Duke Department of Music: Faculty & Student Gala Concert

Celebrate the artistry, mentorship, and community at the heart of Duke Music during the 2026 Faculty & Student Gala Concert. This all-Mendelssohn program brings together distinguished faculty, accomplished alumni, and exceptional student musicians in honor of the retirement of renowned Mendelssohn scholar Dr. R. Larry Todd.

The Ciompi Quartet joins the alumni musicians of the Larkspur Quartet for Mendelssohn's exhilarating Octet for Strings; a youthful masterpiece filled with irrepressible energy. Following intermission, the Duke Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Harry Davidson, performs the atmospheric Hebrides Overture, inspired by the dramatic Scottish landscape of Fingal's Cave.

The evening culminates with pianist Bryan Tong and the orchestra performing Mendelssohn's unfinished Piano Concerto No. 3 in E Minor. Its opening movement is one of many that was meticulously reconstructed by Dr. Todd, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience Mendelssohn's musical imagination brought vividly to life through Todd's extraordinary scholarship.

A reception honoring Dr. Todd will follow in the Mary Duke Biddle Music Building. Please RSVP using the link on this page.

Free and open to the public. All are welcome!