Charm City Chamber Players: Chamber Music & Letters

Meira Silverstein, violin | Renate Falkner, viola | Ismar Gomes, cello | Lura Johnson, piano

Charm City Chamber Players present a chamber music evening of music and letters, weaving together chamber works and personal writings of three beloved Romantic composers, Clara & Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms - a heartfelt glimpse into the intertwined lives and inspirations of this iconic Romantic trio.

Program:

Clara Schumann

Romances, op. 22 for Violin and Piano

Robert Schumann

Fantasiestücke, op. 73 for Cello and Piano

Johannes Brahms

Piano Quartet in G Minor, op. 25:

     Allegro | Rondo alla Zingarese: Presto

After the performance, please join us for a Meet-the-Artist reception with hors d'oeuvres & wine. BYOB is encouraged!💃🏼

Doors open at 7 PM | Concert starts at 7.30 PM

Get Your Ticket Here!

From New Orleans to stages nationwide, Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars are turning heads with their irresistible blend of retro New Orleans R&B dance hall rhythms and Creole jazz, reimagined for today.

They were 2nd runners up in NPR’s prestigious 2024 Tiny Desk competition and their exciting sound has taken the group from playing tiny dives in New Orleans' 9th Ward to profile bookings at the Jazz & Heritage Festival and French Quarter Festival at home, and coveted festivals nationwide like California's High Sierra Music Festival and Upstate NY's Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival.

Founded by Singer-guitarist, composer, music historian, and New Orleans jazz tour guide Salvatore Geloso (Sally Baby), the ensemble has recently released their debut self-titled EP to glowing reviews.   Geloso’s songs are at the center of Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars' music with Salvatore's original compositions - taking center stage.

All of the ensemble's musicians have extensive resumes - some with classical training and serious chops - including Geloso, who has studied not only New Orleans' music, but also opera and choral works like Mozart’s “Requiem.” They each bring an area of expertise that breathes further life into Sal’s music, fleshing out the influences of Early Jazz, New Orleans R&B and Brass Band music. They are: Zach Serlet (Bass), Jesse Armeding (drums), Steve DeTroy (Keys), Nathan Wolman (trumpet), Oliver Tuttle (Trombone), and James Beaumont (saxophone).

Like the many unique New Orleans bands preceding them, the Silver Dollars  leap into a greater National consciousness is - no doubt - on the eminent horizon.

After the performance, please join us for a Meet-the-Artist reception with hors d'oeuvres & wine. BYOB is encouraged!💃🏼

Doors open at 7 PM | Concert starts at 7.30 PM

Get Your Ticket Here!

Union Square Cookie Tour of Historic Homes in Baltimore.

The famous Union Square Cookie Tour of Historic Homes began in 1985 as a fall house tour, during which residents greeted scores of visitors from all over the Washington-Baltimore region. As competition among house tours grew, the association moved the event closer to Christmas time and now consistently welcomes 500 guests to the neighborhood yearly (with the bonus of homemade cookies!). 

Proceeds from the event support the Association's upkeep of Union Square Park and various activities focused on engaging neighbors. We rely on events like the Cookie Tour to allow us to help our community and neighbors throughout the year.

The musicians of Union Square Soirée will enrich the Cookie Tour with beautiful, uplifting music - adding a touch of joy and elegance for all to enjoy.

​The Union Square Cookie Tour of Historic Homes takes place on the second Sunday in December. Tickets for the 40th annual tour will be available soon. The tour will take place on Sunday, December 14th, from 12 - 4:30 p.m.​

Join AmiciMusic, the award-winning chamber music organization that presents monthly programs in the Baltimore region, for their first performance on the Union Square Soiree series on Saturday, November 22, 2025!

Artistic Director and pianist Daniel Weiser will be joined by violinist Irina Rostomashvili, a wonderful performer from the Republic of Georgia.  They will perform beautiful and Romantic works by Clara Schumann, Paganini, Saint-Saens, as well as the magnificent Violin Sonata by Cesar Franck.  These are all passionate, lyrical, and virtuosic works that are perfect for the Salon environment.  Before each piece is performed, Dr. Weiser will talk about the composers to put them in socio-historical context and to point out fun and interesting things to listen for in the music. 

AmiciMusic is dedicated to breaking down the barriers between performers and audiences through these talks and by establishing a very relaxed, informal, and intimate atmosphere at their concerts.

