Brad Mehldau shares the story behind his upcoming album, Ride into the Sun—a songbook record of music by the late singer, songwriter, and guitarist Elliott Smith—and his relationship to Smith's music in a new video filmed at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn, where the album was recorded. Singer/guitarist Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear, singer/mandolinist Chris Thile, and bassist John Davis, who perform on the album, share their thoughts as well. You can watch it here. The album, due August 29, also features bassist Felix Moseholm, drummer Matt Chamberlain, and a chamber orchestra led by Dan Coleman. 

Pianist and composer Brad Mehldau’s Ride into the Sun—a songbook record of music by the late singer, songwriter, and guitarist Elliott Smith—is due August 29 on Nonesuch. It features performances by singer/guitarist Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear, singer/mandolinist Chris Thile, bassists Felix Moseholm and John Davis, drummer Matt Chamberlain, and a chamber orchestra led by Dan Coleman. The album's ten Elliott Smith songs are complemented by four Mehldau compositions inspired by him and interpretations of Big Star’s “Thirteen,” which Smith also covered, and “Sunday” by Nick Drake, whom Mehldau sees "in some ways as sort of Smith’s visionary grandfather.” Two album tracks, “Tomorrow Tomorrow” and “Better Be Quiet Now,” are out now; in-studio videos of the musicians recording both songs can be seen here.

The Philharmonie de Paris has announced its 2025/26 season, including concerts by Cécile McLorin Salvant, Chris Thile, Brad Mehldau & Christian McBride, and Laurie Anderson, and a performance of The Blue Hour.

Cal Performances at the University of California, Berkeley, has announced its 2025–26 concert season, including Zellerbach Hall performances by Kronos Quartet, Jeremy Denk, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Chris Thile, and Rhiannon Giddens and Silkroad Ensemble.

Chris Thile, who recently announced a solo US tour in October, has just announced a solo tour of Europe in November. The shows start in Schiltigheim, France, with stops in Rome, Milan, Paris, Chalon-sur-Saône, Montbéliard, London, Bristol, Manchester, Dublin, and Barcelona.

Chris Thile has announced a solo tour starting at Koerner Hall in Toronto on October 15, with stops in upstate New York, North Bethesda, New York City, and Grand Rapids, culminating at Chicago Symphony Center on October 24. This follows previously announced orchestral performances in Philadelphia, Asheville, Detroit, and Katonah; an evening with Cécile McLorin Salvant at Carnegie Hall; and events with his fellow Punch Brothers.

Caramoor, the cultural arts venue on an 80-plus-acre estate in Katonah, NY, has announced its 2025 summer season—its 80th season!—including performances by Caroline Shaw, Sō Percussion, and Ringdown on July 10; Molly Tuttle on July 19; Chris Thile with The Knights on July 20; and Timo Andres on July 24.

Chris Thile and his fellow Punch Brothers have announced tapings for the second season of their musical variety show The Energy Curfew Music Hour at Audible's Minetta Lane Theatre in New York City, January 11 and 16 and February 13, 18, and 24; special guests to be announced. (The first season is available now on all major podcast platforms). They have also announced the third annual Chris Thile Acousticamp, returning to Asilomar Hotel in Pacific Grove, CA, June 27–July 1, with fellow instructor/collaborators Julian Lage, Michael Daves, Maddie Witler, and first time faculty Josh Ritter.

Chris Thile and his fellow Punch Brothers host a new musical variety show, The Energy Curfew Music Hour, out now via Audible and available wherever you get your podcasts. Created by Thile and Claire Coffee, the series' eight episodes feature musical guests like Kacey Musgraves, Jason Isbell, Jon Batiste, Norah Jones, James Taylor, Lake Street Dive, Gaby Moreno, yMusic, and others, recorded live at Audible’s Minetta Lane Theatre in NYC.

Chris Thile and Hurray for the Riff Raff each performed on the Aspen Ideas Festival campus for NPR's Field Recordings series of shows filmed "off the beaten path." Thile was in Anderson Park to perform Bach with students from the Aspen Music School and two solo pieces from his album Laysongs. Hurray for the Riff Raff was joined by guitarist Johnny Wilson in a meadow beneath the Elk Mountains to perform five songs from the new album The Past Is Still Alive—"one of our favorites of the year," says NPR's Suraya Mohamed. You can watch both here.

Chris Thile joined the National Symphony Orchestra and conductor Eric Jacobsen in concert at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, to perform his narrative song cycle ATTENTION!, and more this past April. Also on the program were works by Bach, Beethoven, Dvořàk, and Ellington, and Caroline Shaw. You can watch them perform "Julep," from Punch Brothers' 2015 album, The Phosphorescent Blues; the Allegro from Bach's Concerto for Two Violins in D minor; and "The Rooftop," from ATTENTION!, here.

Chris Thile returned to CBS Saturday Morning to perform for the first time with guitarist Billy Strings in a Saturday Sessions set of three songs: "Wild Bill Jones," "I Am a Pilgrim," and "I've Been All Around This World." You can watch all three performances here.