This December, The Sheldon in St. Louis becomes a vibrant hub for music lovers as it hosts a series of captivating performances that promise to enchant audiences with diverse genres and extraordinary talent. From The Petersens' heartwarming American roots music to the Celtic charm of Keltic Reign and the enchanting jazz of Janet Evra, The Sheldon offers an unforgettable musical journey. Each event, curated with care, reflects the warmth of the holiday spirit, making The Sheldon a must-visit destination for those seeking both festive cheer and musical excellence.

A Melodic December at The Sheldon: Celebrating Music, Memories, and Merriment

The Sheldon in St. Louis is set to be the epicenter of musical diversity in 2025, offering an exciting array of performances. From classic chamber music to vibrant jazz and the rhythmic beats of Irish tradition, to tributes of iconic artists, The Sheldon's concert series promises something for every music lover. Featuring esteemed artists like Suzanne Vega and Sona Jobarteh, and captivating performances by SLSO musicians, this series highlights both cultural heritage and innovative sounds, uniting audiences in the shared joy of music.

Exploring The Sheldon's Eclectic 2025 Concert Series: A Celebration of Diverse Musical Traditions

Embark on an exploration of diverse musical experiences with The Sheldon's 2025 concert series. From orchestral wonders to intimate folk performances, from the rhythms of West African traditions to the quirky brilliance of stand-up comedy, The Sheldon in St. Louis hosts an eclectic lineup of events. Featuring renowned artists like Suzanne Vega and the Bosman Twins, along with the spirited performances of the SLSO, these events promise to captivate audiences with a rich tapestry of sounds and stories. Join us at The Sheldon and celebrate creativity and culture through music and performance.

A Musical Journey: The Sheldon’s 2025 Concert Series

At The Sheldon in St. Louis, a captivating series of events is set to unfold, celebrating a rich tapestry of musical traditions and innovative performances. From Sona Jobarteh's homage to West African Griot traditions to the creative retelling of 'The Tortoise & The Hare,' the lineup promises a diverse musical journey. With performances ranging from jazz by The Bosman Twins to comedy by Maria Bamford, audiences will experience a unique blend of culture and creativity. Here's an overview of the events that make this series unmissable.

A Symphony of Traditions and Innovations at The Sheldon

Produced by Butch Walker (Taylor Swift, Green Day, Weezer) and recorded at his Nashville studio, Amythyst Kiah’s new album Still + Bright explores the vast expanse of her inner world: her deep-rooted affinity for Eastern philosophies and spiritual traditions, a near-mystical connection with the natural world, the life lessons learned in her formative years as a self-described “anime-nerd mall goth.” In dreaming up the backdrop to her revelatory storytelling, Kiah and Walker arrived at a darkly cinematic and exhilarating twist on the rootsy alt-rock of her 2021 breakthrough album Wary + Strange—an LP that landed on Rolling Stone’s list of the 25 Best Country and Americana Albums of 2021 and drew acclaim from major outlets like Pitchfork. With its sonic palette encompassing everything from fuzzed-out guitars and industrial-leaning beats to gilded pedal steel and Kiah’s exquisitely graceful banjo work, Still + Bright fully affirms her as an artist of both daring originality and uncompromising depth.

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Amythyst Kiah

The Sheldon

Join Science Friday host Ira Flatow for an evening of botany and conservation, from orchids to cacti and mosses to bananas. In this special event, Ira talks with botanist Lúcia Lohmann, President and Director of the Missouri Botanical Garden, about the many ways plants connect to our lives, and the importance of researching and conserving them. Plus, St. Louis Public Radio’s Kate Grumke hosts a conversation about Ira's history, the backstory of how Science Friday came to be and celebrating 35 years on the air!

Science Friday Live with Ira Flatow

Over their career, Bread scored 13 hits on Billboard’s Top 100! The two surviving members of Bread (David Gates & Robb Royer) are happily retired and enjoying their time with family and the fruits of their musical careers. Enter TOAST – The BEST of BREAD who does everything possible to keep the legacy of Bread alive.

Toast - The Best of Bread

Vincent Varvel began his professional career while studying music at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, freelancing with many different performers in the St. Louis area. He has toured the United States and Europe with various ensembles in addition to leading his own group performing his original compositions. He has performed classical music with St. Louis Chamber Soloists, Chamber Project St. Louis, the Kingsbury Ensemble, soprano Stella Markou, and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Pop and Jazz artists he has performed and recorded with include the Peter Mayer Group, Erin Bode, the Alan Ferber Nonet, Sam Moore(Sam & Dave), the Shirelles, Lou Christie, and more. He has recorded five albums as a leader: Pictures and Postcards(2000), …not a creature was stirring… (2004), Third Person(2015), Your Song(2018), and his latest, Mystery Street(2023). His original music has been heard on satellite radio and cable television. He is currently Director of Guitar Studies at Washington University in St. Louis, along with maintaining a private teaching practice and performing regularly with his own group and as a sideman.

Vincent Varvel Quartet featuring Leslie Craig

Pianist and composer Adam Maness leads his new dynamic modern string orchestra Pop! Pop! Pop! as they return to The Sheldon as part of The Sheldon’s Coffee Concert series. Mixing lush orchestration with modern arranging techniques, Pop! Pop! Pop! aims to celebrate the beauty and diversity of the popular song. This joyful collection of musicians never stops seeking out new ways of exploring the timeless songs that make up their shared musical identity.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Orchestra

Canadian nuevo-flamenco guitarist Jesse Cook and his band have announced multiple UK shows for this Autumn following on from a sold out show at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank.

A Juno Award winner and Acoustic Guitar Player’s Choice Award winner in the Flamenco category, Jesse’s unique sound blends traditional Spanish flamenco elements with facets of new age, jazz and easy listening.

Jesse Cook

Maria Bamford is revered for her deeply personal and experimental comedy about mental illness. She starred in the surreal, semi-autobiographical Netflix comedy series Lady Dynamite, about a comedian who suffers a nervous breakdown, and is the star of three unconventional hour-long stand-up specials: Weakness is the Brand, Old Baby and Maria Bamford, the special, special, special! Maria was the first female comic to have two half-hour Comedy Central Presents specials and starred alongside Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis and Brian Posehn in the Comedy Central series The Comedians of Comedy and Netflix’s Comedians of Comedy: The Movie. She also created and starred in the cult hit web series The Maria Bamford Show, in which she plays all the characters.

Maria Bamford

Join us for this unique chamber music series curated and performed by SLSO musicians. Experience new and treasured repertoire masterfully brought to life on The Sheldon stage in a dynamic lineup of instruments and players.

SLSO: Live at The Sheldon: Wind and Water

Martin Sexton puts his signature style on his rendition of this iconic Beatles album combining what Rolling Stone calls his “soul-marinated voice” with his inventive guitar prowess. We are all invited to “come together“ to experience these brilliant songs celebrated in a compelling, reimagined way. Headlining venues from The Fillmore to Carnegie Hall, Martin Sexton has influenced a generation of contemporary artists. Sexton’s stated mission continues to be unity through music with a commitment to sharing peace and harmony through song.

The Martin Sexton Abbey Road Show

Born in St. Louis, Dwayne and Dwight Bosman‘s passion for jazz started at an early age, performing professionally as The Bosman Twins by age 14. Over the years, they have shared their love of music and the stage with entertainment legends Freddie Cole, Branford Marsalis, Fontella Bass, and the late trumpeter, Lester Bowie. Whether performing with their own band or accompanying other notable jazz professionals, their unique style and renditions of jazz, rhythm and blues, funk and gospel have earned them national and international acclaim.

The Bosman Twins

On your mark. Get set. Go! Who will cross the finish line first—the fast and confident hare or the slow but determined tortoise? Set to the music of Ludwig van Beethoven, Gioachino Rossini, Edward Elgar, and Antonín Dvořák, we bring The Tortoise and the Hare to life as children dance and play along with the musicians of the SLSO. Based on the book The Tortoise and the Hare by Jenny Broom, illustrated by Nahta Nój.

SLSO: The Tortoise & The Hare

The spirit of Sona Jobarteh’s musical work stands on the mighty shoulders of The West African Griot Tradition; she is a living archive of the Gambian people. With one ear on the family’s historic reputation, one on the all-important future legacy and her heart in both places, she is preparing a place today for the next generation. Her singing and Kora playing while fronting her band, spring directly from this tradition. 

Sona Jobarteh

Widely regarded as one of the foremost songwriters of her generation, Suzanne Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk revival of the early 1980s when, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, she sang what has been called contemporary folk or neo-folk songs of her own creation in Greenwich Village clubs. Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has given sold-out concerts in many of the world’s best-known venues. Known for performances that convey deep emotion, Vega’s distinctive, “clear, unwavering voice” (Rolling Stone) has been described as “a cool, dry sandpaper-brushed near-whisper” by The Washington Post, with NPR Music noting that she “has been making vital, inventive music” throughout the course of her decades-long career.

An Evening with Suzanne Vega

Join us for this unique chamber music series curated and performed by SLSO musicians. Experience new and treasured repertoire masterfully brought to life on The Sheldon stage in a dynamic lineup of instruments and players.
Curated by Celeste Golden Andrews, Second Associate Concertmaster, and Melissa Brooks, Associate Principal Cello.

SLSO: Live at The Sheldon: Echoes of Home

The ‘Step It Out World Tour’ combines the infectious energy of the well-known song mixed with a lively celebration of music and dance! Expect an unforgettable night packed with hits, heartfelt harmonies, and the energetic spirit of Irish tradition. The High Kings’ reimagined version of Step It Out Mary in 2023 shattered streaming records for band alongside the very popular Chasing Rainbows (Badscandal Remix) showing that The High Kings enduring appeal transcends generations, attracting fans of all ages to their music. It was also the year that saw The High Kings release their 8th studio album ‘The Road Not Taken’. This album went on to achieve over 14 million streams, in just 1 year, as well as reaching the number one position for independent albums in Ireland, number one in Folk, number two across all genres, and number two in singer-songwriter in the USA. Additionally, it has topped charts as the number one bestseller on Amazon Germany and number one on iTunes in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, along with a selection of top-five chart positions worldwide.

The High Kings: Step It Out World Tour

Martha Redbone is a vocalist, songwriter, composer, and educator of African American, Cherokee, and Choctaw descent. A multi-award-winning musician, Redbone broadens the boundaries of American Roots music with songs and storytelling that share her life experience as a Black and Native American woman and mother navigating in the new millennium. Martha also works in partnership with longtime collaborator/husband Aaron Whitby. Their works give voice to issues of social justice, connecting cultures and celebrating the human spirit.

