Piano on the Rocks International Festival

Piano on the Rocks International Festival returns in 2026 for its eleventh edition, unveiling an evocative theme: “The Geometry of Sounds — The Unquiet Harmonies.” This three‑day celebration invites audiences to experience music as architecture, where every note becomes a luminous angle of grace and every harmony reveals its hidden geometry. Piano on the Rocks International Festival XI takes place May 1-3, 2026 at 4:00 PM each day at the Mary D. Fisher Theater in Sedona, Arizona. Founded by Artistic Director and pianist Sandrine Erdely-Sayo and Co-Director Elizabeth Peña, this festival brings world‑class classical music to Sedona while fostering cultural and educational enrichment. Piano on the Rocks has become one of the region’s most distinctive artistic events. The 2026 edition continues this tradition with a lineup of the highest‑caliber artists and musicians whose presence elevates the festival into a radiant celebration of beauty and artistic excellence. Piano on the Rocks is, at its core, a festival of excellence. For this reason, only the finest, internationally recognized and acclaimed artists or laureates of major international competitions and musicians of profound accomplishment are invited to grace its stage. The 2026 roster includes: • Cynthia Raim, first‑prize winner of the Clara Haskil International Piano Competition, celebrated for her performances at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and major festivals such as Marlboro and Ravinia. • Dr. James Palmer, laureate of several international competitions, a respected Scriabin scholar, and a faculty member at Rice University. • Madeleine Hehn, first‑prize winner of the Boulder Bach Competition and twice a finalist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. • Sandrine Erdely‑Sayo, winner of the Scène Française International Competition and the Ibla Competition in Italy, awarded the French Minister of Culture Prize as its youngest recipient. • Ethan Burck, tenor and recipient of the Special Award at the 2018…