Sunday Salon: Maxwell Schultz, cello & Ana Huerta, piano

Krannert Center is proud to welcome the 2nd and 3rd-place winners of our 2026 Debut Artists Competition, cellist Maxwell Schultz and pianist Ana Huerta, to our Sunday Salon series this Sunday, November 1, featuring a program of Schumann and Brahms.

Second-place winner Maxwell Schultz is an emerging cellist from the Chicago area. A former member of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, Schultz holds a master’s in performance from the University of Illinois where he is currently pursuing his Artist Diploma under the instruction of Jupiter String Quartet cellist, Daniel McDonough. He has performed as a featured soloist at festivals such as Domaine Forget de Charlevoix and Orford Musique and was a 2026 Young Artist at the prestigious Kneisel Hall Chamber Music School and Festival.

Schultz will be accompanied by South Korean pianist Chanmi Lee, who is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Literature at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, studying with Professor Timothy Ehlen. An accomplished soloist and collaborative musician, she has performed as a chamber musician and accompanist with the university’s Black Chorus.

Third-place winner Ana Huerta is a Spanish pianist, collaborative artist, and scholar dedicated to creating musical experiences that foster connection, curiosity, and engagement. An award-winning soloist and active chamber musician, Huerta is co-founder of the saxophone-piano ensembles Dúo Índice and Atlantic Duo, that have recently joined forces as the newly formed Triskelion Trio. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Literature with a cognate in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, studying under Dr. Chi-Chen Wu and serving as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in Collaborative Piano.

Program:

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Sonata No. 1 in F-sharp minor, Op. 11
Ana Huerta, piano
(approx. 33-minutes)

Intermission

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Sonata in D Major for Cello and Piano, Op. 78
Maxwell Schultz, cello
Chanmi Lee, piano
(approx. 30 minutes)