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CMS Returns to Alice Tully Hall in "Coming Home"

Finally… all the pre-return hype is in past tense, and CMS’ return to Alice Tully Hall has finally happened! And the hall has proven to be even more spectacular than we dared dream; acoustically clear and bright; visually stunning; architecturally marvelous; open, welcoming, accessible—in short, as one visitor remarked, an unmissable concert destination.

“We were worried that we’d come in and find a totally different space — but it’s still Alice Tully Hall, our favorite concert hall in NYC, only so much more beautiful and sounding so very much better. Fantastic!”

“And the music last night was wonderful, especially the Yan Maresz and the William Bolcom pieces.”

CMS opened this new era with a concert nicknamed “Coming Home,” designed by Artistic Directors David Finckel and Wu Han to show off the new hall to the maximum. The concert started with the very same piece that opened Alice Tully Hall back in 1969 and continued through music composed specially for the celebratory return. Every piece showed off a different aspect of the hall, and every piece was greeted with exhilarated enthusiasm by the audience.

“The acoustics were so sharp and I bet that it was true for the rest of the hall. My son in law was with us and he is a musician. He was blown away be the clarity and zeroed in on some of the soft notes of various pieces that normally would be lost to the ears of audience members.”

“My wife is looking at the next few concerts she wants us to attend.”

Don’t miss your chance to experience this sensational performance space. Tickets for CMS’ Spring Season at the new Alice Tully Hall are available now!

“I attended the Welcome Home concert last night at Alice Tully Hall and it was marvelous! It reminded me of how much I enjoy chamber music.”

The concert opened with Goldberg’s Trio Sonata in C major, performed by Founding Artistic Director Charles Wadsworth and his frequent collaborators Paula Robison, flute, and Jaime Laredo, violin. Fred Sherry, a former CMS Artistic Director and a ubiquitous presence on CMS stages, completed the continuo.

The Orion String Quartet, a longtime Artist of the Chamber Music Society, got its first turn on the new stage, with diverse works from Mendelssohn, Webern, and Wolf.


















A trio of works from living composers showed the capacity of the hall to adapt to unusual instrumental combinations. Jan Maresz’ Entrelacs included flute, two kinds of clarinet, cello, double bass, piano, and vibraphone.

Season Composer Willam Bolcom contributed Shakyamuni to the concert, and it was here that the true versatility of the acoustics were vibrantly demonstrated. Musicians were placed around the hall… on the stage, in the orchestra, and in City Balcony, and the effect was ethereal, evocative… and wonderful.

The final piece on the celebratory concert went back to tradition—where chamber music starts and where it will always find value. Beethoven’s Septet in E-flat major for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Double Bass showed why Alice Tully Hall will always be the very best venue in the city to hear chamber music!

Following the concert, the audience shared a champagne toast celebrating our return home, generously provided by Jerome Jeandin, National Director of TAITTINGER.

All photos by Tristan Cook.

Press Relations

For Press related inquiries, members of the media should contact Marlisa Monroe by email.