Caramoor continues Rosen House Concert Series this spring

Pictured: On Sunday, April 19, cellist Steven Isserlis and pianist Connie Shih will play works by Beethoven, Schumann, Fauré, and Boulanger. (SATOSHI AOYAGI PHOTO) Irish Quintet Goitse performs in the Rosen House Concert Series on Friday, March 20. (EDDIE KAVANGH PHOTO) Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, (Ari Magg photo) The Poiesis Quartet  (Ari Magg photo) The Anat Cohen Quartetinho  (Ari Magg photo) Guitarist Solomon Hicks concludes the 2025-2026 Rosen House Concert Series on Friday, May 8. (Contributed photo)

Caramoor in Katonah continues its Rosen House Concert Series with eight performances featuring classical, jazz, and folk music from March 8 through May 22. The Rosen House Concert Series is held in the Music Room of the historic home of Walter and Lucy Rosen, a Mediterranean-style villa from 1939 filled with treasures from around the world. 

Caramoor also announced expanded public programs billed as “Beyond the Music: Yoga, Teas, Talks and More.”

The spring Rosen House Concert Series opens Sunday, March 8, at 3 p.m., with the Schwab Vocal Rising Stars’ culminating performance, “To the Sea.” Tickets are free for audience members ages 18 and under. Every year, Schwab Vocal Rising Stars’s Artistic Director Steven Blier selects four promising singers and a pianist for a week-long Caramoor residency. The March 8 program is a hymn to the lure and menace of the ocean, and includes works by Elgar, Guastavino, Rachmaninoff, Pauline Viardot, and Debussy. This year’s Schwab Vocal Rising Stars are Shiyu Zhuo, soprano; Anna Maria Vacca, mezzo-soprano; Nathan Romportl, tenor; Will Kim, baritone; and Luis Villarreal, piano. 

On Friday, March 20, at 7:30 p.m., Irish quintet Goitse performs. Born from Limerick’s Irish World Academy, the ensemble blends Irish tunes and their own fresh compositions. The musicians include Áine McGeeney (fiddle and vocals), Colm Phelan (percussion), Conal O’Kane (guitar), Alan Reid (multi-instruments) and Daniel Collins (accordion).

Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson performs Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in E major, Op. 109 on Sunday, March 22, at 3 p.m. 

The Junction Trio performs Sunday April 12, at 3 p.m. Formed in 2015, the trio features violinist Stefan Jackiw, cellist Jay Campbell, and pianist Conrad Tao. The musicians are known for interpreting classical masterworks as well  trailblazing contemporary works. At Caramoor they will perform Tao’s “Eventide” along with Piano Trios by Ravel and Schumann.

On Sunday, April 19, at 3 p.m, acclaimed cellist Steven Isserlis and pianist Connie Shih will play works by Beethoven, Schumann, Fauré and Boulanger. Isserlis is known for a wide-ranging repertoire, from Romantic masterpieces to rediscovered gems. He has been honored with Commander of the Order of the British Empire and a place in Gramophone’s Hall of Fame. 

The Anat Cohen Quartetinho performs Friday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m., presenting its signature blend of jazz, Brazilian rhythms, and chamber music.

Following their Caramoor debut in the fall, which was named one of the best performances of 2025 by The New York Times, the Poiesis Quartet, the Caramoor 2025-26 Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence, returns Sunday, May 3, at 3 p.m., with another program showcasing their fresh take on chamber music. The May 1 program includes Michi Wiancko’s “To Unpathed Waters, Undreamed Shores,” Eleanor Alberga’s String Quartet No. 2; and Béla Bartók’s String Quartet No. 5. Tickets are free for audience members 18 and under. 

Presented in collaboration with City Winery, guitarist Solomon Hicks concludes the Rosen House Concert Series on Friday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. Hicks blends blues, jazz, and rock with soulful vocals. He has performed with top musicians such as Jeff Beck, Ringo Starr and Mavis Staples, and appeared at Caramoor’s 2024 American Roots Music Festival.

‘Beyond the Music’

As part of its “Beyond the Music” program, Caramoor presents Steven Blier in conversation with David Pogue on Thursday, March 5, at 7 p.m., in the Music Room. Blier will discuss his recently released memoir “From Ear to Ear: A Pianist’s Love Affair with Song.” Bleir’s memoir recounts his musical journey from impromptu piano gigs in the 1960s to a celebrated career collaborating with some of the greatest voices in modern times including Renée Fleming, Jessye Norman and Cecilia Bartoli. He also reflects on living and performing with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, sustained by determination, humor, and a lifelong devotion to music. David Pogue, a Bedford Hills resident, is an Emmy-winning correspondent for “CBS News Sunday Morning,” a New York Times bestselling author, a five-time TED speaker, and host of 20 NOVA science specials on PBS.

On April 15 and May 20 at 7 p.m., Caramoor presents “Studio Nights: Art and Aperitifs in the Music Room.” On April 15, participants are invited to study form, pattern, and design while creating a watercolor painting based on Caramoor’s collection of vases and vessels. The May 20 class introduces the fundamentals of charcoal portrait drawing using busts from the Rosen House collection as reference, including portraits of Lucie and Walter Rosen, Caramoor’s founders, and other historic figures. 

In collaboration with the Herb Society of America, NY Unit, Caramoor presents “What’s the Tea?” on May 7, at 6 p.m., in the Music Room. The program will feature a panel discussion with experts that will explore tea from root to cup. Following the panel, participants can continue the experience with guided tea sampling and an interactive tea-blending workshop, while creating custom tea to take home.

Family programs

In collaboration with The Rewilding School, Caramoor presents “Mystery of the Missing Music: A Caramoor Tabletop Adventure for Teens” on March 11 and 25, and April 8 and 22 at 4:30 p.m. Participants will unravel an imagined Caramoor mystery of Lucie Rosen’s missing theremin in an immersive role-play tabletop game series that weaves together historical detail, creative storytelling, and collaborative problem-solving. Recommended for teens ages 14-17..

Little Artists at Caramoor will be held April 15 and May 20 at 4:30 p.m., in the Music Room. In the April 15 class, young artists will learn basic watercolor techniques. On May 20, participants will learn the fundamentals of sculpting a bust using air-dry clay. 

Tours and Teas

New in 2026, every Friday and Saturday throughout spring, Caramoor will offer Rosen House Signature Tours at 10 a.m. Visitors will explore the historic Rosen House through a docent-led experience which shares the stories behind the House’s treasures, including Asian and Renaissance art, period rooms imported from European villas and châteaux, and architectural details. The tour will take visitors through key rooms of the House, offering insight into the personal history of the Rosen family and the cultural significance of the spaces they inhabited.

Inspired by founder Lucie Rosen’s love of the English tea tradition, Caramoor continues its popular Afternoon Teas. On Feb. 22 at 11 a.m, Caramoor invites families to a special Teddy Bear Family Tea, a tea party for children and their favorite teddy bears, dolls, or plush companions, which will include hot chocolate and a Caramoor activity book. Afternoon Teas will return May 15, 22,and 29, 2026 at 1 p.m.

For Caramoor’s complete schedule including Beyond the Music events, visit caramoor.org/events 

For tickets and more information, visit caramoor.org. Caramoor is located at 149 Girde Ridge Road, Katonah.