Martha Redbone

Jazz at Lincoln Center PRESENTS brings the soul of New Orleans and the spirit of Mardi Gras to this amazing evening, celebrating the composers and inspired songs of the Crescent City, the historic epicenter of jazz. From Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong to Ellis Marsalis and James Black, New Orleans has long been an apex of innovation and inspiration. With world-class musicians and infectious energy, New Orleans Songbook immerses audiences in the captivating and timeless spirit of this vibrant city.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents: New Orleans Songbook

Take A Chance On MANIA…and you won’t be disappointed! The world’s number one touring ABBA tribute returns to your very own Fisher Center at Belmont University on November 2, 2024. MANIA (formerly ABBA MANIA) formed in 1999 and the show has been selling out theatres and concert halls internationally ever since. This show has toured the world in its quest to bring the music of the Swedish ‘Supergroup’ to their millions of fans, old and new! In 2007 it grossed over Aus $1 million at the box office in Sydney, Australia. The show has ventured to France, Denmark, Belgium, Spain, South Africa, New Zealand, Singapore, USA, Australia and South Korea as well as touring the UK extensively. The show has been successfully touring the USA annually since 2009 with over 400 performances, many of the venues book the show every year as it has become a ‘tradition’ for both the show and the audiences. The thirst for this sensational recreation of ABBA’s concert is getting stronger every year. Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Anni–Frid, collectively known as ABBA, dominated the charts for nearly ten years and enjoyed nine UK number 1 hits. At their height they became Sweden’s highest export earners, amazingly, outselling Volvo cars. ‘ABBA Gold’ was continuously in the Album Charts throughout the nineties and is one of the biggest selling albums ever. ABBA’s timeless songs were written to be enjoyed live and MANIA gives you exactly that. Two hours of uplifting, dance inducing and sometimes heart–breaking songs, fully live with fantastic staging, lighting and effects. The show recreates ABBA’s sound not only perfectly, but respectfully too. MANIA is not only for life long, die hard ABBA fans but the new generation of fans, who never had the opportunity to see ‘ABBA’ live. Hits include ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘Waterloo’, ‘Mamma Mia’, ‘The Winner Takes it All’, ‘Super Trouper’, ‘Fernando’, ‘Take A Chance On Me’ and many more that continue to fill dance floors worldwide!

MANIA: The ABBA Tribute

Join us for this unique chamber music series curated and performed by SLSO musicians. Experience new and treasured repertoire masterfully brought to life on The Sheldon stage in a dynamic lineup of instruments and players.
Curated by Xiaoxiao Qiang, Violin, and Tzuying Huang, Clarinet/Bass Clarinet.

SLSO: Live at The Sheldon: No Borders

Fifteen-time GRAMMY® Award-winner Ricky Skaggs’ career is easily among the most significant in recent country  music history. If Skaggs’ burgeoning trophy case full of awards wasn’t already enough evidence of that fact, consider that legendary guitarist Chet Atkins once credited Skaggs with “single-handedly saving country music.” His life’s path has taken him to various musical genres, from where it all began in bluegrass music, to striking out on new musical journeys, while still leaving his musical roots intact.

Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder

If you love the Bee Gees, you’ll love Stayin’ Alive, the foremost Bee Gees tribute band in North America. Covering all of the Bee Gees classics from “You Should Be Dancing” to “Night Fever” and many more, Stayin’ Alive – One Night of the Bee Gees delivers, bringing you one night of disco fever. The vocals of members Mitch Seekins, Todd Sharman, and Tony Mattini are so eerily similar to the Gibb brothers at the height of their success that you’ll forget its 2015. Relive the disco days this March with Stayin’ Alive – One Night of the Bee Gees.

Stayin' Alive: One Night of the Bee Gees

Described as “one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation” (Wall Street Journal), Bria Skonberg has performed with Jon Batiste, Wycliffe Gordon, Steven Bernstein, U2 & Sun Ra Arkestra, The American Pops and Vancouver Symphony Orchestras, The Blacksmiths “We Insist” Band, and more. The “shining hope of hot jazz” (NY Times) has been at the forefront of a revival of classic American music as both a performer and educator, programming concerts and workshops for students of all ages.

Bria Skonberg

Three-time GRAMMY-winning composer and fiddler Mark O’Connor has created several arrangements of Christmas classics and fashions a wondrous mixture of both instrumental and vocal music in bluegrass and other American music genres. Concertgoers are treated to fresh takes on traditional songs with a few original compositions. O’Connor’s touring ensemble includes his wife, Maggie O’Connor, on fiddle and vocals, as well as a variety of guest musicians on each tour.

Mark O'Connor: An Appalachian Christmas featuring Maggie O'Connor

“In December of 1996 – can it really be over 25 years ago? – we recorded and released our first song cycle of some of the Christmas carols that still haunted us called The Darkest Night Of The Year. We played a special ‘darkest night’ release concert on winter solstice in an old 1300-seat theater in Cincinnati. Every last seat was full. Folks began snatching up copies and seemed to agree that they hadn’t heard anything quite like it.

An Acoustic Christmas with Over The Rhine

Cole stands at the crossroads of past and present, classic and contemporary. Her signature mix of jazz standards, Broadway gems, and beloved tunes from the Great American Songbook has won the hearts of more than 1.5 million followers across social media, including famous fans like Michael Bublé, James Taylor, and Broadway legends Betty Buckley and Donna Murphy. She’s performed at New York’s biggest jazz venues, including Duffy’s Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland Jazz Club, and Café Carlyle — and as a featured artist with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, Cole has toured the globe and collaborated on a cover of Miley Cyrus’s “Flowers” that’s received seven million views online.