  For more info about the artists and AmiciMusic, please visit:  https://www.amicimusic.org/concert/violin-virtuoso-2-2/

After the performance, please join us for a Meet-the-Artist reception with hors d'oeuvres & wine. BYOB is encouraged!💃🏼

Doors open at 7 PM | Concert starts at 7.30 PM

Young Artist: Julia Isabella Angeles

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)
Allegro non troppo

Bright Sheng (B.1955)
Tibetan Dance from Seven Tunes Heard in China

Get Your Ticket Here!

Join us for an afternoon with Acoustic Roots Stringband, featuring the acclaimed father-son duo Ken and Brad Kolodner and bassist Alex Lacquement. Their dynamic blend of old-time, bluegrass, and original tunes brings warmth and energy to every performance. Expect driving fiddle, lyrical banjo, and rich harmonies in an intimate salon setting!

After the performance, please join us for a Meet-the-Artist reception with hors d'oeuvres & wine. BYOB is encouraged!💃🏼

Doors open at 2: 30 PM | Concert starts at 3 PM

Young Artist: Logan Lui, piano

M. Glinka: Le Separation, Nocturne in F minor

                        D. Shostakovich: Polka in A minor from Dances of the Dolls

Get Your Ticket Here!

Dear friends,

So many of you have asked for another chance to hear Ramilya’s recent recital - and we’re delighted to say it’s happening!

This informal gathering brings together Ramilya’s academic insight and creative spontaneity, centered on the music of Beethoven, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff from her recent recital. She will share reflections and performance highlights in the intimate setting of our parlor.

Seating is limited for this one-time event; light refreshments and hors d’oeuvres will be served. BYOB is encouraged!💃🏼

Join us for an afternoon of music, conversation, and inspiration!

Doors open at 2.30 PM | Concert begins at 3 PM

Reserve your tickets here. 

Our President, Ramilya Saubanova, takes the stage for a solo piano recital featuring timeless works by Beethoven, Liszt, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff.
From Beethoven’s bold and youthful Piano Sonata op. 7 to the passion and drama of Chopin’s Ballade no. 4, the program moves through sound worlds both intimate and grand. Intertwined are virtuosic etudes by Maarder, Rachmaninoff, and Chopin - works that transcend technical brilliance and speak directly to the soul - alongside classical gems such as Liszt’s Liebestraum, offering moments of tenderness and reflection.

This recital invites you on a journey of color, emotion, and timeless beauty.

After the performance, please join us for a Meet-the-Artist reception with hors d'oeuvres & wine. BYOB is encouraged!💃🏼

Doors open at 7 PM | Concert starts at 7.30 PM

Young Artists: Planet Caravan: Sasha Russey and Jonah Kadlec

Sasha Russey: Elegy in D Minor

Camille Saint-Saens: Clarinet Sonata in Eb Major, Op 167, I movement: Allegretto

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Sound in Motion: Kessa Mefford on Piano & Trio ToUché
Join us for an inspiring evening of solo and chamber music! The evening begins with a solo performance by award-winning pianist Kessa Mefford, celebrated for her captivating interpretations of Maurice Ravel. Known for her Carnegie Hall debut and innovative concert series like Whimsical Birdsong, based out of New York, and Piano at Noon, based in her hometown of Peekskill as an effort to bring more classical music to the community, Kessa brings artistry, insight, and elegance to every performance.

The adventurous Trio ToUché follows with a captivating set that blends classical elegance and contemporary flair. Founded in 2022, this unique ensemble–featuring Towson University pianists Eva Mengelkoch, Hsiu-Hui Wang, and Christopher Dillon–performs imaginative programs for six hands at one piano, featuring inventive transcriptions alongside original jazz- and contemporary-inspired works.

A celebration of contrast, connection, and musical motion.

Program:

Kessa Mefford:

Maurice Ravel (1875–1937) : Pavane pour une infante défunte

Forlane from Le tombeau de Couperin

Valses nobles et sentimentales

Trio ToUché: Christopher Dillon | Eva Mengelkoch | Hsiu – Hui Wang :

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) – Walden Hughes: Cantata Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147

Thomas Schwan (b. 1985): Canone Infinito

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) – Carl Liba: Ständchen

Georges Bizet (1838-1875), arr. Jakub Kowalewski (b. 1977) : Carmen Suite No. 1 :

I. Prélude

II. Aragonaise

III. Intermezzo

IV. Séguedille

V. Les dragons d’Alcala

VI. Les toréadors

After the performance, please join us for a Meet-the-Artist reception with hors d'oeuvres & wine. BYOB is encouraged!💃🏼

Doors open at 7 PM | Concert starts at 7.30 PM

Young Artist: Isabel Marcus, soprano

W. A. Mozart: Der Schauspieldirektor: Bester Jüngling 

J. Strauss II : Die Fledermaus: Mein Herr Marquis

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Join us for an evening of music with BSO Concertmaster Jonathan Carney and pianist Ramilya Saubanova in an intimate salon setting. Experience the artistry of one of America’s leading violinists as he performs a captivating program alongside his family and the dynamic and expressive piano playing of Ramilya Saubanova. We look forward to sharing this unforgettable musical evening with you!

