Seattle chamber music society announces winter festival
Seattle, Jan. 9, 2025 — Seattle Chamber Music Society (SCMS) announces the programming for its 2025 Winter Festival, scheduled from January 24 to February 2. The two-week exploration, featuring music by 18 different composers, will showcase the most iconic works from 1850-1950, performed by the best musicians in the world.
The 2025 Winter Festival is sponsored by Ned and Dana Laird. The Virtual Concert Hall is generously sponsored by Diana K. Carey. Dave and Amy Fulton generously sponsor the 2024-2025 season.
Since 1982, SCMS has been a cornerstone of Seattle’s classical music scene, presenting world-class performances and enriching the community with its mission to make high-quality chamber music accessible to all. Every year, the SCMS Winter and Summer Festivals attract top musicians from around the globe to perform extraordinary celebrations of music at Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall. Patrons worldwide also enjoy the concerts through the SCMS Virtual Concert Hall.
“Our 2025 Winter Festival is a celebration of the best our art form has to offer” said James Ehnes, the Gilbert Omenn and Martha Darling Artistic Director of SCMS. “It’s exhilarating to witness the alchemy of these world-class artists performing in unique chamber music contexts and an absolute thrill to share this incredible music with audiences near and far,” he adds.
The 2025 Winter Festival promises to exemplify the excellence, creativity, and passion that defines Seattle Chamber Music Society. Week 1 will transport audiences to the second half of the 19th century, featuring masterworks from Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Dvořák, alongside exciting discoveries from Amy Beach and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. In week 2, concert-goers venture into the 20th century, where the program explores the progression from late-Romantic brilliance to the bold, dramatic language of composers like Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and Bartók.
To view the full schedule and order single tickets or season subscriptions, click HERE.
WEEK 1: 1850-1900
—Friday, January 24—
Concert | 7:30 p.m.
Amy Beach: Romance for Violin and Piano, Op. 23
Bella Hristova, Gloria ChienCécile Chaminade: 3 Morceaux for Violin and Piano, Op. 31
Bella Hristova, Gloria ChienAlexander Borodin: String Quintet in F minor
Timothy Chooi, Njioma Grevious, Jonathan Vinocour, Yegor Dyachkov, Efe BaltacıgilJohannes Brahms: Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34
Ieva Jokubaviciute, Erin Keefe, Blake Pouliot, Rebecca Albers, Ani Aznavoorian
Free Pre-Concert Recital | 6:30 p.m. (In-Person Only)
César Franck: Violin Sonata in A Major, M. 8
Timothy Chooi, Gloria Chien
—Saturday, January 25—
Concert | 7:30 p.m.
Robert Schumann: Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor, Op. 105
Blake Pouliot, Ieva JokubaviciuteSamuel Coleridge-Taylor: Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 1
Gloria Chien, Njioma Grevious, Bella Hristova, Rebecca Albers, Yegor Dyachkov
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: String Quartet No. 1 in D Major, Op. 11, “Accordion”
Erin Keefe, Timothy Chooi, Jonathan Vinocour, Ani Aznavoorian
Free Pre-Concert Recital | 6:30 p.m. (In-Person Only)
Nokuthula Ngwenyama: Miasma
Dobrinka Tabakova: Pirin
David Ludwig: Moto Perpetuo
Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: Fantasy for Solo Violin
Bella Hristova
—Sunday, January 26—
Concert | 2 p.m.
Antonín Dvorák: Selections from Cypresses for String Quartet, B. 152
Bella Hristova, Njioma Grevious, Jonathan Vinocour, Ani AznavoorianCamille Saint-Saëns: Violin Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 75
Timothy Chooi, Ieva JokubaviciuteCésar Franck: Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 14
Gloria Chien, Blake Pouliot, Erin Keefe, Rebecca Albers, Yegor Dyachkov
Free Pre-Concert Recital | 1 p.m. (In-Person Only)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Duo in G Major for violin and viola, K 423
Bohuslav Martinů: Three Madrigals for Violin and Viola, H. 313
Blake Pouliot, Jonathan Vinocour
WEEK 2: 1900-1950
—Friday, January 31—
Concert | 7:30 p.m.
Béla Bartók: Sonata for 2 Pianos and Percussion, Sz. 110
Alessio Bax, Orion Weiss, Eric Schweikert, Michael Werner
Georges Enescu: String Octet in C Major, Op. 7
James Ehnes, Amy Schwartz Moretti, Jun Iwasaki, Grace Park, Che-Yen Chen, Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, Edward Arron, Bion Tsang
Free Pre-Concert Recital | 6:30 p.m. (In-Person Only)
Academy for Chamber Music
Anton Arensky: Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 32
I. Allegro moderato
Eura Trio - Taiyo Oishi, piano; Rachel Jung, violin; Charlie Lee, celloFelix Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Op. 44, No. 1
I. Molto allegro vivace
Le Quatuor de la Lune
Hana Gottesman & Emma Le Metzger, violins; Jayden Chae, viola; Leyna Kitahama, cello
—Saturday, February 1—
Concert | 7:30 p.m.
Rebecca Clarke: Sonata for Viola and Piano
Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, Orion Weiss
Sergei Prokofiev: String Quartet No. 2 in F Major, Op. 92
Grace Park, Jun Iwasaki, Che-Yen Chen, Bion TsangErich Wolfgang Korngold: Suite for Piano Left Hand, 2 Violins, and Cello, Op. 23
Alessio Bax, James Ehnes, Amy Schwartz Moretti, Edward Arron
Free Pre-Concert Recital | 6:30 p.m. (In-Person Only)
Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Much Ado About Nothing, suite for violin & piano, Op. 11
Tanzlied des Pierrot” from Die tote Stadt, Op. 12 for Violin and Piano
“Marietta’s Lied” from Die tote Stadt, Op. 12 for Violin and Piano
James Ehnes, Orion Weiss
—Sunday, February 2—
Concert | 2 p.m.
William Grant Still: Suite for Violin and Piano
Jun Iwasaki, Alessio BaxDmitri Shostakovich: Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67
Grace Park, Efe Baltacıgil, Orion WeissArnold Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), Op. 4
James Ehnes, Amy Schwartz Moretti, Che-Yen Chen, Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, Edward Arron, Bion Tsang
Free Pre-Concert Recital | 1 p.m. (In-Person Only)
Edvard Grieg: Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45
Grace Park, Alessio Bax
About Seattle Chamber Music Society
The mission of Seattle Chamber Music Society is to foster the appreciation of chamber music by presenting performances, both in-person and online through the Virtual Concert Hall, that feature world-class musicians in accessible and inviting formats, with an emphasis on developing a broad-based sustainable audience through education and community outreach. Each year, SCMS presents a Winter Festival in January and a Summer Festival in July at the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall, bringing the world’s finest classical musicians to the stage. These intimate chamber music performances captivate both seasoned enthusiasts and newcomers alike. In addition to its renowned festivals, SCMS offers an expanded year-round lineup, including the new Signature Series, Crescendo Concerts in Seattle’s most stunning homes, and Concerts at the Center for Chamber Music, providing unparalleled access to extraordinary musical experiences.
SCMS also enriches the community through dynamic engagement programs designed for audiences of all ages. From inspiring young learners in elementary schools to enriching lives in retirement communities, and from performances in hospitals and parks to concerts on wheels, SCMS remains steadfast in its mission to bring world-class chamber music to every corner of our community.