Now entering its ninth season, Grand Piano Series, led by President and Artistic Director Milana Strezeva, continues to captivate audiences with rising stars and already-soaring artists from around the world. 

Grand Piano Series can also boast a new partnership with a great Southwest Florida arts organization:

“We are delighted to deepen our partnership with Grand Piano Series,” said Artis—Naples CEO and President Kathleen van Bergen. “This collaboration enriches our year-round programming with exceptional piano-focused repertoire that complements our diverse offerings.  Milana’s dedication to excellence and her vision for Grand Piano Series is truly inspiring. I look forward to the innovative and engaging experiences this partnership will bring to our cultural campus.”  

Housed on the campus of Southwest Florida’s premier visual and performing arts destination, each of the series’ elegant Artis—Naples venues seats between 150 and 250. Myra Janco Daniels Pavilion and Ubben Signature Event Space are designed for exceptional acoustics and an intimate connection with the artists.

Evenings at Daniels Pavilion

The stars come out and shine at this season’s Grand Piano Series evenings at Daniels Pavilion.

After her recent solo debut at the Berlin Philharmonic, world-renowned pianist Polina Osetinskaya, described as “a magnificent musician (whose) performances always explore new facets of even the most familiar scores,” ushers in the holidays in November, with Bach, and with Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite.   

Sterling Elliott

December brings disarming young Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient Sterling Elliott on cello and the series return of prize-winning Gilmore Young Artist pianist Janice Carissa, performing selections of Scriabin, Janáček, and Brahms. 

Noted by critics for her “powerhouse sound, forceful musical personality, and sheer virtuosity,” 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition silver medalist Anna Geniushene plays Handel, Brahms, Liszt and Rachmaninoff, among others, in February.

Eric Lu

May brings back 2015 Chopin National Piano Competition winner Eric Lu, playing to his strengths with an all-Chopin program. Already being compared to Radu Lupu, the late Romanian pianist whom Lu describes as “one of the gods of piano,” the young virtuoso’s career has soared over the six years since he took first place at the prestigious 2018 Leeds International Piano Competition. 

“Eric last graced our series in the summer of 2018 and has since earned international recognition, performing with such renowned orchestras as the Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, and London Philharmonic,” said Strezeva

Afternoons and Evenings at Ubben Signature Event Space

The intimate Ubben Signature Event Space doubles patrons’ options for enjoyment by hosting afternoon and evening performances by the same artists.

Trio Bohémo

In January, the Grand Piano Series continues venturing beyond the piano, first with Trio Bohémo, a violin/cello/piano trio fresh from capturing prize after prize in worldwide chamber music competitions, including first place, best interpretation, and audience prize at Vienna’s International Joseph Haydn Chamber Music Competition.  

March features a star-studded performance, including series director Milana Strezeva, a founding member of the award-winning Manhattan Piano Trio. Strezeva joins one of the biggest names in chamber music today — the Prague-based Pavel Haas Quartet — in an all-Dvořák program. BBC Music Magazine feted the Czech ensemble on its 20th anniversary by naming it one of the magazine’s 10 greatest string quartets of all time. The group has won five Gramophone Classical Music Awards for recordings, including Dvořák trios, quartets, and quintets.  

Andrew von Oeyen

Finally, Andrew von Oeyen brings twin March performances of “Angels and Demons,” a piano program that promises to explore “the heavenly and diabolical in music, its saints and sinners, both literally and figuratively. Some of the works are deeply religious, others hedonistic; some are inspired by the flesh, others by the spirit; and in some cases, both.” 

A pre-season amuse-oreille

Quang Vo & Duy Vu

For those already hungry for the 2024-25 season, late August serves up the third in a series of Narrative Musicales — “Water or Steel: Contradictions of Piano Sound”— an hour-long, intermissionless concert that intertwines music by young pianists Quang Vo and Duy Vu with series Director of Education and Community Engagement Konstantin Soukhovetski’s reflections on it.

Thursday, Aug. 22, 7:30 p.m. (Ubben Signature Event Space) –  Narrative Musicale: “Water or Steel: Contradictions of Piano Sound,” with Quang Vo and Duy Vu

Grand Piano Series, 2024-2025 Season

Subscriptions can be purchased starting on August 1 at Artis—Naples box office. For assistance, call 239-597-1900.

• Thursday, August 1: Donors $1600+ with phone-only access to subscriptions
• Thursday, August 8: Donors $500+ and subscribers with phone-only access to subscriptions
• Monday, August 12: General public with phone-only access to subscriptions

Performances are at either Ubben Signature Event Space or Daniels Pavilion, Artis—Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Boulevard, Naples. 

Evenings @ Daniels Pavilion ($200)

Wednesday, Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m. –  Polina Osetinskaya plays Bach and Tchaikovsky

Wednesday, Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m.  –  Sterling Elliott and Janice Carissa play Scriabin, Janáček and Brahms

Thursday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m.  –  Anna Geniushene plays Handel, Brahms, Liszt and Rachmaninoff

Thursday, May 1, 7:30 p.m.  –  Eric Lu plays Chopin

Evenings @ Ubben Signature Event Space ($150)

Friday, Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m.  –  Trio Bohémo play Haydn, Smetana, and Brahms

Thursday, Mar. 6, 7:30 p.m. –  Pavel Haas Quartet with Milana Strezeva play all Dvorak program

Thursday, Mar. 27, 7:30 p.m. –  Andrew von Oeyen, “Angels and Demons” 

Afternoons @ Ubben Signature Event Space ($150)

Thursday, Jan. 23, 3 p.m.  –  Trio Bohémo play Haydn, Smetana, and Brahms

Thursday, Mar. 6, 3 p.m. –  Pavel Haas Quartet with Milana Strezeva play all Dvorak program

Wednesday, Mar. 26, 3 p.m. –  Andrew von Oeyen, “Angels and Demons”