Join the Carmel Music Society for its 2025-2026 season at the Sunset Center, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA, as it unfolds a series of captivating performances. Experience the power and precision of Anna Geniushene's piano recital, the dynamic duo of Stefan Milenkovich and Marta Aznavoorian in chamber music, the distinctive style of Mark Kosower and Tatiana Lokhina's cello-piano collaboration, Marielle Murphy's soaring soprano arias, and Ilya Yakushev's versatile piano repertoire. Each artist brings a unique flair to their craft, offering audiences a musical journey that promises to inspire and delight.

Carmel Music Society's 2025-2026 Season: A Harmonious Celebration of Musical Mastery

Alden Gatt

Marielle Murphy

Carmel Music Society


Marielle Murphy, a native of Carmel, California, is establishing an exciting career as coloratura soprano on opera and concert stages in the United States and Europe, in traditional as well as highly innovative productions. She made her European debut at the Salzburg Festival in Massenet’s Thaïs with Plàcido Domingo and the Munich Radio Orchestra, and numerous engagements in European opera houses quickly followed. Marielle made her debut at New York's Metropolitan Opera in the 2023/24 season as Oscar in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera and returned to the Met in the 2024/25 season in Richard Strauss’ Die Frau ohne Schatten. For several years she has been based in Münster, Germany, where she is a leading soloist in the opera ensemble of the Theater Münster.

Marielle is accompanied by pianist Alden Gatt, assistant conductor of the Frankfurt Opera and performer at major venues around the world.

Marielle Murphy & Alden Gatt

Sunset Center

Carmel Music and SandBox invite you to witness a historic moment as we welcome the legendary Assad Brothers in one of their final performances together — closing out a remarkable 60-year chapter as the most storied classical guitar duo of our time. With unparalleled artistry and an unmistakable musical bond, Sérgio and Odair Assad take the stage to mark the culmination of a career that has shaped the world of guitar music for generations.

Brazilian-born brothers Sérgio and Odair Assad have created a new standard of guitar innovation, ingenuity and expression. Their exceptional artistry and uncanny ensemble-playing come from a family rich in Brazilian musical tradition and studies under guitarist/lutenist Monina Távora, a disciple of Andrés Segovia. Their virtuosity has inspired a wide range of composers to write for them including Astor Piazzolla, Terry Riley, Radamés Gnattali, Marlos Nobre, Nikita Koshkin, Roland Dyens, Jorge Morel, Edino Krieger, and Francisco Mignone. Sérgio Assad has added to their repertoire by composing music for the duo and for various musical partners both with symphony orchestra and in recitals. They have worked extensively with such renowned artists as Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Gidon Kremer and Dawn Upshaw. Odair is based in Brussels where he teaches at Ecole Supérieure des Arts, while Sérgio resides in Chicago.

Asad Duo @ SandBox 2

SandBox

Russian pianist Ilya Yakushev, with prestigious awards and honors to his credit, continues to mesmerize audiences in major venues on three continents with his fiery technique and magnetic stage presence. He can be hard to pin down to one style or sound, and the press and audiences praise his artistry and versatility. American Record Guide wrote "Yakushev is one of the very best young pianists before the public today, and it doesn't seem to matter what repertoire he plays – it is all of the highest caliber". He has appeared with leading orchestras across the U.S. and internationally, bringing his captivating energy and virtuosic brilliance to every performance.

Ilya Yakushev

Carmel Music Stage 2 @ SandBox present celebrated chamber musicians Chad Hoopes, Amy Schwartz Moretti, Owen Dalby, Livia Sohn, Masumi Rostad, Maiya Papach, Saeunn Thorsteinsdottir, and Michelle Djokic. This evening’s program invites listeners into a profound journey — from the luminous brilliance of Felix Mendelssohn’s Octet in E-flat major to the haunting stillness of Osvaldo Golijov’s Tenebrae. Though separated by nearly two centuries, these works are united by their emotional depth, spiritual searching, and expressive beauty.

Marielle Murphy & Alden Gatt

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