Thu, Feb 12th @ 7:30 pm — Sauder Concert Hall

The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir is one of the best-known Estonian music ensembles in the world. Under the direction of founding director Tõnu Kaljuste, the program will feature famed Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s works alongside other ethereal melodies that can only be brought to life by the choir’s resplendent sound. Touted as one of the 10 best choirs in the world by BBC Music Magazine, the repertoire of the choir extends from Gregorian chant and Baroque to the music of the 21st century, with a special focus on the work of Estonian composers. Each season the choir gives about 60–70 concerts both in Estonia and abroad.

“When the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir comes to town, audiences answer.”
– Washington Classical Review

Sat, Mar 07th @ 7:30 pm — Sauder Concert Hall

The popular and multi-award-winning quintet Goitse* was forged in the white-hot creative crucible of Limerick’s Irish World Academy. Named Live Ireland’s “Traditional Group of the Year,” Goitse has become a leader of the new generation of traditional Irish ensembles. Goitse has released six critically acclaimed recordings and maintains a year-round touring schedule that includes performances throughout Ireland, the UK, Germany, France and the United States. Their distinctive sound lies in the quality of their own compositions interspersed with age-old traditional tunes which make each performance unique.

*Goitse is a Gaelic word for ‘come here’ and is pronounced Go-wit-cha

Fri, Mar 27th @ 7:30 pm — Sauder Concert Hall

Faces that disappear from drivers’ licenses. Paintbrushes that paint on their own. Photographs that literally come to life right before your eyes. Brace yourself for a whole new take on magic and step into Vitaly’s world. Hailed as “one of the most unique and innovative illusionists in the world” (Chicago Tribune), Vitaly Beckman stumped Penn & Teller three times on their hit TV show Fool Us and starred in his own 16-week off-Broadway run. Blending art and illusion with his captivating style, Vitaly Beckman’s one-of-a-kind theatrical experience retraces his journey from a boy with a dream to a man with a vision. During this journey, the audience rediscovers, along with Vitaly, the importance of finding beauty and wonder in everyday life and in all living things.

“Amazing magic! Ingenious!”
– Penn & Teller

Sat, May 02nd @ 7:30 pm — Sauder Concert Hall

Through an inimitable voice that The New York Times touts as, “a smooth, dark alto possessed of qualities you might associate with barrel-aged bourbon or butter-soft leather,” renowned vocalist and songwriter Lizz Wright sings with a soaring reflection of the cultural fabric of America. Drawing inspiration from her Southern upbringing in Georgia, she lies beneath the script of history, transcending social divides with an offer of love and deep sense of humanity. Her music accepts the beauty of reality and creates a collective experience of belonging for the listener. Wright’s songs embody a tradition that allows us to always feel at home.

“Wright translates with phenomenal fluency between inner awareness and outward demonstration, individual seeking and conscious communion, ecstasy and empathy.”
– NPR

Sat, May 16th @ 7:30 pm — Sauder Concert Hall

Grammy-nominated African American vocal ensemble SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK® marks its’ 50th anniversary with a powerful three-year celebration that will honor its storied past and set the course for the future of the group, which has been described as, “one of the most dynamic, versatile and still relevant musical collectives today.”

Since its inception in Washington, D.C. in 1973, Sweet Honey in the Rock has thrived as a performance ensemble founded on the missions of empowerment, education, and entertainment. Throughout five decades, the ensemble members have worked to create engaging and socially conscious music that consistently takes an active stance toward making our planet a better place for all in which to live.

“Their sheer musicianship can still raise goosebumps.”
– The Guardian

Fri, May 08th @ 7:30 pm — Rieth Recital Hall

Austin Huntington was appointed principal cellist of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 2015 at age 20, making him one of the youngest principal players in a major American orchestra. He has also served as guest principal with the San Francisco, Toronto, Utah, and Florida symphonies, and the Quad City Symphony Orchestra. He is currently principal cellist at the Mainly Mozart Festival and Colorado Music Festival.

A winner of the Stulberg and Irving M. Klein international competitions and a top prizewinner in the Schadt Competition, Austin has appeared as soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony, The Florida Orchestra, Marin Symphony, Colburn Orchestra, and others.

Equally active as a chamber musician, he has collaborated across genres with artists including Itzhak Perlman, Augustin Hadelich, Edgar Meyer, The Eagles, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Augustana. He has served on faculty at Indiana University and the University of Indianapolis, and as Chair of the Board for the Indianapolis Suzuki Academy.

Austin holds degrees from the Colburn School and Indiana University, and studied with Ronald Leonard, Eric Kim, and other renowned teachers.

Soprano Jeni Houser has been praised by Opera News for her “commanding and duplicitous, yet also vulnerable” performances and a voice with “a bright future above the staff.” In the 2024–25 season, she returned to the Metropolitan Opera for Die Zauberflöte and its English-language The Magic Flute, reprising her signature role as the Queen of the Night. She also appears as Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance with Charlottesville Opera, makes her debut with the Utah Symphony, and returns to the Madison Symphony Orchestra.

Houser has performed the Queen of the Night with the Met, LA Opera, Dallas Opera, and across the U.S. She recently sang Cunegonde in Candide with Madison Opera and Carmina Burana with the Phoenix Symphony and Grand Teton Music Festival.

Internationally, she debuted at the Wiener Staatsoper in Staud’s Die Weiden and returned for Die Zauberflöte and Orest. Other roles include Lucia, Zerbinetta, Olympia, and Susanna. A graduate of Lawrence University and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, she is an alumna of Glimmerglass, Virginia Opera, and Opera Saratoga.

Sat, Feb 14th @ 7:30 pm — Sauder Concert Hall

Student winners of the annual Goshen College Concerto-Aria Competition will perform their works with the GC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jimin Seo.