Music at Grace Farms Series includes violinist Nemanja Radulović and chamber orchestra Double Sens, Broadway Inspirational Voices, sarodist Alam Khan and guitarist Derek Gripper, singer Aoife O’Donovan with cellist Eric Jacobsen and violinist Colin Jacobsen, pianist Elizabeth Joy Roe and cellist Arlen Hlusko, and a chamber ensemble of the London Philharmonic Orchestra
Lectures with Concert series features Dr. Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor, Harvard University; Dr. Hannah Rose Thomas, artist, scholar, and advocate; and Dr. Sian Leah Beilock, 19th President of Dartmouth; other featured speakers this season include Teresita Fernández and Sarah Harden
Grace Farms, the cultural and humanitarian center, shared today additional details for its music and concert lecture series presented from Sept. 13, 2026 to May 8, 2027. Exploring the theme, “We all build,” the performances and talks will take place primarily in the Sanctuary of the acclaimed SANAA-designed River building at Grace Farms, the only glass-enclosed performing arts space in the world, offering 360-degree views of the surrounding natural landscape.
Beginning in its 10th anniversary year, Grace Farms has opened each season with a discussion featuring a visual artist whose work is on view. This year’s season opener, on Sept. 13, continues that tradition with a conversation between Grace Farms’ Founding Creative Director Chelsea Thatcher and visual artist Teresita Fernández, who will discuss her studio practice, research, materials, and site-specific work, Double Glass River (2015), which has become an integral part of Grace Farms. The lecture will be preceded by a short recital by award-winning violist Jordan Bak.
The headlining performance of the season showcases Tony® and GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Leslie Odom, Jr., and includes selections from the American Songbook, reimagined pop favorites, and musical theater classics — including special performances of songs from Hamilton, the Broadway phenomenon that earned Odom a Tony Award for his iconic portrayal of Aaron Burr (Sept. 26).
Music at Grace Farms
The concert series Music at Grace Farms, which is timed to conclude with the sunset, begins on Nov. 15, in the 700-seat indoor amphitheater with renowned violinist Nemanja Radulović and his acclaimed chamber orchestra Double Sens — making its U.S. debut and first U.S. tour —performing works by Beethoven and Bach. Then, the GRAMMY®-nominated choir Broadway Inspirational Voices returns to Grace Farms to deliver another unforgettable, family-friendly concert of beloved Broadway, gospel, and Christmas melodies performed by 30 vocalists (Dec. 13).
GRAMMY®-nominated sarodist Alam Khan — son of the legendary musician Ali Akbar Khan —joins forces with one of the most innovative and leading classical guitarists, Derek Gripper. They explore the heights of spontaneous creation, re-imagining great African songs and Indian melodies (Feb. 28). The next performance features GRAMMY®-winning singer and songwriter Aoife O’Donovan, who offers an intimate afternoon showcasing the quiet power of her singular voice and the warmth of strings intertwined. Joining her is cellist Eric Jacobsen and violinist Colin Jacobsen, co-founders of the groundbreaking string quartet Brooklyn Rider, and the chamber orchestra The Knights (Apr. 11).
On May 8, the last performance of the series features pianist Elizabeth Joy Roe (half of the groundbreaking Anderson & Roe Piano Duo) and GRAMMY®-winning cellist and Grace Farms Artist-in-Residence Arlen Hlusko.
Lectures with Concert
The marquee series Lectures with Concert pairs visionary leaders who have shaped our world to share a thought-provoking portrait of their life’s work and explore central themes and fundamental questions that define their distinguished careers. Coupled with these talks, are curated chamber music performances by some of today’s most celebrated musicians that thoughtfully respond to the lecturer’s creative output.
The series kicks off on Jan. 23, when Dr. Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor, Harvard University, draws an arc from the American founding to the present to explore how the original vision of the Declaration of Independence can serve us still. The performance that follows features violinists William Hagen and David Bernat, violist Masumi Per Rostad, and cellist Arlen Hlusko.
The next lecture features artist, scholar, and advocate Dr. Hannah Rose Thomas—who has established a renowned portrait painting practice, harnessing art as a tool for advocacy—and is followed by a performance by musicians of the London Philharmonic Orchestra (Mar. 14).
