Press Releases, Reviews, and Articles

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August, 2023:

Classical Voice North America:
Summer Festival 2023

 

July, 2023:

bachtrack:
Summer Festival 2023

 

June, 2023:

The Seattle Times:
Summer Festival 2023

 

December, 2022:

Post Alley:
Academy for Chamber Music Debut!

 

November, 2022:

The Daily Telegraph:
James Ehnes – Sydney Symphony Orchestra

 

October, 2022:

The Gramophone Newsletter:
James Ehnes – Gramophone Instrumental Award 2022

 

2022 Summer Festival:

Post Alley:
How Seattle Built a First-Rate Chamber Music Festival

The Seattle Times:
Seattle Chamber Music Society marks a new era with its roving concert truck and downtown space

 

September, 2020:

SCMS Executive Director to retire (released September 30; PDF)

 

2019 Winter Festival:

The Seattle Times:

Seattle Chamber Music Society’s Winter Festival brightens these traffic-ridden, post-holiday weeks on January 21

 

2018 Summer Festival:

The Seattle Times:

Seattle Chamber Music Society debuts an ear-boggling piece by a ‘Dark Knight’ composer on July 17

 

2017 Summer Festival:

The Seattle Times:

The 2017 Seattle chamber-music fest promises a world premiere and lots of winds on June 25

Review: At Seattle chamber-music fest, a world premiere in graceful flight on July 11

 

2017 Winter Festival:

The Seattle Times:

It’s the ‘golden age’ of U.S. composing, Seattle chamber-music fest director proclaims on January 15

Seattle chamber-music fest proves the little things among the notes mean a lot on January 22

 

2016 Summer Festival:

The Seattle Times:

Wolves, storms and bluegrass: an afternoon with Seattle Chamber Music Society’s Commissioning Club on May 25

12 concerts, 49 musicians: Seattle Chamber Music Society marks its 35th Summer Festival on June 30

Premiere of ‘Inland Seas’ generates buzz at Seattle Chamber Music Society’s summer festival on July 12

 

2016 Winter Festival:

The Seattle Times:

Rekindle your spirits with Seattle Chamber Music Society’s Winter Festival on January 17

Sizzling violins, well-mannered flutes at Seattle Chamber Music fest on January 23

Vanguard Seattle:

Seattle Chamber Music Society 2016 Winter Festival: Jan. 22-31 on January 25

 

2015 Summer Festival:

Bachtrack:

An unusual and moving evening at Seattle’s Summer Chamber Music Festival on July 19

A gorgeous chamber music première in Seattle on July 21

The Seattle Times:

Baritones in the shower: Surprising perks of hosting Chamber Music Society players on July 5

Chamber-music fest off to sizzling start on July 7

Chamber fest closes week 1 with some of Beethoven’s best on July 11

It’s all about the voice in week 2 of chamber festival on July 14

From recital to finale, an evening of chamber finery on July 16

The Strad:

Star violinist James Ehnes on his ‘other’ life as a chamber musician on July 14

Strings:

Sleepless in Seattle – October 2015 issue (PDF)

Vanguard Seattle:

In Memoriam: Seattle Chamber Music Society’s Summer Festival on July 31

 

2015 Winter Festival:

KING.org:

Preview: Seattle Chamber Music Festival, Week 2 on January 29

Seattle Gay News:

Memorable performances, so-so programming at Seattle Chamber Music Society Winter Festival on January 29

Seen & Heard International:

A Festival’s Growth to Maturity on February 5

The Seattle Times:

Warm up with Bach, Vivaldi and more at SCMS Winter Fest on January 20

At chamber-music fest, a vibrant, revelatory Vivaldi on January 26

 

American Chamber Music:

Second Inversion:

ALBUM OF THE WEEK: “American Chamber Music” from Seattle Chamber Music Society

ResMusica:

James Ehnes, Musiques Américaines (en français)

American Chamber Music – ResMusica – Jan 2015 (translation)

The New York Times:

Classical Playlist: Bruckner, Igor Kamenz and More

ClassicsToday.com:

