Karen Becker
Karen Becker joins the Nebraska Crossroads Festival Orchestra for a second year, highlighting the fruitful collaboration between local and visiting artists.
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 at home in chamber, orchestral, and folk settings, Henry bridges musical worlds with expressive ease and precision.
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. With a years-long connection with Artistic Director Erik Higgins, Sam brings his global experience back to where it all began.
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 guides the festival’s dynamic programming.
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 Quartet and ACRONYM.
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 collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma, the Silk Road Ensemble, and the Saturday Night Live Band.
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 music and orchestral performance.
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 expertise to both early and modern ensembles.
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, jazz, and electronic music in both solo and collaborative performances.
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 deep chamber and orchestral experience to this year’s festival.
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 music, she performs worldwide as a soloist, chamber musician, and recording artist.
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 classical and baroque styles, she has served as concertmaster of the Omaha Symphony since 2011.