Outstanding young artists from the United States and abroad join the ranks of the illustrious musicians who performed in the series early in their careers—artists including Peter Serkin, Yo-Yo Ma, and the Guarneri String Quartet.
Alexander Schneider, founder and music director (1957–1993)
Music advisors: John Dalley, Pamela Frank,* Jaime Laredo, Cho-Liang Lin,* Anthony McGill,* Kurt Muroki,* Tara O'Connor, Arnold Steinhardt
Advisory committee members: Ben Cadwallader, Mark Epstein, Fiona Fein, Vanyah Harrigan, Elisabeth Lorin, Frank Salomon, Susan Sawyer, Zachary Smith, Linda Strommen,* Jani Tree
*Alum of the New York String Orchestra Seminar.
2025–2026 Season
The 2025–2026 Schneider Concerts season
celebrates the nation’s 250th anniversary by embracing Abigail Adams’ call, made in 1776, to “remember the ladies." Six concerts at The New School feature outstanding emerging chamber ensembles performing music by exceptional American women composers—paired with repertoire developed by the musicians in dialogue with traditional works. The season affirms the rightful place of living American women composers in the chamber music canon.
To offer
context, the season will include four preconcert talks led by violist Dana
Kelley. We’ll also be partnering with other organizations in the city—offering three free short concerts to bring the music to new audiences in unexpected places.
The six mainstage concerts presented
at The New School's auditorium in Greenwich Village will be livestreamed and later made available for on-demand
replay to provide the greatest access to the widest audiences possible.
And we're continuing with the successful new curating and performing ensemble initiative. This year's ensemble, the Ulysses Quartet, made its New York debut in the series in 2016 and is excited to return to share their musical ideas across the season—lending their input to themes including a deeper listen to Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, works by women composers, and works composed and arranged by this season's performing ensembles.
We look forward to seeing you this season!
$90.00 Schneider Concerts season subscription
Single tickets go on sale at the end of July.
2025–2026 Season Partners: Sugar Hill Children's Museum; others to be announced soon.
Sunday, October 5, 2025, 2:00 p.m.
The Dolphins Quartet
Jessie Montgomery: String Quartet "Voodoo Dolls" (2008)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: String Quartet No. 16 in E-flat Major, K. 428 (1783)
Erwin Schulhoff: Five Pieces for String Quartet (1924)
The Dolphins: Angel Fire Quartet (2024)—New York Premiere
This concert will be approximately one hour and 40 minutes, including intermission.
Location: The New School's Auditorium at 66 West 12th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
Sunday, November 09, 2025, 2:00 p.m.
Abeo Quartet
Reena Esmail: String Quartet "Ragamala" (2013)
Felix Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 12 (1829)
Johannes Brahms: String Quartet No. 1 in C Minor (1873)
This concert will be approximately one hour and 40 minutes, including intermission.
Location: The New School's Auditorium at 66 West 12th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
Sunday, December 7, 2025, 2:00 p.m.
Trio Eris—New York Debut
Katherine Balch: different gravities (2023)
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel: Piano Trio (1847)
Franz Schubert: Piano Trio No. 2, Op. 100 (1828)
This concert will be approximately one hour and 50 minutes, including intermission.
Location: The New School's Auditorium at 66 West 12th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
At 12:30 p.m., Dana Kelley will host an hour-long preconcert talk (separate $5 entry fee).
Sunday, January 11, 2026, 2:00 p.m.
Ulysses Quartet—first of three concerts with our 2025–2026 curating and performing ensemble
Tina Davidson: "Just before Light" (2025)—World premiere of Schneider Concerts co-commission
Claude Debussy: String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10 (1893)
Traditional—celebrating Ulysses Quartet members' cultural roots in Taiwan, Ireland, Poland, and the United States with folk song arrangements
Felix Mendelssohn: String Quartet in F minor, Op. 80 (1847)
This concert will be approximately one hour and 40 minutes, including intermission.
Location: The New School's Auditorium at 66 West 12th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
At 12:30 p.m., Dana Kelley will host an hour-long preconcert talk (separate $5 entry fee).
Sunday, March 22, 2026, 2:00 p.m.
