Summer 2026
No Limits: Jean-Yves Thibaudet
& Ray Chen Debut as a Duo
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"There really are no limits in Napa,” says Thibaudet. “In Napa, we feel free, and that’s unique.”
Festival Napa Valley is celebrated for commissioning new music, but this year it also introduces a thrilling new international collaboration: Australian violinist Ray Chen and French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Each is world renowned in his own right, but together their virtuosity, chemistry as friends, adventurous artistry, and onstage joie de vivre promise an unforgettable debut.
The Festival has given the duo free rein to curate their dream program, a rare luxury in the world of classical performance and touring. “There really are no limits in Napa,” says Thibaudet. “In Napa, we feel free, and that’s unique.” Chen concurs, describing the experience of collaborating with Thibaudet as “almost an experimental lab to see what we can cook up. The Festival has placed a lot of trust in us. It’s a very liberating feeling.”
Expect the unexpected from the two onstage this July, from an eclectic program that might range from Romantics like Brahms, Debussy, and Grieg to film scores and neoclassical works — plus a spontaneity that could take everyone, including the two of them, by surprise. “When you’re onstage with another artist, especially one you admire, there’s a new type of inspiration that comes from that exchange, and it can lead to some really magical moments,” Chen says.
The seeds of this collaboration were planted at the 2024 Festival, where Chen and Thibaudet met backstage. They hit it off immediately. “I see how much fun Ray has onstage, his charisma and positive energy,” Thibaudet says. “When you meet people like that, you feel 200 percent happier.
The admiration is mutual. “I would say the same thing about him,” Chen says, “Jean-Yves is one of the most positive, glass-half-full people I’ve met. And he’s a true gentleman on and off the stage.”
They quickly discovered that their shared interests extend far beyond music. “Jean-Yves rocked up to my concert at the Hollywood Bowl in his McLaren sportscar, and he drove me around on our way to the post-concert dinner, which was a lot of fun,” Chen recalls. “We go out to drink. We go out to eat. We just have a great time,” Thibaudet says.
Chen and Thibaudet will enjoy the food, wine, and camaraderie at the Festival, but they’ll especially savor performing together for the first time. “Collaborating is the most beautiful, most enriching way to make music,” says Thibaudet. “And in Napa, Ray and I can really be ourselves. We can share with our audience. I think it will be very, very special.”
Grand Cru Recital
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Ray Chen, violin | Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
6:30pm at Uptown Theatre