2025-2026

CONCERT SEASON

FRIDAY, MAY 17TH – 7:30PM

AMERICAN DREAMS – KALISH/WALKER DUO

ST. PAUL’S BY-THE-SEA EPISCOPAL CHURCH

250 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this program responds to the question: what makes American music sound, or feel, American? First, there’s an immense sense of possibility, a vibrant optimism that underscores so much of American music. After all, it’s the land of opportunity. Then there’s the longing for an imagined utopia, a place of safety and belonging. American Dreams weaves together a wide array of American music that celebrates who we are and who we aspire to become as a people in our Semiquincentennial year.

SIGNATURE CONCERT SPONSOR

“A huge range of emotions are all expressed magnificently by the duo of Kalish and Walker, in their inventive and far-reaching programs. As educators, as well as performers, Kalish and Walker are precise, incisive, inventive, and open-minded. They always put the music first, and always seek the most honest, nuanced, and technically perfect interpretation of whatever they are playing.” (Composer and SUNY Purchase professor, Laura Kaminsky)

THE ARTISTS

Kyle P. Walker, piano
Emily Kalish, violin

The Kalish/Walker Duo began performing together in 2015, as founding members of The Dream Unfinished, an “activist orchestra,” which uses classical musical performances as a platform to address issues of civil rights, human rights, and community engagement. Since then, they have performed together as a duo, both representing The Dream Unfinished and independently, at many venues including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Storm King Arts Center, New York Society for Ethical Culture, WNYC’s The Greene Space, Custer Observatory, Lyric Chamber Music Society of New York, Erie (PA) Cultural Council, and Dayton (OH) University’s Social Practice of Human Rights Conference, SUNY Purchase, and Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture. Their recent recording of Roberto Sierra’s Sonata para Violino y Piano is available on all streaming services.

Emily Kalish
Emily Kalish, violinist, designs and performs thoughtful, imaginative and emotionally transformative recitals and chamber music programs: a concert of music all written or premiered in the year 1924, complete with period costumes and a vintage jazz band for dancing; a solo recital of music by Bach and Ysaÿe that connects the structure of the music to universal, lived experiences; a program of music by 20th and 21st century women; and a concert of music that sits at the crossroads of jazz and classical music, to name a few. She has premiered new solo works by composers such as Amy Reich, Gary Philo, James Bergin, and Larry Wallach. She has written and performed shows for children, and performs each year as part of Concordia Conservatory’s “Unique” Series, bringing music to children and adults with developmental disabilities, and has also performed on the “Music For Autism” series in NYC.

For ten years (2009-2019) she was a member of The Binghamton Philharmonic, and in 2016 became a member of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, now called the Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra.  Since 2015, she has continued to perform with The Dream Unfinished, and also freelances with many other ensembles in the greater New York area.

Emily holds a master’s in violin performance from Manhattan School of Music, where she studied with Burton Kaplan, and a bachelor’s degree from the Hartt School, where she studied with Dr. Katie Lansdale. She maintains a full teaching studio at Concordia Conservatory of Music in Bronxville, where she has taught violin lessons, group classes, and summer camps since 2010. She lives in Pelham, NY, with her husband Alan and their son Liam. You can keep up with her via her website at emilykalish.com.

Kyle P. Walker
Kyle P. Walker is a critically acclaimed pianist dedicated to using music as a catalyst for social change. His artistry bridges the traditions of Western classical repertoire with the voices of historically neglected composers from around the globe, creating performances that are both deeply expressive and socially resonant. Known for his commanding technique and compelling stage presence, Walker has appeared as a soloist at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater, Lincoln Center, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. He has also performed as a featured soloist with orchestras across the United States. In 2023, he made history at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX, becoming one of the first classical pianists ever presented on its stage. His international appearances include Switzerland’s Tibor Varga Festival and Australia’s Tantanoola Caves.
 
Walker’s collaborative work has placed him alongside leading artists such as Grammy Award–winning mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges and Anthony McGill, Principal Clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic, as well as other members of the New York Philharmonic. He is a 2021 recipient of Chamber Music America’s Ensemble Forward grant and performs regularly with The Harlem Chamber Players, a collective committed to bringing high-caliber, accessible performances to diverse audiences.

