The Portsmouth Athenæum presents this annual series of chamber music concerts held in historic venues around Portsmouth. This year, the public is invited to attend the following four chamber concerts:
NEW ENGLAND BAROQUE
SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 3 p.m.
St. John’s Church, 101 Chapel Street, Portsmouth, NH
New England Baroque was formed in 2025 by outstanding professional musicians from the Northeast united by their passion for playing Early Music on period instruments. Ian Watson, harpsichord, a performer of “virtuosic panache” is associate conductor of Boston’s Handel + Haydn Society. Guy Fishman is principal cellist of the Handel + Haydn Society. Susanna Ogata plays violin with the Handel + Haydn Society, and soprano, Teresa Wakim, won First Place in the International Competition for Early Music in Austria. This is an ensemble of rare talent, playing delightful music.
THREE EXTRAORDINARY MUSICIANS
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 3 p.m.
The Dance Hall, Kittery, Maine
These three rising stars promise an unforgettable afternoon of chamber music: pianist Evren Ozel, 2025 Van Cliburn Bronze Medalist and Mozart Concerto Award recipient; cellist Leland Ko, described by Itzhak Perlman as playing “with the beauty of sound and subtlety that we don’t often encounter in a cellist of his age” shared first prize in the 2024 Walter W. Naumburg International Competition; and violinist Joshua Brown, a 2025 Avery Fisher Career grant recipient and 2nd prize award winner at the 2024 Queen Elizabeth Competition. All in all, a piano trio not to be missed.
PIANO AND VIOLIN DUO—THOMAS PANDOLFI (PIANO) AND LEO SUSHANSKY (VIOLIN)
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 3 p.m.
St. John’s Church, 101 Chapel Street, Portsmouth, NH
Recognized for his noble sound, natural lyricism, and powerful technique, Thomas Pandolfi blends poetry and fire in his pianism, as Portsmouth audiences know well. His performances of Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, and Gershwin have made him a popular and beloved concert soloist. Leo Sushansky, violinist, and Artistic Director of the National Chamber Ensemble, has been acclaimed for his “gorgeous tone and compelling musician personality”. Leo and Thomas perform together frequently on recital tours, and we welcome them.
Photo credit: © Luke Ratray
BALOURDET STRING QUARTET
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 3 p.m.
St. John’s Church, 101 Chapel Street, Portsmouth, NH
Currently the first ever Quartet-in-Residence at the Seattle Chamber Music Society, the Balourdet Quartet is acclaimed for its vibrant energy and masterful blend of technical precision and emotional depth. The artists’ unique closeness and willingness to take creative risks earned them the 2024 Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Cleveland Quartet Award. The Balourdet Quartet pushes the boundaries of the string quartet repertoire in over 70 concerts each season, premiering works by leading composers even as it remains deeply rooted in the classical tradition.
CHAMBER MUSIC TICKETS
SERIES SUBSCRIPTION TICKETS
$100 for all four concerts
PATRON SPONSORSHIP
$275 per person Each Patron receives a ticket to the four-concert series & post-concert receptions with performers.
Please make checks payable to the Portsmouth Athenæum.
Send to:
Portsmouth Athenæum
PO BOX 366, Portsmouth, NH 03802
(Please note PACM on memo line)
INDIVIDUAL CONCERTS
Admission $30 (in advance or at the door) Student Tickets $10 We accept cash, checks, credit cards, and Venmo.
The public is invited! All programs subject to change.
The Athenæum Portsmouth, 1915 “Done from nature in Miss Dorothy Whitcomb’s car.” Etching by Childe Hassam, (1895-1935), Collection of the Portsmouth Athenæum
