Martin Chalifour To Begin Residency At Sierra Madre Playhouse With Romantic Violin Recital

Renowned violinist Martin Chalifour will begin a season-long residency at the Sierra Madre Playhouse with a recital titled The Romantic Violin, presented in back-to-back performances on Saturday, February 14, and Sunday, February 15, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

Chalifour recently retired as Principal Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, concluding a 30-year tenure—the longest in the orchestra’s history. His residency at Sierra Madre Playhouse will open with a program featuring romantic-era music drawn from ballet, opera, film, and 19th-century concert repertoire.

The recital program will include selections from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Bizet’s Carmen, and “The Swan” from Saint-Saëns’ The Carnival of the Animals. Additional works will include Ennio Morricone’s “Love Theme” from Cinema Paradiso, Brahms’ Hungarian Dances, and Grieg’s Sonata No. 3 for Violin and Piano in C minor. Pianist Steven Vanhauwaert will accompany Chalifour.

Born in Québec, Chalifour studied at the Montréal Conservatory and the Curtis Institute of Music before joining the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1995. Over the course of his career, he has performed more than 60 concertos and appeared extensively as a chamber musician, balancing solo performance with orchestral leadership.