Name: John Santos Sextet & Friends
Start: 2026-04-19T16:00:00
Location: Stanford University

Stanford Live's 2026 season is a musical journey that promises to captivate audiences with a diverse array of performances. Featuring world-renowned artists like soprano Nadine Sierra and the Grammy-nominated Danish String Quartet, the program spans genres and cultural influences, from Afro-Caribbean rhythms to Baroque masterpieces. Each event offers a unique exploration of music, be it through the soulful renderings of John Santos or the evocative compositions of Shulamit Ran. This lineup is not just a series of performances, but an immersive experience celebrating the universal language of music.

A Musical Odyssey: Stanford Live's 2026 Line-up

Stanford Live

The John Santos Sextet

Through elegant musicality and an insightful approach to both contemporary and established repertoire, Jean-Yves Thibaudet has earned a reputation as one of the world’s finest pianists. On this program he plays Debussy’s complete Préludes, each inspired by a poetic quote—from “Dances of Delphi,” to “The Sunken Cathedral,” to “Fireworks.” Thibaudet first recorded the Préludes in 1996, but he says “playing them in their entirety in a concert had been an unrealized dream of mine for many, many years.”

Jean-Yves Thibaudet

Stanford University

Tony and Grammy Award–winner Renée Elise Goldsberry gained stardom as part of the original Broadway cast of Hamilton. Now Renée and her complement of backup singers will have the audience on its feet, stomping and clapping to a high-energy, nondenominational spiritual journey reminiscent of a good old-fashioned revival.

Renée Elise Goldsberry

This program of soulful, Afro-Caribbean–tinged jazz is designed by John Santos, "The Latin music Renaissance man" (San Francisco Chronicle) and seven-time Grammy nominee. Known for their virtuosity and collaborative spirits, Santos and his stellar sextet deconstruct standards with unusual musical turns and surprises.

John Santos Sextet & Friends

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