Seattle Chamber Music Society to Host 2026 Summer Festival Featuring Top Classical Artists

Seattle Chamber Music Society has revealed the programming for its 2026 Summer Festival. From June 18 through July 26, classical music luminaries will come together for outstanding chamber music collaborations, guided by the vision of violinist James Ehnes, SCMS's Gilbert Omenn and Martha Darling Artistic Director. This year, SCMS is broadening its geographical reach by presenting concerts in performance halls around the region and sharing chamber music in even more nontraditional spaces.

Among the renowned artists performing this year are violinists James Ehnes, Erin Keefe, Alexander Kerr, and Tessa Lark; pianists Inon Barnatan, Alessio Bax, and Orion Weiss; cellists Ani Aznavoorian, Efe Baltacıgil, and Mark Kosower; and violists Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt and Jonathan Vinocour. For this summer's festival, the SCMS Commissioning Club has commissioned a work from Juhi Bansal, and - with Mimir Chamber Music Festival - SCMS has co-commissioned a piece for narrator and string quartet by Kian Ravaei, in which the narrator recites the opening and closing of the Declaration of Independence.

The Summer Festival celebrates the depth, beauty, and vitality of the chamber music tradition. Highlights include John Adams's Shaker Loops for string septet; Amy Beach's Piano Trio; Samuel Barber's String Quartet; Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring ("Ballet for Martha") in its original version for 13-instrument chamber ensemble; Antonín Dvořák's String Quartet No. 12, "American"; Sergei Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances Op. 45 (Two Pianos); and George Walker's String Quartet No. 1. Complementing these works are beloved masterpieces, including Brahms's Piano Quartet No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 60; Haydn's Piano Trio in A-flat Major, Hob. XV:14; Mendelssohn's Piano Trio in D Minor, Op. 49; and Mendelssohn's Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20. (Full program details are below.)

Nordstrom Recital Hall, Meydenbauer Center, and Town Hall concerts will be livestreamed and available on demand worldwide through SCMS's Virtual Concert Hall. The digital concert experience features six camera angles plus live intermission interviews and commentary with SCMS musicians and hosts from Classical KING, Seattle's classical music radio station. This season's Virtual Concert Hall includes all nine performances from the 2026 Summer Festival, along with three special "greatest hits" concerts drawn from standout performances of past seasons, creating a 12-concert online festival that pairs this summer's programming with some of the most beloved moments from recent years.

SCMS joyfully refers to its Summer Festival as "the world's largest chamber music party," and, this summer, is bringing it to new corners of the Seattle region. During the five week period, SCMS presents 11 ticketed mainstage concerts and 11 completely free and open-to-the-public pre-concert recitals at leading performing arts spaces throughout the Sound, including Benaroya Hall's Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall, Meydenbauer Center, Town Hall Seattle, Bainbridge Performing Arts, and Vashon Center for the Arts. In addition, on Saturday, July 18, audiences can enjoy the free Chamber Music in the Park outdoor concert and community play-along at Seattle's Volunteer Park.

SCMS Summer Festival also transports the joy of live music all across the greater Seattle region with a series of 20+ concerts running June 18 to July 6 from the stage of The Concert Truck, fueled by SCMS. Redefining how people experience live music, The Concert Truck is a box truck transformed into a fully equipped mobile concert hall, allowing world-class chamber music to be performed in everyday spaces-city streets, parks, schools, and neighborhoods. SCMS Summer Festival stops include Alki Beach, Bellevue Downtown Park, Gas Works Park, Seattle Center, Seward Park, and Washington Arboretum Park. (All locations and dates will be announced soon.)

A highlight of the Festival, Tasting Notes returns July 6 with an exciting new lineup of celebrated Seattle chefs and a delicious new twist. Hosted by James Ehnes and celebrity chef and New York Times best-selling author J. Kenji López-Alt, this one-of-a-kind evening brings SCMS musicians together with acclaimed chefs Taichi Kitamura (Sushi Kappo Tamura), Mutsuko Soma (Kamonegi and Hannyatou), and Christina Woods (Temple Pastries). Guests will experience live chamber music, lively cooking demonstrations, and-new this year-a full dinner service featuring each chef's creations, all unfolding on stage at the Triple Door (216 Union St, Seattle).

"Seattle Chamber Music Society's Summer Festival shows the world how chamber music is a centering force," added Ehnes. "Throughout the summer, we gather thousands of people to hear extraordinary works performed at the highest level, and we further establish Seattle as a cultural destination for exceptional artists and classical music audiences. Each concert reflects the very best of SCMS and our art form, and is designed to leave listeners uplifted, fulfilled, and more deeply connected to Chamber Music."

Seattle Chamber Music Society: 2026 Summer Festival
The World's Largest Chamber Music Party: June 18 through July 26

June 18–July 6

The Concert Truck, fueled by SCMS, presents 18 performances in Alki Beach, Gas Works Park, Seattle Center, and other stops around Seattle. The full list of locations and dates will be announced soon.

