MOZART AFTER HOURS
Timeless Music. True Connection.
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
5:30 pm | doors and reception open
6:00 pm | music begins
Experience chamber music as it was intended to be: up close, alive, and personal.
Last year's surprise hit, Mozart After Hours, returns to the Historic Chateau Theatre with pieces by Bach, Wagner, and Schumann.
Begin the evening with conversation and a signature drink from Bleu Duck Kitchen, then take your seat for some of the most iconic music ever written. Hear the musicians share the stories behind the music and offer personal insights into the creative process. Whether you're a classical aficionado or a first-time concertgoer, you'll hear the music with fresh ears.
Come as you are. Leave inspired.
PROGRAM:
Johann Sebastian Bach Selections from the Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
Richard Wagner Siegfried Idyll, WWV 103
Robert Schumann Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 44
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES:
Andrew Staupe | Piano
Pianist Andrew Staupe has appeared as a soloist with leading orchestras across North America, Europe, and South America, drawing from a concerto repertoire of more than 80 works. His recital appearances include Carnegie Hall, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Rachmaninov Hall in Moscow, the Schumann Haus in Leipzig, and the Salle Cortot in Paris. His acclaimed Naxos recording of Nielsen's complete works for piano and violin was released in 2020. A native of Saint Paul, Minnesota, he studied at the University of Minnesota and earned his doctorate at Rice University. He is Associate Professor of Piano at the University of Houston.
Alexandra Bartoi | Violin
Born in Bucharest, violinist Alexandra Bartoi studied in Hamburg and as a Fulbright Scholar at the Manhattan School of Music. After performing with the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig, she joined the MDR Symphony Orchestra Leipzig as a permanent member in 2010. Her chamber music appearances include Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Philharmonie de Paris, Suntory Hall, and the Mariinsky Theatre. In 2017, she founded The Enescu Project, a nonprofit dedicated to making chamber music accessible across social and economic boundaries. Since 2024, she has served as Concertmaster of the Rochester Symphony and as a musician with Mayo Clinic's Center for Humanities in Medicine.
Catherine Schubilske | Violin
Violinist Catherine Schubilske has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, and Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, and has toured and recorded with the Chicago Symphony. Her performances have also been featured in TPT's Art and Medicine and This Is Minnesota Orchestra. She recently created programs celebrating pioneering women violinists Maud Powell and Jelly d'Aranyi and appears frequently with chamber music organizations throughout Minnesota. Catherine studied with Jens Ellerman at the Aspen Festival and in Germany, and with Franco Gulli at Indiana University, where she earned a master's degree in violin performance.
Sally Dorer | Cello
Cellist Sally Dorer enjoys a varied career as an orchestral and chamber musician and teacher. She is a member of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra, performs frequently with the Minnesota Orchestra, and is a member of the Classica Chamber Players in Minneapolis. Sally has taught cello and chamber music at Carleton College, Augsburg College, and the Northern Lights Music Festival. She studied at the New England Conservatory and the Eastman School of Music and has performed at festivals including the Tanglewood Fellowship Program, Colorado Music Festival, Sarasota Music Festival, and the Banff Centre for the Performing Arts.
Anne Ainomäe | Viola
Estonian-born violist Anne Ainomäe is principal violist of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra and performs regularly with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Orchestra. Before moving to the United States, she was a member of the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and a founding member of the award-winning Prezioso String Quartet, which recorded works by Schulhoff, Vasks, Webern, and Rääts. Since 2019, Anne has taught viola and chamber music at Augsburg University in Minneapolis. She studied at the Sibelius Academy, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, and the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music.