Pianist Yuja Wang joins forces with conductor and composer Thomas Adès in a dramatic piano concerto by the Finnish luminary Einojuhani Rautavaara. Adès also leads Saariaho’s Oltra mar — an ethereal meditation on love, time, and death — as well as Ives’s Orchestral Set No. 2 and America (A Prophecy), Adès’s own foreboding view of our nation’s fate.

Program

Ives: Orchestral Set No. 2
Rautavaara: Piano Concerto No. 1
Saariaho: Oltra mar
Thomas Adès: America (A Prophecy)

Artists

Thomas Adès (Conductor): Thomas Adès, born in London, is a composer whose oeuvre includes three operas: he conducted the premiere of the most recent,  The Exterminating Angel , at the 2016 Salzburg Festival and subsequently at the Metropolitan Opera, London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and Paris Opéra. He has led premieres and revivals of his The Tempest at Royal Opera House, Metropolitan Opera, Vienna Staatsoper, and Milan’s Teatro alla Scala. He conducted the world premiere of his full-evening ballet Dante (choreographed by Wayne McGregor) at Covent Garden, and later at Paris’s Opéra Garnier; the entire score was recorded by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel for Deutsche Grammaphon. Adès frequently leads performances of his orchestral works Asyla (1997), Tevot (2007), Polaris (2010), Violin Concerto: Concentric Paths (2005), In Seven Days for piano and orchestra (2008), Totentanz for mezzo-soprano, baritone, and orchestra (2013), and the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (2019). His compositions also include numerous celebrated chamber and solo works. Learn more about Thomas Adès

Yuja Wang (Piano): Pianist Yuja Wang is celebrated for her charismatic artistry, emotional honesty, and captivating stage presence. She has performed with the world’s most venerated conductors, musicians, and ensembles, and is renowned not only for her virtuosity, but her spontaneous and lively performances, famously telling The New York Times, “I firmly believe every program should have its own life, and be a representation of how I feel at the moment.” She is serving as the New York Philharmonic’s 2024–25 season Mary and James G. Wallach Artist-in-Residence. Learn more about Yuja Wang

Anna Dennis (Soprano): Anna Dennis studied at the Royal Academy of Music and was the recipient of the 2023 Royal Philharmonic Society’s Singer award. She has appeared with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of St Luke’s, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Orquestra Gulbenkian, les Violons du Roy, Britten Sinfonia, Akademie Alte Musik Berlin, and Sinfonietta Riga. She has sung Britten’s War Requiem (Berlin Philharmonie), Thomas Adès’s Life Story accompanied by the composer (Lincoln Center’s White Light Festival), Boulez’s Pli Selon Pli (BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican), J.S. Bach’s Mein Herze Schwimmt im Blut with Kristian Bezuidenhout, Haydn’s The Seasons (Düsseldorf Symphony and Adam Fischer), and Handel’s Orlando (Academy of Ancient Music and Laurence Cummings). Learn more about Anna Dennis

University of Michigan Chamber ChoirEugene Rogers, director (Chorus): The University of Michigan Chamber Choir is known for its long tradition of artistic excellence, dynamic programming, and commitment to premiering new choral works. Comprising both undergraduate and graduate students, the chamber choir performs a wide range of choral music, from classical masterpieces to contemporary works. Recent performances and collaborations have included masterworks such as Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Durufle’s Requiem, and Undine Smith-Moore’s Scenes from the Life of a Marty r, as well as premieres by composers such as Christopher Theofanidis, Tarik O’Regan, Damien Geter, Nkeiru Okoye, and Jocelyn Hagen. Learn more about University of Michigan Chamber Choir | Eugene Rogers, director

EXIGENCE Eugene Rogers, director (Chorus): EXIGENCE Vocal Ensemble , the premier professional vocal group of the Sphinx Organization, is dedicated to transforming lives through powerful performances that showcase the artistry within our communities. Led by founding conductor Eugene Rogers, a visionary artist and educator, EXIGENCE brings together a diverse group of solo performers, educators, conductors, and composers committed to promoting choral excellence. Inspired by the mission of the Sphinx Organization, EXIGENCE provides a platform for soloists and composers of color, intending to inspire, challenge, and engage audiences worldwide through dynamic choral music. Learn more about Exigence | Eugene Rogers, director

This event is recurring on the following dates:
– Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 07:30 PM
– Friday, January 23, 2026 at 07:30 PM
– Saturday, January 24, 2026 at 07:30 PM