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String Quartet in Residence Program

Seattle Chamber Music Society (SCMS) invites applications for its 2027–2028 String Quartet in Residence Program!

 

This residency is designed for an established, emerging string quartet seeking resources, exposure, and opportunities to help advance their professional career. The quartet will have opportunities to coach one-on-one with SCMS’s Artistic Director James Ehnes and SCMS artists, coach students enrolled in the Academy for Chamber Music, lead community engagement initiatives, perform recitals, use of state-of-the-art recording equipment, and have exclusive access to a rehearsal studio.

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Application Overview:

Part 1: Online Application due October 1, 2026
     $50 application fee before August 31
     $100 application fee after September 1

Part 2: Online Interview in October/November  

Part 3: In-person interview and live performance in November/December 

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Residency Highlights

The resident quartet will receive: 

  • A stipend of $88,000.00 ($22,000.00/person), paid in periodic installments over the course of the engagement, per the residency agreement  
  • Complimentary housing in Seattle during the residency* 
  • Artistic and professional mentorship from SCMS leadership and guest artists 
  • Administrative and organizational guidance related to building a sustainable chamber music career 
  • Support for community-based artistic initiatives and collaborative projects

*The members of the SCMS String Quartet in Residence are expected to be based in Seattle during the residency (September 2027-May 2028) and will receive room and board as well as living stipends to fully support the quartet in fully immersing themselves in the community. With this said, SCMS fully supports the quartet in continuing to develop an international career and will do our absolute best to coordinate the residency events with existing touring schedules. All quartet members must be able to demonstrate eligibility to work in the United States.

Primary Activities & Engagements

Performances

The resident quartet will participate in a variety of SCMS artistic activities, which may include: 

  • Mainstage performances and chamber music series with SCMS musicians
  • Community concerts  
  • Educational performances  

The quartet will contribute to SCMS’s educational programming, including:  

  • Coaching and mentoring chamber music ensembles in the Academy for Chamber Music  
  • Participating in public coaching sessions/masterclasses  
  • Delivering lectures and educational presentations 

The quartet will participate in a broad range of community-centered activities, including: 

  • Community performances throughout the Seattle region in schools, museums, community centers, and hospitals  
  • Informal performances and audience engagement activities such as sight-reading parties with youth and adult musicians  
  • Festival engagement events during SCMS seasonal programming  

The residency is intended to provide meaningful professional development opportunities, including: 

  • Collaboration with internationally recognized guest artists  
  • Opportunities to explore innovative educational programming  
  • Guidance in organizational development and artistic entrepreneurship  

If you have any questions about the application process or the program, please reach out to Marta Lambert at [email protected] 

Apply Now!
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