton Nel (University of Texas), Mirian Conti (Juilliard School), Inna Faliks (UCLA), Luis Ascot (Conservatory of Geneva), Gabriel Kwok (Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts), and José Ramos Santana (NYU).
Passionate about both solo and collaborative performance, Carmen has appeared on the television program Banca el Arte at the Theatre of Río Cuarto, at the Museum Manuel de Falla, in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition, and as a soloist with the Orquesta Sinfónica Alberto Ginastera.
She currently teaches group piano classes at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and has previously taught private piano and music theory to students of all ages and levels. Most recently, she was awarded the Gold Award at the 2025 Brahms International Online Competition.

Chamber Percussion Ensemble - Student Ensemble Series
2026-02-23 19:30 | Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | No ticket required
Also streaming live
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Program

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The Chamber Percussion Ensemble is a chamber group dedicated to the performance of significant and interesting works from diverse compositional trends of the 20th and 21st centuries. While an emphasis is placed on unconducted works, the group also regularly performs conducted pieces for up to 15 percussionists. Professors Anthony Di Sanza, Todd Hammes and Tom Ross coache the ensemble with assistance from graduate students in the percussion program. Guest artists regularly perform with the ensemble and guest composers are often featured.

Memorial Carillon
2026-02-22 15:00 | Carillon Tower, 1160 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Lyle Anderson, University Carillonneur Emeritus
I. UW school songs
The University Hymn
On Wisconsin
Songs to Thee, Wisconsin
Fanfare, from Pages of American History (Leen ’t Hart, 1976)
Prelude for Carillon (Myron J. Roberts, 1964)
The President’s March (anonymous, American, c. 1790;
arranged for carillon by Milford Myhre, 1976)
II. Lament, from Three Designs (Milford Myhre, 1960)
Four spirituals, arr. Leen ’t Hart, 1966
It’s me, o Lord
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Swing low, sweet chariot
Steal away
III. Pastel in Bronze (Albert Gerken, 1975)
Chester (hymntune by William Billings, c. 1778; arr. Milford Myhre, 1976)
Washington’s March no. 1 and no. 2 (anonymous, American, c. 1784;
arr. Milford Myhre, 1976)
IV. Solnedgangen [“sunsets”] (Brooke M. Becker, c. 2005)
Toccata for 42 Bells (Robert Moore, 1956)
Varsity

Keegan Kainz - Elective Recital
2026-02-21 19:30 | Morphy Recital Hall, 455 N. Park St., Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | No ticket required
Keegan Kainz Elective Violin Recital
Keegan Kainz, violin
Eric Tran, piano
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Program
Partita No. 1 in B minor for Solo Violin, BWV 1002 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
I. Allemande – Double
II. Courante – Double
III. Sarabande – Double
IV. Tempo di Bourrée – Double
Memory for Solo Violin Chen Yi (b. 1953)
Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)
I. Allegro molto appassionato
II. Andante
III. Allegretto non troppo – Allegro molto vivace

Kelby Schnepel - DMA Lecture Recital
2026-02-21 17:00 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | No ticket required
Kelby Schnepel DMA Conducting Lecture Recital
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Program
El Condor Pasa Daniel Alomía Robles, arr. Buchanan
Suite peruana Celso Garrido-Lecca
I. Juego de terceras
II. Negrito de Malambo
III. Sicuri
IV. Quena y antara
V. Torito de Pucará
VI. Tondero
Danzas populares Andinas Celso Garrido-Lecca
I. Alegre
II. Lento
III. Rítmico
IV. Andante
V. Alegre