Stella Cole

Consisting of Aaron Schiltz, Peter Merideth, Jay Harkey and Steve Neale, the mostly a cappella band The Wee Heavies has won a following with their mix of Scottish, Irish and American folk music that combines tradition with innovation and weaves together a unique take on the songs they sing. With their voices (and occasional instrumental accompaniment) the Heavies create a sound rich in harmony with unexpected twists and an energy that has their audiences clapping, stomping, and singing along.

The Wee Heavies

Loads of Christmas spirit here! It’s a true kitchen party, like back in Mitzi’s homeland of Nova Scotia, with live Celtic Christmas music from her family and the whole band!  Keltic Reign has been entertaining St. Louis audiences for over twenty years with their own brand of Irish and Scottish music, and their Christmas show is not to be missed!

Notes from Home: Christmas in the Kitchen

Having chalked up over fifty years at the peak of the music and entertainment industry, Justin Hayward’s voice and guitar playing has been heard the world over. Though his song catalogue contains many of the most influential songs in popular music, Justin is not one to rest on his laurels. He continues to perform regularly, both here and in Europe – and will tour the UK in 2024.

Justin Hayward

Janet Evra, a fast-rising star on the international jazz scene, is Artist in Residence at The Sheldon. This date is the first in her series of curated concerts showcasing Janet and her world-class special guests. Join us as she dazzles alongside superstar jazz saxophonist Chad LB.

Janet Evra with Chad LB

Join us for this unique chamber music series curated and performed by SLSO musicians. Experience new and treasured repertoire masterfully brought to life on The Sheldon stage in a dynamic lineup of instruments and players

SLSO: Live at The Sheldon: Fanfares and Festivals

The Petersens are an American roots music band known for taking the music of the Ozarks to the world and bringing the world to come visit them in the Ozarks. They have toured internationally multiple times entertaining audiences with their tight harmonies and warm sibling humor. The Petersens went viral online in 2019 when their YouTube videos gained international attention and have now reached nearly 250 million views.

Christmas with The Petersens

We invite you to join us for the perfect holiday season kick off! Each year, Andy Waggoner and a cast of wonderful musicians help get everyone in the holiday spirit. In addition to being an accomplished musicians in the St. Louis music scene, Andy currently serves as Director of Worship Arts at Webster Hills UMC and Artistic Director of the 200+ voice St. Louis County Community Chorus. He’s presented more than 20 concerts at the beautiful Sheldon Concert Hall and has conducted choral festivals at Carnegie Hall, Washington DC and most recently, at St. John Smith Square in London, England and Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland. He has served on numerous non-profit boards and agencies and enjoys raising funds for worthwhile programs and projects throughout the city.

Notes From Home: Andy Waggoner and Friends Annual Christmas Concert

Joshua Redman is one of the most acclaimed and charismatic jazz artists to have emerged in the 1990s. Redman has worked and played with a vast array of jazz luminaries, released over 20 albums, and has garnered top honors in critics and readers polls of DownBeat, Jazz Times, The Village Voice and Rolling Stone. A Harvard grad, Redman has eight Grammy nominations.

Joshua Redman featuring Gabrielle Cavassa

Daughter of the renowned fado singer Teresa Siqueira, Carminho was born in the middle of guitars and fado voices, having marked her debut singing in public at the age of twelve, at Coliseu dos Recreios (Lisbon). Carminho has recorded six albums, with her latest album “Portuguesa” being nominated for a Latin Grammy for Best Portuguese Language Roots Album. She was most recently featured in the 2023 Oscar-nominated film Poor Things. Throughout her career, Carminho has become known for her remarkable voice, talent, songwriting, and unwavering artistic dedication.

Carminho

Don’t miss a highlight of the 7th annual Flyover Comedy Festival as St. Louis natives, The Sklar Brothers, take the stage for an unforgettable night of laughter at The Sheldon Concert Hall on Saturday, November 16, 2024. This show is for ages 18+. Ticket or Flyover Comedy Festival 3-Day Silver Wristband is required. Please note that Flyover GA Wristbands do not include entry to this performance. If you hold a GA wristband, be sure to purchase a separate ticket to guarantee your seat for this show. Silver and GA 3-Day Wristbands may be purchased at flyovercomedyfest.com.

The Sklar Brothers

Part of The Sheldon’s Notes From Home series. This special concert commemorates the 100th anniversary of Fauré’s legacy with a poignant musical journey through the timeless master’s rhapsodic musical language. Join some of St. Louis’ most highly regarded musicians in this celebration!

Notes From Home - Homage to Gabriel Fauré: A Centenary Remembrance

Michael Rapaport is an American actor and comedian who can currently be seen in Hulu’s Life & Beth. Michael has appeared in over sixty films since the early 1990s, and starred on the sitcom The War at Home. He also appeared in Boston Public, Friends, Prison Break, Justified, and the acclaimed Netflix series Atypical. Some of his notable film roles include True Romance (1993), Higher Learning (1995), Metro (1997), Cop Land (1997), Deep Blue Sea (1999), The 6th Day (2000), Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), Big Fan (2009), and The Heat (2013). He also directed the award-winning documentary Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest (2011).”

Michael Rapaport

Patty Griffin is among the most consequential singer-songwriters of her generation, a quintessentially American artist whose wide-ranging canon incisively explores the intimate moments and universal emotions that bind us together. Over the course of two decades, the 2x GRAMMY® Award winner – and 7x nominee – has crafted a remarkable body of work in progress that prompted the New York Times to hail her for “[writing] cameo-carved songs that create complete emotional portraits of specific people…[her] songs have independent lives that continue in your head when the music ends.”

