MSU’s Annual Chamber Music Festival Features Renowned Guests and Distinctive Programs
The Ken and Sandy Beall Cello Plus Chamber Music Festival returns October 12–16, 2026, featuring acclaimed guest artists and MSU musicians in three performances celebrating the richness and variety of chamber music. Directed by MSU Professor of Cello Suren Bagratuni, the festival has been a tradition for more than 20 years, presenting outstanding chamber music performances and artistic collaborations.
Members of the Woodward String Quartet, featuring principal musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, open the festival series.
This year’s festival showcases a variety of repertoire and instrumentation, from string quartet masterworks by Mozart, Schubert, and Halvorsen to a celebration of Armenian musical heritage and an evening of Romantic-era vocal music. Acclaimed guest artists join Bagratuni throughout the week in programs that highlight the dynamic range and collaborative spirit of chamber music.
“This year’s festival features wonderful musicians and three very different programs,” said Bagratuni. “We’re looking forward to sharing these collaborations with our audiences and celebrating the unique variety and beauty that chamber music offers.”
Pianist Karén Hakobyan, violinist Haig Hovsepian, and cellist Suren Bagratuni explore Armenian musical traditions.
Three concerts over five days offer audiences a unique chamber music experience:
- Woodward String Quartet with Suren Bagratuni, Mon., Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m., Fairchild Theatre. Members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Woodward String Quartet join Bagratuni for an evening featuring works by Mozart, Schubert, and Johan Halvorsen, including Schubert’s celebrated String Quintet in C Major, D. 956.
- Journey to Armenia, Wed., Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m., Cook Recital Hall. Pianist Karén Hakobyan and violinist Haig Hovsepian join Bagratuni in a program exploring Armenia’s musical heritage through works by Arno Babajanian, Aram Khachaturian, and other Armenian composers.
- Chamber Voices, Fri., Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m., Cook Recital Hall. Tenor Nils Neubert and pianist Yuri Kim present vocal works by Schumann, Schubert, and Grieg, including Schubert’s Auf dem Strom, performed with cellist Bagratuni.
Tenor Nils Neubert and pianist Yuri Kim explore Romantic-era vocal repertoire in the final concert of the series.
The Cello Plus Chamber Music Festival is underwritten by Ken and Sandy Beall. The Woodward String Quartet with Suren Bagratuni is generously sponsored by Jim and Rose Zacks and the Jack W. and Sandra G. Midgley Trust. Journey to Armenia and Chamber Voices are generously sponsored by the Stanley and Selma Hollander Endowment for Chamber Music.
This festival is presented during the MSU College of Music’s “20 Years of Momentum” anniversary season, celebrating two decades as an independent college while building on a musical tradition at MSU that spans more than 160 years.
Tickets: Reserved seating tickets purchased at the door are $19 for adults, $17 for seniors (age 60+), and $9 for students and those under 18 with valid ID. Tickets may also be purchased online at music.msu.edu/events or by calling (517) 353-5340; tickets purchased online or by phone include a $1.50 processing fee.