The last lecture of the series is presented by Dr. Sian Leah Beilock, the 19th President of Dartmouth and cognitive scientist, now positioned as a global leader on the most critical issues facing higher education. (Apr. 24). The performance that follows features violinists William Hagen and David Bernat, violist Masumi Per Rostad, and cellist Arlen Hlusko.
All musical performances that are a part of the Lectures with Concert series are curated by Grace Farms’ Artist-in-Residence Arlen Hlusko.
Leading with Purpose
Leading with Purpose is a signature series that highlights innovative leaders and transformational thinkers who are advancing more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive systems across industries. The series highlights bold ideas and purpose-driven leadership that shape culture, influence capital, and drive lasting change. On Sept. 19, Sarah Harden, former CEO of Hello Sunshine, shares lessons in leadership, innovation, and creating more equitable industries.
On May 6, this series brings together Mike Faherty, Co-Founder of Faherty, and Shilpa Shah, Co-Founder of Cuyana, for a lunch conversation exploring what it means to lead with purpose in today’s fashion industry.
Make a Day of It: Beyond the Series at Grace Farms
Visitors to Grace Farms can immerse themselves in 80 acres of serene landscape and world-class design, exploring the award-winning, SANAA-designed River building and site-specific art installations. Guests can embark on guided art and architecture tours, stroll along a one-mile trail loop surrounding Cattail Pond, or drop into daily pop-up educational talks covering sustainable design and nature stewardship. For relaxation and conversation, the glass-enclosed Tea Pavilionoffers tranquil tea tastings and afternoon tea services paired with seasonal bites. Visitors can also dine at the Commons — a 6,900-square-foot glass space featuring 18-foot red oak communal tables — to enjoy locally sourced seasonal lunches, house-made daily pastries, and light fare.
DETAILED SCHEDULE
Season Opener
Season Opener | Teresita Fernández
Sunday, September 13, 2026
Teresita Fernández, artist
Chelsea Thatcher, Founding Creative Director
Jordan Bak, viola
Internationally acclaimed visual artist Teresita Fernández joins for a discussion with Grace Farms Founding Creative Director Chelsea Thatcher about her studio practice, research, materials, and Double Glass River (2015), her site-specific installation at Grace Farms. The work resembles an undulating galaxy of 10,000 mirrored glass cubes and expands horizontally across the curved wall at the end of the Commons. The conversation will be preceded by a recital by internationally acclaimed violist Jordan Bak.
Throughout the day, children ages 4-11 are invited to attend Open Arts Studio to imagine, think, play, and create through an activity inspired by Fernández.
Headlining Concert
Saturday, September 26, 2026
Leslie Odom, Jr., vocalist
Program: American Songbook, reimagined pop favorites, musical theater classics and songs from Hamilton.
Leslie Odom, Jr. brings his extraordinary voice, magnetic stage presence, and genre-spanning artistry to the stage for an evening of music that is soulful, sophisticated, and deeply moving. He is a Tony and Grammy Award-winning, three-time Emmy and two-time Academy Award-nominated songwriter, actor, and a New York Times bestselling author. Well known for his breakout role as ‘Aaron Burr’ in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical Hamilton, Odom made the season’s most highly anticipated return to his award-winning role in September 2025. A portion of the ticket to this program is tax-deductible.
Champagne Pre-Reception: Enjoy champagne and seasonal light bites while gathering with fellow guests before making your way to the Sanctuary. RSVP here.
Music at Grace Farms Schedule
Nemanja Radulović & Double Sens
Sunday, November 15, 2026
Nemanja Radulović, violin
Double Sens, chamber orchestra
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47 “Kreutzer Sonata” (arranged Radulovic)
Bach: Chaconne, Partita No. 2 in D Minor BWV 1004
Bach: Concerto for Violin in D Minor, Strings and Basso continuo, BWV 1052R
Renowned violinist Nemanja Radulović brings his electrifying virtuosity and chamber orchestra Double Sens to Grace Farms as part of the ensemble’s debut U.S. tour. Recent engagements include the New York Philharmonic, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Munich Philharmonic, and Pittsburgh Symphony. In 2026, Double Sens makes its U.S. debut with a tour spanning ten states, including performances at Cleveland’s Severance Hall, Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, Baltimore’s Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and Boston’s Jordan Hall.
