Pictured: Russian pianist Ilya Yakushev. Photo courtesy of Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota.

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota opens its 28th season, Stars Ascending, on October 1, 4:00 p.m. with a concert in the new Sunday Best series presented at First Presbyterian Church. Chicago-based collective NEXUS Chamber Music creates unique and engaging classical music experiences. Since its inaugural season in 2018, NEXUS has grown into a classical chamber music tour de force. Co-founder Alexander Hersh said, “What if the boundaries surrounding the experience of classical music ceased to exist? For us, NEXUS Chamber Music is a programming playground, where no stone is left unturned in the quest to expand upon the stories that great chamber music can offer.” Their program features Haydn’s Trio No. 39 in G major, Hob. XV/25 “Gypsy Trio”; Ravel’s Trio in a minor; and Brahms’ Trio in B major, Op. 8. Tickets are $40. The new Piano Forte series kicks off October 10, 7:30 p.m. at the Historic Asolo Theater with Russian pianist Ilya Yakushev. Winner of the 2005 World Piano Competition, Yakushev has performed at Carnegie Hall, Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, and as soloist with major orchestras across three continents. He will be joined by a string quartet, including Daniel Jordan, concertmaster of the Sarasota Orchestra, in a performance of the Shostakovich Piano Quintet. Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition,” accompanied by images, concludes the concert. Tickets are $30-$50. Bass-baritone Joseph Parrish, accompanied by pianist Joseph Holt, opens the Lighter Fare series on October 18. Winner of the 2022 Young Concert Artists Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, 24-year-old Parrish is a versatile artist who will sing traditional spirituals, opera arias, and music from the Broadway stage. The 5:30 p.m. performance is followed by dinner at Plantation Golf & Country Club in Venice. Tickets cost $78 (includes dinner). The first concert in the Soirée series, held in the one-of-a-kind music room of the Fischer/Weisenborne residence, features Amit Peled, cello, and Solomon Eichner, piano. Peled is acclaimed as one of the most exciting and virtuosic instrumentalists on the concert stage today. He has performed in prestigious venues across the U.S. and Europe, released 12 recordings, and was named one of the top 30 influencers of 2015 by Musical America. Eichner’s performances across the U.S. and Europe have earned wide acclaim. Their program, which features a variety of music by American composers, is offered on October 29 and October 30 at 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $60 (includes refreshments following each performance). For tickets and more information, visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or call (941) 306-1202. 

Pictured: Russian pianist Ilya Yakushev. Photo courtesy of Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota.