Isabel Bader Centre Announces its 11th Anniversary Season

Kingston, ON … The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts (“the Isabel”) at Queen’s University announces its 11th season, which includes 28 events and performances featuring local and internationally renowned artists, as well as the 2026 Bader-Overton National Piano Competition.

“We are pleased to present the Isabel’s upcoming 2025-2026 season which promises to be an exciting complement to our wonderfully successful tenth anniversary,” says Isabel Director Gordon E Smith. “The 2025-2026 season is curated around the theme of ‘Extending the Rafters,’ invoking the Haudenosaunee tradition of building good relations. ‘Extending the Rafters’ served as a metaphor in Queen’s Truth and Reconciliation Report (2016). As Elder Marlene Brant Castellano explains: ‘When newcomers arrive or when the community expands, you extend the rafters of the house to make more room because with an expanded Longhouse, the community will thrive.’ “

The Isabel is thrilled to welcome back the National Youth Orchestra of Canada for a kickoff spotlight concert for their 2025 season summer tour. This concert will be a bonus event for Early Bird subscribers. New this season will be two residencies with the New Orford String Quartet, the first of which will take place in September and include the Season Opener featuring the Quartet and award-winning pianist, Jaeden Izik-Dzurko. The second residency will take place in March 2026 and be focused on the Quartet’s “Sounding Tornadoes” project, which explores musical intersections and climate change through performances and discussion.

Inspired by ideas of “Listenings” in our programming over the past two seasons, Indigenization continues to be a priority at the Isabel. We are delighted that Mohawk musician, artist, and activist Tom Wilson’s exhibit “Fading Memories of Home” will be at the Isabel during the month of September. In addition to the exhibit, Tom Wilson will present a talk and a concert as part of his work on deepening understandings of the tragic impacts of the residential school system through conversations, music, and art.

Along with Tom Wilson’s concert, the Soloist Subscription Series features concerts with percussionist Aiyun Huang and violinist Mark Fewer, Quebec Jazz singer Dominique Fils-Aimé, and violinist James Ehnes. The Ensemble Subscription Series includes performances by the Elmer Iseler Singers, Roomful of Teeth, Kuné World, and the Amir Amiri Ensemble. Our Spotlight Concerts will include A Miss Emily Christmas, Israeli Chamber Project, and Jane Bunnett and Maqueque. A highlight of the 2025-2026 season will be the semi-finals and finals of the 2026 Bader-Overton National Piano Competition, which will take place in May 2026.

With these performances, we are pleased to announce the return of the Baroque Series, which will include performances by the Venice Baroque Orchestra, cellist Elinor Frey, violinist Chloe Kim, and a narrated performance with music by J.S. Bach curated by CBC radio host Tom Allen. The Piano Series will include two duo piano concerts, the first featuring Philip Chiu and Janelle Fung, and the second featuring Marc-André Hamelin and Charles Richard- Hamelin.

Following the success of the inaugural 2025-2025 Friday Nights in the Recital Hall Series, the series will return this year with four new shows featuring musicians from the Kingston community; Oakridge Ave., Luella, Abby Stewart, and Foster, Shea & Sudac. Performances by the wonderful Shoestring Opera, and the popular Bridge and Wolak duo, make up what promises to be an entertaining Family Series.

“I hope that you will join us in this excitingly diverse and engaging 2025-2026 season,” says Gordon. “As we ‘extend the rafters’ in this wonderful place, we are ever mindful of the Indigenous ways of knowing that can help to guide us. We continue to celebrate and to be thankful for this beautiful gift, as we nurture the capacity to make alliances, friendships, and build communities through the performing arts at the Isabel!”

Details on programming are contained in the Isabel’s 2025/26 season brochure. 

Tom Wilson Tehohàhake Trio on Friday, September 19, 2025 at 7:30pm

Aiyun Huang and Mark Fewer* on Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 7:30pm

Dominique Fils-Aimé* on Friday, February 27, 2026 at 7:30pm

James Ehnes* on Friday, May 1, 2026 at 7:30pm

Elmer Iseler Singers* on Friday, November 14, 2025 at 7:30pm

Roomful of Teeth* on Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 7:30pm

Amir Amiri Ensemble* on Friday, April 10, 2026 at 2:30pm

Kuné World* on Saturday, April 18, 2025 at 7:30pm

National Youth Orchestra of Canada on Saturday, July 19, 2025 at 7:30pm

The New Orford String Quartet with Jaeden Izik-Dzurko on Friday, September 12, 2025 at 7:30pm

Jane Bunnett and Maqueque on Saturday, November 8, 2025 at 7:30pm

A Miss Emily Concert on Friday, December 5, 2025 at 7:30pm

Israeli Chamber Project on Friday, March 20, 2026 at 7:30pm

Elinor Frey and Academia de’ Dissonanti* on Sunday, October 5, 2025 at 2:30pm

Tom Allen and Friends on Sunday, January 18, 2026 at 2:30pm

Chloe Kim and Jonathon Adams* on Sunday, January 25, 2026 at 2:30pm

Venice Baroque Orchestra* on Friday, February 13, 2026 at 7:30pm

Philip Chiu and Janelle Fung* on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 7:30pm

Marc-André Hamelin and Charles Richard-Hamelin on Sunday, March 22, 2026 at 2:30pm

Oakridge Ave. on Friday, October 3, 2025 at 8:00pm

Luella* on Friday, November 21, 2025 at 8:00pm

Abby Stewart on Friday, January 23, 2026 at 8:00pm

Foster, Shea & Sudac* on Friday, March 13, 2026 at 8:00pm

Shoestring Opera The Schoolyard Carmen on Sunday, October 19, 2025 at 2:30pm

Bridge & Wolak on Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 2:30pm

Semi-Finalists Performances (6): Wednesday, May 6, and Thursday, May 7, 2026

Finalists (3): Saturday, May 9, 2026

Tom Wilson, Fading Memories of Home, Exhibit and Artist Talk
Artist Exhibit from September 11-30, 2025, Monday to Friday 10:00am-4:00pm in the Art and Media Lab
Artist Talk on Thursday, September 18, 2025 at 2:00pm in the Recital Hall
The Isabel and Alfred Bader Lecture in European Art with Dr. Marieke de Winkel on Friday, November 15, 2025 at 2:30pm in the Performance Hall and Livestreamed