Sharing the Stage for An Evening of Song: Patty Griffin, Hayes Carll, Lori McKenna

Elsie Parker and The Poor People of Paris return to The Sheldon to bring you a variety of French popular music and jazz. Elsie’s Parker’s woodwind playing (clarinet/flute/tenor sax) is influenced by works of French composer Michel Legrand, and Argentinian tenor saxophonist/composer Gato Barbieri. Elsie performs at numerous events in the St. Louis area including The Missouri Botanical Gardens Whittaker Concert Series, The Missouri History Museum, St. Louis First Night and Powell Hall. As a vocal soloist with symphony orchestras, Elsie Parker has performed with orchestras in Missouri, Illinois, and Florida.

Elsie Parker & The Poor People of Paris

Push the boundaries of expression through sound with St. Louis artist, Brett Williams. Brett specializes in sound art sculptures and uses technology and amplification in his work. Come hear about Brett’s artistic process and interact with his sound art. The Sheldon’s new video program about sound art for middle school students will be showing in the Patron’s Lounge.

First Friday: Experience Sound Art with Brett Williams

Winner of six Latin Grammys and one Grammy, Lila Downs has a symbolic stage presence and emotional storytelling through song, her singing transcends all language barriers. As the daughter of a Mixtec Indigenous woman and Anglo-American father, she has written narratives of Indigenous resistance protecting the original vision of the sacred plants and food of her Oaxacan culture while keeping the traditions of the American continent. Lila Downs’s music embraces influences from the folkloric and ranchera music of Mexico to the music of the southern United States, crossing barriers and generating sounds that go from Folk, Jazz, Folkloric Blues, Indigena, and ranchera to Hip Hop.

Lila Downs

Part of The Sheldon’s “Notes from Home” series. Join David Giuntoli and his talented musicians, performing ”Close Enough for Love,” a tribute to the timeless songs of love from the Great American Songbook.  You’ll hear classics that capture the essence of falling in love, staying in love, the heartache of losing it…and then repeating!  Songs made famous by legends like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, and Elvis Presley.  The performance promises an evening of unforgettable music and memories.  Don’t miss out on this blast from the past!

Notes from Home - David Giuntoli: Close Enough for Love

After studying piano privately for 12 years, Rick gained a scholarship to the Royal College of Music, where he studied piano, clarinet and orchestration. In March 2012, Prince Charles presented him with his Fellowship of the RCM. He was also made a Professor at the London College of Music.

Rick Wakeman

Acclaimed jazz pianist and composer and St. Louis favorite Peter Martin returns to the Sheldon, sharing the stage with clarinetist-saxophonist Anat Cohen and Brazilian jazz guitarist Romero Lubambo for a show titled, “Sounds of Brazil.” The perennial winner of “Clarinetist of the Year” titles from DownBeat, JazzTimes and the Jazz Journalists Association, Anat Cohen has been a force on the jazz scene for two decades. Romero Lubambo’s guitar playing unites the styles and rhythms of his native Brazilian musical heritage with American jazz tradition to form a distinctive new sound. He has established himself as a composer and performer on his own critically acclaimed recording projects as well as on those of Trio Da Paz, a GRAMMY-nominated Brazilian jazz trio Lubambo formed with Nilson Matta and Duduka da Fonseca.

Martin, Cohen & Lubambo: Sounds of Brazil

Jeanette Harris is the scintillating saxtress of smooth jazz. This lady understands that energetic and captivating performances matched with uplifting and inspiring vibrations in the music are the solid platinum recipe for success. Fans already recognize her for her wonderful cover of Stevie Wonder’s “All I Do,” which hit Billboard’s smooth jazz singles chart from her previous albums, Saxified, Summer Rain. Classically trained in both sax and piano, a graduate of Boston’s famed Berklee College of Music, and the saxophonist for the late, great Teena Marie’s final year of touring, Jeanette has weathered the fiercest challenges to bring the world her own brand of soulful healing vibes.  She’s recorded with guitarist Norman Brown (who is featured on her 2011 release “Saxified”, Wrote for Gerald Albright and has been blessed to perform at many well-known Jazz Festivals and Jazz Rooms in the United States, Japan, Germany and London.  Her latest CD “Saxathone” is a fans favorite, having a mix of popular covers and soulful originals.  Jeanette’s favorite spot is performing on the stage, and she is grateful for all of the wonderful musical opportunities she’s been blessed with and looks forward to many more.

A Soulful Jazzy Night with Jeanette Harris

Blues icon. Soul man. Rock and roller. Robert Cray is all these things – and more. The Georgia-born, Washington-raised musician first picked up a guitar after seeing The Beatles on TV then, having witnessed Jimi Hendrix perform in Seattle, determined that his destiny would follow a similar path. And so it turned out: across the past half-century Robert Cray has developed into one of American music’s most singular artists. From forming a teenage garage band, through to striding the stage alongside several of the world’s greatest guitarists, Robert Cray’s story is one of struggle and commitment. Struggle and commitment that led to Cray enjoying phenomenal success – selling millions of albums and countless concert tickets – while his skills as a band leader and performer mark him as a keeper of the flame for American roots music. Cray’s commitment to making music of the highest order has won him both a loyal audience and the respect of many legendary figures. Robert Cray has shared stage and/or studio with the likes of John Lee Hooker and B.B. King, Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters, Albert Collins and Stevie Ray Vaughan, the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton, Tina Turner and Buddy Guy, the Memphis Horns and Hi Rhythm Section.