Laura Schwendinger - Faculty Artist Series
2026-02-20 19:30 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Purchase tickets
$20 general admission
Students free (ticket required)
Also streaming live
Mead Witter School of Music Faculty Artist Series
Works by Laura Schwendinger with
Christopher Taylor and Eric Tran, piano
Sarah Brailey, soprano
Sally Chisholm, viola
Dawn Dongeun Wohn, violin
Trace Johnson, cello
Timothy Mullins, flute
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Laura Schwendinger, composer of Artemisia, winner of the 2023 American Academy of Arts and Letters Opera award, was the first composer to win the Berlin Prize. A Professor of music composition at UW–Madison, her works have been championed by Dawn Upshaw, Jennifer Koh, Janine Jansen, Matt Haimovitz, the Arditti, JACK and Spektral Quartets, International Contemporary Ensemble, Eighth-Blackbird, Juilliard, American Composers Orchestra, and Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra of Hungary.
Her music has been performed at the Kennedy & Lincoln Centers, Berlin Philharmonic, Wigmore & Carnegie Halls, Miller Theater & Théâtre Châtelet, Tanglewood, Aspen, Ojai, Talis, & Bennington Music Festivals. She has received further fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, Radcliffe Institute at Harvard, Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center, First Prize of the 1995 ALEA III International Competition, as well as multiple fellowships from the American Academy Arts Letters, Copland House, Fromm, Koussevitzky and Bogliasco Foundations, MacDowell and Yaddo Colonies.
Her music has been called “captivating, artful and moving”, “music of infinite beauty” in the New York Times, as well as “the genuine article..onto the ’season’s best list “ in the Boston Globe. Recent premieres include her second opera, Cabaret of Shadows, a Fromm Commission produced by Musiqa in Houston, Nightingales for Eleanor Bartsch and Ariana Kim, a consortium commission with the Dubuque & UW Symphony Orchestras, and a harp concerto, Second Sight for Atlanta Symphony Principal Harpist Elisabeth Remy Johnson, commissioned for the 100th anniversary of the Emory University Orchestra program, a solo cello work, commissioned as part of Matt Haimovitz’s Primavera Project and Silent Springs for Cantori’s 40th anniversary concert. A San Francisco Classical Voice review of her opera read “Artemisia is sumptuous on every level” and Colin Clarke wrote of her JACK CD QUARTETS, “the sheer intensity of the music is spellbinding…the passion shines through like..light.”

Global Impact Musician x UW-Madison
2026-02-19 19:30 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | No ticket required
Also streaming live
You are invited to a special fundraising event in support of the Global Impact Musician (GIM) Program.
GIM is a cross-cultural collaboration with the Mead Witter School Music that brings together artists from East Africa and UW–Madison to create innovative projects exploring how music intersects across sectors.
The event includes live performances by Dan Cavanagh, piano, and Sarah Brailey, soprano, and a panel discussion with Dr. Wanjiku Mwotia, former UN translator, and Harry Kiiru, UW–Madison PhD candidate in African Cultural Studies.

Concert Band - Student Ensemble Series
2026-02-19 19:30 | Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Purchase tickets
$20 general admission
Students free (ticket required)
Also streaming live
Corey Pompey, conductor
Tyler Schuster, guest conductor
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Program

Wind Ensemble - Student Ensemble Series
2026-02-17 19:30 | Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Purchase tickets
$20 general admission
Students free (ticket required)
Also streaming live
With Rolling Meadows High School Symphonic Band
Scott Teeple, conductor
Elliott Hile, conductor
Otto Hommons, soprano saxophone
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Program

Wisconsin Gagok Ensemble
2026-02-15 14:00 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | No ticket required
Also streaming live
Jessica Schwefel, mezzo soprano
Youngjoo Hong, soprano
Susan Gaeddert, piano
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Program

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Since our founding in 2023, the Wisconsin Gagok Ensemble has been dedicated to the promotion and performance of Korean Art Song in Wisconsin and beyond. Soprano Youngjoo Hong, Mezzo Soprano Jessica Schwefel, and Pianist Susan Gaeddert curate programs of music by 20th and 21st century Korean Art Song composers. We strive to make this art form more accessible for western audiences. We collaborate with other artists and performers to cultivate other aspects Korean and Korean American culture in our state. Please visit www.wigagokensemble.weebly.com for more information.
Performers
Youngjoo Hong, soprano, is a dynamic musician in both the concert and teaching fields. Along with her interpretation of standard repertoire, Youngjoo is a passionate performer and advocate of contemporary and early music. She holds a Music Education degree (BM) and a Master of Music (MM) in Voice Performance from the University of Wisconsin Madison.
Her recent performance of a Korean Art Song Recital at Grace Episcopal Church in Madison was impressively received. In 2023, Youngjoo performed her solo voice recital in Seoul and Pusan, South Korea. Also, Youngjoo’s Master’s Recital at UW–Madison at the Hamel Music center in February 2020 was a huge success. Prior to entering the master’s program in UW– Madison, Youngjoo taught General Music and Choral Music in the Middleton Cross plains Area School District. As a church choir director, Youngjoo has served in the Korean Catholic Community mass for many years at the St. Paul University Center. Youngjoo maintains a private voice studio and is a member of the voice and piano faculty at Harmony Conservatory of Music in Waunakee. She is currently the Vocal Music Teacher at St. Maria Goretti Catholic School.
Youngjoo currently resides in Madison, WI with her husband, researcher in UW-Waisman Center, Jinkuk Hong.
Dr. Susan Gaeddert is a seasoned collaborative pianist who has spent more than two decades as a professional accompanist, coach and teacher working with students of all ages as well as professionals to prepare repertoire for recitals and auditions. She has toured with Opera For The Young, taught at Edgewood College, and performed with a number of local musicians at festivals and recitals in the Madison area.
Susan holds masters degrees in Piano Performance, Pedagogy, and Collaborative Piano from UW-Madison, where she earned a doctorate in 2007 and was a winner of the Shain Competition for piano and woodwind duos. Susan recently obtained a degree in Urban/Regional Planning, and she now works for Transportation Services at UW-Madison.
Mezzo soprano, Dr. Jessica Schwefel, is currently a Lecturer of Voice at the Mead-Witter School of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has performed in over 35 operatic productions with Madison Opera, Opera for the Young, Fresco Opera Theatre, UW Opera, Music By The Lake, among others. Jessica was also a member of the Florentine Opera Chorus for over a decade, where she had been involved in a number of productions and outreach performances. Her involvement with the Florentine Opera resulted in a GRAMMY award nomination in 2020, and three GRAMMY awards in 2012 and 2013.
An accomplished solo singer, Jessica has held recent engagements with the Madison Choral Project, LunART Festival, Four Seasons Theatre, the Civic Symphony of Green Bay, Madison Bach Musicians, Present Music, Oshkosh Chamber Singers, and many more.
Jessica’s articles have been published in the VOICEPrints Journal of the NYSTA, the NATS Journal of Singing, as well as the Wisconsin School Musician (WSMA). She resides in McFarland, WI where she maintains her private voice studio, the Timman Music Studio. Jessica has taught studio voice previously at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Madison College, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Jessica’s students have been recipients of numerous music scholarships and awards and also perform in a variety of venues around the country. Jessica received a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is currently the Corresponding Secretary for the Wisconsin NATS Board (National Association of Teachers of Singing) and Treasurer for the Madison Youth Arts (MYArts) Board.

