Newport Classical Music Festival Presents Four Special Chamber Music Concerts at The Breakers and Blithewold Mansion
Clockwise from top left: Chen-Lipman-Cho Trio, Parker Quartet, Trio Karénine, Cerus Saxophone Quartet.
Press photos available here.
2026 Newport Classical Music Festival
Four Special Chamber Music Performances
July 5: Parker Quartet
July 7: Cerus Saxophone Quartet
July 8: String Trios with Chen-Lipman-Cho
July 12: Trio Karénine
Tickets & Information: www.newportclassical.org/music-festival
Newport, RI – From July 2-19, 2026, the Newport Classical Music Festival will again turn this “City by the Sea” into a summer destination for music lovers, featuring 30 concerts across 11 unforgettable venues, from cliffside lawns to gilded mansions, including the stunning interiors of The Breakers, The Elms, Castle Hill Inn, Blithewold Mansion, Rosecliff Mansion, Redwood Library and Athenæum, and more. This year, Newport Classical focuses on the intimate genre of chamber music for trios and quartets in four special performances between July 5 and July 12 – the GRAMMY® Award-winning Parker Quartet (July 5 at The Breakers); Gold Medal Fischoff Competition winners the Cerus Saxophone Quartet (July 7 at Blithewold Mansion); supergroup trio violinist Stella Chen, violist Matthew Lipman, and cellist Brannon Cho (July 8 at The Breakers); and returning Festival favorites Trio Karénine (July 12 at The Breakers).
Internationally acclaimed for their “fearless, yet probingly beautiful” performances (The Strad), the GRAMMY® Award-winning Parker Quartet returns to Newport to perform at The Breakers on Sunday, July 5 at 8pm, in a vibrant program featuring Beethoven, Paul Wiancko, and Schubert. Renowned for their fresh interpretations of canonical works, the Quartet continues to chart a dynamic artistic path rooted in both tradition and innovation, having captivated audiences on the world’s premier stages for over two decades. The Parker Quartet's name is inspired by the Parker House, a Boston historic landmark. It celebrates the Quartet's New England home, honors the food legacy of the Parker House (Boston Cream Pie, Parker House Rolls), and pays homage to the great history of artists and writers who used the Parker House as a meeting point.
On Tuesday, July 7 at 11am, spend a beautiful morning on the outdoor grounds of Blithewold Mansion with the Cerus Saxophone Quartet. Named for the mythical wild bull tamed by Persephone, Cerus brings the same spirit to the stage, blending works from the traditional classical cannon and new contemporary works with energy, precision, and playful imagination. From Grieg and Piazzolla to living composers like Karalyn Schubring and Joan Perez-Villegas, the quartet’s program spans centuries and styles, showcasing the saxophone quartet as a dynamic voice in 21st-century chamber music.
Violinist Stella Chen, violist Matthew Lipman, and cellist Brannon Cho join forces for an evening of chamber music trios on Wednesday, July 8 at 8pm. These three powerhouse musicians have each garnered international acclaim and have performed on prestigious stages worldwide with some of the world’s top orchestras. They come together to present a program pairing beloved Classical trios by Mozart and Dohnányi with a contemporary work by Andreia Pinto-Correia inspired by the individual voices of the ensemble, set against the glamorous backdrop of The Breakers.
After a sold-out Newport Classical debut in 2024, Trio Karénine returns to Newport for their first performance at The Breakers on Sunday, July 12 at 8pm. Praised by Newport Classical patrons as “one of the top performances I have seen” and for defining “what chamber music is all about,” the Paris-based trio is celebrated for its extraordinary cohesion and precision. Founded in 2009, Trio Karénine has appeared in many of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, including Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw, the Philharmonie de Paris, and the Frick Collection in New York. Acclaimed for their imaginative interpretations of the classical canon, the trio presents a program featuring works by Rimski-Korsakov, Saint-Saëns, and Tchaikovsky.
For 57 years, Newport Classical has showcased classical music as a living art form, presenting artists and programs that are diverse and ever-evolving in intimate and iconic venues that make every performance one of a kind. The 2026 Festival will again offer audiences the opportunity to discover new composers, revisit beloved works, and experience timeless works offered from a fresh perspective.
Highlights of the 2026 Festival include Opening Night with chamber orchestra Delirium Musicum; a celebration of the Golden Age of Opera with Lawrence Brownlee and Erin Morley; solo piano performances by Michelle Cann and Dmitry Shishkin, as well as a two-piano recital with Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy; a new work by Vivian Fung, co-commissioned by Newport Classical, performed by Sandbox Percussion and violinist Kristin Lee; performances by violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing, VOCES8, Apollo’s Fire, Trio Karénine, WindSync, Cerus Saxophone Quartet, Beijing Guitar Duo, Parker Quartet, and more; two evenings with Broadway star Jeremy Jordan, known for his lead role in Newsies and most recently The Great Gatsby; and Closing Night with the GRAMMY® Award-winning Harlem Quartet, joined by Newport Classical’s Resident Festival Artists. Other highlights of the 2026 Newport Classical Music Festival include the beloved Sunrise Concerts at 5:15am; a concert inspired by nature at Norman Bird Sanctuary; a free Fourth of July concert at King Park; and this year’s young professional Newport Classical Resident Festival Artists in eight performances. Now in its fifth year, Newport Classical’s Festival Artists Residency Program brings together five professional musicians at the early stages of their careers for an intense period of rehearsal and music-making during the Festival. This summer, Newport Classical welcomes Nathan Amaral (violin); Joshua Brown (violin); Joseph Skerik (viola), Leland Ko (cello), and Janice Carissa (piano).
For the full schedule, visit: www.newportclassical.org/music-festival
About Newport Classical
Newport Classical is a premier performing arts organization that welcomes people of every age, culture, and background to intimate, immersive musical experiences. The organization presents world-renowned and up-and-coming artistic talents at stunning, storied venues across Newport – an internationally sought-after cultural and recreational destination.
Originally founded in 1969 as Rhode Island Arts Foundation at Newport, Inc., Newport Classical has a rich legacy of musical curiosity having presented the American debuts of hundreds of international artists and is most well-known for hosting three weeks of concerts in the summer in the historic mansions throughout Newport and Aquidneck Island. In the 56 years since, Newport Classical has become the most active year-round presenter of live performing arts on Aquidneck Island, and an essential pillar of Rhode Island’s cultural landscape, welcoming thousands of patrons all year long.
Newport Classical invests in the future of classical music as a diverse, relevant, and ever-evolving art form through its four core programs – the one-of-a-kind Music Festival; the Chamber Series in the Newport Classical Recital Hall; the free, family-friendly Community Concerts Series; and the Music Enrichment and Engagement Initiative that inspires students in local schools and community organizations to become the arts advocates and music lovers of tomorrow. These programs illustrate the organization’s ongoing commitment to presenting “timeless music for today.”
In 2021, the organization launched a new commissioning initiative – each year, Newport Classical will commission a new work by a Black, Indigenous, person of color, or woman composer as a commitment to the future of classical music. To date, Newport Classical has commissioned and presented the world premiere of works by Stacy Garrop, Shawn Okpebholo, Curtis Stewart, Clarice Assad, and Cris Derksen.
After a year-long community-driven process, and rooted in the organization’s mission “to celebrate the living art form of classical music in intimate and iconic locations,” Newport Classical released its 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, presenting a clear roadmap to become a stronger, healthier, and more vibrant organization that enhances its programs and community engagement, promotes responsible financial growth and sustainability, and centers artistic excellence in every decision, as the organization aspires to open its doors even wider.