Inspector Pulse Discovers Magical Mystical Moonlight
This event has passedSun, Mar 15, 2026, 2:00 pm
Alice Tully Hall
1 hour, no intermission
For thousands of years, the moon has inspired people to write poems and compose music about its enchanting glow! Join us as we celebrate the mysteries of the moon with music by Debussy, Schumann, Clarke, Beethoven, and Bruce Adolphe.
For all who are curious, they can try out instruments at our Instrument Petting Zoo from 1:00–1:50 PM in the lobby. Children will also have the opportunity to talk to the artists by asking questions at the end of the show.
All patrons, including small children sitting in laps, must have a ticket to enter. All performances are appropriate for ages 7+ as long as guests are not disruptive to other patrons' enjoyment of the performance.
Program
Claude Debussy
(1862–1918)"Clair de lune" from Suite bergamasque for Piano
(c. 1890, rev. 1905)Claude Debussy
(1862–1918)"Clair de lune" from Fêtes galantes for Voice and Piano
(1903)Robert Schumann
(1810–1856)"Mondnacht" from Liederkreis for Voice and Piano, Op. 39, No. 5
(1840)Rebecca Clarke
(1886–1979)Midsummer Moon for Violin and Piano
(1926)Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770–1827)Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor for Piano, Op. 27, No. 2, "Moonlight"
(1801)Bruce Adolphe
(b. 1955)Marlboro Moon for Clarinet and Piano
(2023)
Bruce Adolphe
Susanna Phillips
Chelsea Wang
Julian Rhee
Anthony McGill
Resident lecturer and director of family concerts for CMS since 1992, Bruce Adolphe is a composer of international renown, much of whose output addresses science, history, and the struggle for human rights.
Resident lecturer and director of family concerts for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 1992, Bruce Adolphe is a composer of international renown, much of whose output addresses science, history, and the struggle for human rights. His works are frequently performed by major artists, including Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Fabio Luisi, Joshua Bell, Daniel Hope, Angel Blue, the Brentano String Quartet, the Washington National Opera, the Metropolitan Opera Guild, the Human Rights Orchestra of Europe, and over 60 orchestras worldwide. Among his most performed works are the violin concerto I Will Not Remain Silent, the violin/piano duo Einstein’s Light, and Tyrannosaurus Sue: A Cretaceous Concerto.
Soprano Susanna Phillips has appeared in more than eleven roles at the Metropolitan Opera, originated the role of Rose in the world premiere of Awakenings at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and portrayed Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire opposite Renée Fleming. Her operatic career also includes acclaimed performances with Boston Baroque, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Cincinnati Opera, Dallas Opera, and Gran Teatre del Liceu. A passionate advocate for chamber music, she has presented a tribute to Clara Schumann at the Library of Congress and appeared with Washington Performing Arts in a program co-curated by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Among her many honors are the Beverly Sills Artist Award and the Laffont Competition from the Metropolitan Opera, as well as prizes from Operalia and the Marilyn Horne Foundation Competition. Ms. Phillips earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Juilliard School. Beginning in the 2026–27 season, Ms. Phillips serves as Artist in Residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
Praised by the New York Times as an “excellent young pianist,” Chelsea Wang has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician throughout North America, Europe and Asia. She is a prizewinner of many international piano competitions, and has performed with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Des Moines Symphony and musicians from the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Her festival appearances include Music@Menlo, Ravinia Steans Music Institute, Bravo!Vail, Tippet Rise, and many others. A native of West Des Moines, Iowa, Ms. Wang is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and Peabody Conservatory, where she studied with Meng-Chieh Liu, Ignat Solzhenitsyn, Leon Fleisher, and Yong-Hi Moon. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music with James Giles. Additionally, Wang is a member of Ensemble Connect, a fellowship program under the joint auspices of Carnegie Hall, the Weill Institute, and the Juilliard School.
Winner of the 2024 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Korean-American violinist Julian Rhee rose to international prominence following his prize-winning performances at the 2024 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition and Silver Medal at the 11th Quadrennial International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. He has appeared with orchestras including the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Pacific Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Belgian National Orchestra, Antwerp Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, and San Diego Symphony. Highlights of the 2026–2027 season include debuts with the Gürzenich-Orchester and Andrés Orozco-Estrada, La Orquesta Clásica Santa Cecilia and Daniel Raiskin, and returns to the Richmond and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestras. He is a member of CMS’s Bowers Program and has performed at festivals including Marlboro, Rockport, Bridgehampton, Music@Menlo, and North Shore Chamber Music Festivals. Rhee is the recipient of the 1699 “Lady Tennant” Antonio Stradivari violin and a Jean Pierre Marie Persoit bow on extended loan through the Mary B. Galvin Foundation and the Stradivari Society.
Clarinetist Anthony McGill, Principal Clarinet of the New York Philharmonic, is one of classical music’s most celebrated performers and advocates. Hailed by the New York Times for his “brilliance, penetrating sound and rich character,” McGill was named Musical America’s 2024 Instrumentalist of the Year and received the 2020 Avery Fisher Prize. As a soloist, McGill performs with major orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony, and Chicago Symphony. He is a sought-after chamber musician and recording artist, collaborating with the Pacifica Quartet and pianist Gloria Chien on acclaimed albums like American Stories and Here With You. An advocate for equity in classical music, McGill founded the #TakeTwoKnees movement and collaborates with the Equal Justice Initiative. He directs Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program and teaches at Curtis. A Curtis graduate himself, McGill serves on several arts organization boards and is a Backun Artist.