American Chamber Music

The Telegraph:

James Ehnes, American Chamber Music, review: ‘fascinating’

BBC Radio (transcript):

American Chamber Music – CD Review – Sept 2014

ConcertoNet.com:

American Chamber Music

 

2014 Summer Festival

Bachtrack:

A full chamber feast in Seattle on July 10

Seattle Chamber Festival closes on an elegiac note on August 4

CityArts:

Eclectic and Electric on July 3

A Thrilling Presentation of ‘The Soldier’s Tale’ on July 14

Classical Voice North America:

Ehnes Fans Flame Of Chamber Music At Seattle Festival on July 11

Crosscut:

The Weekend List: The arts and culture guide to Seattle’s good life on July 3

KING.org:

11 Don’t-Miss Summer Concerts in Western Washington on July 9

Magic at the Seattle Chamber Music Festival on July 24

Second Inversion on KING.org:

Seattle Chamber Music Festival 2014: Derek Bermel World Premiere and More on July 3

The Seattle Times:

Seattle Chamber Music Society releases 2014 summer lineup on April 8

Parents and pianists: Anna Polonsky, Orion Weiss return to Seattle fest on July 4

Chamber-music fans, who’s your hero? Monday night, it was Augustin Hadelich on July 8

Mendelssohn brings ’em to their feet at chamber fest on July 10

At chamber fest, world premiere of contemplative ‘Death with Interruptions’ on July 15

Cellist and pianist save the day at Monday’s chamber concert on July 22

Seattle Weekly:

The Pick List: The Week’s Recommended Events on July 1

Seen and Heard International:

Seattle Chamber Music Society: An Evolving Force in the City on August 15

The SunBreak:

A Superb, Summer Concert at the CMC on July 10


 

2014 Winter Festival

Crosscut:

Warming up to Seattle Chamber Music Society’s Winter Festival on January 22

Seattle Gay News:

Chamber music flourishes in Winter Festival on January 31

The Seattle Times:

Ehnes Quartet to make formal debut at SCMS Winter Festival on January 19

Chamber-music society magic continues in winter fest opening on January 25

Ehnes Quartet wows crowd in closing chamber-fest concert on February 3

 


 

2013 Summer Festival

American Composers Alliance:

World Premiere of Lawrence Dillon’s Sanctuary, by Seattle Chamber Music Society on July 8

Crosscut:

Summer of strings: A guide to Seattle’s chamber music festival, July 12, 2013

KING.org:

The Seattle Chamber Music Festival 2013

KUOW.org:

Understanding Vitamins, Composer Lawrence Dillion, And Greendays, July 23, 2013 (Interview begins at 14:30)

Musical America Worldwide:

World Premiere of Lawrence Dillon’s Sanctuary Presented by Seattle Chamber Music Society, July 3, 2013

MusicWeb International:

Urban and Bucolic: Pacific Northwest Chamber Music, July 4, 2013

World Premiere Promises More Than It Delivers, July 11, 2013

Seattle Metropolitan Magazine:

A Fiendish Conversation with James Ehnes, June 26, 2013

The Seattle Times:

Seattle Chamber Music Society’s 2013 summer fest lineup, April 1, 2013

Cellist Arron: chamber music champion, Seattle chamber-fest fan, June 23, 2013

Seattle chamber-music fest returns in fine form, July 1, 2013

SCMS fest, night 2: Jazzy Martinu, eloquent Tchaikovsky, July 2, 2013

Chamber music fest continues with hits and near-misses, July 9, 2013

Britten dazzles at Seattle Chamber Music Society festival, July 16, 2013

Packed house digs in to Ives, Carter at chamber fest, July 23, 2013

Quartet skillfully navigates haunting Shostakovich, July 25, 2013

Seattle Chamber Music Society summer fest ends on high note, July 27, 2013

The SunBreak:

For Summer, a Chamber Music Feast at Benaroya Hall, July 1, 2013

Summer Chamber Music Festival Raises the Roof at Benaroya, July 6, 2013

Where There’s Smoke, There’s Summer Chamber Music Festival Fire, July 11, 2013

A Light-Hearted World Premiere at Seattle’s Summer Chamber Music Festival, July 12, 2013

