Musical Masterworks presentsThe Sacred and the Profane, a striking chamber music program led by Artistic DirectorTessa Lark, onSaturday, March 14 at 5:00pmandSunday, March 15 at 3:00pm at the First Congregational Church in Old Lyme. Pre-concert talks with the artists will be featured 45 minutes prior to each performance.
The program traces a compelling arc across centuries, exploring the tension between devotion and desire, ritual and rebellion, light and darkness. Joining Lark are harpistBridget Kibbey, violinistChad Hoopes, violistMatthew Lipman, and cellistMihai Marica, an ensemble renowned for both virtuosity and deep musical rapport.
Highlights include Debussy’s luminousDanses sacrée et profane, Bach’s iconicToccata and Fugue in D minorin a riveting arrangement for solo harp, Britten’s introspectiveLachrymae, and John Dowland’s timeless lamentFlow My Tears. The program also features works by Henriette Renié and Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, alongsideBridget Kibbey’sownBards and Griots.
The concert concludes with André Caplet’sThe Mask of the Red Death, inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, bringing dramatic intensity and theatrical color to a program that invites listeners to confront music’s most profound emotional contrasts.
Musical Masterworks continues its tradition of presenting world-class chamber music in an intimate setting that fosters connection between artists and audience.
Musical Masterworks invites families, friends, and neighbors to experience the joy of live music with with two free community concertsby Decoda, Musical Masterworks’ Ensemble-in-Residence. These special events are part of Musical Masterworks’ ongoing Community Engagement Program, now in its fourth year of bringing world-class musicians into schools, correctional institutions, and community organizations across Connecticut.
Family Concert
Saturday, November 22, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, Old Lyme Explore tempo, dynamics, and tone through hands-on music-making, compose a new anthem of thanks and leave with creative prompts to continue the musical celebration at home during the holiday week.
Formal Concert & Reception
Sunday, November 23, 2025 from 2:00–3:30 PM
Saint Ann’s Church, Old Lyme Enjoy music for flute and strings, spanning from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to vibrant contemporary reimaginings that include a fiddle-inspired duo by Decoda’s own George Meyer, and the radiant Maombi Asante (“Prayer of Thanks”), by flutist-composer Valerie Coleman, whose last collaboration with Decoda earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Contemporary Classical Composition. You’ll also hear new compositions developed during Decoda’s just-completed residency at shoreline schools. The concert will be followed by a light reception to meet the musicians and neighbors.
Both concerts are free and open to the public, no tickets or reservations required. Whether you’re a long-time classical music fan or experiencing it for the first time, these concerts offer an easy and welcoming way to connect through music.
“Our Community Concerts are about bringing people together,” said Mic Herring, Executive Director of Musical Masterworks. “Decoda’s energy is contagious, and their performances always create moments of joy and connection that stay with people long after the music ends.”
OLD LYME — When Tessa Lark, violinist and artistic director of Musical Masterworks, sat down to plan a program for the 35th-anniversary season, she worked with a simple rule.
“I go with my gut,” Lark told CT Examiner in a recent interview. “I program concerts that I myself would like to see. I enjoy different styles and my friends happen to be a diverse bunch.”
Fans of Musical Masterworks, which opens its season Oct. 4 and 5 at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, will be happy to hear her friends also happen to be some of the most lauded names in classical music. This season’s performers include Grammy-winning bassist and MacArthur Fellow Edgar Meyer, internationally acclaimed pianist Inon Barnatan, and Bridget Kibbey, who Vogue crowned “the Yo-Yo Ma of the harp.”
Called “one of the most admired pianists of his generation” by The New York Times, Barnatan will be part of the powerhouse quintet on the first program, which features three works by Franz Schubert, including the much-loved “Trout Quintet.”
“I call it a party piece. You can almost smell the wienerschnitzel,” said Lark with a laugh. “But the instrumentation is unusual and, like a lot of Schubert, in its simplicity I find there is quite a bit of poignancy and melancholy.”
While “the Trout” may be a familiar mainstay of the classical canon, Lark said she and her fellow performers look for surprising nuances that show chamber music is a vital form.
“‘Classical music’ is a misnomer,” she said. “It’s a living, breathing, forever-changing landscape.”
Highlights of her 2024-25 work includes returns to the BBC Symphony and Rochester Philharmonic, a debut with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and a recital for the San Francisco Symphony.
She was also named artistic director of the Moab Music Festival and is a mentor for the Irving M. Klein International String Competition.