The Robert Cray Band

SLSO: Live at The Sheldon: String Theory

Eleanor & Dario

Danae Hays

Trompe L'Oeil (T LO)

The War and Treaty

The Marvin Gaye-Bobby Scott Collaboration

Concert to Honor Dr. Ken Smith

Jazz St. Louis Presents Paquito D'Rivera & Chucho Valdés, Together Again!

Neko Case

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

That's What She Said

A Tribute to Tina Turner

Vintage: Chamber Music Society of St. Louis 15th Anniversary Gala

Motown Mania featuring The Best Intentions

The Mixer

After thirty-five years of being at the forefront of the ever-evolving musical landscape of New Orleans, Grammy Award winner Jon Cleary decided to bring that sound back home, both figuratively and literally. He assembled his Absolute Monster Gentlemen (his acclaimed all-star big band) in his home studio in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans, drew up a setlist of some of his most beloved songs– and some new favorites– and rolled tape.

Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen

Sam Grisman is a bassist and bandleader leading a commanding improvisational ensemble performing live acoustic music in the tradition shaped by Jerry Garcia and David Grisman and many other heroes. Known for deeply attuned interplay and dynamic performances, Sam Grisman Project brings together a rotating cast of exceptional musicians to create listening-room experiences rooted in musicianship, storytelling, spontaneity, and collaboration. With frequent guest appearances and ongoing collaborations with bluegrass pioneer Peter Rowan, the band continues a living tradition of great American acoustic music.

Sam Grisman Project

SLSO: Live at the Sheldon - Brass Trio

Join Andy Waggoner for his annual Christmas Concert at the beautiful Sheldon Concert Hall. Featuring special guest Nadia Maddex.

Andy Waggoner & Friends

It’s a matter of time. 50 years to be exact. And in that time Los Lobos have created an unprecedented body of work, a legacy of greatness. The numbers are staggering: 100+ gigs a year for five decades running, crossing millions of miles to rock millions of fans. And that’s just at the live shows. In between they’ve recorded 17 studio albums, 7 live LPs, 3 compilations, 2 EPs, 2 DVDs, and contributed 40+ guest appearances on their friends’ recordings—all garnering 4 Grammys, an Austin City Limits Hall of Fame induction, the ALMA Ritchie Valens Pioneer Award, NEA and Hispanic Heritage Foundation Honors, Congressional recognitions, plus countless “Keys to the City” and “Los Lobos Day” celebrations. And those are just a few of the highlights. But beyond all the hoopla and applause (and the source of it all, really) is the tremendous heart. Rather, hearts. Cinco corazones. Five blood brothers who have dedicated their off-stage time to helping others, working for peace and justice, penning some of the most literate and important music of their time, transforming the hard cries from the East L.A. barrio into songs of hope, tales of common folk finding ways to endure. The young wolves were weaned on late-night radio’s soul, R&B, and doo-wop. Were cured through the African-American currents of the blues, jazz, and rock ‘n’ roll. An amalgam. As proud Chicanos, their songs have always glistened with the distillation from their Mexican and Latin American roots—nourished by Norteña and rancheras, buoyed by bolero and cumbias, soaring on the rhythms of son huasteco and son jarocho. Los Lobos have helped spread the rich diversity of cultures across every continent, throughout the global community. Kids in Antwerp now know about Aztlán. Residents of Luxor and Ghana are crooning Lalo Guerrero. People from Laos and Bulgaria are belting “La Bamba”—all thanks to The Wolves as cultural ambassadors. Talk about a living legacy. Talk about a productive half century. And in the true rebel spirit, they did it all on their own terms, against formula. For the ages. To our delight. Quite simply, they are one of the tightest, one of the best, one of the most prolific bands ever. And, amazingly, with the original founding members as the pack the entire time. Unprecedented. As their liner notes put it, quite simply: “Los Lobos still are David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez, Jr., Cesar Rosas, Conrad Lozano, Steve Berlin.”

Los Lobos

Janet Evra, Artist-in-Residence at The Sheldon, is an international jazz singer-songwriter, vocalist, bassist, and bandleader. She has collaborated with jazz luminaries including Randy Brecker, Marcus Miller, Al Di Meola, Veronica Swift, Taylor Eigsti, and Wycliffe Gordon, among many others. For one special evening at The Sheldon, Evra expands that impressive roster to include Bria Skonberg - trumpeter, singer, and songwriter.

Janet Evra with Bria Skonberg

Robby Hoffman is an Emmy-winning writer, Emmy-nominated actor, and comedian whose work spans stand-up, television, and podcasting. In 2025, she was named one of Variety's "10 Comics to Watch" and her debut Netflix stand-up special, Robby Hoffman: WAKE UP, directed by John Mulaney premiered globally. Upon announcement of their collaboration, Mulaney boasted, “No one has owned a stage like her since James Brown.”

Robby Hoffman

Join The Petersens for an evening of Christmas music, family harmony, and holiday cheer. Known for their tight harmonies, heartfelt performances, and warm sibling humor, The Petersens bring beloved carols, holiday favorites, and bluegrass-inspired arrangements to the stage for a festive concert the whole family will enjoy. With over 300 million views online and audiences around the world, The Petersens are delighted to bring their Christmas tour back to St. Louis. Come celebrate the season and make lasting holiday memories with us!

Christmas with the Petersens

Hosted by Mitzi MacDonald and Keltic Reign, this one of a kind, down-home Christmas show has been entertaining Sheldon audiences since 2005. Mitzi and her musical family bring their kitchen table, and invite you and your family, on stage for tea and homemade cookies during the show! This year’s guests include Charles Glenn, Anita Rosamond, Emerson Magaña and more.