July 6

Tasting Notes

The Triple Door
216 Union St, Seattle, 98101

July 7

Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances for Two Pianos, Op. 45
Alessio Bax, Orion Weiss (piano)

Mendelssohn: Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20

James Ehnes, Amy Schwartz Moretti, Andrew Wan, and Chad Hoopes (violin), Che-Yen Chen and Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt (viola), Edward Arron and Efe Baltacıgil (cello)

Benaroya Hall's Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall
200 University St, Seattle, 98101

July 9

Kian Ravaei: A Free People (SCMS co-commission)
Amy Schwartz Moretti and Andrew Wan (violin), Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt (viola), Efe Baltacigil (cello)

Mendelssohn: Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 49
Alessio Bax (piano), Chad Hoopes (violin), Mark Kosower (cello)

Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 60
James Ehnes (violin), Che-Yen Chen (viola), Edward Arron (cello), Orion Weiss (piano)

Benaroya Hall's Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall
200 University St, Seattle, 98101

July 12

Haydn: Piano Trio in A-flat Major, Hob. XV:14
Orion Weiss (piano), Tessa Lark (violin), Mark Kosower (cello)

Respighi: Piano Quintet in F Minor
Alessio Bax (piano), Andrew Wan and Chad Hoopes (violin), Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt (viola), Efe Baltacıgil (cello)

Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12, "American"
James Ehnes and Amy Schwartz Moretti (violin), Che-Yen Chen (viola), Edward Arron (cello)

Benaroya Hall's Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall
200 University St, Seattle, 98101

July 13 & July 14

Beethoven: String Quartet, Op. 18 No. 1
James Ehnes, Amy Schwartz Moretti (violin), Che-Yen Chen (viola), Edward Arron (cello)

Dohnányi: Serenade for String Trio
Tessa Lark (violin), Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt (viola), Ani Aznavoorian (cello)

Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12, "American"
James Ehnes and Amy Schwartz Moretti (violin), Che-Yen Chen (viola), Edward Arron (cello)

July 13 – Vashon Island Center for the Arts
19600 Vashon Hwy SW, Vashon, 98070

July 14 – Bainbridge Island Performing Arts
200 Madison Ave N., Bainbridge Island, 98110

July 15

Beethoven: String Trio, Op. 9 No. 1
Alexander Kerr (violin), Meredith Kufchak (viola), Ani Aznavoorian (cello)

Barber: String Quartet
James Ehnes and Amy Schwartz Moretti (violin), Che-Yen Chen (viola), Edward Arron (cello)

Suk: Piano Quartet, Op. 1
Inon Barnatan (piano), Tessa Lark (violin), Matthew Lipman (viola), Jonathan Swensen (cello)

Meydenbauer Center
11100 NE 6th St, Bellevue, 98004

July 17

Amy Beach: Piano Trio
Paige Roberts Molloy (piano), Tessa Lark (violin), Ani Aznavoorian (cello)

Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78
James Ehnes (violin), Inon Barnatan (piano)

Mendelssohn: String Quintet No. 1 in A Major
Alexander Kerr and Noah Geller (violin), Meredith Kufchak and Matthew Lipman (viola), Jonathan Swensen (cello)

Meydenbauer Center
11100 NE 6th St, Bellevue, 98004

July 18

Chamber Music in the Park, and community play-along

Dvořák: Terzetto in C Major, Op. 74
James Ehnes and Alexander Kerr (violin), Meredith Kufchak (viola)

Suk: Piano Quartet in A minor, Op. 1
Inon Barnatan (piano), Tessa Lark (violin), Matthew Lipman (viola), Jonathan Swensen (cello)

Volunteer Park
1247 15th Ave E, Seattle, 98112

July 19

Juhi Bansal: New Work (SCMS commission)
Noah Geller and Alexander Kerr (violin), Meredith Kufchak (viola), Jonathan Swensen (cello)

Fauré: Violin Sonata No. 1 in A Major, Op. 13
Tessa Lark (violin), Inon Barnatan (piano)

Dvořák: Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat Major, Op. 87
Jon Kimura Parker (piano), James Ehnes (violin), Matthew Lipman (viola), Ani Aznavoorian (cello)

July 21

Shostakovich: Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 8
Jon Kimura Parker (piano), Jun Iwasaki (violin), Brant Taylor (cello)

Walker: String Quartet No. 1
Stephen Rose and Erin Keefe (violin), Noah Geller (viola), Bion Tsang (cello)

Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 25
Inon Barnatan (piano), Karen Gomyo (violin), Jonathan Vinocour (viola), Kenneth Olsen (cello)

July 24

Piazzolla: Histoire du Tango
Karen Gomyo (violin), Paige Roberts Molloy (piano)

Adams: Shaker Loops for String Septet
James Ehnes and Stephen Rose (violin), Jun Iwasaki and Jonathan Vinocour (viola), Brant Taylor and Kenneth Olsen (cello), Joseph Kaufman (double bass)

Schubert: Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat Major, D. 898
George Li (piano), Erin Keefe (violin), Bion Tsang (cello)

July 26

Shostakovich: Two Pieces for String Octet
Karen Gomyo, Jun Iwasaki, Stephen Rose, and Erin Keefe (violin), Jonathan Vinocour and James Ehnes (viola), Bion Tsang and Brant Taylor (cello)

Grieg: Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 36
Kenneth Olsen (cello), George Li (piano)

Copland: Appalachian Spring ("Ballet for Martha") – Original complete ballet for 13 instruments
James Ehnes, Karen Gomyo, Erin Keefe, and Stephen Rose (violin), Jonathan Vinocour and Jun Iwasaki (viola), Brant Taylor and Bion Tsang (cello), Joseph Kaufman (double bass), Demarre McGill (flute), Benjamin Lulich (clarinet), Seth Krimsky (bassoon), and Paige Roberts Molloy (piano)

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