2026-2027 Season
“Walk Deep”
with pianist Brianna Matzke and vocalist Suna Gunther
October 17, 2026
3:30 PM
A Lee's Summit residence
The Series is thrilled to kick off its eighth season with a Kansas City premiere of Forrest Pierce's Walk Deep. Walk Deep is an hour-long cycle of 18 songs on texts from Abigail Morgan Prout’s Waveland Press book of the same name, each of which reflect some echo of the composer’s own search for meaning and connection in a world undergoing great upheaval and confusion. Within the images of profound immersion in the lives of nonhuman creatures of all kinds is a music of intimate humanness. Aging and dying parents, miraculous friendship, imminent danger, horrible and ecstatic sex, and above all a heartbroken longing for physical contact with other hands, earth, trees, dogs—anything—drive the cycle through an arc of joy, despair, self-knowing and profound gratitude.
Prout’s award-winning poetry collection explores isolation, transformation, and connection with nature. It began as daily poems written during the summer of 2020, when Prout was quarantined with her family on remote Lopez Island, Washington. Walking alone among conifers and ocean vistas, she wrote intensely of loss, grief, gratitude, and reconciliation, sending each poem to composer and longtime friend Forrest Pierce.
During a 2024 retreat at Prout’s off-grid island home, Pierce conceived a concert-length song cycle inspired by these poems for soprano Suna Avci Gunther and pianist Brianna Matzke. The work draws on their ongoing collaborations and shared artistic and spiritual ties, blending contemporary art song with funk, bluegrass, blues, disco, Monteverdi, lieder, and minimalist pulse into a sweeping journey of creation, exploration, and resilience.
An Evening with the Zephyr Brass Collective
February 20, 2027
3:30 PM
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Based in Denver, Colorado, Zephyr Brass Collective is redefining what a brass quintet can be. Known for their fearless blend of classical precision and boundary-pushing creativity, this powerhouse ensemble seamlessly moves from reimagined pop anthems to bold new commissions, and from jazz-infused grooves to electrifying takes on orchestral favorites.
In just the past year, Zephyr has premiered multiple new works, collaborated with award-winning composers, and racked up thousands of new fans through viral performance videos—proving that brass chamber music can be as fresh and current as any genre on stage today.
Collaboration fuels their artistry: whether commissioning genre-bending works, partnering with fellow creatives, or engaging communities through dynamic workshops and school programs, Zephyr creates experiences that are as inclusive as they are inspiring. From intimate listening rooms to festival stages, their performances radiate energy, precision, and charisma. Every show is an invitation—to discover the unexpected, to connect with the music and musicians, and to experience brass chamber music as vibrant, daring, and unapologetically alive.
The quintet is excited for this Series debut performance!
To learn more about the quintet, please visit www.zephyrbrasscollective.com.
"Danzas Sudamericanas"
with pianist Naren Palomino Pardo
February 27, 2027
3:30 PM
A Kansas City residence
Naren Palomino Pardo, a native of Cochabamba, Bolivia, is a pianist, collaborator, and educator currently pursuing an Artist Certificate in Piano Performance at the UMKC Conservatory, where he serves as a rehearsal pianist for the Opera and as a collaborative pianist for multiple singers and instrumentalists, as well as orchestras. Over the years, Naren has performed various recitals across the United States, performing in cities such as Conway and Mayflower, Arkansas; Duluth, Minnesota; Manhattan, New York; Nogales, Arizona; and Kansas City. He has also given numerous performances in various cities across Bolivia. Notable highlights include his participation as one of the Clara Wells Fellowship winners at the 64th Matthay Piano Festival in Duluth, Minnesota, in 2022, and as the winner of the Kantuta Concerts, Op. 3, by the Foundation for Bolivian Artists, performing a solo recital at Merkin Hall in Manhattan, New York, in 2026.
Naren is particularly interested in South American music, focusing on a deep exploration of folk and indigenous music from Latin America. As a versatile freelance musician, Naren is engaged in classical music, collaborative piano, jazz, rock, and other popular genres. He holds a master’s in music in Piano Performance and a master’s in arts in Collaborative Piano at the UMKC Conservatory and bachelor’s in music from the University of Central Arkansas. His Piano professors include Betzabe Gutierrez, Juan Carlos Toro, Koichi Fujii, Dr. Neil Rutman, Sean Chen, Dr. Karen Savage, and Dr. Natalia Rivera.
Naren's program will primarily feature South American dance themes and include Ginastera's first Piano Sonata.
"Good Trouble"
An Evening of Cabaret with Margo Mikkelson and Kevin Bogan
May 1, 2027
6:30 PM
A Riverside residence
Inspired by the phrase attributed to the civil rights leader and U.S. Congressman John Lewis, “Good Trouble” showcases songs performed by brave women who stood up for themselves, had a distinct voice, and dared to chart their own course. The show will feature songs old and new, from “A Star is Born” to “Come From Away” and written by composers from Stephen Sondheim to Shaina Taub. The duo is looking forward to sharing this unique cabaret experience with the Series!
Margo Mikkelson is a Kansas City–area singer, actor, music director, and podcaster whose lifelong love of Broadway began in rural Wisconsin and led her to study at St. Olaf College, where she performed with the internationally touring St. Olaf Choir. She launched her professional career in Australia, appearing as Eva Perón in Evita and Fantine in Les Misérables, performing with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, and entertaining in Gold Coast piano bars before returning to the United States and settling in Kansas City. There, she has performed at numerous local theatres, music directed more than 25 musicals, and written and produced two one-woman Broadway cabarets; she and her husband Eric live in Prairie Village and have three grown children. She is joined by pianist Kevin Bogan, an accomplished local, regional, and national performer and award-winning music director whose credits include productions for the Jewish Community Center, Barn Players, Olathe Community Theater, Theatre in the Park, Off-Broadway, and theaters in Washington, D.C. and London. Kevin is also beginning his 23rd year as Director of Traditional Music at Resurrection, A United Methodist Church in Leawood, where he produces Christmas at Resurrection, and is delighted to accompany Margo in this one-of-a-kind Charlotte House Series debut performance.