The Schubert Club is first again. The Twin Cities' oldest classical music presenter is also the first of the area's major music organizations to announce plans for a full season of (ideally) unmasked and full-capacity concerts.
While artistic and executive director Barry Kempton says he's proud of the video presentations his team put together during the pandemic, "the piece that's missing — for the performing artists most of all — is that energy you get from a community of music lovers in a room. ... That's a two-way energy."
Expect that energy once again during the organization's 139th season, led by the flagship International Artist Series, which brings many of classical music's stars to town:
Augustin Hadelich with pianist Orion Weiss: Few violinists are hotter than Hadelich, who has wowed audiences on past visits. Among his accolades are the lucrative Warner Music Prize, a Grammy and Musical America's "Instrumentalist of the Year" in 2018. (Nov. 2-3, Ordway Concert Hall)
Vikingur Olafsson: The Schubert Club's resident artist for 2021-22 was creating the biggest buzz in classical music when COVID shut things down. In 2019, Gramophone magazine named the pianist its artist of the Year and BBC Music magazine picked his "Johann Sebastian Bach" as its recording of the year. He'll perform a solo recital plus a yet-to-be-announced Schubert Club Mix concert. (Jan. 9, Ordway Music Theater)
Gerald Finley with pianist Julius Drake: While bass-baritone Finley may be best known for his performances at the world's great opera houses — including the title role in John Adams' "Dr. Atomic," for which he won a Grammy with the Metropolitan Opera — he's also won three Gramophone Awards for more intimate fare: albums of songs by Samuel Barber, Robert Schumann and Benjamin Britten. (Jan. 27, Ordway Music Theater)
Isata Kanneh-Mason: Last here in tandem with her cellist brother, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, this English pianist has made a name as a solo artist, thanks to a recording of music by Clara Schumann and a series of online concerts during COVID. (March 8-9, Ordway Concert Hall)
Anthony McGill: When does an American classical instrumentalist know they've achieved stardom? Well, the Avery Fisher Prize might be the clincher. The latest recipient is clarinetist McGill, who follows in the footsteps of Yo-Yo Ma, Andre Watts and Joshua Bell. (April 21-22, Ordway Concert Hall)
