Chelsea Music Festival Presents—

Not Without You

June 23 - 28, 2022

We are thrilled to be back in NYC in person again this June and cannot wait to experience our 13th season together. Join us for concerts, conversation, and tastings as we explore our theme, “Not Without You.”

The strong siblinghood between Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn continues to show us that the ability to create inspiring art relies on nurturing relationships. 175 years ago, Felix and Fanny left us with an unparalleled richness of compositions, anecdotes, correspondences and innovations that couldn’t have been possible without each other. Co-Artistic Directors Melinda Lee Masur and Ken-David Masur present “Not Without You,honoring the Mendelssohns’ legacy of kinship, connectivity, and collaboration.

Our theme title is inspired by an excerpt found in the rich, loving lifelong correspondence between the brother and sister which reveals a shared artistic support, criticism, and passion.

Our 2022 theme also reflects upon how deeply we recognize our shared need to be with and encourage one another, especially after our forced distance due to the pandemic.

Please enjoy our

2022 YouTube Playlist!



Image Credit: Lauren Desberg

Consisting of Christina Bouey and Rhiannon Banerdt on violin, Colin Brookes on viola and Grace Ho on cello, the quartet’s members hail from Canada, the United States and Taiwan. They have performed in such prestigious halls as the Harbin Grand Theatre, Jordan Hall and the Taiwan National Recital Hall. The group’s name pays homage to Homer’s hero Odysseus and his 10-year voyage home. Additionally, the quartet’s members live in close proximity to the resting place of former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant in Upper Manhattan. The members of Ulysses hold degrees from the Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory and Yale University. The musicians perform on instruments and bows graciously on loan from the Juilliard School and the Maestro Foundation. Ulysses is grateful for the support of Shar Music and Connolly Music. UlyssesQuartet.com

The Ulysses String Quartet Personal Direction: Judson Management Group, Inc.,
131 E. 70th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10021
Telephone: +1 (212) 974-1917

Ensemble-in-Residence

Ulysses Quartet

The Ulysses Quartet has been praised for “textural versatility,” “grave beauty and “the kind of chemistry many quartets long for, but rarely achieve” (The Strad), as well as “avid enthusiasm ... [with] chops to back up their passion” (San Diego Story), “delivered with a blend of exuberance and polished artistry” (The Buffalo News). Founded in the summer of 2015, the group won the grand prize and gold medal in the senior string division of the 2016 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and first prize in the 2018 Schoenfeld International String Competition. At Juilliard, they were named the Lisa Arnhold Fellows, serving as the School’s Graduate Resident String Quartet through May 2022.

Image Credit: Carolina Sandretto

Visual Artist-in-Residence

Jonathan VanDyke

Jonathan VanDyke was born and raised in the Pennsylvania countryside and has lived and worked in New York City since 2001. He studied at The Glasgow School of Art and The University of Glasgow as a Rotary Ambassadorial Fellow, The Skowhegan School, The Atlantic Center for the Arts(where he was mentored by artist Paul Pfeiffer), and The Milton Avery Graduate School of Bard College, where he received his MFA.

He has exhibited his work in solo exhibitions internationally, including at 1/9unosunove Rome, Loock Galerie Berlin, Scaramouche New York, Four Boxes Gallery Denmark, and The Columbus Museum. Solo performances and commissions have appeared at The Power Plant in Toronto, Storm King Art Center, The Albright-Knox Art Gallery, The National Academy Museum, and Socrates Sculpture Park.. His work was recently included in thelandmark exhibition Queer Abstraction, organized by The Des Moines Art Center. He has been a resident at Yaddo, Qwatz in Rome, The Hans Scharoun House in Germany, and The Krabbesholm Højskole in Denmark. VanDyke leads sustained observation and embodied practice workshops internationally. He was recently appointed an Artist in Residence in Studio Arts at Bard College, where he will begin teaching in the fall. He is represented by 1/9unosunove Rome and Loock Galerie Berlin. JonathanVanDyke.com

Image Credit: Pixie Scout

Culinary Artist-in-Residence

Pixie Scout

Pixie Scout is a collaborative team of food and hospitality professionals creating and sharing delicious provisions in service of transformative and joyful food experiences. Pixie Scout menus reflect seasonal flavors of our NYC foodshed — prioritizing the biodiversity needed to keep our region’s farms and waters healthy as well as BIPOC and LGBTQ farmers and food producers whenever possible. Their kitchen strives for measurable sustainability in all aspects of production and service and their hospitality celebrates the genuine warmth of empowered individuals. PixieScout.com

With thanks to—