All nine pianists from the recording will come together to perform Ludwig-Leone’s deeply personal nocturnes: Timo Andres, Han Chen, Aaron Diehl, Simone Dinnerstein, Ellis Ludwig-Leone, David Kaplan, Lisa Kaplan, Dan Schlosberg, and Adam Tendler

There will be two performances in the evening, at 7:00 PM and 8:30 PM, each preceded by a pre-show reception with food and drinks in Riverside Church's spectacular 10th Floor Tower Room

 

NEW YORK, NY – Death of Classical presents the world premiere complete performance of Ellis Ludwig-Leone’s Quiet Hours on November 7, 2026, in a new venue for DoC: the vaulted, intimate Christ Chapel at Riverside Church. All nine pianists featured on the recording will gather to perform the nocturnes written specifically for them: Timo Andres, Han Chen, Aaron Diehl, Simone Dinnerstein, Ludwig-Leone, David Kaplan, Lisa Kaplan, Dan Schlosberg, and Adam Tendler. The program will be performed twice, at 7:00 PM and 8:30 PM, with a pre-show reception preceding each performance where audience members can enjoy a selection of food and drinks (included in ticket price) in Riverside's 10th Floor Tower Room overlooking the city.

A collection of nine solo piano nocturnes, Quiet Hours grew out of Ludwig-Leone's experience of moving into a new apartment, when he began playing an old upright piano that helped the unfamiliar space feel like home. The composer, pianist, and creative force behind the indie-rock collective San Fermin extended that idea to his friends, writing a piece for each pianist and inviting them to record on an instrument they considered a home piano.

The resulting album brings together nine distinct musical personalities and the instruments that hold their histories. Some performers chose their own pianos; others chose instruments connected to formative relationships or places of personal significance. Each nocturne emerged from a dialogue between composer and performer, allowing individual sensibilities to shape the music.

As Brian Seibert explored in his profile of the project in The New York Times, the premise turns an unusual feature of a pianist’s life into a source of creative possibility. Concert pianists typically arrive to play instruments they do not own, becoming accustomed to unfamiliar keyboards in a matter of hours. For Quiet Hours, Ludwig-Leone invited them to begin from familiarity, trust, and a sense of belonging.

The music itself inhabits the shifting territory of the nocturne: lyrical and reflective, yet open to the uncertainty and strangeness of night. Songful melodies and passages resembling lullabies give way to unexpected turns, dissonances, and flashes of humor. These are intricate compositions shaped by collaboration, with room for the performer’s character and imagination to remain audible.

For Death of Classical's November 7 performances, this music created for separate people and private spaces will become a shared experience of communion, as all nine pianists will perform their respective nocturnes, bringing the complete work together.

 

Listing Information 

Ellis Ludwig-Leone’s Quiet Hours
World Premiere Complete Performance

Date: November 7, 2026
Venue: Christ Chapel at Riverside Church
Tickets: $95

Performance One
Pre-Show Reception: 6:00–7:00 PM
Concert: 7:00–8:00 PM

Performance Two
Pre-Show Reception: 7:30–8:30 PM
Concert: 8:30–9:30 PM

Further information: deathofclassical.com/events

Program  

Ellis Ludwig-Leone – Quiet Hours

Quiet Hours – Han Chen
Downstairs Neighbors – Aaron Diehl
Barcarole for a Sunken City – David Kaplan
Trois Allumettes (for M.H.) – Ellis Ludwig-Leone
The House at Night – Simone Dinnerstein
Bright Room, Dark Corners – Lisa Kaplan
Nocturne – Timo Andres
Family Portrait – Adam Tendler
A Long, Long Sleep – Dan Schlosberg

 

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Relevant Links

??  Ticket Link

??  About Quiet Hours

??  Ellis Ludwig-Leone Website

??  Death of Classical Website

 

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About Ellis Ludwig-Leone  

Ellis Ludwig-Leone has built a singular career as a contemporary classical composer and the creative force behind the band San Fermin. His music spans the concert hall, stage, and recording studio, balancing warmth and beauty with moments of unease and complexity. His 2026 album Quiet Hours brings together nine nocturnes written for individual pianists and recorded on their chosen “home” pianos.

 

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About Death of Classical

Death of Classical presents classical music and opera in crypts, catacombs, cemeteries, and other unusual spaces, pairing extraordinary performances with food, drink, and a sense of discovery. Founded by Artistic Director Andrew Ousley, the organization reimagines programming, production, and presentation to create deeply personal experiences that change how audiences encounter classical music.

Celebrating its 10th Anniversary Season in 2026–27, Death of Classical has presented artists including the New York Philharmonic, Lawrence Brownlee, Laurie Anderson, Caroline Shaw, Jennifer Koh, Rufus Wainwright, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Simone Dinnerstein, Gil Shaham, and Conrad Tao. Its partnerships range from the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall to the United Nations.