Anna Desfor - DMA Recital
2026-02-15 11:00 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | No ticket required
Anna Desfor DMA Percussion Recital
Anna Desfor
Kendal Schreiber
Tanner Day
Jaime Cárdenas
Trevor Maliborski
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Program
Elyl and Tap Emmanuel Séjourné (b. 1961)
Estrellita Manuel Ponce (1882-1948)
Relative Riffs Alejandro Viñao (b. 1951)
Vibe Suite Mark Glentworth (b. 1960)
1. Broken Silence
2. Ilmo
3. Sunbell
Musical Pictures Csaba Marjan (b. 1983)

University Symphony Orchestra - Student Ensemble Series
2026-02-13 19:30 | Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Purchase tickets
$20 general admission
Students free (ticket required)
Also streaming live
Pre-concert talk begins at 7 pm
Oriol Sans, conductor
Joseph Mahin, graduate student conductor
Featuring Timothy Sachtleben, cello
Winner of the 2025 Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition
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Program
A journey through lights and shadows, this program brings together four striking orchestral voices. The radiant exploration of motion and brightness of Jennifer Higdon’s Light will turn inward with Dmitri Shostakovich’s Second Cello Concerto, a work of haunting intensity that offers a stark, searching meditation marked by irony and grit. Timothy Sachtleben, 2025 Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition winner, will be the soloist.
In Elysium, Samy Moussa creates a luminous sound world suspended between stillness and awe; it is orchestral music that seems to breathe in slow, glowing arcs, just like the space where is was premiered, La Sagrada Família in Barcelona. The concert will conclude with Leonard Bernstein’s electrifying Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, where jazz, Latin rhythms, and symphonic sweep collide in a thrilling celebration of love, passion, and drama, all with an unmistakable Broadway flair.

Daniel Grabois - Faculty Artist Series
2026-02-11 19:30 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Purchase tickets
$20 general admission
Students free (ticket required)
Mead Witter School of Music Faculty Artist Series
Daniel Grabois, horn, melodica, Continuum Fingerboard
Christopher Taylor, piano
Meg Lamm, violin
Michael Bell, guitar
Eleni Katz, bassoon
Tom Curry, tuba
Matthew Onstad, trumpet
Todd Hammes, percussion
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Program

