09/25/2026
Violinist Rachael Kwa's program at this Sunday's Pittsburgh Concert Society concert is the first half of a larger recital project exploring life, death, and transcendence, which she has also performed in both Pittsburgh and London.
Working with CMU lighting designer Eibhilín Parke, Rachael developed a visual and musical narrative around the life of a fictional violinist.
“The Norman represents the formation of a fictional violinist’s consciousness, the Beach their childhood, the Poulenc the rollercoaster of life’s emotions and inevitable death, and the Fauré a final reflection on whether the life lived was a ‘dream.’”
Rachael entered the PCS competition in part as a way to prepare this ambitious project for performance and was honored to be named one of the 2026 Major Artists winners.
This Sunday, Rachael performs with pianist Billie Miller, a collaborative pianist, opera pianist, and chamber musician whose work has included performances with members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Carnegie Mellon faculty, Resonance Works Pittsburgh, and previous Pittsburgh Concert Society winners. Billie is also an Artist Lecturer in Vocal Coaching and Collaborative Piano at Carnegie Mellon University.
The concert also features 2026 Major Artists winners Le Lys Duo.
Get your tickets:
https://pittsburghconcertsociety.org/event/major-concert-september-27-2026/
Kresge Theatre, Carnegie Mellon University
Sunday, September 27
2:00 PM
Photos of Rachael Kwa by Inis Oírr Asano.
