Arizona Friends of Chamber Music next year will host one of the biggest names in classical music in a world premiere of a work it co-commissioned from a world-renowned composer.
The April 2, 2025, Joshua Bell concert with his soprano wife Larisa Martรญnez will cap a season that includes appearances by several world-renowned chamber music ensembles including the Takรกcs Quartet and the Tucson debut of the Aris Quartett.
World-renowned violinist Joshua Bell and his soprano wife Larisa Martinez will perform the world premiere in Tucson of a piece commissioned for them.
The Bell concert is a cornerstone of the 2025 Tucson Desert Song Festival, which also will include the return of two popular vocalists to Tucson stages.
Ballet Tucson, meanwhile, will present seven company premieres in a season that includes the return of the holiday classic โThe Nutcrackerโ with Tucson Symphony Orchestra and the return of the Dia de los Muertos ballet โSpirit Garden,โ created in 2016 by Ballet Tucson Associate Artistic Director and resident choreographer Cheiko Imada.
Season tickets for both organizations are on sale through their websites: ballettucson.org and arizonachambermusic.org.
Arizona Friends of Chamber Music
Itโs been more than 10 years since Imani Winds played a concert with Arizona Friends of Chamber Music. They return Feb. 5, 2025.
Performances are held at Leo Rich Theater, 260 S. Church Ave., unless noted; arizonachambermusic.org, 520-577-3769
Accordion virtuoso Hanzhi Wang, Oct. 13
The French string ensemble Modigliani Quartet, Oct. 23
Czech-born Bennewitz Quartet with pianist Arsentiy Kharitonov, Nov. 20
Pianist Jeremy Denk joins Takรกcs Quartet, Dec. 4
Dover Quartet makes a quick encore after headlining the 2024 Tucson Winter Chamber Music Festival, Jan. 15, 2025
Cellist Hayoung Choi makes her Tucson debut, Jan. 26, 2025
After a 10-year absence, Imani Winds returns to a Tucson stage, Feb. 5, 2025
Super group the SPA Trio โ soprano Susanna Phillips, violist Paul Neubauer and pianist Anne-Marie McDermott โ introduce themselves as part of the 2025 Tucson Desert Song Festival, Feb. 19, 2025
Tucson Winter Chamber Music Festival, March 2-9, 2025; festival celebration is March 8, 2025
Aris Quartett plays its first Tucson concert, March 19, 2025
Award-winning young Hong Kong-born pianist Aristo Sham plays a Piano & Friends recital, March 30, 2025
Violin great Bell shares the stage at Crowder Hall, 1017 N. Olive Road, on the University of Arizona campus, with his soprano wife, performing the world premiere of a song cycle by John Corigliano, April 2, 2025. Part of the 2025 Tucson Desert Song Festival.
2025 Tucson Desert Song Festival
Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, with pianist Myra Huang at the 2020 Tucson Desert Song Festival, is back in 2025 for two festival events with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.
Performances are held at venues throughout Tucson as noted. Tickets are available from presenting organizations; tucsondesertsongfestival.org, 888-546-3305
Arizona Early Music hosts its popular Baroque Music Festival, Jan. 10-12, 2025, Grace St. Paulโs Episcopal Church, 2331 E. Adams St.
True Concord Voices & Orchestra is hosting a recital with bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green, Jan. 16, 2025, Holsclaw Hall, 1017 N. Olive Road, in the University of Arizona School of Music
Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke joins Tucson Symphony Orchestra for Mahler 3, Jan. 24 and 26, 2025, Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave.
Arizona Theatre Company mounts โBlues in the Night,โ Jan. 26-Feb. 15, 2025, Temple of Music & Art, 330 S. Scott Ave.
Arizona Opera brings Pucciniโs great โLa Bohรจmeโ to Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, Feb. 1, 2025
Mezzo Sasha Cooke returns to the TSO for โMahler & Schumann,โ Feb. 1-2, 2025, Catalina Foothills High School, 4300 E. Sunrise Drive
Tenor Carlos Zapien joins Ballet Tucson and the Tucson Guitar Society Feb. 14-16, 2025, Leo Rich
Soprano Susanna Phillips, who has played several Tucson Desert Song Festival events over the years, returns with her SPA Trio โ from left, Phillips, violist Paul Neubauer and pianist Anne-Marie McDermottย โ for an Arizona Friends of Chamber Music recital.
Soprano Susanna Phillips, a repeat offender to the festival, returns with her trio SPA, Feb. 19, 2025, at Leo Rich
Violin great Joshua Bell and his soprano wife Larisa Martรญnez perform the world premiere of a new song cycle commissioned by the festival and Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, April 2, 2025, Crowder Hall, 1017 N. Olive Road, on the UA campus
Arizona Opera presents a recital with tenor Stephen Costello, April 3, 2025, at UAโs Holsclaw Hall
Tucson Symphony Orchestra presents the choral masterpiece โCarmina Burana,โ April 4 and 6, 2025, Music Hall
Arizona Opera closes out the festival with โAida,โ April 19, 2025, Music Hall
Ballet Tucson
Performances are held in downtown venues as noted; ballettucson.org, 520-903-1445
โFootprints At the Fox,โ part of the Fox Tucson Theatreโs Kids in the Theatre Family & Youth Program, Sept. 19, Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress
โSpirit Garden,โ the first time the ballet has performed the work by resident choreographer Chieko Imada since 2018. Program also includes the second act from โSwan Lake,โ Nov. 1-3, Leo Rich Theater
โThe Nutcracker,โ featuring Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Dec. 20-22, Linda Ronstadt Music Hall
โFrom Tucson With Love,โ Feb. 14-16, 2025, Leo Rich
โModern Masters,โ March 14-16, Leo Rich
Performers Ana Marรญa Martรญnez, soprano, Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor, the Philharmonia Orchestra and UC Berkeley Chorus & Volti perform "Dreamers." The music is by Jimmy Bellido and lyrics by Nilo Cruz. The composer Jimmy Lopez Bellido and tenor Michael Fabiano are performing the world premiere of โQuiet Poems,โ commissioned by the Tucson Desert Song Festival. The texts are from poems written by Nilo Cruz, with whom Lopez collaborated on the opera โBel Cantoโ and an oratorio โDreamers.โ Video Courtesy Jimmy Lopez Bellido.