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Daniel Grabois is Professor of Horn at the Mead Witter School of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he performs in the Wisconsin Brass Quintet and serves as the Curator of SoundWaves, a series he created that combines science lectures with music performances. The former Chair of Contemporary Performance at the Manhattan School of Music, Grabois now serves as Director of the Electro-Acoustic Research Space (EARS), a facility which he founded with funding from a UW2020 large-equipment grant. Grabois is also the hornist in the Meridian Arts Ensemble, a New York City based brass quintet founded in 1987. With Meridian, he has performed over seventy world premieres, released twelve CDs, received two ASCAP/CMA Adventuresome Programming Awards, and toured worldwide, in addition to recording or performing with rock legends Duran Duran and Natalie Merchant and performing the music of Frank Zappa for the composer himself. Grabois has also created numerous arrangements and compositions for Meridian.
A freelance musician from 1989 to 2011, Grabois performed with most of the classical music ensembles in New York City, including the Metropolitan Opera, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, New York City Opera, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and St. Luke’s Chamber Orchestra. He appeared on numerous recordings of classical music, rock, and jazz, and played in Broadway pits (some 36 shows, in thousands of performances).
In 2022, Grabois released his second solo album, Fire Names, for horn and tape. He composed the music for that CD as well as for his previous CD, Air Names. The next recording in the series, Earth Names, will be released in 2025, and Water Names will be released in 2026. Grabois’ compositions, including four etude books and numerous chamber and solo works, are published by Wave Front Music.
In addition to his work as a horn player, composer, arranger, and electronic musician, Grabois is also an avid woodworker and practitioner of martial arts.
Daniel Grabois is a Yamaha Performing Artist.

Joyce DiDonato and Time for Three - Performance Class
2026-02-11 16:30 - 18:30 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | No ticket required
Open to the public
Presented in partnership with the Wisconsin Union Theater
Joyce DiDonato and Time For Three host a performance class with School of Music students.
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Multi-Grammy Award winner and 2018 Olivier Award winner for Outstanding Achievement in Opera, Kansas-born Joyce DiDonato entrances audiences across the globe, and has been proclaimed “perhaps the most potent female singer of her generation” by The New Yorker. With a voice “nothing less than 24-carat gold” according to The Times, Joyce has towered at the top of the industry both as a performer, a producer, and a fierce advocate for the arts. With a repertoire spanning over four centuries, a varied and highly acclaimed discography, and industry-leading projects, her artistry has defined what it is to be a singer in the 21st century.
Grammy and Emmy-winning ensemble Time For Three (TF3) defies convention, merging classical, Americana, and singer-songwriter traditions into a singular, remarkable sound that captivates audiences worldwide. Consisting of Ranaan Meyer (double bass, vocals), Nicolas “Nick” Kendall (violin, vocals) and Charles Yang (violin, vocals), TF3’s collaborations with top composers and artists, appearances with major orchestras and conductors, commitment to encouraging the next generation of musicians, and relentless pursuit of creative boundary pushing has solidified them as one of the most exceptional groups on the scene today.

Spencer Hart - DMA Recital
2026-02-10 19:30 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | No ticket required
Spencer Hart DMA Tuba Recital
Spencer Hart, tuba
Wade Matthew Troyer, piano
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Program
Suite No. 5 Alec Wilder
I: Lively
II: Slowly and Sustained
III: Leisurely
IV: Steadily
Sonatine Jennifer Glass
I: Allegro non troppo
II: Lento
III: Tempo di valse
IV: Presto
Abiaka Joy Zickau (Consortium Premiere)
I: With Vigor
II: Adagio
III: Sprightly
Intermission
Sweet Dances Raum
Blew Tango
Dot Polka
Waltzin’ Matuba
A Hard Knight’s Day
Three Romances for Susie Barbara York
I: Adagio
II: Joyfully
III: Tenderly
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Join Spencer as he completes his first DMA degree recital! Silly, Serious, Sharp, and Sweet: Spencer’s Shades of Tuba will feature a variety of styles, sonorities, and sentiments that showcase the musical scope of solo tuba.

John Wagner - DMA Lecture Recital
2026-02-09 19:30 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | No ticket required
John Wagner DMA Trumpet Lecture Recital
John Wagner, trumpet
Vincent Fuh, piano
Holly Wagner, violin
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Program
And the Mountain Moved Aaron DuBois (b. 1999)
Reflection Aaron DuBois
Be Still Aaron DuBois
Runningwater Aaron DuBois
Adirondack Concerto Aaron DuBois
I. Dawn on the Lake
II. Star-Dusted Eventide
III. Carousel Fugue

Memorial Carillon
2026-02-08 15:00 | Carillon Tower, 1160 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Lyle Anderson, University Carillonneur Emeritus
I. UW school songs
The University Hymn
On Wisconsin
Songs to Thee, Wisconsin
Prélude Romantique (Frank Steijns, 1996)
More love (Shaker hymn, early 1870s; arranged for carillon by Ronald Barnes, 1976)
II. Preludio 2, in C-Major (Matthias Vanden Gheyn, c. 1755;
edition of Gilbert Huybens & Luc Rombouts, 1997)
Marja: Ode to Love (Dick Le Mair, 2018)
To a wild rose (Edward MacDowell, 1896; arr. Milford Myhre, 1976)
III. Preludio II – Homage to M.v.d.G. (Neil Thornock, 2018)
Soliloquy for bells (Richard H. Schroeder, 1963)
Tenting on the Old Camp Ground (Walter Kittredge, 1864; arr. Milford Myhre, 1976)
IV. Two American folksongs, with variations (arr. Leen ’t Hart, 1978)
Spanish is the loving tongue
Black is the color of my true love’s hair
Passing Thought No. 2 (Anthony Skilbeck, 2007)
Varsity

