7/24–8/2/2026

Omaha Finale

August 2, 2025 7:30 pm

Strauss Performing Arts,

Omaha

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:

Artists Performing:

Anna Steinhoff

Cello/Gamba

Dinuk Wijeratne

Composer/Conductor/Pianist

Fiona Hughes

Violin

Jake Charkey

Cello

John Hadfield

Percussion

Juliet Yoshida

Violin

Kinan Azmeh

Guest Curator, Clarinet, Composer

Kyle Miller

Viola

Layale Chaker

Violin/Composer

Olga Smola

Violin/Executive Director

Susanna Perry Gilmore

Violin

Tyler Sieh

Viola

Véronique Mathieu

Violin

Erik Higgins

Bass/Artistic Director

Alexa Brown

Viola

Sam Beck-Johnson

Double Bass

Crossroads Festival Orchestra

Henry Jenkins

Violin

No program booklet available.