OMAHA FINALE
Orchestral Extravaganza
Sat. August 2 // 7:00-9:00pm // Christiansen Hall, Strauss Performing Arts Center, UNO
Come and see the newly-minted Crossroads Festival Orchestra finish out the festival with a flair with 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, it’s musical institutions and it’s artistic export to the world.
Featuring soloists Layale Chaker, Jake Charkey, Dinuk Wijeratne and Kinan Azmeh, the program features works of those artists and more, conducted (in part) by pianist/composer Dinuk Wijeratne and led by a rotating cast of concertmasters.
We’re delighted to finish out the festival at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s iconic Christiansen Hall at Strauss Performing Arts Center, in a first-time partnership between the UNO School of Music and the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media.
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:
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
Anna Steinhoff
Baroque cellist and viola da gamba specialist Anna Steinhoff returns to the Nebraska Crossroads Music Festival for her third 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
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
Henry Jenkins
Making his festival debut, Omaha Symphony’s Henry Jenkins brings dynamic range and stylistic fluency—from baroque violin to bluegrass. A versatile performer equally at home in
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 fourth season, bringing a boundary-blurring musical vision shaped by
Juliet Yoshida
Omaha native Juliet Yoshida, a longtime violinist with the Omaha Symphony, makes her Crossroads Festival debut in 2025, bringing artistry shaped by a rich background
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.
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,
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.
Susanna Perry Gilmore
Violinist Susanna Gilmore brings her versatility and leadership to the 2025 Festival, performing and leading works in our orchestral finale concerts. A dynamic artist across
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
Véronique Mathieu
Returning for her third appearance at Crossroads, violinist Véronique Mathieu brings dazzling technique and deep musicality to the 2025 Festival. A passionate advocate for contemporary