Newport Classical opens its sixth full-season Chamber Series on Friday, Sept. 18, with the Austin-based quartet Invoke, the first of twelve concerts running through early June at Newport Classical Recital Hall, 42 Dearborn St.
Invoke is a string quartet that doesn’t stay one — the group plays banjo and mandolin alongside the usual strings and sings, drawing on bluegrass, Appalachian fiddle tunes, jazz and minimalism. Its opening program, “American Voices,” is built around the nation’s 250th anniversary and features music by William Grant Still, Florence Price and Duke Ellington, along with works written by and for the group. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
The season continues Oct. 9 with Trio Azura, a recent Grand Prize and Gold Medal winner at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, playing Ravel, Mendelssohn and Jennifer Higdon. The Boston-based Rasa String Quartet debuts here Oct. 23 with “Portraits of an American Patchwork,” a program spanning Billy Strayhorn, Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate, William Grant Still and Bad Bunny.
Pianist Michael Leonardo Davidman, winner of the 2025 American Piano Awards, plays Bach, Schubert, Franck and Liszt on Nov. 6, and guitarist Raphaël Feuillâtre closes the fall with “Latin Passions” on Nov. 20.
The series resumes Jan. 29 with cellist Sterling Elliott and pianist Elliot Wuu. Flutist Anna Urrey and harpist Kristi Shade follow Feb. 19, the Dorian Wind Quintet March 12, and Chelsea Guo — the first musician to win the Young Concert Artists auditions in both voice and piano — on April 9, singing while accompanying herself.
Violinist Rubén Rengel brings pianist Gabriel Chakarji and percussionist Juan Diego Villalobos for an evening of Latin American music on April 23. Accordionist Radu Ratoi and violinist Alexandra Tirsu play May 7, and violinist Njioma Grevious closes the season June 4.
All concerts are Fridays at 7:30 p.m., with wine from Gold’s Wine and Spirits at intermission. Every visiting musician also performs in Newport-area public schools through the organization’s Music Enrichment and Engagement Initiative.
Newport Classical’s 2027 summer festival is set for July 1-18. Tickets and full programs are at newportclassical.org.
