Intimate onstage performances bring audiences face-to-face with jazz legends, kicking off with classic Charlie Brown holiday tunes
The Vilar Performing Arts Center is thrilled to unveil the winter 2025-26 lineup for its innovative Onstage Jazz series, featuring three extraordinary performances that place audience members directly on stage with world-renowned jazz artists. This unique format transforms the Vilar’s stunning theater into an intimate jazz club, offering music lovers an unprecedented opportunity to experience legendary performers up close in a way unlike anything else available in the Rocky Mountains.
The series kicks off with a festive holiday celebration featuring acclaimed pianist Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet on Dec. 22, continues with Grammy-nominated Cuban virtuosos Alfredo Rodriguez and Pedrito Martinez on Feb. 4 as part of the Vilar’s Mardi Gras Weekend, and concludes with guitar master Stéphane Wrembel Quartet on Mar. 31.
“This is a rare opportunity to enjoy jazz legends up close, as if you are part of the performance itself,” said Cameron Morgan, Executive Director of the Vilar Performing Arts Center. “As we continue to expand the Vilar’s programming, we’re thinking outside the box to create new and exciting experiences for all performing arts lovers. These onstage shows transform the Vilar’s beautiful theater into the perfect backdrop for intimate performances during the magic of winter in the mountains.”
Winter 2025-26 Onstage Jazz Performances
Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet: A Guaraldi Holiday | Dec. 22, 2025 | 6:00PM & 8:30PM
Acclaimed pianist and composer Isaiah J. Thompson delivers a heartwarming gift this holiday season with A Guaraldi Holiday. He pays tribute to the timeless music of Vince Guaraldi, whose work introduced countless listeners to jazz and became the soundtrack of childhoods for generations through holiday classics such as “Charlie Brown Theme” and “Christmas Time Is Here.” This uplifting performance promises to bring the spirit of the holidays to life through the lens of a jazz classic.
This onstage performance is presented in partnership with Vail Jazz as part of the Vilar’s Holiday programming, which also includes a Christmas concert by Leslie Odom Jr., star of Hamilton on Broadway.
Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez | February 4, 2026 | 7:00PM
Grammy-nominated Afro-Cuban artists Alfredo Rodriguez and Pedrito Martinez mesmerize audiences with their fearless and virtuosic playing. The duo highlights the vibrant cultural exchange between Cuba and New Orleans: sounds born from African rhythms, shaped by European harmonies, and evolved into jazz, son, and rumba.
This intimate onstage show kicks off the Vilar’s Mardi Gras Weekend celebration, a four-night festival of New Orleans music and culture (February 4-7) that also features The Revivalists and A Celebration of The Meters.
Stéphane Wrembel Quartet | Mar. 31, 2026 | 7:00PM
Stéphane Wrembel is one of the finest guitar players in the world, recognized as one of the most original voices in contemporary music. Born in Paris and raised in Fontainebleau—the home of Django Reinhardt—Wrembel was deeply inspired by Reinhardt and immersed himself in Sinti culture, spending years mastering the authentic technique of Sinti-style guitar. In this unique up-close onstage setting, audience members will witness every nuance of this master guitarist’s technique.
Tickets for all Onstage Jazz performances are on sale now. For more information about the Vilar’s schedule and to purchase tickets, visit vilarpac.org or call the box office at 970-845-8497.