The Gualala Arts Chamber Music Series is proud to welcome two acclaimed artists, violinist Helen Kim and pianist Elizabeth Dorman, for an afternoon of exceptional musicianship on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at 4 p.m. at the Gualala Arts Center. The program features Vaughan Williams’ luminous The Lark Ascending followed by Beethoven’s monumental Sonata No. 9, “Kreutzer.” An intermission will take place before the Beethoven.
Praised as “astoundingly gifted” by the San Francisco Chronicle and “strikingly original” by The Strad, Helen Kim has built a dynamic career as both performer and educator. She has appeared as soloist with major ensembles including the St. Louis Symphony, Seattle Symphony, and Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, collaborating with distinguished conductors such as Peter Oundjian, Jun Märkl, and Nicholas McGegan. A passionate champion of contemporary music, Kim has performed works by Salvatore Sciarrino, Pierre Boulez, and Morton Feldman for leading new‑music series presented by the San Francisco Symphony and the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. She currently serves as Associate Concertmaster of the Seattle Symphony and teaches each summer at the Music Academy of the West and the Aspen Music Festival and School.
Joining her is pianist Elizabeth Dorman, celebrated for performances marked by “elegance and verve,” as noted by critic Joshua Kosman. A prizewinner of the 2018 Leipzig International Bach Competition and the 2017 Pro Musicis Father Merlet Award, Dorman has earned recognition for her insightful interpretations of Bach and her versatility across repertoire. She has appeared as soloist with orchestras including the Louisville Orchestra, Leipzig Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra, Santa Rosa Symphony, California Symphony, and Vallejo Symphony, and performs regularly as guest keyboardist with the San Francisco Symphony. Her recordings on Navona and Delos labels include collaborations with the Santa Rosa Symphony. Dorman holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Stony Brook University, where she studied with Gilbert Kalish, and she currently teaches in the Pre‑College division at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Tickets are $35 in advance and +$5 on the day of the performance, available at Gualala Arts, the Dolphin Gallery, and online at GualalaArts.org.