That last connection introduced her to fellow violinist Julia Schilz, a Juilliard grad student who won the 2025 competition’s grand prize. Schilz will join Lark in Old Lyme for the April concert also featuring pianist Jeewon Park, who has performed extensively in North America, Europe and Asia.
In December, Meyer and Amy Yang, who The Washington Post called “a jaw-dropping pianist who steals the show … with effortless finesse,” will play a recital of their own compositions. Lark, who has collaborated with both, said she’s excited to see how the audience reacts to the pair.
“This will be their first time together in Old Lyme,” she said. “That’s just going to be mind blowing.”
The season’s first program also includes one of Lark’s compositions, “Appalachian Fantasy,” which draws on her own Kentucky roots.
February’s eclectic program of Joseph Haydn, English works and café music brings Lark together with genre-defying cellist Mike Block. March showcases Kibbey with a quintet for “The Sacred and the Profane,” a collection of works by Claude Debussy, J.S. Bach, Benjamin Britten and more.
In addition to the five main concerts at the church, Musical Masterworks will offer the annual MMModern concert at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. Th event features Catalan singer and guitarist Lau
Musical Masterworks is pleased to announce its 35th Season at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme with their opening concert weekend October 4 and 5, 2025 featuring violinist Tessa Lark in her fourth year as Artistic Director.
The 35th season launches with a powerhouse ensemble featuring pianist Inon Barnatan, violist Hsin-Yun Huang, cellist Efe Baltacigil, double bassist Tim Cobb and Artistic Director Tessa Lark. The program pairs Schubert treasures including the beloved Trout Quintet and the poignant Arpeggione Sonata with Lark’s own Appalachian Fantasy, blending timeless classics and contemporary brilliance.
“This season, I’m drawn to music that feels deeply personal, exploring the sublime worlds of specific composers and sharing the places I love most. I hope these programs invite our concertgoers to linger, discover, and experience something new and meaningful along the way,“ said Tessa Lark.
Musical Masterworks 35th season runs from October 2025 – April 2026 at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme at 4 Lyme Street. Click to purchase subscriptions ($175 each), mini-subscriptions ($115 each), individual tickets ($45 each), or student tickets ($5 each).
Musical Masterworks is thrilled to announce that Julia Schilz, first-prize winner of the 2025 Irving M. Klein International String Competition, will be featured as a guest artist in their April 2026 concert weekend. This collaboration brings together two champions of chamber music excellence and marks the first time Musical Masterworks has partnered with the prestigious Klein Competition to present a rising star in its Old Lyme concert series.
Celebrated for her expressive artistry and commanding technique, Julia Schilz, a violinist from New York, emerged as the top laureate of the 2025 Klein Competition, one of the most respected classical music competitions for young string players worldwide.
“We are delighted to begin this new partnership between the Klein Competition and the renowned Musical Masterworks series”, said Competition Artistic Director Mitchell Sardou Klein. “It is especially exciting to be collaborating with our 2008 first prize winner, Tessa Lark, a master chamber musician and visionary leader.”
“We’re honored to be welcoming Julia Schilz to our stage in April,” said Tessa Lark, Artistic Director of Musical Masterworks and herself a former Klein Competition winner. “As someone who knows firsthand the power of this competition to launch careers, I’m particularly excited to share Julia’s extraordinary talent with our community. Her artistry is fresh, magnetic, and deeply rooted in musical integrity.”
This engagement reflects Musical Masterworks’ ongoing commitment to celebrating both established and emerging voices in classical music. Now in its 35th season, the organization continues to spotlight world-class musicians in the intimate and acoustically rich setting of the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme.
“Bringing the Klein Competition winner to Old Lyme is a wonderful expression of our mission to cultivate artistic excellence and connect audiences with transformative musical experiences,” said Alden Murphy, President of the Musical Masterworks. “We’re proud to support the next generation of great performers.”
Mic Herring, Musical Masterworks’ Executive Director, added: “This partnership reinforces our role as a cultural hub for chamber music in Southeastern Connecticut. Julia Schilz is a remarkable talent, and we’re delighted to introduce her to our devoted audiences here in Connecticut.”
Click here for more information on Musical Masterworks and the 2025–2026 season. For more about the Klein Competition, click here.
In Memoriam: Charles Wadsworth Founding Artistic Director, Musical Masterworks
Musical Masterworks mourns the passing of our beloved Founding Artistic Director, Charles Wadsworth, whose artistic vision and charismatic leadership shaped the heart and soul of our concert series.
Charles came to Old Lyme in the early 1990s, initially as an accompanist for soprano Beverly Hoch, but his influence would prove transformational. A handwritten note he scribbled in a program during a later visit read, “Let’s do a few more, ok? I’m really happy we can make music together.” And indeed, we did.