Program:

Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904): Miniatures for 2 violins and viola

Bohuslav Jan Martinů (1890–1959) : Madrigals for Violin and Viola

César Franck (1822–1890): Sonata for Violin and Piano in 4 movements

After the performance, please join us for a Meet-the-Artist reception with hors d'oeuvres & wine. BYOB is encouraged!💃🏼

Doors open at 7 PM | Concert starts at 7.30 PM

Young Artist: James Fetterolf, piano

Get Your Ticket Here!

We warmly invite you to an evening of chamber music concert, which is part of the International Concert Exchange Tour, a visionary initiative celebrating cross-cultural collaboration through classical music. This special performance marks the U.S. debut of Italian pianist Francesco Cipolletta, who joins South African cellist Jacques-Pierre Malan—two international artists uniting to share their artistry with you.

This concert is presented in partnership with Union Square Soirée and Embassy Series.

Program:

Felix Mendelssohn:

Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 2 in D Major, Op. 58

Robert Schumann:

Fünf Stücke im Volkston (Five Pieces in Folk Style), Op. 102

— Intermission —

Frédéric Chopin:

Sonata for Cello and Piano in G minor, Op. 65

Gabriel Fauré:

Élégie, Op. 24

Alfredo Piatti:

Tarantella, Op. 23

After the performance, please join us for a Meet-the-Artist reception with hors d'oeuvres & wine. BYOB is encouraged!💃🏼

Doors open at 7 PM | Concert starts at 7.30 PM

Young Artist: Franz Spooner, piano

RSVP HERE

Due to an unforeseen personal matter involving one of our featured artists, our May 31 AAPI Heritage Celebration has been postponed to a future date.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration: Piano Extravaganza
Featuring acclaimed Japanese American pianist Rieko Tsuchida and Chinese American pianist Susan Zhang, this vibrant program showcases works by Asian composers as well as pieces inspired by Asian musical traditions.

Program:

Francis Poulenc: Sonata for Piano Four Hands, FP 8:

• I. Prelude

• II. Rustique

• III. Final

Maurice Ravel: Ma mère l'Oye:

III. Laideronnette, impératrice des pagodes: Mouvt de marche

Gabriel Fauré: Dolly Suite, Op. 56

• I. Berceuse

• II. Mi-a-ou

• III. Le Jardin de Dolly

• IV. Kitty-Valse

• V. Tendresse

• VI. Le pas Espagnol

Sato Matsui: Oiseau Lunaire

Cindi Hsu: Postcards

• Taiwan

• Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar

• Venice

Reena Esmail: America / Desh

George Gershwin (arr. Henry Levine): Rhapsody in Blue

After the performance, please join us for a Meet-the-Artist reception with hors d'oeuvres & wine. BYOB is encouraged!💃🏼

Doors open at 7 PM | Concert starts at 7.30 PM

Young Artist: Franz Spooner, piano

RSVP HERE

🎶 A Night for Art Without Borders 🎶


Union Square Soirée invites you to an intimate evening of music, community, and solidarity as we rally to support the continuity of our international artistic collaborations and the people who make them possible. ✈️🎹

Enjoy live performances by:
🎹 @pianistcomposer
🎷 @nkolai_k
🎻 @eva_the_cellist

👉 Suggested minimum donation: $35 per person. Give what you can! Every dollar raised will help cover essential expenses to ensure our mission of art without borders continues.
👉 Bring a bottle of wine or a finger food to share — let’s make it a true community celebration!

Let’s come together to keep music, artistry, and cultural connection thriving in Baltimore.

Even if you can't attend, please consider donating. Your support makes a difference!

Union Square Soirée presents a recital by Latin Grammy Award-winning pianist Kristhyan Benitez. He will showcase original music from Latin America, blending vibrant rhythms with rich, evocative melodies that celebrate the region’s diverse and captivating musical heritage!

After the performance, please join us for a Meet-the-Artist reception with hors d'oeuvres & wine. BYOB is encouraged!💃🏼

Young Artist: Marcel Young, clarinet

Due to popular demand and in light of our sold out event on April 26, we’ve added an additional performance on April 25! Our off-the-cuff event will be a relaxed, interactive experience featuring Latin Grammy Award-winning pianist Kristhyan Benítez.

