2026 Events
June 22, 2026
Roger Zahab: Complete Works for Solo Cello (so far!)
David Russell will perform and discuss works for solo cello by Pittsburgh-based composer, conductor and violinist Roger Zahab. Roger's unique and beautiful style weaves together sumptuous romanticism, "Cageian" whimsy, complex but listenable harmony and a deeply personal sense of friendship.
In preparation for a recording project of music by one of his closest mentors and collaborators, David is delighted to play and talk about this body of work ranging from miniatures lasting less than a minute to multi-movement Britten-esque essays. This opportunity to share the fruits of a more than 30 year association is just too great to pass up.
for more information
Harvard, Massachusetts
June 22 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm EDT
FREE
May 27, 2026
Entelechron plays Eric Moe
University of Pittsburgh Department of Music presents
Entelechron plays Eric Moe
Robert Frankenberry, piano
David Russell, cello
Roger Zahab, violin, viola
And Life Like Froth Doth Throb (1997) viola and cello
Legend of the Sad Triad (2004) piano
Verklaertes Holz (Transfigured Wood) (2015) cello
Strange Exclaiming Music (2004) violin and piano
I. Rhyme Does Not Pay
II. Alla Breve
III. The Sorbet of Regret
We Happy Few (1990) violin, cello and piano
at 8 pm, free admission
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
University of Pittsburgh
Oakland campus
April 26, 2026
Zahab - Gradual Process
The Akron Youth Symphony celebrates its 70th Anniversary - Roger's Gradual Process is included
Sunday at 3 pm
E J Thomas Performing Arts Hall
Akron, Ohio
April 22, 2026
The Sweetness of Despair, the Necessity of Hope - University of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Roger Zahab, director
Nicholas Grieneisen - Flock (2020)
Eric Moe - The Sweetness of Despair, the Necessity of Hope (2021)
I. The Sweetness of Despair, with Eric Moe, solo piano
Jean Sibelius - Symphony No. 5 in E-flat Major, op. 82 (1915, revised 1916, 1919)
Wednesday at 8 pm
livestream on YouTube
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
University of Pittsburgh
Oakland campus
April 20, 2026
Dennis Riley Dances and Interludes (1988)
a rare performance of Dennis Riley - Dances and Interludes (1988) Estampie Interlude I Tango Interlude II Badinerie with Stephan Mirtchev, clarinet Roger Zahab, violin* Devyani Wadhia, viola Matthew Enders, cello
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
April 9, 2026
midweek music with cellist David Russell, with special guests Gabriela Diaz, violin and Tanya Maggi, viola
Featuring Roger's smoldering kiss, aria Ada and barcarolla Teo with works by Maurice Ravel, Lei Liang, Helmut Lachenmann and a world premiere by UC-Davis composer Sam Nichols.
