Seattle Chamber Music Society 2026 Winter Festival to Feature Complete Brandenburg Concertos

The Seattle Chamber Music Society (SCMS) has announced the programming for its 2026 Winter Festival, taking place January 23–February 1 at Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall.

Over the course of six concerts, acclaimed musicians will collaborate on 22 chamber works by Beethoven, Beach, Dohnányi, Dvořák, Haydn, Mozart, Ravel, and Schubert, among others. A festival highlight will be the January 30 performance of J.S. Bach’s complete Brandenburg Concertos. Discounted early-bird subscriptions are on sale now, with single tickets available beginning October 20.

Performers will include SCMS Artistic Director James Ehnes alongside Inon Barnatan, Alessio Bax, Anton Nel, Jeewon Park, Benjamin Bowman, Bella Hristova, Andrew Wan, Njioma Grevious, Cynthia Phelps, Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, Bion Tsang, Ani Aznavoorian, Edward Arron, Brant Taylor, and Efe Baltacıgil. Harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani, hornist Radovan Vlatković, trumpeter Jens Lindemann, and flutists Jeffrey Barker and Demarre McGill are also among the international roster.

“The Winter Festival is a powerful testament to chamber music’s enduring relevance and role as a cultural magnet,” said Ehnes, who will perform in every concert. “It’s meaningful to welcome such extraordinary musicians to Seattle to collaborate on these incredible works. It’s moving to feel the audience’s response to these shared experiences and inspiring to know that our virtual reach now connects us across the U.S. and into more than a dozen countries.”

In addition to live performances, concerts will be streamed through SCMS’s Virtual Concert Hall, produced by award-winning producer Simon Kiln. Viewers can watch in real time or enjoy on-demand access through March 15, complete with behind-the-scenes footage, artist introductions, and live intermission features.

Festival Highlights

• January 23: Beethoven’s “Ghost” Trio, Amy Beach’s String Quartet, Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet

• January 24: Kodály’s Duo for Violin and Cello, Mozart’s Piano Quartet No. 2, Dohnányi’s Piano Quintet No. 1

• January 25: Mozart’s Piano Trio in B-flat, Prokofiev’s Violin Sonata No. 2, Dvořák’s String Sextet in A Major

• January 30: Complete performance of J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos

• January 31: Biber’s Sonata in C Major, Mozart’s Horn Quintet, Schubert’s Fantasie in F minor, Ravel’s String Quartet

• February 1: Beethoven’s Horn Sonata, Chausson’s Piano Quartet, Dvořák’s “American” Quintet