2:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Pianist James Palmer and violinist Emily Richardson will perform concert featuring classical favorites as well as Celtic/Irish tunes to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Performance Location: The Centrum, 6823 Cypresswood Dr., Spring Texas 77379
Date & Time: 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Tickets: $18 Adult, $15 Senior, $12 Child/Student, $12 Groups of 6 or more
Season Ticket Sales: On Sale Now
Single Ticket Sales: 9am, Friday, August 1, 2025

James Palmer, piano
Described as “one of those artists who can make classical music such great fun” (Sedona Red Rock News), James performs across the United States and abroad as a soloist and chamber musician. His broad musical appetite has led to a diverse performing career, ranging from traditional recital performances to innovative projects featuring new music. An active member of the Houston music scene, James regularly performs in venues throughout the city. Past appearances include the Scriabin Piano Concerto with Symphony North of Houston and the Art of Piano Residency at Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada. Upcoming performances for the 25-26 season include solo recitals in Philadelphia and Houston, including a faculty recital at Rice University, and the Piano on the Rocks International Festival in Sedona, AZ (May 2026). James is a second-year Da Camera of Houston Young Artist.
James is a Lecturer at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, where he teaches Master’s-level Piano Literature; he is also a faculty instructor on the Shepherd School Preparatory Program. During the summer, he leads the Summer Piano Intensive at the AFA Texas Summer Music Festival in Houston, TX. During his doctorate, James held a Teaching Fellowship at the Shepherd School of Music.
James completed his DMA in 2025 at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, where he studied with Dr. Robert Roux. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, studying respectively with Émile Naoumoff and Menahem Pressler. As a pre-college student, James studied with pianist-composer Sandrine Erdely-Sayo in his native Philadelphia, PA. 

Emily Richardson, violin
Praised for her heartfelt musicality and artistry, violinist Emily S. Richardson is rapidly gaining international recognition for her compelling interpretations and creative versatility across musical styles.
A passionate advocate for both Baroque performance practice and newly composed music, Richardson brings a distinctive voice to the modern concert stage. A finalist in the 2024 Barbash Bach Competition in New York, she has developed a personal approach to Bach that merges historical insight with modern expressivity. Dedicated to expanding the violin repertoire, she has commissioned and premiered solo works by Isaac Pross and Lucas Lemonholm, and in 2025 served as concertmaster of the Lucerne Contemporary Festival Orchestra, where she premiered a new work by Berlin-based composer Jakob Raab. As a composer herself, Richardson has received commissions from the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, NC, and her own ensemble, the ARCOnaut Trio.
Equally compelling as a chamber musician, Richardson brings warmth and imagination to both canonical and contemporary repertoire. She is the founder of the ARCOnaut Trio—a modular ensemble with violinist/violist Nicholas Lindell and cellist Caio Alves Diniz—which champions new commissions and non-traditional programming for diverse audiences. She also serves as principal second violin of KINETIC, the acclaimed Houston-based conductorless chamber orchestra known for its artist-driven, innovative performances.
Richardson’s work blurs the boundaries between tradition and innovation, affirming her as one of the most dynamic young violinists of her generation.