Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments
Upcoming Events
Dancing with the Dragon Exhibit
November 4 through December 11, 2026
Open Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (Closed Nov. 26-27)
Room 547 – Weiser Hall / Central Campus
Experience a curated experience of the imaginary, featuring the LRCCS Fortune and Longevity Dragon, a 25-ft long, Asian-inspired full-body dragon sculpture for use in the traditional “dragon dance” crafted by renowned international artist Zhen Guo with U-M faculty arts lecturer Raymond Wetzel, artist Jeri Rosenberg, students, and volunteers. The exhibition highlights the story of the dragon’s fabrication and its impact on community.
Matthew Bengtson and Joseph Gascho, fortepiano
McIntosh TheatreEarl V. Moore Building
Free - no tickets required
The William P. Malm Performance Series and the Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments present an SMTD faculty recital by Matthew Bengtson and Joseph Gascho, featuring a pristine copy of one of the very first pianos: Bartolomeo Cristofori’s 1722 gravicembalo col piano, e forte. The program will include solo keyboard and collaborative repertoire by Scarlatti, Marcello, Vivaldi, and more. Preceding this performance, all are welcome to a pre-concert talk beginning at 7:00 pm in Watkins Lecture Hall, just across the hallway from McIntosh Theatre.
Cristofori’s Inventive Genius: The Birth and Renaissance of the First Piano, A Lecture with Thomas and Barbara Wolf
McIntosh TheatreEarl V. Moore Building
Free - no tickets required
Renowned instrument builders Thomas and Barbara Wolf present an historical and acoustical account of their study and recreation of Bartolomeo Cristofori’s 1722 piano. Hailed as the inventor of the piano, Cristofori was an unrivalled builder and designer and only three of his pianos have survived. This presentation is sponsored by the Virginia Martin Howard Lecture Series and the William P. Malm Performance Series.
Stearns Collection Lunchtime Concert Series
Cafeteria Auditorium, NCRC Building 18, 2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Free - no tickets required
The Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments presents the second installment of the 2026-2027 NCRC Lunchtime Concert Series. These free 45 minute programs highlight instruments from the collection and music from around the globe. This performance will feature Persian santour player Alireza Fazel, with Stearns Director Joseph Gascho and U-M Performing Arts Technology Associate Professor John Granzow and their students.
Baroque Chamber Orchestra
Britton Recital HallEarl V. Moore Building
Free - no tickets required
The University of Michigan’s Baroque Chamber Orchestra studies and performs repertoire from the late Renaissance, Baroque, and the early Classical periods, using period instruments and replicas from the university’s growing Stearns Collection.
Gamelan Ensemble
McIntosh TheatreEarl V. Moore Building
Free - no tickets required
Join us for this performance featuring beginner gamelan players. All are welcome to stay for refreshments and presentations at 6:45pm, to be followed by the Advanced Gamelan Concert at 8:00 pm.
Gamelan Ensemble
McIntosh TheatreEarl V. Moore Building
Free - no tickets required
Enjoy a performance featuring our advanced gamelan players. All are welcome to arrive early to enjoy refreshments and presentations at 6:45 pm, or the performance by beginner gamelan players at 6:00 pm. Comprising of seventy-five gongs, percussion and other instruments, the U-M gamelan, named Kyai Telaga Madu (Venerable Lake of Honey), is part of the Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments.
Stearns Collection Lunchtime Concert Series
Cafeteria Auditorium, NCRC Building 18, 2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Free - no tickets required
The Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments presents their lunchtime concert series at the North Campus Research Complex (NCRC). This installment features the U-M Carillons and bells from the Stearns Collection.
Baroque Chamber Orchestra
Britton Recital HallEarl V. Moore Building
Free - no tickets required
The University of Michigan’s Baroque Chamber Orchestra studies and performs repertoire from the late Renaissance, Baroque, and the early Classical periods, using period instruments and replicas from the university’s growing Stearns Collection.
Baroque Chamber Orchestra
Britton Recital HallEarl V. Moore Building
Free - no tickets required
The University of Michigan’s Baroque Chamber Orchestra studies and performs repertoire from the late Renaissance, Baroque, and the early Classical periods, using period instruments and replicas from the university’s growing Stearns Collection.
Gamelan Ensemble
Stamps AuditoriumWalgreen Drama Center
Free - no tickets required
Comprising of seventy-five gongs, percussion and other instruments, the U-M gamelan, named Kyai Telaga Madu (Venerable Lake of Honey), is part of the Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments. The U-M Gamelan Ensemble offers members the opportunity to explore new music composed for gamelan and helps train an important generation of scholars in Southeast Asian music.