Tag: #danburyconcertassociation

Danbury Concert Association Opens 2026–27 Series with Acclaimed Pianist Ying Li, Sept. 20 @ 1 p.m.

The Danbury Concert Association launches its 2026–2027 concert season on Sunday, September 20, welcoming internationally acclaimed Chinese concert pianist Ying Li to the Visual & Performing Arts Center at Western Connecticut State University.

The 1 p.m. performance will take place at 43 Lake Avenue Extension in Danbury and promises an afternoon of dazzling technique, expressive depth, and a captivating program featuring celebrated masterworks of piano repertoire.

Single tickets for the September 20th concert are $33.85 and may be purchased online, at wcsuvpac.eventbrite.com, or at the VPAC Box Office (203-837-8732) up to curtain time. Admission is free for ages 18 and under, courtesy of the Danbury Cultural Commission. Season subscriptions at $89 for all four concerts are also available at https://ticketscandy.com/e/danbury-concert-association-202627-series-18376

Ying Li, phonoto credit Shervin-Lainez

Born in China, Ying Li began studying piano at age five. Just nine years later, her exceptional promise led her to Philadelphia’s prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Jonathan Biss and Seymour Lipkin and earned her bachelor’s degree. She continued her education at The Juilliard School in New York, completing her master’s degree in 2021 under the guidance of Robert McDonald.

That same year marked a major milestone in Li’s rapidly ascending career. She won the Premio Internazionale Antonio Mormone in Milan and was named a laureate of the Young Concert Artists Auditions in New York. These honors affirmed her place among the most exciting young pianists on the international stage.

Li has performed worldwide at renowned chamber music festivals and with leading orchestras. Her performances have brought her to celebrated venues, from Teatro alla Scala in Milan and Verizon Hall at Philadelphia’s Kimmel Cultural Campus to the Chicago Cultural Center and ACT Concert Hall in Hamamatsu, Japan.

Widely praised for her “nerves of steel,” technical brilliance, and profound musical sensitivity, Li brings a presence that is both commanding and deeply communicative. For her Danbury appearance, Li will perform a compelling and wide-ranging program featuring works by Bach/Busoni, Amy Beach, Stravinsky, and Qigang Chen. The repertoire offers audiences an opportunity to experience the breadth of her artistry—from clarity and control to sweeping virtuosity and emotional nuance. Following the concert, audience members are invited to stay and meet the rising piano star in person.

With Ying Li’s dynamic artistry opening the season, the Danbury Concert Association’s 2026–2027 series begins on a high note—inviting music lovers to experience a remarkable performer whose international career is already making an indelible impression.



About the Danbury Concert Association
The Danbury Concert Association is a nonprofit organization with roots dating back to the 1930s. Officially spun off from the Danbury Music Centre in 1957, the Association has brought internationally renowned talent to Connecticut every year since then, except during the COVID era. Today, performances are held at the Visual and Performing Arts Center at Western Connecticut State University, featuring internationally acclaimed artists in a state-of-the-art concert hall. The Association presents four concerts per season, two in the fall and two in the spring, each followed by a meet-the-artists reception.

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Danbury Concert Association concludes 2025/26 series June 7 with Sophie Shao & Friends

The Danbury Concert Association (DCA) will conclude its 2025/26 season on Sunday, June 7 with a program designed to feel both celebratory and deeply personal: the return of acclaimed cellist Sophie Shao, joined by four highly acclaimed musical professionals—violinist Carmit Zori, violist Cora Pogossian, bassist Max Zeugner, and pianist Amy I‑Lin Cheng.

The concert begins at 3 p.m. at the Veronica Hagman Concert Hall in the Visual Performing Arts Center (VPAC) on Western Connecticut State University’s Westside campus—an intimate, in-the-round venue known for warm acoustics and a welcoming, come-as-you-are atmosphere. Single tickets for the June 7 concert are $25 and may be purchased online, at wcsuvpac.eventbrite.com, or at the VPAC Box Office (203-837-8732) up to curtain time. Admission is free for ages 18 and under, courtesy of the Danbury Cultural Commission.

For DCA audiences, Shao’s return is more than a season finale—it is the kind of artist-centered homecoming the organization has long championed. It reflects a rare concert experience defined by world-class musicianship in a setting where every seat feels close, every phrase feels immediate, and the post-concert conversation remains part of the tradition.

