The Hart Community Performing Arts Series is pleased to announce its schedule of concerts for the 2025–2026 season.
The season will begin Oct. 10 with a concert by the Kris Johnson Group. Kris Johnson is an empathetic, intelligent, and efficient trumpeter, composer, arranger, film composer and educator based in Detroit, Michigan. With contributions to 6 GRAMMY-nominated albums as a trumpeter and arranger, including the 2024 GRAMMY-winning "Basie Swings the Blues" by the Count Basie Orchestra, Kris is a recognized force in the industry. His career highlights include touring globally as a member of Endea Owens and the Cookout from 2023-2024, and with the esteemed Count Basie Orchestra from 2008-2019 as a soloist and arranger, performing at prestigious venues like the Apollo Theater, Hollywood Bowl, the Sydney Opera House, Kennedy Center and more. Currently, Kris is an Assistant Professor of Jazz Trumpet at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance.
On Nov. 14, the Series will present the Duo of Karolina Mikolajczyk & Iwo Jedynecki, one of the most vibrant and innovative chamber ensembles of the young generation. Winners of Grand Prix and First Prizes at international music competitions throughout Europe, they have performed in Europe, the United States, Asia and South America. With Karolina on violin and Iwo on accordion, many pieces gain new interpretations and original sounds thanks to their innovative transcriptions. The Duo’s performances are described as perfect and mature, yet luminous and filled with youthful vitality. Both artists boldly venture into renowned works of chamber music literature, giving them new quality and delightfully diverse coloring. The duo also collaborates with contemporary music composers.
The Sinta Quartet will appear Dec. 5. The Sinta Quartet, First Prize Winner of the Concert Artists Guild Competition, has earned praise from audiences and critics alike for its virtuosic performances, compelling recordings and distinctive repertoire. Hailed as “…a tight-knit ensemble exploding with power and virtuosity and an unconcealable ambition to connect with its newly found listeners” (Boston Musical Intelligencer), the Sinta Quartet performs entirely from memory, which strengthens an already palpable connection with its audiences. Named for its mentor, legendary University of Michigan Saxophone Professor Donald Sinta, the quartet’s additional competition successes include a Gold Medal at the 2018 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, First Prize at the 2017 M-Prize Chamber Arts Competition, the Alice Coleman Grand Prize at the 2013 Coleman Chamber Music Competition and First Prize in the 2012 North American Saxophone Alliance Quartet Competition.
The new year will see the return of tenor John Riesen to the Hart stage on Jan. 18.
Hailed as “every inch the hero in stature and voice” (Classical Voice North America), award-winning American tenor John Riesen is consistently impressing audiences with his "impassioned...and vibrant" voice (Opera Today). John’s growing career boasts a variety of roles in which he excels and includes significant work in opera, musical theatre, oratorio, studio recording, and concert. He has released over 130 studio recordings that have reached well over 10 million streams on Spotify and Apple Music. He will be joined by baritone Leroy Davis, a versatile and sought-after artist known for his rich voice and captivating stage presence, and soprano Rebekah Howell, whose voice effortlessly traverses bel canto to Broadway belt. They will present an afternoon of vocal favorites, ranging from opera to musical theater and popular song.
On Feb. 22, the amazing duo of Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas will return to Hart 16 years after they first thrilled local audiences. The musical partnership between consummate performer Alasdair Fraser, "the Michael Jordan of Scottish fiddling," and brilliant Californian cellist Natalie Haas spans the full spectrum between intimate chamber music and ecstatic dance energy. Over the last 25 years of creating a buzz at festivals and concert halls across the world, they have truly set the standard for fiddle and cello in traditional music. They continue to thrill audiences internationally with their virtuosic playing, their near-telepathic understanding and the joyful spontaneity and sheer physical presence of their music.
Mr. B’s Piano Celebration will take the stage on April 24. Blues and boogie-woogie pianist Mark Lincoln Braun has become one of the premiere purveyors of a vanishing art. Having learned his craft firsthand from the early masters, he is a rare living link to the first generation of blues and boogie pianists. Steeped in the rich legacy of this tremendously exciting music, Mr. B learned directly from blues and boogie legends like Little Brother Montgomery, Boogie Woogie Red and Blind John Davis. In demand for both educational programs and concert performances, he has performed coast to coast and throughout Europe, Canada, Mexico, and South America. He is also the organizer of the annual Mr. B's Blues and Boogie Piano Celebration that attracts major figures in the blues and jazz piano world to Ann Arbor for collaborative performances. In April, Mr. B and other pianists will come to Hart to repeat that celebration.
The 2025–2026 season will conclude on May 15 with a concert by Authentic Unlimited. Authentic Unlimited is a dynamic bluegrass band that blends rich harmonies with skillful instrumentation to create a sound that is both timeless and innovative. Comprised of seasoned musicians, including former members of the legendary Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, the band brings a deep-rooted passion for traditional bluegrass, infused with fresh energy. In 2024, the International Bluegrass Music Association named Authentic Unlimited “Vocal Group of the Year” and voted their song “Fall in Tennessee” as “Song of the Year.” The band’s talent and dedication to their craft is widely celebrated in the bluegrass community. Their heartfelt lyrics and soulful melodies resonate with audiences, offering an authentic musical experience that speaks to both old and new generations of bluegrass fans.
Tickets are now on sale for the 25–26 season at hartseries.org. For further information, contact Artistic Director Tom Kirk at tomkirk@hartseries.org.
