The 2026 Halcyon Music Festival returns for its twelfth season June 11-20, with six unique chamber music programs. Halcyon Music Festival brings 21 world-class musicians to live, rehearse, and perform together over the span of two weeks. Held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, NH, all concerts start at 7 PM. Individual tickets and multi-concert packages are now on sale.
The 2026 Halcyon Music Festival schedule includes:
Opening Night, Thursday, June 11: IN THE AMERICAS features Schubert’s Quartettsatz D. 703 in C minor, performed by Ben Sayevich, Gabriela Diaz, violins; David Harding, viola;
and Peter Stumpf, cello. Amy Beach’s Theme and Variations for Flute and String Quartet, performed by Lorna McGhee, flute; Grace Park, Markus Placci, violins; Caitlin Lynch, viola; and Alexei Gonzales, cello. Villa-Lobos’ The Jet Whistle, performed by Lorna McGhee, flute; and David Hardy, cello. Samuel Barber’s Souvenirs, performed by Heng-Jin Park and Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, piano.
Friday, June 12: OTHERWORLDLY features Mozart’s Flute Quartet K. 285 in D Major, No. 1, performed by Lorna McGhee, flute; Ben Sayevich, violin; David Harding, viola; and David Hardy, cello. Charles Ives’ String Quartet No. 1, ‘From the Salvation Army,’ performed by
Gabriela Diaz, Markus Placci, violins; Caitlin Lynch, viola; and Alexei Gonzales, cello. Beethoven’s Piano Trio Op. 70 in D Major, No. 1, ‘Ghost,’ performed by Grace Park, violin; Peter Stumpf, cello; and Heng-Jin Park, piano.
Saturday, June 13: ALL‘ONGARESE features Arthur Foote’s A Night Piece, performed by
Lorna McGhee, flute; Gabriela Diaz, Markus Placci, violins; Caitlin Lynch, viola; and David Hardy, cello. Haydn’s Piano Trio Hob. XV/25 in G Major, No. 39, ‘Gypsy,’ performed by
Markus Placci, violin; Alexei Gonzales, cello; and Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, piano. Erwin Schulhoff’s Sonata for Flute and Piano, performed by Lorna McGhee, flute; and Heng-Jin Park, piano. Brahms’ String Quartet Op. 51 in A minor, No. 2, performed by Grace Park, Gabriela Diaz, violins; David Harding, viola; and Peter Stumpf, cello.
Thursday, June 18: BREATH OF INSPIRATION features Vaughan Williams’ Phantasy Quintet, performed by Ben Sayevich, Siwoo Kim, violins; Tanner Menees, Robert Meyer, violas; and David Hardy, cello. Brahms’ Clarinet Trio Op. 114 in A minor, performed by
Christopher Elchico, clarinet; Mihai Marica, cello; and Heng-Jin Park, piano. Florence Price’s Piano Quintet in A minor, performed by Julia Glenn, Emma Frucht, violins; Kyle Armbrust, viola; Sergey Antonov, cello; and Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, piano.
Friday, June 19: MUSIC OF THE SEA features Fauré’s Piano Trio Op. 120 in D minor, performed by Julia Glenn, violin; Mihai Marica, cello; and Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, piano.
Shostakovich’s Two Pieces for String Octet, Op. 11, performed by Emma Frucht, Siwoo Kim, Julia Glenn, Ben Sayevich, violins; Kyle Armbrust, Robert Meyer, violas; and Sergey Antonov, David Hardy, cellos. Bernard Herrmann’s Souvenirs de Voyage, for clarinet and string quartet, performed by Christopher Elchico, clarinet; Siwoo Kim, Emma Frucht, violins; Tanner Menees, viola; and Sergey Antonov, cello.
Closing Night, Saturday, June 20: PINNACLES features Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet K. 581 in A Major, performed by Christopher Elchico, clarinet; Ben Sayevich, Julia Glenn, violins; Kyle Armbrust, viola; and David Hardy, cello. Leonard Bernstein’s Piano Trio, performed by
Emma Frucht, violin; Sergey Antonov, cello; and Heng-Jin Park, piano. Mendelssohn’s String Quintet Op. 87 in Bb Major, No. 2, performed by Siwoo Kim, Julia Glenn, violins; Tanner Menees, Robert Meyer, violas; and Mihai Marica, cello.
Individual tickets are $45 for general admission and $15 for students (the latter only available at the door). Multi-concert ticket packages can be bought at discounted rates: six concerts for $225, five for $195, four for $160, and three for $120. Subscribers who select at least one of the Thursday performances as part of either the three or four-concert package will receive an additional $10 discount. Each concert will also be livestreamed, and online viewing admission is $25.
Tickets are now available at www.halcyonmusicfestival.org/concerts.
St. John’s Episcopal Church is located at 101 Chapel Street, Portsmouth, NH.
In addition to the evening performances, Halcyon Music Festival will present a free children’s concert at the Portsmouth Public Library on Wednesday, June 10, at 3:30 PM. The hour-long event will feature excerpts from the festival repertoire and an opportunity to ask the musicians questions.
About Halcyon Music Festival
The mission of the Halcyon Music Festival is to create a community where chamber music will be explored and presented at the highest artistic level; and to make chamber music accessible to everyone, in particular those who might not otherwise experience it in a concert hall. Each year, Halcyon Music Festival presents two weeks of passionate, compelling performances, with focus on providing opportunities for enrichment to people of all ages and musical backgrounds. Halcyon Music Festival is committed to supporting the arts in the greater Portsmouth, New Hampshire area and beyond. The organization seeks to enhance the growth of chamber music on a local and national level by bringing world-class musicians and talented young professionals to live, work, and perform together. For more information, please visit www.halcyonmusicfestival.org.