Ulysses Quartet
With Olga Kern, piano
Caroline Shaw: String Quartet "Valencia" (2012)
Christine Bouey: String Quartet "Soul" (2024)—New York Premiere
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel: String Quartet in E-flat Major (1834)
Antonín Dvořák: Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major, Op. 81 (1887)
The concert will be approximately one hour and 50 minutes, including
intermission.
Location: The New School's Auditorium at 66 West 12th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
At 12:30 p.m., Dana Kelley will host an hour-long preconcert talk (separate $5 entry fee).
Sunday, April 26, 2026, 2:00 p.m.
Katarina String Quartet
Vivian Fung: String Quartet No. 5 "Spiraling" (2022)—New York Premiere
Franz Joseph Haydn: String Quartet in C Major, Op. 50, No. 2 (1787)
Felix Mendelssohn: Octet in E-flat, Op. 20 (1825)—with members of the Ulysses Quartet
This concert will be approximately one hour and 50 minutes, including intermission.
Location: The New School's Auditorium at 66 West 12th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
At 12:30 p.m., Dana Kelley will host an hour-long preconcert talk (separate $5 entry fee).
Programs are subject to change.
Season subscriptions for all six concerts are available by mail and online here.
2025–2026 Cultural and Community Partners
Watch Performances from Past Seasons
Including the Abeo, Balourdet, Calidore, Erinys, Isidore, Ivalas, PUBLIQuartet, and Viano string quartets; the Kenari Saxophone Quartet; Umama Womama; Windsync; and Trio Gaia
Visit our YouTube channel
The Schneider Concerts Is Committed to Accessibility
- Accessible and early seating, large-print programs, and assistive listening devices are available at all our concerts events—no advance request needed.
- Additional supports may be requested at time of ticket purchase, or contact us at [email protected].
- Streamed events include captions and voiceover of any information provided only by text on video.
- The performance location, 66 West 12th Street, is accessible to Access-a-Ride.
- Please contact us if you see something we could improve.
Information for Ensembles Interested in Appearing in the Series
The Schneider Concerts focuses on presenting outstanding emerging chamber ensembles. If you would like us to consider your ensemble for an upcoming series, please note that our season of Sunday afternoon concerts runs from October to April. Please submit
the following materials by email to [email protected] or by mail to New School Concerts, 55 West 13th Street, room 929, New York, NY 10011:
- Downloadable recordings of three to four complete works; please include Classical or Romantic repertoire as at least two of the works. We request submissions of contemporary and modern works for the remainder.
- Repertoire proposals for the upcoming season. Please give us a few options and include timings.
- Ensemble biography and website URL.
Please make sure that all components of your submission are clearly labeled with your ensemble's name and that you have included contact information with your submission.
NOTE: We cannot engage you if are not an American citizen, resident for tax purposes, or holder of appropriate work visa. We do not offer visa sponsorship.
We look forward to hearing from you!
The History of Schneider Concerts
Founded at The New School in 1957 as New School Concerts, this series was renamed the Schneider Concerts in 1993 in honor of founding artistic director Alexander “Sasha” Schneider, a conductor, violinist, and member of the famed Budapest String Quartet.
Established with the aim of offering access to chamber music performance at an exceptionally high level to all (tickets at that time cost only $1), the series has expanded its goals in the past 60-plus years to include:
- Offering affordable tickets
- Supporting emerging chamber artists
- Serving older New Yorkers
- Going beyond ADA compliance
- Broadening our vision to include multiple approaches to chamber music
- Continually reviewing our work through the lens of equity, inclusion, and social justice to ensure that we are welcoming to and supportive of audiences and artists from all backgrounds
The series has been led by Rohana Elias-Reyes since 2001. Founding director Frank Salomon remains involved. Guided by music advisors John Dalley, Pamela Frank, Jaime Laredo, Cho-Liang Lin, Anthony McGill, Kurt Muroki, Tara O’Connor, and Arnold Steinhardt,
the series carries forward Schneider’s commitment to providing early career exposure to exceptional young artists and ensembles and offering outstanding concerts at modest ticket prices to ensure access for all. Pianist Peter Serkin and cellist Yo-Yo
Ma received early career exposure on the series, and the Guarneri, Dover, Calidore, Viano, Balourdet, and Isidore string quartets are among the many ensembles to receive their New York debuts in the series.
The 2025–2026 Schneider Concerts Season is supported by the Alexander Schneider Foundation and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.
January–December 2025 concerts are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
