Piano on the Rocks International Festival takes the stage May 1-3 at the
Mary D. Fisher Theatre featuring ‘The Geometry of Sounds – The Unquiet Harmonies
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 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, with performances at Santa Fe Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Philadelphia, and international venues.
• Elizabeth Peña, narrator, narrated Platero y Yo in New York City for the annual NPR conference, Since then she has performed it in many different states including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Texas and Arizona as well as in France and South America.
This year’s repertoire reflects the festival’s theme with works that illuminate the hidden structures and expressive tensions of music. Audiences will hear masterpieces by Chopin, Liszt, Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Poulenc, Verdi, Shostakovich, and many more. The program also features spectacular ensemble works, including pieces for two pianos and eight hands, two pianos and four hands, and a variety of surprises that highlight the festival’s spirit.
Set against Sedona’s iconic red rock landscape, the 2026 festival explores the profound relationship between mathematics and music, through performances and artistic encounters. Audiences will be invited to hear how sound shapes space and how the invisible architecture of music reveals itself in patterns, tensions, and luminous geometries.
Join us for Piano on the Rocks International Festival, on stage May 1-3 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre.
Piano on the Rocks remains committed to accessibility while honoring the exceptional caliber of its artists. Tickets are priced at $25 for a single concert, $45 for any two concerts, $60 for a full three‑day festival pass; and students are $10.
Click on the BUY TICKETS link below to order tickets online, or call 928-282-1177 to order by phone. Both the Sedona International Film Festival Office and the Mary D. Fisher Theatre are located at 2030 W. SR 89A in West Sedona.