Sunday, December 13, 2026
Broadway Inspirational Voices, choir
Allen René Louis, Artistic Director
The GRAMMY®-nominated and TONY® Award-honored choir performs a family-friendly 60-minute program of beloved Broadway, gospel, and holiday melodies. Broadway Inspirational Voices is a diverse choir and service organization powered by Broadway artists using music to inspire hope and change lives. Through its nationwide, innovative, and collaborative music and performing arts programs, BIV partners with entities such as Ronald McDonald House — New York, Covenant House International, the New York City Department of Corrections, LaGuardia High School, and more.
Sunday, February 28, 2027
Alam Khan, sarod
Derek Gripper, guitar
Alam Khan and Derek Gripper focus on their respective immersions in deep classical traditions: Alam brings a long apprenticeship under his father, mastering the infinite art of raga improvisation within the Indian classical tradition, Derek, originally trained in European classical and early string music, has spent years translating the complex language of the West African kora to the guitar. Through this long study of the 21-string harp, he developed a unique language of cyclical improvisation.
Aoife O’Donovan with Eric & Colin Jacobsen
Sunday, April 11, 2027
Aoife O’Donovan, vocals, acoustic guitar
Eric Jacobsen, cello
Colin Jacobsen, violin
Drawing from her celebrated catalog — including her acclaimed albums Age of Apathy, In the Magic Hour, and All My Friends, Aoife O’Donovan has earned her place as one of the most captivating storytellers in American folk music. Founding member of the string band Crooked Still and one-third of the Grammy-winning folk trio I’m With Her; O’Donovan has earned ten GRAMMY® nominations. Eric and Colin Jacobsen bring with them a rare combination of classical rigor and an adventurer’s ear — qualities that make them natural companions for O’Donovan’s own genre-defying art. The afternoon unfolds in two registers: solo moments where O’Donovan stands alone with nothing but her voice and guitar, raw and unhurried — and collaborative passages where cello and violin surround her melodies in constant conversation.
Elizabeth Joy Roe, piano, & Arlen Hlusko, cello
Saturday, May 8, 2027
Elizabeth Joy Roe, piano
Arlen Hlusko, cello
Program:
Francis Poulenc: Sonate pour violoncelle et piano, FP 143 (I. Allegro – Tempo di Marcia)
Claude Debussy: Sonate pour violoncelle et piano, (L. 135)
Herman Hupfeld: “As Time Goes By” (from Casablanca)
Igor Stravinsky: Suite Italienne, I. Introduzione
Erik Satie: Gymnopédie No. 1
Edith Piaf/Louiguy, arr. Paola Prestini: “La Vie en Rose”
Francis Poulenc: Sonate pour violoncelle et piano, FP 143 (II. Cavatine)
Nadia Boulanger: Trois Pieces (III.)
Billy Strayhorn: “Take the A Train” (after Duke Ellington)
Doris Fisher/Allan Roberts: “Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall” (after Ella Fitzgerald)
Francis Poulenc: Sonate pour violoncelle et piano, FP 143 (III. Ballabile)
Olivier Messiaen: Louange à l’Eternité de Jésus (from Quatuor pour la fin du temps)
Django Reinhardt: “Nuages”
Harold Arlen: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”
Francis Poulenc: Sonate pour violoncelle et piano, FP 143 (IV. Finale)
Cellist Arlen Hlusko and pianist Elizabeth Joy Roe explore the landscape of music across genres and borders in the 1940s, and specifically how many of those sounds influenced Francis Poulenc’s spritely, eclectic, gorgeous Sonate pour violoncelle et piano, which serves as the centerpiece of this program. The program illuminates Grace Farms’ programming approach in the 2026-2027 season, revealing the way imagination and creative process build upon the past, and marks Arlen’s final recital as Artist-in-Residence.
