Lara Downes: New Century Chamber Orchestra: BLOOM

Cultural catalyst and trailblazer Lara Downes—described by Musical Toronto as “a magnetic force wrapped in flawless technique and a silken touch”—brings vivid presence to the world premiere of "Beauty Has No Borders" by Clarice Assad that pays homage to jazz and the visionary artists who have built bridges among genres. Mozart’s Symphony No. 29 radiates youthful energy and poised clarity, its textures unfolding with freshness and vitality. Stravinsky’s Apollon musagète, evoking Apollo as leader of the Muses, blossoms as a meditation on form, grace, and artistic inspiration, bringing the program into luminous balance. Step into a landscape of connection, transformation, and boundless creativity. Recently honored as Classical Woman of the Year by NPR’s Performance Today, American pianist (and NY Times crossword clue) Lara Downes has been called “a musical ray of hope” by NBC News, “a classical music instigator pushing the music forward with great gusto” by the NY Amsterdam News, and “an explorer whose imagination is fired by bringing notice to the underrepresented and forgotten” by The Log Journal. A visionary trailblazer, Lara occupies a unique position of visibility through her dynamic work as a sought-after soloist, a Billboard Chart-topping recording artist, and a beloved NPR personality as host of her popular video show Amplify with Lara Downes. She has garnered millions of fans spanning diverse communities: her devoted NPR viewers and 100,000+ weekly listeners to her nationally syndicated radio programs intersect with her live concert audiences and her followers on streaming platforms to form a broad and constantly expanding fan base.