Concert and Cake will return to Christ Church Greenwich for its 2026-27 season with eight free Friday afternoon performances featuring piano, flute, voice and jazz.
Sponsored by Rebecca J. Carda Leigh, the series will run from September 2026 through May 2027, with concerts beginning at 1:30 p.m. at Christ Church Greenwich. Walk-ins are welcome, no tickets are required and admission is free for every performance.
The season will bring together returning musicians and new combinations of performers, with programs ranging from solo piano recitals to chamber music and jazz. The schedule continues the series’ accessible format, allowing residents to attend live performances in Greenwich without advance registration or an admission charge.
Concert and Cake will open its season Friday, Sept. 4, with flutist Alexa Cervantes and pianist Elisabeth Tomczyk. The pairing will begin the year with a chamber music program centered on flute and piano, offering audiences the only announced flute performance of the season.
The October concert will feature pianist Randall Atcheson on Friday, Oct. 2. His appearance will be the first solo piano recital of the season and will begin a run of programs in which the piano serves as the central instrument.
On Friday, Nov. 6, pianist Naomi Onda and vocalist “Yoppi” Watanabe will perform together as WOWNY. The program will be the only announced vocal concert of the season and will give audiences an opportunity to hear Onda in a collaborative setting before her return as a soloist in May.
Rebecca J. Carda Leigh will perform at the piano Friday, Dec. 4, closing the first half of the season. Leigh, who sponsors the series, is scheduled to appear twice during the 2026-27 calendar. Her second performance will take place in April.
After a January pause, Concert and Cake will resume Friday, Feb. 5, 2027, with pianist Benjamin Steinhardt. The February concert will begin the spring portion of the season and continue the series’ emphasis on piano music.
The schedule will move into jazz Friday, March 5, with a performance by the Joe Corsello Trio. The trio is the only jazz ensemble listed for the season and the only announced program featuring three musicians. Its appearance will broaden the series beyond the solo and duo performances that make up the remainder of the calendar.
Leigh will return for her second piano concert Friday, April 2. The season will conclude Friday, May 7, with a solo piano performance by Onda. Her final appearance will give audiences a chance to hear her in a different format from the November WOWNY concert.
The piano provides the connecting thread across the season. It will appear as a solo instrument, accompany flute and voice and form part of the jazz program. That emphasis gives the schedule a clear musical foundation while still allowing each concert to take a different form.
The variety of performers also creates several points of entry for audiences. Listeners interested in traditional recital programs may be drawn to the solo piano dates, while those who prefer collaborative performances can attend the opening flute program, the WOWNY vocal concert or the Joe Corsello Trio.
Concert and Cake’s Friday afternoon schedule distinguishes it from many local arts programs held during the evening. The 1:30 p.m. start time makes the series available to residents with flexible daytime schedules and gives audiences a way to include live music in an ordinary weekday.
The format also encourages repeat attendance. Concerts are generally scheduled on the first Friday of the month, making the series easy to follow across the year. While there is no season-ticket requirement, the regular schedule gives listeners the option to return each month and hear a different performer or ensemble.
Free admission remains one of the series’ central features. Removing ticket costs allows residents to attend a concert even when they are unfamiliar with the performer or program. It also gives people who may not regularly attend recitals a simple opportunity to experience live music in a local setting.
The walk-in policy provides additional flexibility. Audience members do not need to reserve seats, purchase tickets or register in advance. They may decide to attend close to the concert date or join the season after it has already begun.
The series’ location at Christ Church Greenwich continues the longstanding use of churches as community performance spaces. Such buildings have historically supported music through choirs, organ programs, recitals and visiting performers. Hosting Concert and Cake at Christ Church places the series within that tradition while making the space available for a broader community audience.
The 2026-27 season also reflects the value of presenting the arts on a consistent basis. A single concert can introduce an audience to a performer, but a full season creates a continuing relationship among musicians, listeners and the host institution. Each date stands on its own while also contributing to a larger annual program.
The announced schedule does not include specific repertoire for the individual concerts. Those selections may be released closer to each performance, allowing the musicians to shape programs around their own specialties and interests.
The season begins Sept. 4, followed by concerts Oct. 2, Nov. 6 and Dec. 4. The series resumes Feb. 5 and continues March 5, April 2 and May 7. All concerts begin at 1:30 p.m.
With eight performances spread across the academic year, Concert and Cake will provide Greenwich residents with regular opportunities to hear live music in a free and informal setting. The season brings together established performers, varied musical formats and a schedule designed to make attendance straightforward.
Concert and Cake’s 2026-27 season will be held at Christ Church Greenwich. Admission is free, walk-ins are welcome and no tickets are needed.
