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Arts events you won’t want to miss in February
string musical ensemble playing on stage

The Candler Concert Series performance of Sphinx Virtuosi with cellist Sterling Elliott on Feb. 19 is one highlight during a month full of artistic entertainment.

— Photo by Scott Jackson.

The coming weeks bring a vibrant return of artistic energy across Emory’s Atlanta and Oxford campuses. From intimate chamber music and bold jazz celebrations to experimental theater and student-led performances, the early months of the year offer abundant opportunities to gather, reflect and be inspired through the arts.


The sounds of a new year

The semester opens with an exciting slate of musical performances at Emory’s Schwartz Center for Performing Arts.

February arrives with the much-anticipated Emory Jazz Festival, running Thursday, Feb. 5, through Saturday, Feb. 7. The multi-day celebration features instructional clinics, lectures and performances, including a concert by vocalist Denise Thimes and the Gary Motley Quartet on Friday, Feb. 6, at 8 p.m. in Emerson Concert Hall. Tickets are available through the Schwartz Center box office.

The following night, Saturday, Feb. 7, at 8 p.m., the Schwartz Center hosts a performance of jazz standards by the Emory Big Band, the Gary Motley Quartet and Denise Thimes. While this event is free, tickets are required. Together, these events spotlight jazz as both a living tradition and a space for experimentation and collaboration.

Chamber and classical music performances continue throughout the month with the Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta (ECMSA) presenting “Bach Bowl: Bach and Sons” on Sunday, Feb. 8, at 4 p.m. in Emerson Concert Hall. This free one-hour concert before the Super Bowl features music by J.S. Bach and two of his most accomplished sons, Johann Christian and Carl Phillipp Emanuel.

On Friday, Feb. 15, hear Emory piano majors perform, celebrating the generosity of the Katz Foundation’s support of Emory. This event is free and open to the public, taking place in Emerson Concert Hall at 4 p.m.

Later in the month, the Candler Concert Series presents Sphinx Virtuosi with cellist Sterling Elliott in Emerson Concert Hall. Tickets are required for the event, which takes place on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 8 p.m.

The Emory Youth Symphony Orchestras perform in Emerson Concert Hall at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25. The pre-college program comprises both the symphony and chamber orchestras, featuring the region’s most talented young musicians. This event is free and open to the public.

On Saturday, Feb. 28, the Emory University Chamber Orchestra hosts a concert in the Performing Arts Studio at 8 p.m. in an event that is free and open to the public. 


Bold ideas take center stage

This semester is marked by a spirit of experimentation and performances that place new work and emerging artists center stage.

Theater Emory turns toward the future with Brave New Works, the biannual festival of staged readings, spotlighting plays in development. The first reading of this series is “SUICIDE ROM COM” by Ali Viterbi on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 5 p.m., followed by “Where Pathways Meet” by a.k. payne on Sunday, Feb. 1, at 5 p.m. Both events take place in the Schwartz Center Theater Lab. While performances are free and open to the public, reservations are required.

Emory CompFest 2026 “EarthSeed” brings contemporary composition into focus through two concerts, happening Friday, Feb. 13, and Saturday, Feb. 14. Both performances, which feature boundary-pushing voices and Grammy-Award winning artist collaborations, start at 8 p.m. in the Performing Arts Studio; no tickets are required.


See it on the big screen

The Emory Cinematheque celebrates the 37-year legacy of Emory Film and Media’s Matthew Bernstein, who retires this year. The spring series, “Matthew H. Bernstein: Farewell Favorites,” presents 14 films selected by the professor.  February screenings in the series include “Ashes and Diamonds” (Feb. 11), “The Lives of Others” (Feb. 18) and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” (Feb. 25). All screenings are free and open to the public, taking place at 7:30 p.m. in White Hall, Room 208. 

The Atlanta Film Society joins the Emory University Center for Ethics for its Ethics at the Movies series, bringing a free screening of “WINN” to campus. “WINN” is a documentary exposing the practice of shackling incarcerated pregnant women; the screening will be followed by a Q&A with co-director Joseph East and film protagonist Pamela Winn. This screening takes place on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Rita Anne Rollins Building, Room 102. While the event is free and open to the public, reservations are encouraged.


Celebrate the arts at Oxford  

Oxford College offers a strong slate of arts events that bring music and performance to campus spaces.

On Friday, Jan. 30, the Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta presents pianist Gloria Chien and the Vega Quartet, performing Amy Beach’s romantic “Piano Quintet.” The free event takes place at 7:30 p.m. in Williams Hall, offering audiences an evening of intimate, high-caliber chamber music.

February highlights include a jazz concert featuring vocalist Vanessa Perea and pianist Konrad Paszkudzki, bringing classic swing and contemporary jazz traditions to campus. The “Vanessa and Konrad Jazz Concert,” which is sure to be a high-energy production rooted in the American songbook, takes place Monday, Feb. 2, at 7:30 p.m. in Williams Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

From Thursday, Feb. 26, through Saturday, Feb. 28, catch OxTheatre’s production of “Initiative” by Jacob York in Tarbutton Performing Arts Center. The piece focuses on Dave, who has cancer, and becomes obsessed with all the moments he might miss. The way out? Dungeons and Dragons. Grab your tickets to see Dave and his friends set out on what might be his last set of adventures.   

Together, January and February set the tone for a semester filled with creativity, collaboration and discovery — inviting the Emory community to begin the year immersed in the power of the arts.

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