Live from the Mead Witter School of Music - Folktales & Legends, Sarah Brailey, Julia Rottmayer, and Deirdre Brenner
2026-02-08 12:30 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | No ticket required
Also streaming live
Live from the Mead Witter School of Music presents:
Folktales & Legends
Sarah Brailey, soprano
Julia Rottmayer, soprano
Deirdre Brenner, piano
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Program

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“Live from the Mead Witter School of Music” is a chamber music series held the second Sunday of each month at the Hamel Music Center during the academic year.
The series is made available by the generosity of donors to the David and Kato Perlman Live from the Mead Witter School of Music Fund.

Alicia Lee - Faculty Artist Series
2026-02-05 19:30 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Purchase tickets
$20 general admission
Students free (ticket required)
Also streaming live
Mead Witter School of Music Faculty Artist Series
Alicia Lee, clarinet
Deirdre Brenner, piano
Vincent Fuh, piano
Eleni Katz, bassoon
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Program

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Clarinetist Alicia Lee enjoys a diverse musical life performing old and new works in solo, chamber, and orchestral settings.
As a resident of New York City for over a decade, Alicia performed and toured regularly with a variety of groups including The Knights, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Alarm Will Sound, and NOVUS NY. Since 2015, she has been a member of NOW Ensemble, with whom she has premiered dozens of new works written for the ensemble.
She is a founding member of Decoda, the Affiliate Ensemble of Carnegie Hall. Founded on the principles established during their time as fellows in Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect program, Decoda artists are committed equally to virtuosic performance and audience engagement across the globe. She also serves as co-director of the Decoda Chamber Music Festival, one of the ensemble’s flagship educational programs.
Her festival appearances include Marlboro, Lucerne, Spoleto USA, Yellow Barn, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Bay Chamber Concerts.
Alicia was formerly the associate principal and E-flat clarinet player of the Santa Barbara Symphony, a position she held for seven seasons. She also performed as solo bass clarinetist of the Bergen Philharmonic in Norway during the 2013-14 season. She holds a bachelor’s degree in French Language and Literature from Columbia University, and pursued musical studies at The Juilliard School Charles Neidich and Ayako Oshima as a part of the Columbia-Juilliard exchange program. She earned additional degrees from the University of Southern California and The Colburn School, where she was a student of Yehuda Gilad.
Born into a musical family, Alicia grew up in Michigan, where she began her early studies on violin and piano and eventually made the switch to clarinet by age 12.
She currently resides in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband, bass player and composer, Kris Saebo, their son Jack, and Bonnie the sheepadoodle. She is Associate Professor of clarinet at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she also performs with the Wingra Wind Quintet.

Matthew Zalkind and Alice Yoo - Faculty Artist Series
2026-02-02 19:30 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Purchase tickets
$20 general admission
Students free (ticket required)
Also streaming live
Mead Witter School of Music Faculty Artist Series
Matthew Zalkind and Alice Yoo, cello
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Program