Christmas in the Kitchen

TWO BIG NIGHTS this year! Come see why St Louis piano sensation Peter T. Noonan sold over $1 million of his piano CD's in the 1990's/2000's.  Noonan will showcase songs from his best-selling album, Cafe at Arles, plus holiday classics, and popular favorites. Special guest vocalists include as Devon Cahill, Sabra Sellers, and Gage Seitz. Spotify and Apple Music have a channel dedicated to his works, search under: Peter T. Noonan. Ticket price includes an afterparty in The Sheldon ballroom, with Reggie's DJ service and food provided, covered in the price of all tickets (cash bar). BOTH NIGHT PACKAGE: buy tickets for Friday night, and get the same number of tickets for Saturday night at half price.

Pianist Peter Noonan - 2 BIG NIGHTS!

Get ready to supercharge your holiday season with Tribute Masters Live – Holiday Edition, the most festive, feel-good, laugh-out-loud tribute spectacular of the year! This is your chance to step into a dazzling world of nostalgia, comedy, outrageous costumes, and pure musical magic as legendary icons come to life right before your eyes.

Tribute Masters Live - The Ultimate Tribute Experience

Known as “the little girl with the big voice,” Lola Kristine has been staggering audiences her whole life with the depth of soul she possesses in both her timeless songwriting and penetrating singing. Although currently pursuing her career in Southern California, she is a St. Louis native, she has kept her roots alive by fusing jazz, blues and gospel into her music. Her album CHAPTERS charted on independent radio in Canada and the US, was featured in notable music magazine worldwide and was considered for best Americana album in the 2024 Grammy’s. It is now available to purchase on vinyl. She is now in the process of releasing a new inspirational gospel album.

Lola Kristine: Home for the Holidays

JASON ROBERT BROWN, the four-time Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist of The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, The Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon In Vegas and The Connector, has performed as a soloist or with his band in venues around the world, including sold-out shows at the London Palladium and Carnegie Hall. His albums as a singer-songwriter include Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes and How We React and How We Recover on Ghostlight, and Coming From Inside the House and Live In Concert with Stephen Sondheim on Concord.

Jason Robert Brown

You know “Christmas Time’s A Coming” when 15-time GRAMMY winner and Country Music Hall of Fame member Ricky Skaggs and his ace backing band Kentucky Thunder play all your favorite Christmas songs in their refreshing acoustic style. This heartwarming show features a reason to listen to the season of songs both old and new as Skaggs and his band perform their own perfect blend of tight harmony. Come celebrate this special time of year with friends and family, while listening to first class vocalists and musicians, singing and playing their finest for Christmastime.

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder Christmas

Get ready to be swept off your feet with A Holiday Tribute to Michael Bublé, starring Las Vegas singing sensation Michael Nugent. This show is a celebration of the iconic crooner, Michael Bublé, featuring all of his hit favorites as well as a selection of holiday classics.

A Holiday Tribute to Michael Bublé

For two nights only, the New Liners return to the beautiful, acoustically stunning Sheldon Concert Hall in the Grand Center Arts District -- because if you’re going to shake up Broadway, you gotta do it somewhere that can handle the volume. New Line Theatre continues its 35th season of bold, relevant, adult musical theatre in January with another unique evening of reimagined theatre songs. After the tremendous success of Broadway Noir (2025) and Broadway Noir Deux! (2026), this electrifying new concert raises the stakes again.

Heroes & Villains

Hailed as “one of the best acoustic guitarists in the world” by NPR’s World Cafe, Tommy Emmanuel got his start at the age of six, when he first began touring his native Australia with his family’s band. As a teenager, he earned a reputation as a highly sought after sideman and session player, and by his early twenties, Emmanuel was playing on chart-topping hits and performing with acts like Air Supply and Men at Work. Inspired in part by his hero, Chet Atkins (who would later become a friend, mentor, and collaborator), Emmanuel stepped out on his own as a solo artist in 1979, releasing the first in a string of acclaimed instrumental albums that would make him an unlikely celebrity in his home country and beyond. In the decades that followed, he would go on to headline everywhere from the Sydney Opera House to Carnegie Hall; tour with luminaries like Eric Clapton and John Denver; win a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement; perform for a televised audience of more than two billion at the Sydney Olympics; and collaborate with a who’s who of fellow guitar greats, including Les Paul, Mark Knopfler, Joe Walsh, Richard Thompson, Jason Isbell, and Billy Strings.

Tommy Emmanuel, CGP - Living In The Light Tour

Michael Cavanaugh is the new voice of the American Rock & Roll Songbook and a charismatic performer and musician made famous for his piano/lead vocals in the Broadway musical Movin’ Out.  Handpicked by Billy Joel to star in Movin’ Out, Cavanaugh evokes a style rivaling the Piano Man. He appeared in the show for three years with over 1,200 performances and received multiple accolades. The show culminated in 2003 with both Grammy and Tony award nominations.

Michael Cavanaugh: The Music of Billy Joel and Elton John

Acclaimed nature writer Robert Macfarlane proclaimed that ”if snow could sing, it would sing like Julie Fowlis.” Hailing from the Outer Hebrides and now based in the Highlands, Julie Fowlis is a multi-award winning singer whose music is deeply influenced by the Hebridean islands where she grew up and by the Highland landscapes where she now resides. Voted Musician of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards 2023, and with a career spanning several studio albums and numerous high profile collaborations, her ‘crystalline’and ‘intoxicating’ vocals have enchanted audiences around the world.