He will present original music from Latin America, weaving vibrant rhythms with rich, expressive melodies that celebrate the region’s diverse musical heritage. Guests will have the chance to hear the stories behind the music, see how a performance evolves, and engage with the artists in a warm, informal setting.

After the performance, please join us for a Meet-the-Artist reception with hors d'oeuvres & wine. BYOB is encouraged!💃🏼

Union Square Soirée presents a solo recital by the renowned Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Resident Pianist, Principal Pianist of the Delaware Symphony, and Steinway Artist, Lura Johnson, in celebration of her monumental, first-of-its-kind solo album, The Art of Prelude and Fugue. This recording is a daring curation of two mammoth piano masterpieces, the complete Well-Tempered Clavier of J.S. Bach and 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87 by Dmitri Shostakovich. The works are interspersed and commingled, with an emphasis on the striking connections between them. The music is highly complicated, deeply contemplative, precise and exacting in an almost scientific way, and rigorously structured. Yet ultimately it transcends boundaries, transporting us to a realm of the most spiritual kind. While challenging our intellect to comprehend its stunning complexity, the music offers us, paradoxically, a place of stillness, serenity, and deep reflection.

Critically acclaimed and beloved by audiences, Lura Johnson describes her artistic mission as:
“My goal is to vividly and thoroughly bring to life the essence and true character of the music, the way an actor embodies a role with full commitment.”

After the performance, please join us for a Meet-the-Artist reception with hors d'oeuvres & wine. BYOB is encouraged!💃🏼

Young Artists: Karina Wu, piano, and Kailey Wu, piano

RSVP here: https://forms.gle/ojsrDNGL2VUqYuxw7

Program:

Prelude in C Major, BWV 846 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Prelude in C Major, Op. 87, No. 1 Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)

Prelude in C Minor, BWV 847 J.S. Bach

Prelude in A Minor, Op. 87, No. 2 D. Shostakovich

Fugue in A Minor, Op. 87, No. 2 D. Shostakovich

Fugue in C Minor, BWV 847 J.S. Bach

Fugue in C Sharp Minor, BWV 849 J.S. Bach

Fugue in C Minor, Op. 87, No. 20 D. Shostakovich

Fugue in G Major, Op. 87, No. 3 D. Shostakovich

Fugue in G Major, BWV 860 J.S. Bach

Prelude in G Minor, BWV 861 J.S. Bach

Prelude in G Minor, Op. 87, No. 22 D. Shostakovich

Fugue in G Minor, Op. 87, No. 22 D. Shostakovich

Fugue in G Minor, BWV 861 J.S. Bach

Prelude in D Minor, Op. 87, No. 24 D. Shostakovich

Fugue in D Minor, Op. 87, No. 24 D. Shostakovich

Seasons–a Timeless Musical Journey

Experience an evening that weaves together classical, folk, and jazz influences across different eras and cultures. From the shimmering elegance of Debussy to the fiery spirit of Vivaldi and Bartók, and the timeless charm of Italian arias and jazz classics – this concert will take you on a journey through the seasons of the heart!

Claire Hebeisen, Violin

Cassidy Dixon, Soprano

Ramilya Saubanova, Piano

A special thank you to our gracious hosts, Gabriel and Christine Soudry.

🌟 Event Timeline 🌟
🍸 6 PM – Hors d’oeuvres
🍽️ 7 PM – Dinner
🎶 8 PM – Concert
🍰 9 PM – Dessert
🪩 10 PM – Disco Party

Let the music move you – and the night carry you away!

RSVP here: https://forms.gle/oqbwvU9QHiZCf9BU9

The Joshua Espinoza Trio:

Joshua Espinoza, jazz pianist

Kris Monson, bassist

Jaron Lamar Davis, drummer

Latino-American jazz pianist Joshua Espinoza blends and bends genres into songs that are immediately relatable yet hard to define. Alongside bassist Kris Monson and drummer Jaron Lamar Davis, the Joshua Espinoza Trio explores the undefined space between jazz improvisation, classical chamber music, pop aesthetics, and folk traditions.

Read and hear more at www.JoshuaEspinoza.com

Young Artist: Alekzandr Martinez, piano

RSVP here: https://forms.gle/EQJgynkjpFFqQvee8

Join us on Sunday, December 8, 2024, beginning at noon and 2:30 for Charm City’s most charming event. For 39 years, residents of the Union Square neighborhood of Baltimore City have welcomed visitors into their historic homes for tours, homemade cookies and holiday cheer.