Spectacular Shostakovich Lights Up Summer Chamber Music Fest, July 26, 2013


 

2013 Winter Festival

MusicWeb International:

James Ehnes—Not Just a Pretty Bow Arm, January 30, 2013

Seattle Weekly:

Going for Baroque, January 16, 2013

The Seattle Times:

A Symphony presence in Seattle Chamber Music Society’s 2013 Winter Festival, January 13, 2013

At chamber-music fest, program and performance in harmony, January 22, 2013

The Sun Break:

At Winter Chamber Music Festival, Britten and Reich Mingle with Beethoven, January 21, 2013

From Brahms to Bartók at the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, January 22, 2013

Seattle Chamber Music Society Goes for Baroque, January 26, 2013

 


 

2012 Summer Festival

Crosscut:

James Ehnes is subtly changing the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, July 24, 2012

KING.ORG:

Seattle Chamber Music Society’s Summer Festival, July 9, 2012

MusicWeb International:

Extremes in varying proportion open Seattle festival, July 6, 2012

Seriousness and fun from Seattle Chamber Music Society, July 20, 2012

SCMS in premiere by Gary Kulesha, July 23, 2012

Seattle Weekly:

Seattle Chamber Music Society: Cello, gorgeous, July 17, 2012

Seattle Chamber Music Society: Resistant to conventional wisdom, July 21, 2012

Ear supply: A change is gonna come, June 27, 2012

The Seattle Times:

My best bets of summer, May 19, 2012

James Ehnes, happy at the helm of SCMS, July 1, 2012

Scorching Bartok opened Seattle chamber-music festival, July 3, 2012

Free chamber music recitals can be worth their weight in gold, July 9, 2012

Chamber music evening full of great composers, July 12, 2012

SSO cellist Efe Baltacigil shines in chamber-music fest, July 18, 2012

The Romantic, the modern at SCMS Festival, July 25, 2012

Seattle chamber-music fest closes with truly great finale, July 30, 2012

The Sun Break:

Seattle Chamber Music Society’s Summer Festival Opens Fortissimo, July 5, 2012

Catching a stellar “Trout” at the Summer Chamber Music Festival, July 6, 2012

 


 

2012 Winter Festival

Crosscut:

A new era begins for Seattle chamber music, January 31

MusicWeb International:

SCMS Winter Festival Showcases Brahms Quartets, February 7

The Seattle Times:

Chamber-music fest opens on exciting note, February 3

The Sun Break:

 


 

2011 Summer Festival

KING.ORG:

Melinda Bargreen on KING.ORG, July 25

Melinda Bargreen on KING.ORG, August 10

MusicWeb International:

Grieg, Schumann, Mozart, Schubert and Debussy, July 14

Not quite a concert, more a Seattle anniversary, August 5

The Gathering Note:

Music matches context this past Sunday, July 19

The Seattle Times:

Departing Toby Saks: Chamber Music Festival is Rolling Smoothly, July 4

Chamber Music Fest: A little dessert, double helping of piano, July 7

Debussy’s sole string piece makes for singular moment, July 14

Summer Festival presents concert of darkness, light, July 28

A moving musical tribute, July 30

Chamber music fest opens Eastside concerts, August 4

The Sun Break:

Seattle’s Chamber Music Festival now in progress, July 7

Crowds arrive for summer chamber music festival, July 13

Kaminsky’s Spare and Clear Premiere, July 19

SCMS bids farewell to founder Toby Saks, July 24

 


 

2011 Winter Festival

Crosscut:

A transcendent start to a chamber music week, January 28

The Gathering Note:

It’s Back: SCMS returns to Benaroya Hall, January 28

Brahms, Brahms and more Brahms, January 29

Faure’s First Piano Quintet a winner at SCMS Winter Festival, February 6

The Seattle Times:

Winter Festival starts with a big Liszt, January 22

World class musicianship on display, January 28