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Praised for his “impressive refinement, eloquent phrasing, and singing tone” by The New York Times, American cellist Matthew Zalkind regularly performs throughout the United States and abroad as a recitalist, soloist, and chamber musician. He was awarded First Prize in the Washington International Competition, as well as top prizes in the Beijing International Cello Competition and Korea’s Isang Yun Gyeongnam International Competition.
As a soloist, Matt has performed recitals at the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, the Moscow Conservatory in Russia, the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater in Washington, DC, and the Beijing Concert Hall in China. He has appeared as a concerto soloist with the Utah Symphony, Albany Symphony, Hongzhou Philharmonic, Musica Viva Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Tongyeong International Music Festival Orchestra, Music Academy of the West Festival Orchestra, Juilliard Symphony Orchestra, and numerous other North American orchestras. He has performed under the baton of celebrated conductors including Ludovic Morlot, Thierry Fischer, Giancarlo Guerrero, and David Alan Miller.
An active chamber musician, Matt has appeared at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater, New York’s Alice Tully Hall, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a former member of the acclaimed Harlem String Quartet, he toured internationally with jazz legends Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea, and Gary Burton. He regularly participates in prominent chamber music festivals, including Marlboro and Musicians from Marlboro tours. Alongside his wife, cellist Alice Yoo, Matt is the Co-Artistic Director of the Denver Chamber Music Festival, a premier destination for world-class chamber music in Colorado. More information is available at denverchambermusicfestival.org.
Matt is a dedicated teacher and currently teaches at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. His students have been recognized on national and international concert stages. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, as well as a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan. A native of Salt Lake City, his primary mentors included Richard Hoyt, Pegsoon Whang, Hans Jørgen Jensen, Timothy Eddy, and Richard Aaron. Matt performs on a rare Italian cello made by Florentine maker Luigi Piatellini in 1760.
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Cellist Alice Yoo has been warmly hailed for her sensitive musicianship, expressive nuance, and passionate commitment to teaching. She has performed extensively throughout the United States and abroad as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician.
Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of the Denver Chamber Music Festival, she and cellist Matthew Zalkind have created a new chamber music festival in Denver, Colorado that features the world’s most sought-after chamber musicians in world-class chamber music summer concerts all around the city of Denver.
A sought after chamber musician, Yoo has performed with distinguished artists including James Ehnes, Itzhak Perlman, Mitsuko Uchida, Dénes Varjon, Pamela Frank, Miriam Fried, Midori Goto, Kim Kashkashian, Jonathan Biss, and members of the Cleveland, Guarneri, Takacs, and Juilliard Quartets. Festival appearances include the Marlboro Music Festival, Moab Music Festival, Ravinia Festival, Music@Menlo, Yellow Barn, Caramoor Evnin Rising Stars, Perlman Music Program, VIVO Music Festival, Olympic Music Festival, and IMS Prussia Cove Open Chamber Music. Yoo regularly appears on tour with Musicians from Marlboro and performs with premiere ensembles including the New York Classical Players, East Coast Chamber Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra, and The Knights.
Yoo is currently on the string and chamber music faculty at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music. She previously held the post of guest cello professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder during the 2018-2019, 2022, and 2024 school years. She currently holds teaching posts at the Green Mountain Music Festival, Lamont Summer Academy, and Boulder Cello Festival. Previous teaching posts include Guest Artist at the 2019 and 2021 Intermountain Suzuki String Institute, faculty of cello and chamber music at Bard College’s Preparatory Division, Colorado State University, and masterclasses and residencies across the United States including Skidmore College, North Dakota State University, and more. From 2012-2014, Yoo was a member of Ensemble Connect (ACJW), a program of Carnegie Hall, the Juilliard School of Music, and the Weill Music Institute in partnership with the New York City Department of Education.
Yoo is a top prize winner in several competitions, including the Holland-America Music Society Competition, Schadt International String Competition, National Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artist Competition, and Klein International String Competition. Solo appearances with orchestra include the USC Chamber Orchestra, Longmont Symphony, Cleveland Philharmonic, New York Classical Players, Billings Symphony, and the Bozeman Symphony. Her performances have been featured and broadcasted on Colorado Public Radio, Chicago’s WFMT, and Boston’s WGBH.
Passionate for new music, Yoo has worked closely with the esteemed composers Sophia Gubaidulina, Jennifer Hidgon, György Kurtág, Paul Wiankco, and John Harbison. She has given world premieres of acclaimed composers Samuel Carl Adams and Andy Akiho at Carnegie Hall. Recent recordings include Pierre Jalbert’s String Trio for Music at Copland House, music of the Tonight Show band The Roots, and works by Andy Akiho and Derek Bermel with Grammy award-winning producer Judith Sherman.
A native of Bozeman, Montana, Yoo’s teachers include Ralph Kirshbaum, Dr. Ilse-Mari Lee, Richard Aaron, and Paul Katz. She holds degrees from the New England Conservatory, Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England, and the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music.
Yoo currently resides in Denver, Colorado with her husband, cellist Matthew Zalkind, and plays on a cello made for her in 2018 by Ryan Soltis.
More information can be found at Aliceyoocello.com and Denverchambermusicfestival.org

Panorama Concert - Student Ensemble Series
2026-01-31 19:30 | Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Purchase tickets
$20 general admission
Students free (ticket required)
In addition to featuring Symphony Orchestra, Chorale, Concert Choir, Wind Ensemble, and other School of Music students, the 2026 Panorama Concert will celebrate the School of Music’s 130th anniversary as a department on campus.
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Program

Jean Carlo Ureña Gonzáles - Guest Artist Series
2026-01-30 19:30 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | No ticket required
Mead Witter School of Music Guest Artist Series
Jean Carlo Ureña Gonzáles, percussion
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Program

