Duke Department of Music: Faculty & Student Gala Concert

Celebrate the artistry, mentorship, and community at the heart of Duke Music during the 2026 Faculty & Student Gala Concert. This all-Mendelssohn program brings together distinguished faculty, accomplished alumni, and exceptional student musicians in honor of the retirement of renowned Mendelssohn scholar Dr. R. Larry Todd.

The program opens with the Duke Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Harry Davidson, performing the atmospheric Hebrides Overture, inspired by the dramatic Scottish landscape of Fingal's Cave. Next, pianist Bryan Tong joins the orchestra in a rare performance of Mendelssohn's unfinished Piano Concerto No. 3 in E Minor, meticulously reconstructed with the extraordinary musical scholarship and creativity of Dr. Todd.

The evening culminates with the Ciompi Quartet of Duke University and alumni musicians of the Larkspur Quartet in a performance of Mendelssohn's exhilarating Octet for Strings; a youthful masterpiece brimming with irrepressible energy.

A reception honoring Dr. Todd will follow in the Mary Duke Biddle Music Building. Please RSVP using the link on this page.

Free and open to the public. All are welcome!