Shao and her fellow performers will present three works, each offering a distinctive voice and atmosphere. Elena Ruehr’s Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 2 brings modern expressiveness and rich color, highlighting the lyrical warmth of Shao’s cello and the refined sensitivity of pianist Amy I-Lin Cheng. The program continues with a deeply meaningful tribute to Danbury’s own Charles Ives, who’s Piano Trio is especially fitting in recognition of America’s 250th anniversary. Following intermission, the afternoon concludes with Franz Schubert’s Quintet for Piano and Strings in A major, D. 667 (“The Trout”). With its buoyant variations and luminous lyricism, the beloved work offers an uplifting and generous finish to the season, bringing the concert to a joyful close.

That spirit of connection continues after the performance, as each DCA concert is followed by a meet-the-artists reception open to all, reinforcing the series’ tradition of community.

The June 7 season finale will also offer a first look at the 2026/27 series that includes: Ying Li, piano on September 20, 2026, Camerata RCO, chamber music orchestra on October 25, 2026, Kathryn Lewek soprano, and Zach Borichesvsky, tenor on March 21, 2027, and the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, on June 6, 2027. Special subscription pricing for the new season will be available at www.danburyconcert.org beginning June 8.

About the Danbury Concert Association
The Danbury Concert Association is a nonprofit organization with roots dating back to the 1930s. Officially spun off from the Danbury Music Centre in 1957, the Association has brought internationally renowned talent to Connecticut every year since, with the exception of the COVID era. Today, performances are held at the Visual and Performing Arts Center at Western Connecticut State University, in a state of the art facility. Each series features four concerts, two in the fall and two in the spring. Every performance begins at 3:00 p.m. and is followed by a reception with the artists.

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The Danbury Concert Association presents Ilya Yakushev, piano Sunday, March 22 at 3:00 p.m.

Renowned pianist Ilya Yakushev will make his Danbury debut at the stunning Visual & Performing Arts Center of Western Connecticut State University on Sunday, March 22 at 3:00 p.m. The third of four concerts in the Danbury Concert Association’s

Renowned pianist Ilya Yakushev
2025/26 series will feature works by Beethoven, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Gershwin, and Liszt, and be followed by a meet-the-artist reception that is open to all.

Tickets will be available on WCSU’s Eventbrite page for $25, and admission is free for ages 18 and under courtesy of a grant from the Danbury Cultural Commission.

About the artist
Ilya Yakushev has mesmerized audiences at major venues around the world, including Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall; Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco; Sejong Performing Arts Center in Seoul, Korea; Great Philharmonic Hall in St. Petersburg; and Victoria Hall in Singapore. His many awards include first prizes at the 2005 World Piano Competition in Cincinnati and, at age 12, the Young Artists Concerto Competition in his native St. Petersburg. A New York Times critic has noted that “Mr. Yakushev…cultivates a fiery, impetuous persona with both energy and brash humor…ready to pounce but delicate…at the keyboard he can do just about anything he wants.”

About the Visual & Performing Arts Center (VPAC)
The VPAC’s Veronica Hagman Concert Hall (located at 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury) has been a premier performance venue since it opened in 2014. The acoustics are excellent, and the vibe is at once casual and refined. With the hall’s open, in-the-round seating (for up to 350) each concertgoer can sit back and enjoy the artist–audience connection.

Mark your calendar for the fourth and final performance of the series, featuring cellist Sophie Shao & Friends, on Sunday, June 7 at 3 p.m. See https://www.danburyconcert.org/ for details.

About the Danbury Concert Association
The DCA, a 501(c)(3) organization, has a local, volunteer board that organizes its series. Thanks to support from individual and corporate donors, and granting organizations like the Danbury Cultural Commission, it brings exceptional artists to the stunning concert hall on WCSU’s west side campus. The DCA invites everyone who wants to experience “beautiful music, where they live” to come to its concerts.

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Danbury Concert Association presents “Piano Four Hands” with Andrew Armstrong and Jeewon Park on Sunday, October 26 at 3 p.m.

The Danbury Concert Association (DCA) will present “Piano Four Hands” when two virtuosos, Andrew Armstrong and Jeewon Park, take to the keyboard together on Sunday, October 26 at 3 p.m. The second concert of the DCA’s 2025/26 series, featuring Gershwin’s “An American in Paris,” Grieg’s “Four Norwegian Dances, op. 25,” and other works by Fauré, Mozart, and Schubert, will take place at the Visual & Performing Arts Center of Western Connecticut State University.

Single tickets are available at $25 from https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dca-presents-andrew-armstrong-and-jeewon-park-piano-tickets-1757648858049?aff=ebdsoporgprofile. Subscriptions to the remaining three concerts of the 2025/26 series can be purchased on www.danburyconcert.org. Free admission for ages 18 and under, courtesy of the Danbury Cultural Commission, lets young music lovers experience a live concert – and even meet the performers in person at a meet-the-artists reception that’s open to all.

