Two concerts; October 18th at 1 PM & 3:30 PM!

This concert is generously presented as part of the BankNewport Community Concerts Series with additional support from the Newport County Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation.

Who says chamber music must follow a program? Ensemble Mélange puts the audience in the driver’s seat for an interactive concert unlike any other. With a menu of more than 30 selections spanning classical favorites, jazz, Latin, Broadway, and beyond, audience members are randomly chosen to select what the ensemble performs next. The result is an engaging, high-energy concert where no two performances are ever the same, offering an exciting musical adventure for concertgoers of all ages. The New York Timespraised the ensemble’s unique concert experience, describing Mélange as the kind of group that relishes “the bond with a living, choosing audience.” Join us at the Newport Classical Recital Hall and help shape the program in real time during this free, fast-paced, family-friendly concert that’s sure to be full of surprises.

Mighty Fortress at Old South Church

Featuring Boston Children’s Chorus | Curated by Alex Fortes

Musical Program:
inti figgis-vizueta: Talamh (land) for string orchestra
Johann Sebastian Bach: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God), BWV 80
Julius Eastman: Gay Guerrilla

A Far Cry gathers musicians, audiences, and community partners inside the soaring sanctuary of Old South Church for an evening centered on resilience, collaboration, and collective song.

The program connects three visionary works across centuries: inti figgis-vizueta’s Talamh (land), Johann Sebastian Bach triumphant Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”), and Julius Eastman’s monumental Gay Guerrilla, which transforms the famous hymn into a bold, ecstatic meditation on endurance and liberation.

Performed by the combined forces of orchestra, chorus, soloists, and organ, Mighty Fortress invites audiences into the experience itself—from shared greetings at the opening of the evening to a final communal song sung together from the pews and stage alike. 

Part concert, part ritual gathering, Mighty Fortress celebrates the strength we discover when we listen, sing, and stand together.

Graciously Sponsored by Marcia Hock in Loving Memory of Jim Hock

Experience the artistry and infectious energy of Ensemble Mélange, a dynamic sextet of internationally acclaimed musicians celebrated for their virtuosity, warmth, and engaging stage presence. Featuring distinguished soloists, chamber musicians, and educators, the ensemble presents imaginative programs that blend beloved classical masterworks with hidden gems and inventive arrangements. Having performed at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall and the Charles Bronfman Auditorium in Tel Aviv, Ensemble Mélange creates concerts that are both sophisticated and accessible, inviting audiences of all ages to experience the joy, beauty, and excitement of chamber music.

“They moved as if the music were something they were riding atop, not creating.”
– The New York Times

Tickets coming soon! CLICK HERE to join our email list and be the first to know when they’re available.

Experience Carnegie Hall’s affiliate ensemble, Decoda, comprising “some of the brightest young classical musicians in the world” (Time Out New York), many who are alums of the adventurous Ensemble Connect. With seemingly limitless versatility, virtuosity, and curiosity, they offer exciting artistic discoveries with each new performance. Tonight, enjoy a wide-ranging program that includes works by Caroline Shaw, holder of Carnegie Hall’s 2026–2027 Debs Composer’s Chair; a New York premiere by Viet Cuong; an original arrangement of Björk’s “The Anchor Song”; and Britten’s Young Apollo. Plus, hear powerful soprano Ariadne Greif as soloist in Berio’s Folk Songs and Decoda’s own “re-imagining” of Gustav Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer.

CAROLINE SHAW Thousandth Orange

CAROLINE SHAW By and By (arr. Decoda)

VIET CUONG Streamline (NY Premiere)

BJÖRK "The Anchor Song" (arr. Decoda)

BERIO Folk Songs

BRITTEN Young Apollo

DECODA Songs of a Wayfarer: A Reimagining (after G. Mahler)

Ariadne Greif, soprano
Seth Parker Woods, cello
Conor Hanick, piano

From Ordinary Things
Program includes works by Ravel, Simone, Previn, Gershwin, Tavener, León, Sciarrino, and Walker.

An incredibly special program curated by and performed with the brilliant Seth Parker Woods, alongside Ariadne’s longtime beloved collaborator Conor Hanick. It was originally conceived with Ariadne’s irreplaceable friend and colleague, the magnificent Julia Bullock, who had a scheduling conflict long in advance.

Soprano Ariadne Greif makes her PCMS debut with two exceptional musicians: two-time Grammy-nominated cellist Seth Parker Woods and an acclaimed interpreter of music new and old, pianist Conor Hanick. This fascinating program of music (all written within the last century) ranges from songs by George Gershwin and Nina Simone to a Philadelphia premiere by Pulitzer Prize winner Tania León.

This concert is part of the Vocal Series. You can subscribe to this series, Build Your Own subscription, or purchase a Season Pass. Individual tickets go on sale August 1.

Three-time Grammy-nominated cellist Seth Parker Woods, Grammy-winning classical vocalist Ariadne Greif and acclaimed pianist Conor Hanick join musical forces for a powerful and genre-spanning collaboration that brings together some of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music. The program weaves together music by Nina Simone, George Gershwin, and Maurice Ravel, alongside a new work by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Tania León, creating a vivid dialogue between classical, jazz, and American song traditions. With artistry that moves fluidly across genres and eras, this compelling collaboration highlights both the emotional depth and the expansive possibilities of modern chamber performance.

Catherine Gregory, Flute
​Ian Rosenbaum, Percussion
​Ariadne Greif, Soprano

Just Breathe: A Well-Being Concert

Resnick Education Wing

Discover an extraordinary program of newly commissioned miniatures by many of today’s leading composers, including Clarice Assad, Kinan Azmeh, Viet Cuong, Timo Andres, Juhi Bansal, Christopher Cerrone, Andy Akiho, Allison Loggins-Hull, and inti figgis-vizueta. Together, these pieces celebrate and explore the concept of breath as essential to both music and human life. The intimate performance features flutist Catherine Gregory, percussionist Ian Rosenbaum, and soprano Ariadne Greif, who bring incredible new music to life on their instruments.

Part of: Well-Being Concerts

Single tickets available Monday, August 10 at 11 AM.

Ariadne Greif: Also performing January 28, 2027.

Holy Week Baroque

Sat, Mar 20 at 4 PM
Sun, Mar 21 at 3 PM
First Presbyterian Church

Ariadne Greif, soprano
Stephen Redfield, violin
Christina Day Martinson, violin

Music of the Italian Baroque

A special program curated by Ariadne Greif of music from the 1600’s in Italy about both Mary and Mary Magdalene, with dramatic contrafacta much more operatic than sacred, music that pulls so hard on folk melodies that it is barely concert music, mysterious novelties, and a good double dose of drama.

Holy Week Baroque

Sat, Mar 20 at 4 PM
Sun, Mar 21 at 3 PM
First Presbyterian Church

Ariadne Greif, soprano
Stephen Redfield, violin
Christina Day Martinson, violin

Music of the Italian Baroque

A special program curated by Ariadne Greif of music from the 1600’s in Italy about both Mary and Mary Magdalene, with dramatic contrafacta much more operatic than sacred, music that pulls so hard on folk melodies that it is barely concert music, mysterious novelties, and a good double dose of drama.