NEAVE TRIO to Make Debut at Music at Kohl Mansion

Music at Kohl Mansion has announced the continuation of the international chamber music season with the long-awaited debut of the “thrilling and electrifying” Neave Trio—that will showcase the music of prominent early 20th century Croatian composer Dora Pejačevic—on Sunday, Nov. 15, and a very majestic Baroque Holiday Program with the renowned Philharmonia Baroque Chamber Players and soprano Morgan Balfour on Sunday, Dec. 6. All performances are set in the intimate acoustic gem of the Kohl Mansion Great Hall, beginning at 7 p.m.

The 44th anniversary season, which recently launched on Oct. 18 with the famed Escher String Quartet, brings together celebrated returning favorites and exciting debuts, highlighting the extraordinary range and vitality of chamber music today. From renowned string quartets, piano trios and piano quartets performing some of the most cherished classical repertoire to contemporary works, the series continues MAKM's tradition of showcasing many of the world's leading musicians.

In the new year, Bay Area audiences will enjoy a first listening of the newly formed and “brilliant” Portland-based Thunder Egg Consort Piano Quartet, in a program including the local premiere of Hard Winter/Holler and Stomp by ensemble violist, Kenji Bunch on Sunday, Jan. 17.

The '26-27 season will be further distinguished by an encore presentation of Intonations: Songs from the Violins of Hope, by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer, a powerful song cycle that was commissioned by MAKM and premiered in 2020. The renowned chamber work, inspired by the priceless collection of restored Holocaust string instruments and their emotional stories of resilience, will be performed by the famed Miró Quartet with mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz, and guest violinist Jennifer Frautschi on Sunday, May 2.

COMING UP NEXT

Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 7 p.m.

NEAVE TRIO* (MAKM Debut)

Anna Williams, violin; Mikhail Veselov, cello; Eri Nakamura, piano

• Dora Pejačević: Piano Trio in C Major, Op. 29
• Robert Schumann: Piano Trio in G minor, Op 110
• Johannes Brahms: Piano Trio in C Major, Op. 87

Praised for performances that “balance passion with sensitivity and grace” (BBC Music Magazine), the two-time GRAMMY Award-nominated Neave Trio is known for its fiery connection and a shared sense of storytelling that reflects the deep human bonds at the core of chamber music. New York's WQXR explains, “'Neave' is actually a Gaelic name meaning 'bright' and 'radiant,' both of which certainly apply to this trio's music-making.” Gramophone applauds their performances as “thrilling” and “electrifying.” The Trio's 2026-2027 season brings the U.S. premiere of Eric Nathan's Dreamscapes, debuts at Snape Maltings Aldeburgh and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and a return to Kings Place in London, alongside a Music at Kohl Mansion residency, a collaboration with soprano Laura Strickling, and performances throughout Hawai'i.

Formed in 2010, the Neave Trio has performed at esteemed concert series and festivals worldwide, including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the Smithsonian, and across Europe, Japan, and Russia. Advocates for living composers, the Trio commissioned Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon to write a new work for piano trio, A Vast Palette, which premiered during the 2025-2026 season and was featured in the Trio's London debut at Kings Place. The Neave Trio has also commissioned works by Augusta Read Thomas, Eric Nathan, Robert Sirota, Leah Reid, Robert Paterson, and Dale Trumbore.

Prolific recording artists, the Neave Trio released its new album, In Her Hands, in Spring 2026. Musical Remembrances (Chandos, 2022) earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble, and their latest release, La Mer (Chandos, 2025), was nominated for a 2026 GRAMMY Award in the same category. Members of the Neave are dedicated educators, and the Trio currently serves as the inaugural Ensemble-in-Residence at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Sunday, December 6, 2026 at 7 p.m. -- Baroque Holiday Concert

PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE CHAMBER PLAYERS with Elizabeth Blumenstock & Manami Mizumoto, violins; Maria Caswell, viola; William Skeen replaces previously announced Clara Abel, cello; Jon Mendle, theorbo; Gonzalo X. Ruiz, oboe; and soprano Morgan Balfour

• George Frideric Handel: “Rejoice greatly” from Messiah
• Gaetano Maria Schiassi: “Pastorale per il Santissimo Natale,” Op. 1, No. 12, “Christmas Symphony”
• J.S. Bach: Siciliano from Oboe Concerto in F Major, BWV 1053R
• Domenico Scarlatti: Cantata “Oh di Betlemme altera povertà venturosa”
• Alessandro Marcello: Oboe Concerto in D minor, S D935
• Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin in E Major, RV 270, “Il Riposo per Natale”
• J.S. Bach: “Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten,” BWV 202

With the elegant Kohl Mansion resplendent in magnificent holiday décor, MAKM will present a joyous Baroque Holiday Concert with the Philharmonia Baroque Chamber Players, an ensemble renowned for its artistry and excellence as one of America's most illustrious period-instrument companies. Drawn from the acclaimed Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale, the Chamber Players bring together virtuoso musicians dedicated to illuminating the rich repertoire of the Baroque, Classical, and early Romantic eras through historically informed performance. Their interpretations combine scholarly insight with expressive vitality, revealing familiar masterpieces and lesser-known treasures with freshness, elegance, and authenticity.

Founded as part of the Bay Area-based Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, the ensemble has earned an international reputation for performances that capture the style, spirit, and distinctive sound world of earlier centuries through the use of period instruments and historically informed techniques. Philharmonia has been widely praised for its vibrant performances and has become the largest organization of its kind in the United States.

In the new year, the Music at Kohl Mansion season will present the debut of the Thunder Egg Piano Quartet Consort, Jan. 17; the return of Trio con Brio Copenhagen, Feb. 21; the Fauré Piano Quartet with guest baritone Gabriel Natal-Báez, March 14; the Harlem Quartet, April 11; and the Miró String Quartet with mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz and violinist Jennifer Frautschi, May 2.

MUSIC AT KOHL MANSION 2026-27 SEASON TICKETS