He has also premiered works by several significant living composers, including Joel Thompson’s Love’s a Crazy Scrapbook, Laura Kaminsky’s socially conscious chamber opera Lucidity, and Amy Reich’s Four Pieces for Violin and Piano, written for Walker and violinist Emily Kalish. He has also premiered works through American Opera Projects’ Composers in the Voice program, as well as music by Jeff Beal, the Emmy Award–winning composer known for his work in television and film.

Expanding beyond the recital stage, Walker has been active in opera and contemporary music projects. He has served as music director for American Opera Projects and for Connecticut LyricOpera’s production  of Anthony Davis’s Amistad. He has also appeared as pianist in performances of works by Laura Kaminsky (Lucidity) and Scott Davenport Richards (Blind Injustice).

As an advocate for social justice, Walker is a founding member of The Dream Unfinished, an activism-driven orchestra that partners with civil rights and community organizations. He has presented on arts activism and inclusive programming at institutions such as the Human Rights Center, the New York Society for Ethical Culture, and the Brooklyn Public Library, as well as the Carnegie Hall Music Educator Workshop. His work and perspective are also featured in the documentary Orchestrated, a feature-length film charting the history of the Negro Symphony Orchestra through Walker’s quest to revive its music and legacy, which also includes plans to stage a premiere of its original works at Carnegie Hall.

His performances and commentary have been featured on NPR, CNN, PBS, WQXR, and The Greene Space at WNYC. Walker serves on the artist piano faculty at New York University (NYU) Steinhardt, the Lucy Moses School at the Kaufman Music Center, and the chamber music faculty at the Suzuki on the Island Artist Program. He holds degrees from Mannes College The New School for Music, East Carolina University, and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

He lives just outside New York City with his wife, violinist Katherine Dennis, and their daughter, Khloe. His current touring project, Bach to BlackNotes, places the works of J. S. Bach in dialogue with music of composers who speak to histories of struggle, resilience, and cultural identity.

2025-2026

CONCERT SEASON

FRIDAY, MAY 17TH – 7:30PM

AMERICAN DREAMS – KALISH/WALKER DUO

ST. PAUL’S BY-THE-SEA EPISCOPAL CHURCH

250 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this program responds to the question: what makes American music sound, or feel, American? First, there’s an immense sense of possibility, a vibrant optimism that underscores so much of American music. After all, it’s the land of opportunity. Then there’s the longing for an imagined utopia, a place of safety and belonging. American Dreams weaves together a wide array of American music that celebrates who we are and who we aspire to become as a people in our Semiquincentennial year.

SIGNATURE CONCERT SPONSOR

“A huge range of emotions are all expressed magnificently by the duo of Kalish and Walker, in their inventive and far-reaching programs. As educators, as well as performers, Kalish and Walker are precise, incisive, inventive, and open-minded. They always put the music first, and always seek the most honest, nuanced, and technically perfect interpretation of whatever they are playing.” (Composer and SUNY Purchase professor, Laura Kaminsky)

THE ARTISTS

Kyle P. Walker, piano
Emily Kalish, violin

The Kalish/Walker Duo began performing together in 2015, as founding members of The Dream Unfinished, an “activist orchestra,” which uses classical musical performances as a platform to address issues of civil rights, human rights, and community engagement. Since then, they have performed together as a duo, both representing The Dream Unfinished and independently, at many venues including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Storm King Arts Center, New York Society for Ethical Culture, WNYC’s The Greene Space, Custer Observatory, Lyric Chamber Music Society of New York, Erie (PA) Cultural Council, and Dayton (OH) University’s Social Practice of Human Rights Conference, SUNY Purchase, and Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture. Their recent recording of Roberto Sierra’s Sonata para Violino y Piano is available on all streaming services.