Julie Fowlis

Paul Brown & The Killing Devils – five piece modern rock band from the East Coast and West Coast of the United States – The members include:

Paul Brown & The Killing Devils in Concert

The New Arts Jazztet (NAJ) has long been regarded as southern Illinois' premier jazz group, regularly presenting a select repertoire—engaging original works as well as choice standards—forged in the energy of neo bop and the eclecticism of contemporary jazz. With its hip, approachable character and sound, the cross-generational group—saxophone, trumpet, guitar, bass, and drums—convincingly helps to sustain jazz in the 21st Century.

New Arts Jazztet

‘Ukulele virtuoso HERB OHTA JR’S natural talent, knowledge, technique, and speed are unsurpassed. Herb’s versatility and ability to adapt to the changing times will captivate you, the listener, and transport you.

MASTERS OF HAWAIIAN MUSIC: George Kahumoku Jr., Sonny Lim, and Herb Ohta Jr.

SLSO: Live at the Sheldon - String Quartet

Emmet Cohen is a multifaceted American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader at the vanguard of his generation’s advancement of the music and its related arts. Widely recognized for his virtuosity, deep swing, and commitment to intergenerational continuity, Cohen has emerged as a central figure in contemporary jazz—honoring its lineage while actively shaping its future.

Emmet Cohen Trio

After describing her brilliant voice as a perfect mix of Nancy, Sassy, and Lady Day, it came only naturally that the late legendary jazz trumpeter Clark Terry would, at New York’s historical Flushing Town Hall, select Denise Thimes as that night’s featured vocalist.

Denise Thimes

Voted one of the “Top 10 Comedians in New York City” by The Hollywood Reporter, Modi Rosenfeld—known simply as Modi—is one of the most sought-after performers on the comedy circuit today. With a sharp wit, impeccable timing, and a gift for engaging audiences, he has earned widespread acclaim for his high-energy performances and cultural insights.

Modi

Livingston Taylor picked up his first guitar at the age of 13, which began a more than 50-year career that has encompassed performance, songwriting, and teaching. Born in Boston and raised in North Carolina, Livingston is the fourth child in a very musical family that includes Alex, James, Kate, and Hugh. Livingston recorded his first record at the age of 19 and has continued to create beautifully crafted, introspective,original songs as well as sparkling interpretations of the classic songbook that have earned him enthusiastic listeners worldwide.

Livingston Taylor with Chicago Farmer

Julian Lage’s vivid, wondrously textured new album Speak To Me offers a series of dispatches from his ongoing search for narrative beyond words. Intimate in tone and capacious in intention, the album represents some of the most ambitious music Lage has documented to date. Its originals travel a wide range of American music, and delight in the deliberate crossing of wires between gospel hymn and rural blues, California singer-songwriter sunshine and skronky jazz.

Julian Lage

SLSO: Live at the Sheldon - Wind Quintet

Originally from Munich, Germany, Mark Stoffel spent literally decades traversing between two continents before finally settling down in Southern Illinois in 2001 with his wife Mary and his children, Finn and Oliver. Sealing his decision to make the United States his permanent home, he became a citizen in 2016. A self-described bluegrass music “addict,” he was introduced to the music in 1979, when as a teenager, he wanted a ukulele for Christmas and was mistakenly given a mandolin instead. The flub turned into a virtue, as he parlayed a classic mandolin instructional book; occasional exposure to bluegrass through radio and concerts by touring American musicians; and accumulated experience in folk, rock and bluegrass bands into a lifelong artistic pursuit. During this time, he began to connect with American artists, helping to arrange tour dates and providing hospitality— including to the artist who would become his future employer, Chris Jones. As he spent more time in the United States, his tasteful approach to playing, growing expertise in sound engineering and supportive harmony vocal abilities earned him increased attention — first in regional acts, then with Jones’ singer/songwriter wife, Sally Jones, and finally with Jones himself, whose Night Drivers Mark joined around the time of the band’s 2009 recording, Cloud Of Dust. Today his tasteful mandolin performances can be heard on countless recordings, including his first solo release, One-O-Five, and a string of Chris Jones and the Night Drivers projects, including Run Away Tonight (2015), Made To Move (2017) and the most recent, The Choosing Road (2019). “Mark is one of the most musical mandolin players I’ve ever played with,” says Jones. “ Mandolin players are really impressed with his playing everywhere we go.” Yet despite his passion for bluegrass, Stoffel confesses ironically that he is highly allergic to — yes, really — Kentucky Bluegrass.

Mark Stoffel Trio

Through an inimitable voice that The New York Times touts as, “a smooth, dark alto possessed of qualities you might associate with barrel-aged bourbon or butter-soft leather,” renowned vocalist and songwriter Lizz Wright sings with a soaring reflection of the cultural fabric of America. She lies beneath the script of history, transcending social divides with an offer of love and deep sense of humanity. Her music accepts the beauty of reality and creates a collective experience of belonging for the listener. Wright’s songs embody a tradition that allows us to always feel at home.

The Sheldon

Nov 14, 2026

Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen

Nov 15, 2026

Sam Grisman Project

Nov 19, 2026

SLSO: Live at the Sheldon - Brass Trio

Dec 1, 2026

Andy Waggoner & Friends

Dec 3, 2026

Los Lobos

Nov 6, 2026

Amythyst Kiah

Nov 5, 2026

Science Friday Live with Ira Flatow

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