Group #1 – Check-in starts at 11:30 a.m. Tour homes from 12-2 p.m.
Group #2 – Check-in starts at 2 p.m. Tour homes from 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Homes will be closed from 2-2:30 p.m.

This event is rain or shine.
“No refunds for weather”

Buy tickets here.

Chestertown Piano Quartet:

Elizabeth Adams, violin

Renate Falkner, viola

Joseph Gotoff, cello

Minji Nam, piano

Program:

Gustav Mahler: Piano Quartet

Frank Bridge: Phantasy Piano Quartet in F sharp minor (1910)

Johannes Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op.25 (1861)

Young Artists:

Adele Amaral, piano

Leonardo Amaral, piano

RSVP here: https://forms.gle/Nqi3SbE2c4DYVNdK6

“Music and Heritage: Tatar Classical Music Concert Series”

Special Tatar Music Concert-Fairytale featuring treasures by classical Tatar composers Rustem Yakhin, Farid Yarullin, Nazib Zhiganov, and Almaz Monasypov, as well as Tatar folk tunes.

Date: October 25, 2024

Time: 7:30 PM

Location: Peabody Conservatory, Goodwin Hall

1E Mt Vernon Pl, Baltimore, MD, 21202

Read more about the project here

Piano Four Hands: Elena Buttiero & Anita Frumento, Italy

Program: The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri by Cesare San Fiorenzo and his friendship with Giuseppe Verdi:

Cesare San Fiorenzo (1834-1909): The Divine Comedy, dramatic-musical illustrations for piano four hands (excerpts)

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901): Excerpts from La Traviata (1853) and Il Trovatore (1853)

Young Artist: Lucca Farkas, guitar

RSVP here: https://forms.gle/J92dscdYL818bXZi6

Project Fusion Saxophone Quartet:

Dannel Espinoza, soprano saxophone

Doug O’Connor, alto saxophone

Aiwen Zhang, tenor saxophone

Matt Evans, baritone saxophone

Program:

George Gershwin (1898-1937) / arr. Espinoza: Three Preludes (1926)

Peter van Zandt Lane (b. 1985): nodes.branches.loops (2020)

Joe Hisaishi (b. 1950) / arr. Takahashi: Give Remix (1984)

Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936): Quatuor, Op. 109 (1932)

Young Artist:

Jackson Wu, piano

Learn more about Project Fusion here: www.ProjectFusionSQ.com

“Music and Heritage: Tatar Classical Music Concert Series”

Special Tatar Music Concert featuring treasures by classical Tatar composers Rustem Yakhin, Farid Yarullin, Nazib Zhiganov, and Almaz Monasypov, as well as Tatar folk tunes. There will be a small reception following the concert.

Artists:

Ramilya Saubanova, piano

Nikolai Klotchkov, saxophone

Location:                                                                                                                                                                                                              100 S Stricker St, Baltimore, MD, 21223

Learn more about Ramilya Saubanova, the visionary behind the Tatar Classical Music Concert Series, and explore the Tatar Music project.here: ramilyasaubanova.com

The Honey Dewdrops with Alex Lacquement

Learn more about artists here: www.thehoneydewdrops.com

Trio Portinari:

Nicholas Pappone, violin

Candace Chien, piano

Gloria Kim, cello

Program:

Rachmaninoff: Trio élégiaque No. 1

Falla - Kreisler: Danse Espagnole

Liszt: Gnomenreige

Piazzolla: Le grand tango (cello solo)

Kreisler: Miniature Viennese March

Beethoven: Ghost Trio

Ramilya Saubanova: Piano Solo

Program:

F. Kreisler (1875–1962)– S. Rachmaninoff (1873–1943): Liebesfreud (Love’s Joy)

J. Brahms (1833–1897): 3 Intermezzi op. 117

J. S. Bach (1685–1750): Italian Concerto, BWV 971

N. Medtner (1880–1951): Forgotten Melodies, op. 39:

Canzona Matinata No. 4

Sonata Tragica No. 5

Learn more about the artist here: www.ramilyasaubanova.com

Concert of Classical Music

Alexander Markov, violin: www.alexandermarkov.com

Nikolai Klotchkov, saxophone: https://nklotchkov.wixsite.com/klotchkov-info

Ramilya Saubanova, piano: www.ramilyasaubanova.com

Michael Sheppard: Piano Solo

Program:

L. Godowsky: Contrapuntal Paraphrase on Weber’s Invitation to the Dance

F. Chopin: Barcarolle op. 60

L. V. Beethoven: Piano Sonata op. 57