Wilma & Friends audiences seem to enjoy discovering unfamiliar appealing repertoire as much as the musicians do so you’ll be pleased to know I’ve found quite a few more gems that are new to me for our 2026 adventures together. 

At last, guitarist extraordinaire, Slava Grigoryan, will be returning to the series and I’m thrilled to introduce Canadian oboist, Bede Hanley, Principal Oboe with the Auckland Philharmonia, in a global program of music for oboe and strings from Mozart to Bradshaw. Works by six composers from six different countries will be played by five musicians from five different countries – that’s got to be some kind of record!

If you heard Amy Beach’s beautiful and powerful piano quintet in the last program of 2025, you will be eager, as I am, to explore her piano trio. The woman who was never published under her own name but simply as Mrs HHA Beach (her husband’s initials) has been enjoying a well-deserved resurgence. Rock, Paper, Scissors will present the opening concert of 2026 which will include the Beach. 

To play with Slava and Bede, I welcome back Kana Ohashi, my former student and now Associate Concertmaster of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Caroline Henbest, viola, and Ashley Brown, cello, and welcome three exciting new W&F guests, James Armstrong, violin, Jamie Miles, viola, and Daniel Smith, cello.

I hope you can join us for the whole season of delights in store.

x Wilma