ETHEL and Friends is a music series lovingly programmed for “Date Night” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Great Hall at the Balcony Bar by The Met’s Resident Ensemble, ETHEL.
The Great Hall Balcony Bar “Date Night” Artists perform 3 sets on Fridays and Saturdays:
6 PM, 7 PM and 8 PM
ABOUT ETHEL
ETHEL is one of the most acclaimed ensembles in contemporary music. With an eye to tradition and an ear to the future, the quartet is a leading force in concert music’s re-engagement with musical vernaculars, fusing diverse performance practices into a vibrant, engaging sound. ETHEL and ETHEL members perform regularly at the Petrie Court Café, and they welcome celebrated friends to the series–such luminaries as JP Jofre, Alexis Michelle, Kaki King, Allison Loggins-Hull and Raja Rahman.
ETHEL & FRIENDS SERIES CALENDAR
June 6th
ETHEL
Ralph Farris, viola
Kip Jones, violin
Corin Lee, violin
Dorothy Lawson, cello
Performing the House Band’s Greatest Hits, to include music by Thelonious Monk, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Ron Carter.
June 7th
Sterling Strings
Frederique Gnaman, violin
Patrick Page, viola
Eric Cooper, cello
Sterling Strings is a modern string ensemble, reimagining classical elegance with a fresh, vibrant sound, transcending expectations and crafting custom arrangements that blend timeless melodies with contemporary hits to create unforgettable performances.
June 13th
Juneteenth LP, featuring Sterling Strings
Juneteenth LP, featuring Sterling Strings
Frederique Gnaman, violin
Sean-David Cunningham, violin
Patrick Page, viola
Eric Cooper, cello
Juneteenth LP is a Harlem, NYC-based music collective whose mission is to share the sounds of the African Diaspora through the unique lens of Black classically trained musicians. The ensemble brings together unexpected classical music and brilliantly crafted arrangements of more popular repertoire for a refreshing take on live performances. This particular iteration features Sterling Strings playing music inspired by the recently re/imagined and transformed Africa Wing of the Met. Art and sound come together as crisp strings bring Afropop and other popular beats to vibrant life. Music by Burna Boy, Pheelz, Rema and CKay.
June 14th
Juneteenth LP, featuring Drs. Edward W. Hardy and Nnenna Ogwo
Juneteenth LP, featuring Drs. Edward W. Hardy and Nnenna Ogwo
Juneteenth LP is a Harlem, NYC-based music collective whose mission is to share the sounds of the African Diaspora through the unique lens of Black classically trained musicians. The ensemble brings together unexpected classical music and brilliantly crafted arrangements of more popular repertoire for a refreshing take on live performances. This particular iteration of the ensemble features the duo of violinist, Hardy and pianist Ogwo playing music inspired by The Met’s spring 2025 exhibition entitled “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”. Their program explores the idea of style, grace and iconic flair in a recontextualized sonic framework of mesmerizing swing, rhythmic swagger, lyrical joys and haunting melodies. Music by Ellington, Piazzolla, Gershwin, Hardy and Ogwo.
June 20th & June 21st
Booked by The Met
June 27th & June 28th
Rock Paper Scissors
Lavinia Pavlish, violin
Ralph Farris, viola
Laura Metcalf, cello
New York’s most engaging string trio brings classics old and new with their signature high-energy spirit — from Beethoven and Kodály, to Hailstork, Hu and Skoryk.
July 4th & July 5th
Corin Lee, Violin
Corin Lee, violin
ETHEL’s own Corin Lee offers a showcase of Concert and Contemporary Favorites for Solo Amplified Violin.
July 11th & July 12th
Raja Rahman, piano
Raja Rahman, piano
President & CEO of Nevada School of The Arts, and one half of magic duo, Jarrett & Raja, pianist Raja Rahman is a perennial Met favorite. The winner of the 2022 Nevada Arts Council Professional Artist Grant, Raja is active as a soloist, chamber musician, and recording artist with the Sono Luminus label. Performing favorites of the repertoire from Bach to Glass.
July 18th & July 19th
Booked by The Met
July 25th & July 26th
Shearing Stones
Shearing Stones
Lavinia Pavlish, violin
Eleanor Norton, cello
New York’s most engaging string duo brings classics old and new with their signature high-energy spirit — from Bach to Bartók and beyond!
August 1st & August 2nd
Raja Rahman, piano
Raja Rahman, piano
President & CEO of Nevada School of The Arts, and one half of magic duo, Jarrett & Raja, pianist Raja Rahman is a perennial Met favorite. The winner of the 2022 Nevada Arts Council Professional Artist Grant, Raja is active as a soloist, chamber musician, and recording artist with the Sono Luminus label. Performing favorites of the repertoire from Bach to Glass.
August 8th & August 9th
Rock Paper Scissors
Lavinia Pavlish, violin
Ralph Farris, viola
Laura Metcalf, cello
New York’s most engaging string trio brings classics old and new with their signature high-energy spirit — from Beethoven and Kodály, to Hailstork, Hu and Skoryk.
August 15th & August 16th
ETHEL
Ralph Farris, viola
Kip Jones, violin
Corin Lee, violin
Dorothy Lawson, cello
Performing the House Band’s Greatest Hits, to include music by Thelonious Monk, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Ron Carter.
August 22nd & August 23rd
ETHEL
Ralph Farris, viola
Kip Jones, violin
Corin Lee, violin
Dorothy Lawson, cello
Performing the House Band’s Greatest Hits, to include music by Philip Glass, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Janis Joplin.
August 29th & August 30th
Corin Lee, Violin
Corin Lee, violin
ETHEL’s own Corin Lee offers a showcase of Concert and Contemporary Favorites for Solo Amplified Violin.
Stay tuned. More dates to be announced.
ETHEL at THE MET
ETHEL has been in Residence at The Met for over a decade– originally on the Balcony Bar, and for the past two years in the virtual realm, producing The Met’s celebrated “Balcony Bar from Home” series where the group presented weekly celebrations of ETHEL’s wide world of music, featuring collaborations with an extraordinary collection of guest artists from Svjetlana Bukvich to Jarrett & Raja; from Layale Chaker to Rhett Price; from Ron Carter to Todd Rundgren.
Visit ETHEL’s YouTube Channel, featuring a playlist of some of ETHEL’s classic BBfH offerings.
Here is a sampling:
