Boston Chamber Symphony to Perform Schubert and Boston-Area Premiere of Arthur Foote Cello Concerto

The Boston Chamber Symphony will present Classical Romantics on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 7:30 p.m., featuring Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 5 alongside the Boston-area premiere of Arthur Foote’s Cello Concerto. The concert will be conducted by Music Director Avlana Eisenberg and will take place in Boston, with a reception with the performers following the performance.

The program highlights the music of Arthur Foote, a central figure in Boston’s musical life at the turn of the twentieth century. In addition to the Cello Concerto, the orchestra will perform Foote’s Suite for String Orchestra. The concerto will be performed by acclaimed cellist Julian Schwarz, who was originally scheduled to appear with the ensemble last season before the performance was postponed due to the birth of his child. The February concert will mark the first time Foote’s 1894 concerto has been presented to Boston audiences.

The evening’s program includes Arthur Foote’s Suite for String Orchestra, Arthur Foote’s Cello Concerto (Boston-area premiere), and Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 5.

Schwarz has maintained an active international career since making his concerto debut at age 11 with the Seattle Symphony. He is a strong advocate for American music and will present the world premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s first Cello Concerto with a consortium of orchestras in spring 2026. His work championing Foote’s music will also result in the first commercial recording of Foote’s Cello Concerto, recorded with the Buffalo Philharmonic for release on the Delos label. Schwarz is an associate professor of cello and string area coordinator at Shenandoah Conservatory and is on the artist faculty at NYU’s Steinhardt School of Music.

Eisenberg has led orchestras across the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom and has been recognized by Classical Radio Boston as one of “Five Powerhouse Women in Classical Music You Should Know.” Her recent recordings include world premieres by William Grant Still with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and works by Sibelius, Barber, and Ben-Haim with the Budapest Symphony Orchestra MAV. She holds degrees from Yale University, the University of Michigan, and the Peabody Institute.