Houghton Chapel at 5:30 pm
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA
March 22, 2026
Welcoming Hope - University of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Roger Zahab, director
Judith Weir - Sinfonia Comatica (2014)
Bryndon J. Raschaul - En vyolet (2025)
Chris Miller - flute, Daniel Cheng - violin, Finn Fitzgerald - viola,
Allyssa Wagner - cello, Zoe Curtis- trombone, Michael Levin - bass clarinet
Igor Stravinsky - Soldier's Tale's Tale (1918)
Pastorale, Royal March
Peyton Anderson, clarinet, Abi Grace Trauffer, bassoon,
Andrew Levin - trumpet, Jack Isaac - trombone,
Roger Zahab - violin, JP Tomlinson - double bass
Jacob Doran- percussion
Nick Fagnilli, conductor
Paul Joshua Lehman - a rather sacred special occasion (2026) (premiere)
Addie Kelly, JP Tomlinson, Cameron Wallace, solo double basses
Roger Zahab, conductor
Gustav Holst - Saint Paul's Suite (1912)
joe Pearson, conductor
Ernest Owusu-Poku,orchestrated by Justice Turkson - Akwaaba (Welcome) (2019/26)
in memory of Ernest Owusu-Poku
Roger Zahab, conductor
Sunday at 7 pm
livestream on YouTube
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
University of Pittsburgh
Oakland campus
February 18, 2026
Against Tyranny - University of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Ludwig van Beethoven -Egmont Overture, op. 84, Joe Pearson, cond
Strauss Duet-Concertino - Rachael Stutzman Cohen, clarinet, & Linda Morton Fisher, bassoon
Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphony no 1
Roger Zahab, conducting
wednesday at 8 pm
livestream on YouTube
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
University of Pittsburgh
Oakland campus
January 31, 2026
Elizabeth Brown Firmament & Roger's solstice/eclipse
University of Pittsburgh Music Department presents
Music performance showcase
January 31, 2026
Elizabeth Brown Firmament (2023)
Roger Zahab solstice/eclipse (2023-25)
Roger Zahab, violin
with
Edelweiss (from The Sound of Music) Richard Rodgers
Oscar Hammerstein II
Love Never Dies (from Love Never Dies)Andrew Lloyd Webber
Ava Gargiulo, voice
Christopher Catone, piano*
Prelude in g minor, ZN 773 Henry Purcell
A woman and twenty of them from Mary ODonohoe
A scorching to this (love), woe be him who it is upon
The Northern Hags. A Conaught jig
Ray Jewell, violin
Etude Tableau op 39 no 5 in e flat minor Sergei Rachmaninoff
Anthony Chaer, piano
Saturday at 7 pm
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
2025 Events
December 3, 2025
University of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Ritual and Magic
Ritual and Magic
Danza Ritual (2018, rev. 2025) - Emmanuel Berrido
(Emmanuel Berrido, guest conductor)
The Soggy Cereal Revolution - -Sophie Zhang
The Rime of the Ancient Marine - Will Stephens
Looking Back - Roy E. Agnew,
Arr.by Ava Gargiulo
Divine Revelation - Jordan Pastor
Nocturne no. 4 in E flat major, op. 36 (opening section) - Gabriel Faure
Arr. by Anthony Chaer
Clashing Wills - Daniel Cheng
The Firebird (1911, rev. 1919) - Igor Stravinsky
Roger Zahab, conductor
Click here for the livestream
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
University of Pittsburgh
Oakland campus
free admission
December 3, 2025
Akron Bicentennial: A Symphonic Celebration
Roger's Summer makes its Akron debut.
E.J.Thomas Hall at 7 pm
Program features Jocelyn Grant, vocal soloist, Theron Brown, piano, and Mark Greer, piano
Dearest Enemy Overture - Richard Rodgers, arranged David Kempers
"Our Day Will Come"- music by Mort Garson, lyrics by Bob Hilliard, arranged David Kempers
Three Spirituals - Julia Perry
Soap Box Derby Rag - Eric Benjamin
Emlanjeni - James Wilding
Summer - Roger Zahab
Alegrias - Margi Griebling-Haigh
Morning Horizon - Theron Brown, arranged David Kempers with Theron Brown, piano
Concerto for the Left Hand - Maurice Ravel with Mark Greer, piano
to reserve a free ticket
EJ Thomas Hall, Akron, Ohio
October 26, 2025
Freedom of Thought and Action - University of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Roger Zahab, director
Stella Wadiru, graduate assistant
