21st Century Consort: An Unsecret Garden
The 21st Century Consort presents *An Unsecret Garden*, a concert inspired by gardens and the life, memory, art, and imagination they contain. The program accompanies the Hirshhorn’s anticipated reopening of its revitalized Sculpture Garden and includes music connected to nature, including Helen Grimes’s work inspired by Joseph Cornell’s *Untitled: Aviary with Yellow Birds*, currently featured in *Revolutions: Art from the Hirshhorn Collection, 1860–1960*. A post-concert conversation with Consort director Christopher Kendall and the participating musicians will explore the themes behind the music.
Founded in 1975, the 21st Century Consort has been the Smithsonian Institution’s resident contemporary-music ensemble since 1978. Led by founder and conductor Christopher Kendall, its artists include principal musicians from the National Symphony Orchestra and other chamber musicians from Washington, DC, and beyond. The Consort received the Smithson Medal in 1990 for its longstanding relationship with the Smithsonian.
When: October 4, 2026
Showtimes: The performance begins at 2:00 pm, followed by a post-concert talk at 4:00 pm.
Run time: The program is scheduled from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, including the performance and post-concert discussion.
Tickets: Free. Visitors are strongly encouraged to claim a ticket in advance because the in-person event is expected to reach capacity.
Program: Arnold Schoenberg’s *The Book of the Hanging Gardens* (1908–1909), for mezzo-soprano and piano; Helen Grimes’s *Aviary Sketches* (2014), for string trio, after Joseph Cornell; an intermission; Caroline Shaw’s *Plan & Elevation* (2015), for string quartet; Pēteris Vasks’s *Landscape with Birds* (1980), for solo flute; Mikhail Johnson’s *Wach Ya Haydn* (2020), for solo piano; and Paul Novak’s *Entwining* (2021), for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano.
Discussion: A post-concert talk with Christopher Kendall and the performing musicians will address the ideas and themes explored in the program.
Venue: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Independence Avenue SW and 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20560.
Format: This is an in-person performance.
Contact: For questions, email HirshhornExperience@si.edu.
All dates: Oct 3 at 5:00 PM · Oct 4 at 2:00 PM