🎻 Our 2025–2026 Season!
A New Beginning!
We invite you to join us for a season full of energy, elegance, and Ensemble Monterey’s signature spirit. Whether you’re a longtime supporter or new to our concerts, there’s never been a better time to experience the greatest music you’ve never heard.
“Save the dates and join us for what promises to be a deeply meaningful and joy-filled musical journey. This season is one you won’t want to miss.”
— Erica Horn, Board President
Concert 1: Fresh Voices!
📅 Saturday, November 15, 2025 – 7:00 pm | First Presbyterian Church, 501 El Dorado, Monterey
📅 Sunday, November 16, 2025 – 8:00 pm | Messiah Lutheran Church, 801 High Street, Santa Cruz
Concert 2: Long-Awaited Favorites!
📅 Saturday, January 31, 2026 – 7:00 pm | First Presbyterian Church, 501 El Dorado, Monterey
📅 Sunday, February 1, 2026 – 7:00 pm | Messiah Lutheran Church, 801 High Street, Santa Cruz
Concert 3: Romantic Ideals!
📅 Saturday, March 7, 2026 – 7:00 pm | First Presbyterian Church, 501 El Dorado, Monterey
📅 Sunday, March 8, 2026 – 7:00 pm | Messiah Lutheran Church, 801 High Street, Santa Cruz
Concert 4: Shimmering Strings!
📅 Saturday, April 11, 2026 – 7:00 pm | First Presbyterian Church, 501 El Dorado, Monterey
📅 Sunday, April 12, 2026 – 7:00 pm | Messiah Lutheran Church, 801 High Street, Santa Cruz
Concert 3: Romantic Ideals!
📅 Saturday, March 7, 2026 – 7:00 pm | First Presbyterian Church, 501 El Dorado, Monterey
📅 Sunday, March 8, 2026 – 7:00 pm | Messiah Lutheran Church, 801 High Street, Santa Cruz
From the Baroque period to the music of today, our third concert ponders big questions, celebrates life and has some fun. We start with the elegant and artful Bagatelles for 2 Violins Cello and Piano, op. 47 by Dvořák. Hometown favorite soprano Lori Schulman will sing two songs by the young compositional phenom Caroline Shaw: I’ll Fly Away and Other Song for voice and string quartet. Lori then will be joined by our oboist Peter Lemberg in Bach’s The Wedding Cantata. Our program concludes with Franz Schubert’s beloved Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667, “The Trout”.
Concert 4: Shimmering Strings!
📅 Saturday, April 11, 2026 – 7:00 pm | First Presbyterian Church, 501 El Dorado, Monterey
📅 Sunday, April 12, 2026 – 7:00 pm | Messiah Lutheran Church, 801 High Street, Santa Cruz
The season’s final concert welcomes Alan Truong back to the podium to conduct fabulous works for string orchestra and percussion. Arnold Schönberg’s early and ravishingly romantic Verklärtenacht, op. 4 is followed by the episodic and varied Suite for Strings by Leos Janáček. As a bookend to our first concert, we are eager to perform Arvo Pärt’s Cantus in Memorium Benjamin Britten, Pärt’s spiritual and profound homage to his hero. Our season concludes with Samual Coleridge Taylor’s exciting and joyous Four Novelettes, op. 52.
A Heartfelt Thank You — and an Invitation to Continue Supporting Ensemble Monterey 🎶
Ensemble Monterey extends our deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported us throughout 2025. Your generosity has allowed us to share beautiful music, stage captivating performances, and nurture the talents of our musicians.
As we look ahead, we invite you to continue supporting our mission. Every gift helps us inspire audiences and keep the arts alive in our community. Thank you for being such an essential part of our musical journey.
Together, we harmonize to create something truly extraordinary.
With deep appreciation, Ensemble Monterey is supported by:
Media Sponsor
Music Always Matters!
Although we are now a “well established” chamber orchestra, our continuing passion is to discover the new: to present compositions that widen, and sometime challenge both ourselves and you, our audience. We continue our dedication to the thrill of discovery.