Emily Kalish
Emily Kalish, violinist, designs and performs thoughtful, imaginative and emotionally transformative recitals and chamber music programs: a concert of music all written or premiered in the year 1924, complete with period costumes and a vintage jazz band for dancing; a solo recital of music by Bach and Ysaÿe that connects the structure of the music to universal, lived experiences; a program of music by 20th and 21st century women; and a concert of music that sits at the crossroads of jazz and classical music, to name a few. She has premiered new solo works by composers such as Amy Reich, Gary Philo, James Bergin, and Larry Wallach. She has written and performed shows for children, and performs each year as part of Concordia Conservatory’s “Unique” Series, bringing music to children and adults with developmental disabilities, and has also performed on the “Music For Autism” series in NYC.

For ten years (2009-2019) she was a member of The Binghamton Philharmonic, and in 2016 became a member of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, now called the Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra.  Since 2015, she has continued to perform with The Dream Unfinished, and also freelances with many other ensembles in the greater New York area.

Emily holds a master’s in violin performance from Manhattan School of Music, where she studied with Burton Kaplan, and a bachelor’s degree from the Hartt School, where she studied with Dr. Katie Lansdale. She maintains a full teaching studio at Concordia Conservatory of Music in Bronxville, where she has taught violin lessons, group classes, and summer camps since 2010. She lives in Pelham, NY, with her husband Alan and their son Liam. You can keep up with her via her website at emilykalish.com.

Kyle P. Walker
Kyle P. Walker is a critically acclaimed pianist dedicated to using music as a catalyst for social change. His artistry bridges the traditions of Western classical repertoire with the voices of historically neglected composers from around the globe, creating performances that are both deeply expressive and socially resonant. Known for his commanding technique and compelling stage presence, Walker has appeared as a soloist at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater, Lincoln Center, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. He has also performed as a featured soloist with orchestras across the United States. In 2023, he made history at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX, becoming one of the first classical pianists ever presented on its stage. His international appearances include Switzerland’s Tibor Varga Festival and Australia’s Tantanoola Caves.
 
Walker’s collaborative work has placed him alongside leading artists such as Grammy Award–winning mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges and Anthony McGill, Principal Clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic, as well as other members of the New York Philharmonic. He is a 2021 recipient of Chamber Music America’s Ensemble Forward grant and performs regularly with The Harlem Chamber Players, a collective committed to bringing high-caliber, accessible performances to diverse audiences.

He has also premiered works by several significant living composers, including Joel Thompson’s Love’s a Crazy Scrapbook, Laura Kaminsky’s socially conscious chamber opera Lucidity, and Amy Reich’s Four Pieces for Violin and Piano, written for Walker and violinist Emily Kalish. He has also premiered works through American Opera Projects’ Composers in the Voice program, as well as music by Jeff Beal, the Emmy Award–winning composer known for his work in television and film.

Expanding beyond the recital stage, Walker has been active in opera and contemporary music projects. He has served as music director for American Opera Projects and for Connecticut LyricOpera’s production  of Anthony Davis’s Amistad. He has also appeared as pianist in performances of works by Laura Kaminsky (Lucidity) and Scott Davenport Richards (Blind Injustice).

As an advocate for social justice, Walker is a founding member of The Dream Unfinished, an activism-driven orchestra that partners with civil rights and community organizations. He has presented on arts activism and inclusive programming at institutions such as the Human Rights Center, the New York Society for Ethical Culture, and the Brooklyn Public Library, as well as the Carnegie Hall Music Educator Workshop. His work and perspective are also featured in the documentary Orchestrated, a feature-length film charting the history of the Negro Symphony Orchestra through Walker’s quest to revive its music and legacy, which also includes plans to stage a premiere of its original works at Carnegie Hall.

His performances and commentary have been featured on NPR, CNN, PBS, WQXR, and The Greene Space at WNYC. Walker serves on the artist piano faculty at New York University (NYU) Steinhardt, the Lucy Moses School at the Kaufman Music Center, and the chamber music faculty at the Suzuki on the Island Artist Program. He holds degrees from Mannes College The New School for Music, East Carolina University, and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

He lives just outside New York City with his wife, violinist Katherine Dennis, and their daughter, Khloe. His current touring project, Bach to BlackNotes, places the works of J. S. Bach in dialogue with music of composers who speak to histories of struggle, resilience, and cultural identity.