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Jean Carlo Ureña Gonzáles is a versatile performer, composer and educator that connects western and nonwestern tradition into concert settings. He has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra of Santo Domingo, Jackson Symphony, Toledo Symphony and Adrian Symphony. He is the founder and co-director of the first Dominican percussion ensemble that combines western and Caribbean musical traditions, ATEZA’O. Ureña González joined the faculty of the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music as a Assistant Professor of Percussion in the Fall of 2023.
Jean Carlo Ureña González, a native of the Dominican Republic, began his musical studies at the Elila Mena Music School, with piano. While studying western techniques there, he simultaneously learned Latin percussion techniques from the hand of his father and his oldest brother at home. Jean Carlo joined the Music Academy of the Congregation Mita Inc., where he was introduced to western percussion instruments. He furthered his studies at the National Conservatory of Music in D.R. where he studied classical percussion with Remy Taveras, Luis Martines el Sevif, Josue Santana and Dominican Folkloric Music with Edis Sánchez “El Gurú.”
Jean Carlo was the first Dominican to perform a concerto with marimba with the National Symphony Orchestra of Dominican Republic, when he performed Ney Rosauro’s Marimba Concerto No.1, conducted by Christopher Zimmerman. Dominican Republic’s newspaper HOY, described Jean Carlo as someone that “shows mastery of technique, remarkable virtuosity potential and manifests musicality… his presentation was truly professional.”
Ureña González holds a Bachelor of Music from the Hartt School of Music, a Master of Music Performance, Master of Chamber Music Performance, and a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from The University of Michigan, making him the first person from the Dominican Republic to obtain a DMA in percussion performance. During his DMA program, Jean Carlo worked on a first-of-its-kind commission project developing works for solos for percussion by Dominican composers. His teachers include Ben Toth, Douglas Perkins, Ian Antonio, Joseph Gramley, Jonathan Ovalle, Thomas Sherwood, Jeremy Epp, Shane Shannahan, Ted Piltzecker, Cary Kocher, Rogerio Boccato, Joe Galeota and John Amira.
Jean Carlo currently serves as the interim president of the Percussive Arts Society’s Dominican Republic chapter. Ureña González proudly plays with Zildjian cymbals.

Guest artist conducting class with Vasily Petrenko
2026-01-28 13:30 - 15:00 | Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | No ticket required
Open to the public
In collaboration with the Wisconsin Union Theater and the Interdisciplinary Arts Community Sessions, Vasily Petrenko, music director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, leads a special guest artist conducting class for School of Music students. A Q&A moderated by Oriol Sans will follow if time allows.

Career Chat - Laura Strickling
2026-01-27 16:30 - 18:00 | Morphy Recital Hall, 455 N. Park St., Madison, WI, 53706, United States
The School of Music Career Chat Series presents:
Laura Strickling
Two-time GRAMMY award nominee for Best Classical Vocal Solo Album, soprano Laura Strickling was recognized by The New York Times for her, “flexible voice, crystalline diction, and warm presence.”
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The School of Music Career Chat Series introduces students to professionals who have taken multifaceted routes to success in the music industry. Each session features a candid conversation with a guest artist, where students will get the chance to ask questions directly, hear behind-the-scenes stories, and gain insight into the many ways a music career can unfold.
All students are invited to attend.

Student Showcase Concert & Dance Performance - Madison Early Music Festival
2026-01-25 19:30 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Purchase tickets
$35 GA; $30 senior
Students free (ticket required)
Also streaming live
Weekend Pass
$90 GA; $75 senior
Students free (ticket required)
The Madison Early Music Festival concludes with a celebratory Student Showcase Concert, highlighting the creativity, growth, and collaboration of participants throughout the festival. Students from UW–Madison and beyond will share the results of their intensive work in masterclasses, workshops, and rehearsals with international artists of Verità Baroque.
The program features ensembles and solo performances that explore the expressive beauty of the Baroque, enriched by new skills in improvisation, ornamentation, and historical performance practice. Dance students and community participants will join the musicians on stage, presenting choreographies developed during the festival that bring Baroque music to life through movement.
This culminating event embodies MEMF’s spirit of tradition and innovation, offering audiences a glimpse into the dynamic exchange between students, faculty, and guest artists. More than a concert, it is a joyful celebration of learning, discovery, and the transformative power of historical performance.
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The 2026 Madison Early Music Festival (MEMF) celebrates over 20 years of excellence in early music while inaugurating a new chapter. Since its founding in 2000, MEMF has been a cornerstone of Wisconsin’s musical landscape, bringing international artists, scholars, and students together to explore historical repertoire through concerts, masterclasses, and community engagement. The 2026 revival honors this legacy while expanding the festival into an immersive, interdisciplinary experience—uniting Baroque music, dance, visual art, and innovation.

