Inspector Pulse Discovers Magical Mystical Moonlight
Sun, 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 6+ 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 established herself as one of today’s most sought-after musicians. Career highlights include the Metropolitan Opera in multiple roles, premiering the role of Rose in Awakenings at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and performing the role of Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire opposite Renée Fleming. Ms. Phillips has also sung leading roles with Boston Baroque, including Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare and the title role in Agrippina. Other opera house engagements include the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Cincinnati Opera, Dallas Opera, and Gran Teatro del Liceu. Dedicated to symphonic works, she has collaborated with highly esteemed orchestras including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and her native Huntsville Symphony. An avid chamber music collaborator, she has performed a tribute concert to Clara Schumann at the Library of Congress and has sung for Washington Performing Arts in a program co-curated by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She is an alum of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Juilliard School.
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 prestigious 2024 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Korean-American violinist Julian Rhee came to international prominence following his prize-winning performances at the 2024 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition and Silver Medal finish at the 11th Quadrennial International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. He has appeared with orchestras including the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Oregon Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Belgian National Orchestra, Antwerp Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Richmond Symphony, and San Diego Symphony. Julian is a member of CMS’s Bowers Program and has performed at festivals including Marlboro Music, Ravinia Steans Institute, and North Shore Chamber Music Festival. He studied at the New England Conservatory with Miriam Fried, and currently works with Christian Tetzlaff at the Kronberg Academy. Julian is the recipient of the 1699 “Lady Tennant” Antonio Stradivari violin and a Jean Pierre Marie Persoit bow on extended loan through the generosity of 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.