Joe Pearson, undergraduate assistant
Abigail Molek, Jaquay Smith, and Robert Frankenberry, vocalists
Canzona X for ten instruments in two choirs (1597) - Giovanni Gabrieli
Joe Pearson, conductor
A Tale of Freedom Suite (2025, first performance) - Jaquay Smith
Symphony in b minor/E major "Unfinished" D 759 (1822) - Franz Schubert
Roger Zahab, conductor
Sunday at 7 pm
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
University of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
Oakland campus
free admission
October 8, 2025
first performance of Roger's the woods so wild with Lindsey Goodman
The University of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra with guest soloist Lindsey Goodman, flute, Roger Zahab, conductor
Bela Bartok - Romanian Folk Dances
Roger Zahab - the woods so wild for solo flute, strings, and percussion
guest artist Lindsey Goodman, solo flute
Guy Klucevsek - Wave Hill (in memoriam d. May 22 2025)
Claude Debussy - Prelude to the afternoon of a faun L.86
John Adams - The Chairman Dances
free admission
Wednesday at 8 pm
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
University of Pittsburgh
Oakland Campus
Pittsburgh, PA
October 3, 2025
Performances of La semilla de la muerte, a musical reimagining of the work of Gamaliel Churata
Robert Frankenberry, tenor and Roger Zahab, violin will perform "The Seed of Death by Nicolas Aguia Betancourt, a song cycle set to texts by Peruvian philosopher Gamliel Churata at 4 pm in the Center for Latin American Studies at OSU
Hagerty Hall, Room 255
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
June 21, 2025
The Blue Fairy
Aria412 presents the world premiere of
The Blue Fairy
Music by Robert Frankenberry
Libretto by Kip Soteres
Directed by Dana Kinney
Conducted by Roger Zahab
At 7:30 pm
for more information and tickets
Richard E. Rauh Studio Theatre
Cathedral of Learning
University of Pittsburgh
4200 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
June 20, 2025
The Blue Fairy
Aria412 presents the world premiere of
The Blue Fairy
Music by Robert Frankenberry
Libretto by Kip Soteres
Directed by Dana Kinney
Conducted by Roger Zahab
At 7:30 pm
for more information and tickets
Richard E. Rauh Studio Theatre
Cathedral of Learning
University of Pittsburgh
4200 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
June 19, 2025
The Blue Fairy
Aria412 presents the world premiere of
The Blue Fairy
Music by Robert Frankenberry
Libretto by Kip Soteres
Directed by Dana Kinney
Conducted by Roger Zahab
At 7:30 pm
for more information and tickets
Richard E. Rauh Studio Theatre
Cathedral of Learning
University of Pittsburgh
4200 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
June 3, 2025
Prism Players - Music for Spring
Robert Frankenberry, voice and piano
Benjamin Binder, piano
Roger Zahab, violin
Rick Baitz - New York City, 4AM (2024) for piano*
R. Rikki Bell - Take the Long Way Home (2022) for violin*
Elizabeth Brown - Firmament (2023) for violin
Colin Hinton - new work*
Alex Kirkpatrick - new work*
Julia Perry - Prelude (2012) for violin and piano
B.M. Stein - new work*
B.K. Zervigon - Avulsion Petals (2025 - first performance) *
performed by Roger Zahab, violin and Rob Frankenberry, piano
*featuring music from alumnx, students and faculty from Vermont College of Fine Arts
Roger Zahab - songs performed by Rob Frankenberry, voice and Benjamin Binder, piano
part of the recording project desire and magic, songs of intimate connections
to be released on Albany Records
admission: suggested donation $5 - 10
If you wish to support our recording project to be released by Parma on Albany Records
desire and magic - songs of intimate connections - songs by Gilda Lyons and Roger Zahab
please visit this donation link:
to support our recording project-
Opera America Rehearsal Hall
330 Seventh Avenue (between 28 & 29th Streets), 7th floor
NYC
June 1, 2025
Vespa - a girl and her pet wasp
A new opera in 4 acts
Music and Libretto by Don DiNicola
Music Director - Robert Frankenberry
conducted by Roger Zahab
Ilvi Dulack - dramaturge
outdoors at 5:30 pm