About the Performers
New Canaan native Andrew Armstrong has been praised for his passionate expression and dazzling technique, delighting audiences across Asia, Europe, Latin America, Canada, and the United States, appearing at Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and other venues. He also serves as Artistic Director of several music series in South Carolina, New York City, and Worcester, MA.

Since her debut at age twelve with the Korean Symphony Orchestra, Jeewon Park has captivated audiences worldwide. Her playing has been described as “ravishing in execution, radiant in timbre,” exhibiting “ultimate grandeur and sheer delight,” with warm musicality and effortless virtuosity.

About the Visual & Performing Arts Center (VPAC)
The Veronica Hagman Concert Hall has been a premier performance venue since the VPAC opened on the university’s west side campus in 2014. The acoustics are excellent, and the vibe is at once casual and refined. With the hall’s open, in-the-round seating (for up to 350) each concertgoer can sit back and enjoy the artist-audience connection.

Upcoming Performances
The DCA’s series will continue with pianist Ilya Yakushev on March 22, 2026, and cellist Sophie Shao & Friends on June 7, 2026. Concerts are on Sundays at 3 p.m., and each is followed by a meet-the-artists reception. For details see www.danburyconcert.org.

About the Danbury Concert Association
The Danbury Concert Association, a 501(c)(3) organization, has a volunteer board that organizes its series. Kathryn Taylor Kloss, President, notes that “Community music began flourishing in the early days of the U.S.! In the 1930s, Danbury was fortunate to have a very active group (the Danbury Music Centre) which led to the creation of the DCA, devoted to presenting professional performances. Today, thanks to support from individual and corporate donors, and granting organizations like the Danbury Cultural Commission, we continue that mission, now in the beautiful concert hall on the WestConn campus. We invite everyone who wants to experience live music ‘where they live’ to come to our concerts.”

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Attention Classical Music Lovers: Pre-order Your Subscription to the Danbury Concert Association’s 2025/26 Performance Series and Save!

The Danbury Concert Association (DCA) proudly announces their 2025/26 performance schedule. Concertgoers can save on the full, four-concert series by ordering a subscription during August at the discounted rate of $75 per adult, just $18.75 per concert – a fabulous price for such world-class musicianship.

A Far Cry

First in the concert series is the triple Grammy-nominated chamber orchestra, A Far Cry, returning to the Visual & Performing Arts Center at Western Connecticut State University on Sunday, September 21st at 3 p.m. The 15 Boston-based “Criers” will perform works by Caroline Shaw, Komitas, Osvaldo Golijov, and Benjamin Britten.

Upcoming Performances
Mark your calendars for the rest of the series, which includes “Piano Four Hands,” with Andrew Armstrong and Jeewon Park on October 26; pianist Ilya Yakushev on March 22, 2026; and cellist Sophie Shao & Friends on June 7, 2026. All concerts are on Sundays at 3 p.m. and each is followed by a meet-the-artists reception open to all. For details, visit https://www.danburyconcert.org/.

To order your discounted subscription, download a printable order form at https://www.danburyconcert.org.

Beginning August 21st, single tickets to A Far Cry’s concert will be available on Eventbrite at the regular price of $25 per adult. Admission is free for ages 18 and under, courtesy of the Danbury Cultural Commission.

For music lovers of all ages, The Danbury Concert Association presents world-class entertainment at incredible prices – join us and see for yourself!

About the Visual & Performing Arts Center (VPAC)
The Veronica Hagman Concert Hall at VPAC at Western Connecticut State University has been a game-changing venue since raising its curtain in 2014. Featuring a tri-level, in-the-round seating experience for audiences of up to 350, this elegant space is where beautiful form meets the highest standards of functionality. State-of-the-art acoustics and lighting create exceptional sensory experiences for patrons and performers alike, rivaling the best concert halls in the country.

About the Danbury Concert Association
Nearly 100 years young, the Danbury Concert Association (DCA) is a 501(c)(3) organization. Their singular mission since their inception has been to present a series of local, affordable, live concerts by exceptional professional musicians who perform in the world’s greatest concert venues. Through the tireless work of their all-volunteer board, the DCA continues to attract the highest caliber performance artists to Danbury, giving music lovers a rare opportunity to experience the finest in classical entertainment without having to travel to New York, Boston, Philadelphia, or any far-off concert venue. For more information about the DCA (or to donate to their worthy mission), visit https://www.danburyconcert.org/.

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