Pianist Einav Yarden is praised for her “imagination and exceptionally vivid playing…sense of immense majesty, tempered by gentleness and quiet grace” (The Washington Post, USA), and “glistening rapture…ingenious humor” (Tagesspiegel, Germany). She has been regularly presented in recital at important venues around the world and as soloist with orchestras including the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin (and the Rundfunkchor Berlin), Minnesota Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, Beethoven Orchester Bonn, Bradenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt, Bucharest Philharmonic, and Jerusalem Symphony, under conductors such as Sir Neville Marriner, Leon Botstein, Steven Sloane, Frédéric Chaslin, Stefan Blunier, Aldo Ceccato, Mendi Rodan, and Simon Halsey, among others.

Come see Yale’s oldest, hottest, and jazziest a cappella group perform at The James!

Puerto Rican saxophonist, pianist, and composer Edmar Colón explores the connections between the West African musical heritage in the Americas and the idiosyncrasies of classical music from Europe and beyond. By amplifying the similarities of these and other musical traditions, Colón achieves a distinctive homogenous blend of sounds, textures, and rhythms in his original work.  This program will also include some selections from the expansive and ever-so-beautiful Puerto Rican songbook by composers such as Bobby Capó, Julio Guitiérrez, and Sylvia Rexach. 

The trio of pianist Laszlo Gardony, bassist Avery Sharpe, and drummer Yoron Israel is among the most seasoned, soulful, sensitive, and swinging groups around.

—Kevin Lowenthal, Boston Globe

Each visionary performance of the award-winning Borromeo String Quartet strengthens and deepens its reputation as one of the most important ensembles of its time.

Admired and embraced for both fresh interpretations of the classical music canon and championing works by 20th and 21st century composers, the ensemble has been hailed for its “edge-of-the- seat performances,” by the Boston Globe, naming the ensemble “simply the best.” Performing artists include Nicholas Kitchen, violin, Kristopher Tong, violin, Melissa Reardon, viola, and Yeesun Kim, cello.

Join us as the James transforms into an intimate nightclub, complete with Emmy-winning pianist, composer, and producer Lenny Williams, and a cast of talented local celebrities. Let us entertain you with music and storytelling that is sure to leave an impression. Come laugh and lament to tunes you know well and songs and lyrics you’ve never heard before. It is sure to be an incredible evening! A full list of performers is coming soon!

Join us as the James transforms into an intimate nightclub, complete with Emmy-winning pianist, composer, and producer Lenny Williams, and a cast of talented local celebrities. Let us entertain you with music and storytelling that is sure to leave an impression. Come laugh and lament to tunes you know well and songs and lyrics you’ve never heard before. It is sure to be an incredible evening! A full list of performers is coming soon!

Join the Nina Ott Quintet for a night of Afro-Cuban styled Latin-jazz at the James! Nina will be joined by Chris Lopes on bass, Manolo Mairena on percussion, Bertram Lehmann on drums, and Edmar Colon on saxophone. Guests enjoy lively music rooted in jazz, influenced by Afro-Caribbean sounds, with elements of funk and soul.

Jazz singer Donna Byrne’s powerful voice, energetic personality, and life experiences give her music an almost spiritual feel, a soft and subtle charge which has brought admirations from jazz fans and the top artists in the industry. She’ll perform at the James with the Marshall Wood Trio, who, together, have been honing their craft for over 27 years. Musical selections will include a wide range of American Standards in their signature style.

The Balourdet Quartet, currently in residence at the New England Conservatory’s Professional String Quartet Program, joins us at the James for an afternoon of Haydn, Debussy, Young, and Brahms

Mile Twelve is a progressive string band from Boston, Massachusetts. Winners of the 2020 IBMA New Artist of the Year award, they have been making waves in the acoustic music community with their seamless blend of expertly-crafted songs, creative arrangements, and virtuosic execution. The band takes their name from the mile marker that sits at Boston’s southern border on Route 93, a road sign they’ve passed countless times while heading out on tour. They’ve found receptive audiences across the globe, touring throughout North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

The Argus Quartet is dedicated to encouraging the joys of human connection, community, and discovery by bringing a wide-ranging repertoire to life through bold and meaningful programming and a vibrant commitment to collaboration and education. Praised for playing with “supreme melodic control and total authority” and “decided dramatic impact” (Calgary Herald), the Quartet has quickly emerged as one of today’s most dynamic and versatile ensembles, winning First Prize at both the 2017 M-Prize Chamber Arts Competition and the 2017 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition.

Laszlo Gardony, a professor at Berklee, is an internationally acclaimed Boston-based jazz pianist and composer. Laszlo is one of the most expressive and technically skilled pianists working in jazz today. He has performed in 27 countries and released 13 albums. His recordings and performances convey the joy of inspired creation; they draw on a deep well of emotions, a prodigious technique, and a playful curiosity that thrives on creating music that is truly alive in each unique moment.

POSTPONED due to Coronavirus

Celebrate a kind of ‘best of’ songwriting by singing along with two dozen cherished songs from the American Songbook. From a few Roaring 20’s hits on to some classic Broadway and movie musical tunes . . . and even a few more modern classics, performer Jack Craig explores the songs that remind us of all the wonderful years of music in our lives.

Winners of the 2018 Gramophone Classical Music Award for Early Music, Blue Heron comes to the James Library with an intoxicating afternoon of songs about Hope (Esperance), the allegorical character from the world of the Romance of the Rose who sustains a courtly lover through the thousand pains of lovesickness and teaches him to find delight instead of suffering.

Jazz singer Donna Byrne’s powerful voice, energetic personality, and life experiences give her music an almost spiritual feel, a soft and subtle charge which has brought admirations from jazz fans and the top artists in the industry. She’ll perform at the James with the Marshall Wood Trio, who, together, have been honing their craft for over 25 years. Musical selections will include a wide range of American Standards in their signature style.