Old Stone House in Brooklyn
336 3rd Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
May 31, 2025
We Crossed the River
Kamratōn Presents: We Crossed the River | A Multimedia Chamber Opera by Eric Moe and Angie Cruz
featuring Anna Elder and Laura Mercado-Wright
Roger Zahab, music director
Cynthia Croot, director
Aaron Henderson, video artist
The DiMenna Center
450 West 37th Street
New York, NY 10018
May 30, 2025
Vespa - a girl and her pet wasp
A new opera in 4 acts
Music and Libretto by Don DiNicola
Music Director - Robert Frankenberry
conducted by Roger Zahab
Ilvi Dulack - dramaturge
outdoors at 3:30 pm
Old Stone House in Brooklyn
336 3rd Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
May 29, 2025
We Crossed the River
Kamratōn Presents: We Crossed the River | A Multimedia Chamber Opera by Eric Moe and Angie Cruz
featuring Anna Elder and Laura Mercado-Wright
Roger Zahab, music director
Cynthia Croot, director
Aaron Henderson, video artist
at 7:00 pm
Eddy Theatre
Chatham University
Pittsburgh, PA
May 23, 2025
Prism Players - Music for Spring
Robert Frankenberry, voice and piano
Benjamin Binder, piano
Roger Zahab, violin
University of Pittsburgh
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Friday at 8:00 pm
Emmanuel Berrido - Miserere (2016) for solo violin
Ken Topham - Our Elastic Hearts Dancing Closer Still (2024) for violin and piano
Julia Perry - Prelude (2012) for violin and piano
Andrew Kaiser- Variations on Laika's Theme (2012) for violin and piano, first performance
David Mahler - selections from Abundance (2020) for violin and piano
and songs to be included in our upcoming recording project
Roger Zahab
Sands at Seventy (1980) (Whitman)
Autumn Songs (1997) (Whitman)
Evening Out (2008) (Zahab)
Another Fall (1998) (Zahab)
falling lines (2006) (Zahab)
If you wish to support our recording project to be released by Parma on Albany Records
desire and magic - songs of intimate connections - songs by Gilda Lyons and Roger Zahab
please visit this donation link:
to support our recording project-
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
University of Pittsburgh Oakland campus
April 16, 2025
University of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Roger Zahab, director
Igor Stravinsky, Octet for Winds (1923, new version 1952)
Benjamin Britten, Serenade for tenor, horn, and strings
with Robert Frankenberry, tenor and Jason Allison, horn
Gustav Mahler, Symphony no. 5 (1901-02)
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
University of Pittsburgh
Oakland campus
8 pm, free admission
March 5, 2025
premiere of the original version of wild woods
performance of the original version of Roger Zahab's Wild Woods for solo flute and wind ensemble with the Otterbein University Wind Ensemble and director Michael Yonchak, DMA in Westerville, Ohio on Wednesday, March 5th at 7:30 PM!
(yes - it exists in multiple universes)
Lindsey Goodman, solo flutist
Otterbein University Wind Ensemble
Michael Yonchak, director
Otterbein University
Westerville, OH
February 19, 2025
University of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Roger Zahab, director
Gabriel Faure, arr. Henri Rabaud, Le Pas Espagnol (from Dolly Suite, op. 56)
Andrew Kohn, Finney's Birthplace (2015) with Hentry mruz, trombone soloist
Mathew Rosenblum, Sharpshooter (2012)
Sergei Rachmaninov, Symphony no. 2, op 27 (1906-08)
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
University of Pittsburgh
Oakland campus
January 18, 2025
Roger's Summer at the Connecticut Music Educators Association Western Region High School Festival
Gabriel Faure excerpts from Pelleas and Melisande and Le Pas Espagnol from Dolly Suite
Roger Zahab - Summer (1997/2024)
Roger Zahab, conducting
concert at 3:30 pm
Wilton High School
Wilton CT
January 6, 2025
the winter fires at CalArts
VCFA/CalArts presents
COMPOSER/IMPROVISER/PERFORMER SHOWCASE
the winter fires Roger Zahab
Carla Kihlstedt & Roger Zahab, violins
Lisa Mezzacappa, bass
Rob Frankenberry, piano
B302, the R. O. D. Monday, January 6, 2025 at 7pm PST
CalArts
Valencia, CA