Tickets for Music at Grace Farms, starting at $50, are available at gracefarms.org.
Lectures with Concert Schedule
Saturday, January 23, 2027
Dr. Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor, Harvard University
William Hagen, violin
David Bernat, violin
Masumi Per Rostad, viola
Arlen Hlusko, cello
Musical Program:
Maurice Ravel: String Quartet in F major (1st mvt)
Caroline Shaw: Entr’acte
Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate: Rattle Songs: No 2, Viri Kuta
Shelley Washington: Middleground for String Quartet
Xiaobao He: Silent Tears
Claude Debussy: String Quartet (3rd mvt)
Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate: Rattle Songs: No. 1, Shanoojhee
Anton Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 (“American”)
Dr. Danielle Allen is James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University and teaches political philosophy, ethics, and public policy. She is the 2020 winner of the Library of Congress’ Kluge Prize, received “for her internationally recognized scholarship in political theory and her commitment to improving democratic practice and civics education.” Her work explores how the Declaration of Independence can serve us still, even as we also recognize and remedy its imperfections, and is followed by a chamber music performance curated by Arlen Hlusko.
Sunday, March 14, 2027
Dr. Hannah Rose Thomas, artist, scholar, and activist
London Philharmonic Orchestra, chamber ensemble
Dr. Hannah Rose Thomas incorporates early Renaissance and iconography painting techniques into her work, which has received critical acclaim, with exhibitions in prestigious places, including Buckingham Palace, the UK Houses of Parliament and the Saatchi Gallery. Through her portfolio of portrait paintings, she seeks to elevate the voices of the marginalized and prescribe dignity to the persecuted and forcibly displaced. Her lecture is followed by a performance of a chamber ensemble of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Saturday, April 24, 2027
Dr. Sian Leah Beilock, 19th President of Dartmouth
Gloria Chien, piano
Elena Urioste, violin
Juan-Miguel Hernandez, viola
Arlen Hlusko, cello
Johannes Brahms: Piano Quartet in A Major, Op. 26
Under the leadership of its 19th President, Dr. Sian Leah Beilock, Dartmouth has dramatically expanded affordability for middle-income families and championed the importance of civil dialogue. A distinguished cognitive scientist, President Beilock is one of the world’s foremost experts on performance under pressure. Her lecture is followed by a chamber music performance curated by Grace Farms Artist-in-Residence Arlen Hlusko.
Tickets for Lecture with Concert, ranging from $60 to $75, are available at gracefarms.org.
Leading with Purpose
Saturday, September 19, 2026
Sarah Harden, former CEO of Hello Sunshine — the media company founded by Reese Witherspoon, reflects on her journey of leadership across industries, from sports to media and technology. Harden grew a bold vision into a global cultural force. She led the company responsible for acclaimed productions like Big Little Lies and The Morning Show, while shaping a storytelling ecosystem that broadened whose voices are seen, heard, and brought to market, culminating in a landmark $900 million sale to Candle Media. A visionary leader, she brings a distinctive ability to transform industries, advancing gender equity while creating lasting cultural and economic value.
Complimentary Pre-Reception: In the Library from 3:30 – 5 pm featuring tea-inspired mocktails and a curated selection of wines. Space is limited, so register early by clicking here.
Tickets for Leading with Purpose, starting at $32, are available at gracefarms.org.
Luncheon with Faherty & Cuyana
Thursday, May 6, 2027
Join, Mike Faherty, Co-Founder of Faherty, and Shilpa Shah, Co-Founder of Cuyana, to gather for a spring luncheon and conversation, exploring what it means to lead with purpose in today’s fashion industry. United by a shared commitment to responsible materials, thoughtful design, and enduring quality, Cuyana and Faherty recently launched their first collaboration — a collection that celebrates timeless products made to last. Faherty and Shah will share how their partnership came to life and how collaboration can be a catalyst for innovation and meaningful change.
Tickets will be available later this month at gracefarms.org.
Press Contacts
Elizabeth Rapuano
Grace Farms
Ashley Figueroa
Polskin Arts
[email protected]
