Claire Huangci - "A World of Fantasy"Sunday April 19, 2026, 2:30 p.m.“Fantasy” conjures up the world of the imaginative. It is a world of dramatic shifts, of improvised, virtuoso display, spontaneity guided by an intuitive sense of coherence. Poetic fantasies are a “Circus of the Soul”, a “Coney Island of the Mind”, to borrow a few phrases from San Francisco’s late, great, beatnik poet, Lawrence … [Read more...]

*Note: The following program notes were created with the help of AI.Johann Sebastian Bach — Toccata in C Minor, BWV 911Composed during Bach’s early years, likely in Weimar around 1710, the Toccata in C Minor is one of a set of seven keyboard toccatas that show the young composer experimenting boldly with form, texture, and drama. Unlike later works with more fixed structures, this toccata is a … [Read more...]

Beethoven, Thirty-Two Variations in C Minor, WoO 80 (1806) In just ten minutes, Beethoven’s Variations offer a dazzling display of compositional inventiveness, emotional range, and keyboard virtuosity. Composed in 1806, the work is built on a simple eight-bar theme, almost austere in its clarity—yet from this modest beginning, Beethoven spins out a remarkable sequence of variations that explore … [Read more...]

The 2025-26 Season is announced, and we're honored to present these award winning, international pianists bring this music to the San Francisco Bay Area. For easy access to the season at a glance and links to each concert, visit the Concerts Section of the website at https://steinwaysociety.com/concerts/2025-26-season-at-a-glance/ The Steinway Society's 2025-26 concert season will feature a … [Read more...]