As America commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Musical Masterworks opens its 36th season with a program that asks a compelling question: What makes music sound American?

Artistic Director Tessa Lark opens the 2026–2027 season around that idea, inviting audiences to explore the extraordinary diversity of American music while celebrating the traditions and cultural influences that continue to shape our nation’s artistic identity.

The 36th season begins on October 10 and 11 and features an acclaimed quartet of returning Musical Masterworks favorites: pianist Jeewon Park, violist Melissa Reardon, cellist Edward Arron, and violinist and Artistic Director Tessa Lark.

The thoughtfully curated program reflects both America’s rich musical heritage and the international influences that helped define it. Audiences will hear Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s Louisiana Blues Strut, Jessie Montgomery’s Duo for Violin and Cello, Aaron Copland’s Waltz and Celebration from “Billy the Kid,” Rebecca Clarke’s Viola Sonata, and Antonín Dvořák’s Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat Major, Op. 87.

“Season 36 begins during America’s 250th anniversary, so we’re celebrating and exploring the diverse sounds of American music,” said Lark. “My hope is to highlight how America’s uniquely rich cultural history is embodied in its wonderfully varied musical output. Across these programs, traditions blend to create new sound worlds, and the juxtaposition of contemporary works with enduring classics changes the way we hear the music.”

The concert also marks the return of longtime Musical Masterworks artists Edward Arron and Jeewon Park, whose artistic leadership helped shape the series for many years. Their return alongside Lark reflects the sense of continuity and artistic family that has become a hallmark of Musical Masterworks.

From the blues-inspired rhythms of Perkinson to the expansive American landscapes of Copland, the contemporary voice of Jessie Montgomery, the expressive brilliance of Rebecca Clarke, and Dvořák’s beloved chamber masterpiece (written after his influential years in America) the opening program offers audiences a musical journey that is both deeply rooted in tradition and unmistakably relevant today.

Concerts will be presented at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, whose intimate setting has become one of New England’s most treasured chamber music venues. The remarkable acoustics and close connection between performers and audience create an experience rarely found in larger concert halls.

Musical Masterworks’ 36th season continues through April 2027 with programs celebrating America’s rich musical landscape, including the series’ first performance featuring the church’s historic organ, the return of internationally acclaimed artists, and the annual appearance of the Irving M. Klein International Strings Competition First Prize Winner.

Concerts take place Saturday, October 10, at 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, October 11, at 3:00 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, 4 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, Connecticut.

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