Pro Arte Quartet - Faculty Ensemble Series
2026-01-25 19:30 | Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Purchase tickets
$20 general admission
Students free (ticket required)
Also streaming live
Mead Witter School of Music Faculty Ensemble Series
David Perry, violin
Suzanne Beia, violin
Sally Chisholm, viola
Parry Karp, violoncello
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Program

Memorial Carillon
2026-01-25 15:00 | Carillon Tower, 1160 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Lyle Anderson, University Carillonneur Emeritus
I. UW school songs
The University Hymn
On Wisconsin
Songs to Thee, Wisconsin
Preludium IV (Matthias Vanden Gheyn, c. 1755; edited by Leen ’t Hart, 1968)
Study, for carillon (Jenke Kaldenberg)
II. Lake Music (Terry Vaughan, 1970, revised 1986)
Mysterium Coniunctionis (Cindy Cox, 2015)
Estudio V, from 24 Progressive Lessons, Op. 31
(Fernando Sor, 1828; arranged for carillon by Carlo van Ulft, 2007)
III. Prelude, from Cello Suite no. 1, BWV 1007
(Johann Sebastian Bach, c. 1720; arr. Albert Gerken, 1985)
Passing Thought No. 6 (Anthony Skilbeck, 2007)
Study for Carillon (Theophil Rusterholz, c. 1960)
IV. Bist du bei mir, BWV 508 (often attributed to J. S. Bach; arr. Ronald Barnes, 1984)
Carillon (Jan Wagenaar, Utrecht city carillonneur, 1937-1954)
Varsity

Winter Wings in Wisconsin, A Family Concert Experience - Madison Early Music Festival
2026-01-25 10:00 | Lee/Kaufman Rehearsal Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Free | Ticket required
Winter Wings in Wisconsin: A Family Concert Experience
Take flight on a joyful winter journey as Taya the Goldfinch searches for her lost friend, the Cuckoo Bird. This interactive family concert features live Baroque music performed by the internationally acclaimed ensemble VERITÀ, led and directed by celebrated educator Dr. Zeynep Alpan. Through music, movement, and sound-making inspired by the birds of Wisconsin, audiences of all ages become part of the story.
Pre-concert activities begin at 10 am and include a wing-making station, an instrument petting zoo, and a visit from the Bird Alliance, where families can learn more about Wisconsin’s birds. Coffee and tea will be provided.
The concert begins at 11 am and brings Taya’s story to life through music and audience participation, inviting listeners to listen closely, move freely, and follow musical clues as the adventure unfolds.
Families can also join a community bird scavenger hunt leading up to the concert. Starting January 18, we’ll send out one new clue each day; follow the clues to visit local Madison businesses and collect bird-themed stickers, then bring your completed collection to the concert to claim a special prize (and help reunite Taya and the Cuckoo Bird!).
Free and open to all ages, this playful winter concert is the perfect way to gather, explore, and celebrate music, nature, and community together.
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The 2026 Madison Early Music Festival (MEMF) celebrates over 20 years of excellence in early music while inaugurating a new chapter. Since its founding in 2000, MEMF has been a cornerstone of Wisconsin’s musical landscape, bringing international artists, scholars, and students together to explore historical repertoire through concerts, masterclasses, and community engagement. The 2026 revival honors this legacy while expanding the festival into an immersive, interdisciplinary experience—uniting Baroque music, dance, visual art, and innovation.

Quantz & Physics Lecture Recital - Madison Early Music Festival
2026-01-24 19:30 | Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Purchase tickets
$35 GA; $30 senior
Students free (ticket required)
Also streaming live
Weekend Pass
$90 GA; $75 senior
Students free (ticket required)
This program combines a physics lecture with a concert, exploring the incommensurability of acoustic waves, Baroque-era tunings, and reflections on quantum mechanical wave theory. Presented in honor of the centenary of Schrödinger’s equation, the evening bridges history, science, and innovation in a unique celebration of art and discovery.
The performance unfolds through Baroque music interwoven with whimsical cat-themed works dedicated to Schrödinger, ultimately transforming into an immersive electronic experience where sound and dance enter a contemporary dialogue with history. At its center is Johann Joachim Quantz, a leading figure at the court of Frederick II of Prussia.
Quantz’s music becomes a meeting ground for past and present, resonating alongside explorations of physics, quantum theory, and electronic sound—a testament to the enduring power of creativity across time and disciplines.
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Program

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The 2026 Madison Early Music Festival (MEMF) celebrates over 20 years of excellence in early music while inaugurating a new chapter. Since its founding in 2000, MEMF has been a cornerstone of Wisconsin’s musical landscape, bringing international artists, scholars, and students together to explore historical repertoire through concerts, masterclasses, and community engagement. The 2026 revival honors this legacy while expanding the festival into an immersive, interdisciplinary experience—uniting Baroque music, dance, visual art, and innovation.
