THE MAINSTAY’S 2026-2027 CLASSICAL MUSIC SERIES SEASON OPENER

Internationally Acclaimed Pianist and Cellist Are Featured 

The Mainstay – the venerable music venue in Rock Hall, Maryland – opens its 2026-2027 Classical Music Series with an exquisite program of music for piano and cello. Pianist Ramilya Saubanova and cellist Evanghelina Ciobanu have put together a program featuring duo and solo works by J. S. Bach, Johannes Brahms, Dmitri Shostakovich, Mark Maarder, and Andrea Casarrubios.

Ramilya Saubanova has worked closely with Russian-born composer Mark Maarder – who currently lives in the Baltimore area – on his Mediolanum for Piano Solo. “This is a fun, but challenging, piece,” Saubanova said recently. “It is very poetic with demanding work for the left hand.”

Evanghelina Ciobanu’s solo cello work is by composer Andrea Casarrubios, who was born in Spain in 1988. Casarrubios studied at The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and currently resides in Oak Park, Illinois. Her composition SEVEN has been called by one music critic, “a hauntingly beautiful tribute…that will grip your heart.”  

“This is such a well-thought-out and stunning program,” said Concert Coordinator Muphen R. Whitney, “I never cease to be amazed by the creativity and wonderful musicianship of the performers who are so excited to come to The Mainstay. The word has spread about our incredibly appreciative and interested audiences!”

Pianist Ramilya Saubanova, who is based in Baltimore, originally is from the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. Throughout her career, Ramilya has appeared in solo and collaborative performances across Russia, Europe, and the United States. In 2026, she made her Asian debut at the National Recital Hall in Taiwan. Ramilya was educated at the Kazan State Conservatory and the Peabody Conservatory of The Johns Hopkins University. She has degrees as a Specialist, Master, and Doctor of Musical Arts.

Cellist Evanghelina Ciobanu was born in Chișinău, Republic of Moldova. She has performed throughout Europe and the United States and in South Korea as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra member. In 2025 Evanghelina completed her Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Cello Performance at the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University under Alan Stepansky. She currently resides in Baltimore.

Concert Information

Location: The Mainstay, 5753 North Main Street, Rock Hall, Maryland.

Date and Time: Sunday, October 18 at 4 PM.

Tickets are $15.00 (plus $1.30 fee) in advance. Tickets ($20 each) may be available on the day of the performance. Call (410) 639-9133.

A bar (cash or credit card) is available for cocktails, wine, beer, soft drinks, and snacks before the performance and at Intermission.

This concert is part of the Hedgelawn Classical Music Series at The Mainstay in honor of Judy Kohl.