This fall, a series of concerts will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the construction of the Katherine M. Elfers Hall. Over the past two decades, Elfers Hall has played a central role in the school’s arts programming, giving students the chance to perform in a professional-caliber space and providing the school and local community with access to world-class performances.

The fall season opened on Friday, September 26, with a performance by the Michael Musillami Trio and guest artists Peter Madsen and Jason Robinson. The trio features Joe Fonda on bass, George Schuller on drums, and jazz instructor Mr. Musillami on guitar. With a repertoire of more than ten albums, the trio has a wide library to draw from. “We played six pieces, including a work written for my uncle, ‘Brazilian Sicilian with a Latin flair,’ an untitled ballade, a dance, and finished off with ‘Paraffin Dip,’” said Mr. Musillami.

The Philharmonic performed on Saturday, October 4, with violinist Siqing Lu. Conducted by Mr. Fabio Witkowski, head of the visual and performing arts department, the orchestra performed Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D Major. “Beethoven’s work is like looking at a painting: the more you investigate, the more you find. Every time you listen to it, you find something new,” said Mr. Witkowski.

The Witkowski Piano Duo, featuring Mr. Witkowski and Piano Instructor Dr. Gisele Witkowski, will perform on October 24. The program will include a number of four-hand piano pieces, including Schubert’s Fantasy in F Minor and Rachmaninoff’s Suite No. 2 for two pianos. Mr. Witkowski said, “The Rachmaninoff is a fantastic piece that explores all the technical and musical possibilities of the piano. Since we came from Brazil, we will also performe some Brazilian pieces.”

Mr. Witkowski and Dr. Witkowski gave the first concert in Elfers Hall when it opened. Dr. Witkowski said, “Mr. Witkowski and I were directly involved in the making of not only Elfers Hall, but also the Esther Eastman Music Center. Performing in this hall that we built from the ground up is amazing. What makes it even better is the people in it—our students, friends, faculty, and people we care about. It’s always a special joy to play at our musical home.”