Alexi Kenney, violin | Janice Carissa, piano
Public on-sale begins on August 11, 2026.
Ticket price to be announced. Student tickets always $11. Eligible for CLE Credit.
“Spellbinding” – The New York Times
Violinist Alexi Kenney and pianist Janice Carissa invite audiences to hear familiar works with fresh ears.
At the center of the program is The Wild Yes by composer and violinist Michi Wiancko, surrounded by music that spans geography, time, and tradition. The musical voices of composers Sibelius, Piazzolla, and inti figgis-vizueta enter the conversation, creating surprising relationships between sounds that might otherwise seem worlds apart.
Kenney and Carissa guide audiences through this remarkable musical landscape and remind us that great music is never fixed in time. Rather, it is continually revitalized by new listeners and fresh perspectives.
Join us one day before
Alexi Kenney’s exploration of music across time and space begins on October 21 with Shifting Ground, a solo performance that weaves together violin, electronics, and projection art by Xuan. Moving between Bach and contemporary composers, the program explores themes of nature, loss, resilience, and transformation. Together, these two separately ticketed performances offer a broader blueprint of Kenney’s eye for musical architectures—one through a multimedia solo journey, the other through an intimate musical partnership with pianist Janice Carissa.
Why We’re Presenting This
As Carolina Performing Arts’ inaugural Emil Kang Artist in Residence, Alexi Kenney represents a generation of musicians expanding what classical music can be. Artistic traditions stay alive because artists are willing to ask, “What if?” This performance celebrates classical music as a living tradition that is continually renewed by artists willing to challenge assumptions and imagine new futures.
Event Details
- Runtime: approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, including intermission
- Intermission: 15 minutes
- Late seating policy: to be announced
- Additional information: visit our FAQ page
Program
| Composer | Work |
|---|---|
| inti figgis-vizueta (b.1993) | earthmaker (2020) |
| Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) | Le Grand Tango (1982/arr. 1998) arr. Sofia Gubaidulina |
| Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) | Five Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op. 81 (1918) I. Mazurka II. Rondino III. Valse IV. Aubade V. Menuetto |
| Michi Wiancko (b. 1976) | The Wild Yes (2026) |
| Intermission | Intermission |
| Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) | Suite for Violin and Piano, Op. 6 (1935) I. Introduction II. March III. Moto perpetuo IV. Lullaby V. Waltz |
| Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998) | Violin Sonata No. 1 (1963) I. Andante II. Allegretto III. Largo IV. Allegro scherzando |
About the Artists
Discount Information
We offer several discounts for CPA series performances only. Partner and rental events are not eligible.
Important Notes
- Discounts must be applied at the time of purchase and cannot be added retroactively.
- Only one discount can be used per order.
- Enter discount code before adding tickets to cart.*
UNC-Chapel Hill Students
$11 ticketsZones 3, 4 & 5
UNC-Chapel Hill Faculty & Staff
25% offUNCRET2627 Retired faculty/staff
UNC Health Staff
25% offCarolina Alumni Members
15% offSeniors (65+)
15% offNon-UNC Students
K–College, statewide
$11 ticketsZones 3, 4 & 5
Military & First Responders
15% off*We reserve the right to cancel tickets that do not follow these guidelines.
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Listen: Violinist Alexi Kenney