Classical Tahoe

06/02/2026

Every summer, world-class jazz and classical musicians come to Tahoe for inspiring performances under the open skies and pines. What you might not see from your seat, but what we feel all year long, is the extraordinary network of people and organizations who make it all possible. ✨🎶

We gratefully recognize our 2026 Sponsors and Partners whose generosity keeps classical and jazz music vibrant in our community by supporting Classical Tahoe with their generosity, creativity, and genuine belief in the power of music.

⭐️ 2026 Festival Sponsors & Partners:

Carol Franc Buck Foundation
Whittier Trust
UNR at Lake Tahoe
E.L. Wiegand Foundation
The Spirit Burns Fund
Visit Reno Tahoe
Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts

⭐️ with additional generosity from:

Bob's Discount Furniture · The Nell J. Redfield Foundation · Tahoe Community Foundation · Aguirre Riley · Sugar Bowl Resort · Ashley Quinn CPA · The Incline Lodge · Raley's · Atlantis Casino Resort Spa

⭐️ and a warm thank you to our 2026 Gala Sponsors:

Kern Schumacher & Susi Letica · Whittier Trust · Bob's Discount Furniture · McDonald Carano · Lorser Industries · Dickson Realty · Columbia Bank · BNY Wealth · Alaska Airlines · Sierra Sotheby's International Realty · The KB Collective · IVCBA - Incline Village Crystal Bay Association · Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits

⭐️ and finally, thank you to KUNR Public Radio, the official media partner of Classical Tahoe.

05/29/2026

Our 2026 Gala is just over six weeks away! Join us on Saturday, July 11 for an unforgettable evening at the Classical Tahoe Annual Gala, where exceptional music, fine dining, and a passionate community committed to the success of Classical Tahoe comes together under the stars.

This year's celebration is especially meaningful as we also honor America's 250th Anniversary and the enduring role of the arts in shaping our national story.

What to expect:
⭐️ Live entertainment featuring jazz and classical music performed by world-class musicians
⭐️ Exquisite multi-course dinner
⭐️ Hosted wine and beer
⭐️ Unique live auction & paddle raise in support of Classical Tahoe's mission

Saturday, July 11 at 5:30 PM
Classical Tahoe Gala
📍The Great Lawn at UNR at Lake Tahoe

‼️Seating is limited. Secure your tickets now and be part of an elegant night that celebrates music, legacy, and the future of Classical Tahoe. 🎟️ Tickets at classicaltahoe.org/gala

In 2026, we are proud to honor the legacy of Carol Franc Buck, whose extraordinary generosity and vision helped shape Classical Tahoe into the organization it is today.

Thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible:
Kern Schumacher & Susi Letica
Whittier Trust
BNY Wealth
McDonald Carano
Lorser Industries
Dickson Realty
Columbia Bank
Bob's Discount Furniture
Alaska Airlines
Sierra Sotheby's International Realty
The KB Collective
IVCBA - Incline Village Crystal Bay Association
Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits

05/26/2026

🎶 World-class music. Up close.

400 seats. That’s it. While most venues hold thousands, at Classical Tahoe every seat is close enough to hear every note and feel every moment shared with the best jazz and classical musicians in the country. Secure your seat now.

July 11–August 9 | Classical Tahoe Pavilion, Incline Village

Proudly presented at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe

🎟️ Tickets at classicaltahoe.org or link in bio.

05/23/2026

05/22/2026

This July, Lake Tahoe becomes the place to be for jazz. ✨

Some of the best jazz musicians performing around the world today are coming together at the Classical Tahoe Music Festival.

The Brubeck Summit Sextet brings a remarkable collective of performers, composers, and multiple Grammy and Tony Award winners to one stage. Join us for an extraordinary evening of original compositions, beloved Brubeck classics reimagined, and a lineup that would be nearly impossible to assemble anywhere else this summer.

This is jazz at its most electrifying, live under the Tahoe sky.🌲🎷🎺

Roxy Coss, saxophone
Lucas Pino, saxophone
Etienne Charles, trumpet 
Rachel Eckroth, piano & vocals 
Gerald Cannon, bass 
Bryan Carter, drums & vocals

⭐️Thursday, July 16 at 7 PM
📍Classical Tahoe Pavilion at in Incline Village, NV.
🎟️Buy tickets now at the link in bio or classicaltahoe.org

tahoeevents summerconcerts

05/20/2026

It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we share the passing of tenor Limmie Pulliam, who was scheduled to perform with the Classical Tahoe Orchestra this summer. His incredible talent and spirit will be greatly missed. Please join us in holding his family and loved ones in your thoughts during this difficult time. Rest in peace, Limmie.

