Miller Theatre At Columbia University Unveils Spring Pop-Up Concerts
Free, informal “happy hour” concerts with onstage seating place audiences steps away from performers.
By: A.A. Cristi Feb. 17, 2026
Miller Theatre at Columbia University has announced its spring season of Pop-Up Concerts, a series of free, hour-long performances that bring audiences onto the stage for an intimate concert experience. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with music beginning at 6 p.m., at Miller Theatre (2960 Broadway at 116th Street).
The Pop-Up Concerts series features informal programs performed in close proximity to the audience, with artists sharing both music and commentary. Onstage seating is first-come, first-served.
Tuesday, March 31
Alexis Gerlach — Bach’s Cello Suites
Cellist Alexis Pia Gerlach makes her Pop-Up Concerts debut with an intimate recital of two suites by J.S. Bach.
Program:
J.S. Bach — Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007
J.S. Bach — Suite No. 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011
Monday, April 6
Eleonore Oppenheim — Bass Pairs
Eleonore Oppenheim, bass
Cameron Mesirow, voice
Jessie Montgomery, violin
Ashley Bathgate, cello
Nathan Koci, accordion
In Bass Pairs, Oppenheim curates an evening of duo performances exploring the double bass in varied settings.
Program:
Julia Wolfe — Retrieve (2016) for cello and double bass
Giovanni Bottesini (arr. Oppenheim) — Elegy No. 1 in D Major
Giovanni Bottesini (arr. Oppenheim) — Elegy No. 3
big dog little dog — original compositions
Glasser — duo arrangements
Tuesday, April 28
Alice Teyssier and Friends — Adventures of La Maupin
Alice Teyssier, voice
Michael Weyandt, baritone
Peter Evans, trumpet
Benjamin Katz, harpsichord
Soprano Alice Teyssier presents a new cantata-style work inspired by the life of La Maupin, the 17th-century opera singer and swordswoman. The program imagines arias and episodes drawn from the legend of the historical figure.
Monday, May 18
Imani Winds — The French Connection
Brandon Patrick George, flute
Mekhi Gladden, oboe
Mark Dover, clarinet
Kevin Newton, French horn
Monica Ellis, bassoon
The Grammy-winning quintet Imani Winds presents a program featuring composers influenced by French culture, jazz, and folk traditions.
Program:
Valerie Coleman — Suite: Portraits of Josephine Baker (2016)
Lalo Schifrin — La Nouvelle Orleans (1987)
Henri Tomasi — Cinq Danses Profanes et Sacrées (1959)
Concert Information
Free admission
Doors at 5:30 p.m.; concerts begin at 6 p.m.
Onstage seating is first-come, first-served
Location:
Miller Theatre
2960 Broadway at 116th Street
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