At the time, Charles had already achieved international acclaim as the Founding Director of Chamber Music at both the Spoleto Festivals in Italy and South Carolina, and as the recently retired Artistic Director of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. His decision to bring his artistry, wit, and extraordinary musical network to Old Lyme launched Musical Masterworks into a new era. Under his leadership, the series quickly became known for its excellence, warmth, and adventurous programming, attracting world-class musicians and devoted audiences.
Charles served as Artistic Director from 1991 until his retirement in 2009, when he passed the baton to cellist Edward Arron. In his 18 seasons with us, Charles not only elevated the concert experience but also created a lasting legacy of joy, generosity, and musical brilliance.
We remember Charles not only as a great artist, but as a cherished friend—generous with his humor, gracious in spirit, and ever devoted to the magic of chamber music. His fingerprints remain on every note we play and every concert we share.
We are forever grateful to Charles Wadsworth for the indelible mark he left on Musical Masterworks and the hearts of all who experienced his music.
With deepest admiration and gratitude—
Musical Masterworks
Musical Masterworks is set to close out its 34th season with a grand finale like no other, as renowned trumpeter Caleb Hudson returns to the stage at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme on April 26th and 27th. Under the artistic direction of acclaimed violinist Tessa Lark, the concert promises an unforgettable blend of classical genius and innovative arrangements.
Hudson will lead his bold new ensemble, Triple Cortado, in a dynamic reimagining of classic works. This trio of trumpet, trombone, and piano will surprise and captivate audiences with their fresh take on beloved repertoire, including an unexpected yet thrilling arrangement of Felix Mendelssohn’s Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49. With a nod to an age-old tradition of transforming music for different ensembles, Triple Cortado dares to make the familiar feel brand new.
The performance will also feature Johann Strauss’ lively “Die Fledermaus” Overture, and selections from Leonard Bernstein’s iconic “West Side Story,”offering a delightful fusion of classical, operatic, and Broadway influences. Additionally, the program will highlight works by composers such as the Brazilian legend Pixinguinha and the virtuosic Pablo de Sarasate.
As Musical Masterworks wraps up its current season, audiences can look forward to the 35th season, returning in October 2025 with more exceptional performances. Tickets and Information about our 35th season will be available on our website in early July.
Musical Masterworks has an eventful March planned with its annual contemporary chamber music concert, MMModern, on March 7th and its main series concerts on March 22nd and 23rd.
The MMModern concert will feature Garden Music, on March 7th at La Grua Center at 32 Water Street in Stonington from 5:30pm – 7:30pm. $55 admission includes complimentary beer, wine and appetizers before the concert. Nate Farrington is returning to MMModern — this time with the members of Garden Music, who have been playing together since they were kids; each of them has a special skill set and musical perspective that they bring to the group. Concertgoers will hear Latin music, Stradgrass, opera and original tunes arranged for a small ensemble, which will include bass, percussion, piano, bassoon, and fiddle! Click to purchase MMModern tickets.
In their main series concerts, on March 22nd at 5pm and 23rd at 3 pm, Musical Masterworks will feature the glory of the piano as a solo instrument, with works by Franck, Bach, and Schubert performed by pianist Inon Barnatan, who stunned and delighted concertgoers in Season 32. Click to purchase Inon Barnatan tickets.
Musical Masterworks 34th season runs from October 2024 – April 2025 at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme at 4 Lyme Street. Click to purchase main series tickets ($45 each), or student tickets ($5 each)
Musical Masterworks is thrilled to announce the appointment of Michael “Mic” Herring as its new Executive Director. With a wealth of experience in artist management, chamber music, and non-profit leadership, Herring brings energy and enthusiasm to his new role as Musical Masterworks’ first Executive Director.
Herring has a distinguished career, currently serving as the Senior Director of Booking & Operations for Young Concert Artists in New York City, where he co-manages a roster of emerging classical musicians and spearheads YCA’s chamber music touring ensemble, YCA on Tour. He has previously worked with renowned management firms such as Kirshbaum Associates and Alliance Artist Management, where he represented celebrated artists and ensembles including The Tallis Scholars, Jordi Savall, the Spektral Quartet, among others. In the early part of his career, Herring served as the Manager of the Musicians from Marlboro, the touring ensemble of the Marlboro Music Festival, the Southern Vermont-based chamber music festival. From 2016 through 2022 he also served as the Managing Director of The Dessoff Choirs in New York City, where he led major projects like a special performance of Mozart’s Requiem at Alice Tully Hall, honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