We are deeply saddened to share that a beloved member of our FAM, tenor Limmie Pulliam, has passed away.

Limmie was not only a singular talent just reaching the peak of his career, but a caring and magnanimous member of the classical music community. Having attended Oberlin (’98), nearly every engagement involved Limmie either singing with fellow “Obies” on stage, in the orchestra, or in the audience. He delighted in sharing those special music making experiences with his colleagues and friends.

Limmie was devoted to the causes that he believed in, especially the democratic process. His re-entry into the world of opera after a hiatus was singing the National Anthem at a rally in Missouri while volunteering for President Obama’s re-election campaign, filling in when the singer slated to perform cancelled at the last minute. That was the beginning of a trajectory that led him to some of America and Europe’s greatest stages and symphonies, culminating in his 2022 Metropolitan Opera debut as the company’s first black Radamès in Verdi’s Aida. He was also recognized several months later during Black History Month by former First Lady Michelle Obama for his field organizing efforts as well as his powerful singing - an honor that meant the world to him.

The son of a preacher, Limmie’s faith was an important facet of his life, perhaps most on display in his spirituals recital and album, “Witness,” with pianist Mark Markham. His final performance was Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, the “Symphony of a Thousand,” on Sunday, May 17th, 2026 with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Two of its main themes, the power of the Holy Spirit, and humankind’s redemption through love, feel even more poignant in the wake of his unexpected loss.

Limmie leaves behind a legacy of lives touched by his beautiful voice, and his generosity of spirit. He will be profoundly missed. Please join us in keeping Limmie’s family and friends in your hearts and your prayers during this difficult time.

05/14/2026

Less than 10 tickets remain for Music in Motion — don’t miss out! 🩰 🎶

On July 25 at 7 PM, Classical Tahoe and the Lake Tahoe Dance Collective reunite for an evening of iconic Balanchine works and more, performed by principal dancers from New York City Ballet , Boston Ballet , San Francisco Ballet , American Ballet Theatre , and Ballet Arizona , alongside live chamber music performed by musicians from the Classical Tahoe orchestra. World-class ballet, live chamber music, and a Tahoe summer evening. What more could you ask for?

🎟️ More info and tickets at link in bio or classicaltahoe.org.

Lake Tahoe Dance Collective
Indiana Woodward
Taylor Stanley
Daniel Ulbricht
Lia Cirio
Paul Craig
Kate Loxtercamp .loxtercamp
Ethan Price
Esteban Hernandez
Jasmine Jimison
Sierra Armstrong
Andrew Robare

Classical Tahoe Musicians
Anna Stoytcheva, piano
Érik Gratton, flute
Victoria Chung, oboe
Dan Wions, horn
Daniel Khalikov, violin
Rachel Golub, violin
Katarzyna Bryla, viola
Sunny Yang, cello

⭐️ Thank you to the E.L. Wiegand Foundation for their generous sponsorship of Music in Motion, and to Roswitha Smale for sponsoring the Lake Tahoe Dance Collective guest artists.

📸: Courtesy of Lake Tahoe Dance Collective

05/14/2026

https://www.sierrasun.com/news/summer-2026-lake-tahoe-music-guide-concerts-festivals-and-shows-around-the-lake-may-july/

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – A summer in Lake Tahoe is made up of more than just beautiful hikes, refreshing lake dips, river floats, and days spent beachside. It’s time for Tahoe’s vibrant music scene to...

05/07/2026

15 years of friendship, music, and mountains. 🏔️🎻

Principal violist Desiree Elsevier has been with Classical Tahoe from the very beginning. She says the experience has changed her life far beyond the stage, from lifelong friendships formed with audience members to discovering a love of hiking at altitude.

"I am not the same person I was fifteen years ago, due in large part to the opportunity that I have been given to come to Classical Tahoe – the performing, the people and the nature."

Photos from Désireé (including one of the car whose door slam led her to some great friends! 😎)

Read the full Musician Stories blog post on our website: https://classicaltahoe.org/musician-stories-desiree-elsevier/

Désireé Elsevier, Principal Viola, has been with Classical Tahoe since 2012. A former member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra The Metropolitan Opera, she now performs regularly with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and The Dallas Opera, and has appeared with ensembles across the U.S. and Europe, including international concerts with the World Orchestra for Peace.

12/22/2025

From all of us at Classical Tahoe, we wish you a holiday season filled with warmth, wonder, and music. 🎶