Cellist Rainer Crosett to Make Carnegie Hall Debut in Spring 2026

Cellist Rainer Crosett will make his recital debut at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall on Monday, April 6, 2026, at 7:30pm in a program celebrating his receipt of the American Recital Debut Award.

Speaking about the award, Crosett shared, "I am deeply honored to be a recipient of the American Recital Debut Award and to present a program of repertoire that has shaped my artistic identity, together with brilliant pianist Victor Asunción." The program opens with Beethoven's Seven Variations on "Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen" from Mozart's The Magic Flute, a favorite of Rainer's for "its inventive dialogue between cello and piano."

The recital continues with Guayoyo Sketches by Reinaldo Moya. Reflecting on the piece, Crosett explained, "I am especially excited to perform Reinaldo Moya's Guayoyo Sketches, an exhilarating solo cello work written in 2021 for Alisa Weilerstein. Collaborating with living composers is one of the most meaningful aspects of my career, and Reinaldo, a friend and composer I greatly admire, has crafted a colorful piece that captures the essence of Venezuelan coffee culture."

The first half of the program concludes with Shostakovich's Cello Sonata, composed during a period of personal and political turmoil just before the state condemnation of his opera, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk.

Following intermission, the second half of the recital is devoted to César Franck's monumental Sonata in A Major, performed in Jules Delsart's transcription for cello and piano. Of the work, Crosett noted that it is a piece "that epitomizes the versatility and vocal richness of the instrument, and one that first made me fall in love with the cello."

Established in 2023 by pianist and artistic administrator Victor Santiago Asunción in honor of the late cellist Lynn Harrell, the American Recital Debut Award supports exceptional emerging classical musicians who demonstrate strong potential for a performance career, providing them with a concert at a venue of international renown, professional mentorship from an illustrious artistic advisory board - comprising GRAMMY Award-winning cellist Zuill Bailey, cellist, founder and artistic director of The Piatigorsky Foundation, Evan Drachman; award-winning soprano Margarita Gomez Giannelli, and Victor Santiago Asunción - and concert engagements over three consecutive seasons.

The awardees are selected by Asunción in conjunction with a group of distinguished musicians led by Zuill Bailey. Those recognized must demonstrate the ability to sustain a career that can adapt to the ever-changing landscape of the performing arts and exhibit the capacity to cultivate an audience across both live and online platforms, as well as a level of accessibility that transcends traditional boundaries to reach broader audiences. A longtime chamber music partner of Harrell's, Asunción created the award as a way to give back and honor the opportunities and mentorship he received through their collaboration.

Rainer Crosett is one of two 2025 recipients of the award recognized for their outstanding accomplishments and strong potential as emerging classical musicians. Crosett made his Wigmore Hall debut as the first American to win the Pierre Fournier Award and gave his concerto debut in 2023 with the Philharmonia Orchestra of London. A dedicated advocate for contemporary music, he has collaborated with leading composers such as Jörg Widmann, Chaya Czernowin, and Lei Liang. He has also recently commissioned new chamber works from composers including Eun Young Lee, William Cooper, and Reinaldo Moya.

Program Information

The American Recital Debut Award Presents Rainer Crosett and Victor Santiago Asunción

Monday, April 6, 2025, at 7:30pm

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City

Program

Beethoven - Seven Variations on "Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen" after Mozart's The Magic Flute

Reinaldo Moya - Guayoyo Sketches

Shostakovich - Cello Sonata

Franck - Violin Sonata (transcr. for cello by Delsart)

Rainer Crosett, Cello