LINCOLN FINALE
Orchestral Extravaganza
Fri. August 1 // 7:00-9:00pm // Kimball Hall, UNL Glenn Korff School of Music
Come and see the newly-minted Crossroads Festival Orchestra finish with a flair and a program curated by Kinan Azmeh, that promises to go deep.
We’ve put together an orchestra with familiar and new faces, local and visiting artists – a true expression of the festival’s ability to connect across geography and culture. Including Omaha Symphony Concertmaster Susanna Perry Gilmore, Russian virtuoso violinist Olga Smola, and Lincoln-native bassist Sam Beck-Johnson just to name a few, it will be a tribute to Nebraska’s own musical environment, its musical institutions and its impact on the wider world.
Featuring soloists Layale Chaker, Jake Charkey, Dinuk Wijeratne and Kinan Azmeh, the program features works of those artists and more, conducted by pianist/composer Dinuk Wijeratne and led by a rotating cast of concertmasters.
Experience it at the newly-revitalized Kimball Hall, with its state-of-the-art acoustics, redesigned seating and modern stage. We’re honored to partner with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln's Glenn Korff School of Music and share in the activation of their new dynamic performance spaces.
Program Highlights
• Kareem Roustom: Dabkeh (watch below)
• Layale Chaker: Hints on Memory, for solo violin and string orchestra
• Dinuk Wijeratne: Gajaga Vannama, for solo piano and orchestra (watch below)
• Stan Charkey: J/J, Jake Charkey, solo cello
• Kinan Azmeh: Suite for Improvisor and Orchestra – Love on 139th Street / November 22nd / Wedding (watch below)
RSVP HERE!
Co-presented by:
Featuring:
Aisslinn Nosky
Aisslinn Nosky returns to Nebraska Crossroads in 2026 as a featured soloist in the award-winning La Folia Global Project
Alexa Brown
Violist Alexa Brown brings a global perspective to her debut at Nebraska Crossroads, shaped by musical roots in both South Dakota and New Zealand. A
Amado Espinoza
Bolivian multi-instrumentalist Amado Espinoza joins Crossroads for his debut appearance in a collaboration with Nebraska’s own Oscar Rios
Anna Steinhoff
Baroque cellist and viola da gamba specialist Anna Steinhoff returns to the Nebraska Crossroads Music Festival for her fourth appearance, bringing expressive depth and period
Crossroads Festival Orchestra
Learn more about this year’s Festival Chamber Orchestra, made up of visiting and local musicians!
Dinuk Wijeratne
Dinuk Wijeratne joins Crossroads for the first time as performer, bringing his boundary-defying voice as a composer, pianist, and conductor to the stage. His works
Emmanuel Hovhannisyan
World renowned Duduk virtuoso Emmanuel Hovhannisyan returns to the Crossroads Music Festival for his third appearance.
Erik Higgins
Lincoln native and double bassist Erik Higgins is the founder and Artistic Director of the Nebraska Crossroads Music Festival, where his globally inspired musical vision
Fiona Hughes
Making her Crossroads debut in 2025, violinist Fiona Hughes brings a rich artistry shaped by both baroque and modern traditions. She is Artistic Director of
Gabe Shuford
Harpsichordist Gabe Shuford joins the La Folia Global Project in his Crossroads Debut during the 2026 Festival.
Gunner Jules
Rosebud Sioux Hip Hop artist Gunner Jules returns to Crossroads in 2026 as part of the Dream Warriors residency and performances.
Henry Jenkins
Returning to Crossroads for the second time, Omaha Symphony’s Henry Jenkins brings dynamic range and stylistic fluency—from baroque violin to bluegrass. A versatile performer equally
Jake Charkey
Jake Charkey brings his groundbreaking fusion of Hindustani and Western cello traditions to Crossroads for the first time, both with Sarafand and in a solo
John Hadfield
John Hadfield, a Missouri-born composer and percussionist now based in France, returns to Crossroads for his fifth season, bringing a boundary-blurring musical vision shaped by
Juliet Yoshida
Omaha native Juliet Yoshida, a longtime violinist with the Omaha Symphony, returns to Crossroads in 2026, bringing artistry shaped by a rich background in chamber
Karen Becker
Karen Becker joins the Nebraska Crossroads Festival Orchestra for a second year, highlighting the fruitful collaboration between local and visiting artists.
Kinan Azmeh
Clarinetist, composer, and improviser Kinan Azmeh—this year’s Guest Curator for the 2025 Festival—brings a genre-bending voice shaped by global collaborations and deep musical storytelling. Born
Kyle Miller
Violist Kyle Miller joins Crossroads for the first time, bringing a dynamic career that spans both historical and contemporary performance, including roles with Diderot String
Layale Chaker
Celebrated violinist and composer Layale Chaker returns to Crossroads for her fourth appearance, bringing her genre-defying artistry and global acclaim to the 2025 festival stage.
Mic Jordan
Mic Jordan returns to Crossroads as part of the multi-year Dream Warriors Project, a collaboration with the Indigenous Hip-Hop collective, Dream Warriors
Mixed Harmony
The original Cuban band Mixed Harmony returns to Crossroads for a third appearance.
Olga Smola
Olga Smola is a founding artist and Executive Director of the Nebraska Crossroads Music Festival. A globally touring violinist and UNO professor, she blends classical,
Rajib Karmakar
Sitar virtuoso Rajib Karmakar returns to Crossroads for a second appearance with Tabla master Sandeep Das during the 2026 festival.
Sam Beck-Johnson
Double bassist Sam Beck-Johnson, originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, has performed with orchestras around the world and now holds a leading role in Denmark’s Aarhus Symphony.
Sandeep Das
Sandeep Das returns for his third Crossroads appearance with his virtuosic and multi-faceted music-making.
Susanna Perry Gilmore
Violinist Susanna Gilmore brings her versatility and leadership to the 2026 Festival, performing and leading works in our orchestral finale concerts. A dynamic artist across
Tall Paul
Anishinaabe rapper Tall Paul returns to Crossroads for another recording residency & performance with the Festival’s Dream Warriors Project.
TONE
Minnesota MC TONE returns to Crossroads for another recording residency and performance with the Dream Warriors Project
Tyler Sieh
Violist Tyler Sieh makes his Crossroads debut in 2025. A member of the Omaha Symphony and faculty at the University of Nebraska Omaha, Sieh brings
Valeri Tolstov
Valeri Tolstov returns as a guest composer to for the 2026 Nebraska Crossroads Music Festival with works featured in multiple festival performances.
Véronique Mathieu
Returning for her fourth appearance at Crossroads, violinist Véronique Mathieu brings dazzling technique and deep musicality to the 2026 Festival. A passionate advocate for contemporary