The Balourdet Quartet Returns for its Second Residency with Seattle Chamber Music Society
Following an extraordinary inaugural season, the Balourdet Quartet will continue as Seattle Chamber Music Society’s String Quartet in Residence for a second year (September 2026 through May 2027). Building on their first residency, the renewal celebrates the quartet’s dual role as both professional musicians and community collaborators—bringing artistry not only to the concert stage but also into classrooms, neighborhoods, and unique spaces across King County.
Over the past season, the quartet:
- Performed on the Signature Series alongside Artistic Director James Ehnes.
- Mentored musicians in the Academy for Chamber Music through coachings, masterclasses, and sight-reading parties.
- Established a lecture-recital series that explored the music of Ravel, Brahms, and a new commission by Karim Al-Zand.
- Led workshops with students from the University of Washington and the University of Puget Sound.
- Brought chamber music into homes, schools, community health spaces, and unique locations across King County.
A Residency That Became Part of the Community
During their first year, the Balourdet Quartet didn’t simply perform in Seattle—they lived here, working day-to-day in close connection with the community. Based at Skyline, a downtown Seattle retirement community, the quartet formed meaningful relationships with residents through informal interactions, rehearsals, and frequent performances.
What emerged was something rare: a residency where artists and audience shared space, conversation, and daily life. Residents attended open rehearsals, masterclasses, and intimate concerts—creating a level of access and connection that is seldom possible in traditional concert settings.
Bringing Chamber Music to Classrooms Across King County
A core component of this year’s residency was the Balourdet Quartet’s work within the Seattle school system. This year, the quartet reached more than 2,000 students across nearly 20 schools in nine King County Council Districts. Highlights include visits to Washington Middle School and Olympic Hills Elementary School, sharing the breadth of the string quartet genre and introducing string instruments to students. The quartet performed side-by-side with ukulele students at Bailey Gatzert Elementary School and with xylophone students at Clara Barton Elementary School, and they also coached high-level chamber ensembles at Bellevue High School, Lakeside School, Ballard High School, and Chief Sealth High School. The quartet’s sustained presence in Seattle enabled consistent engagement within Seattle schools, cultivating meaningful relationships with students and music educators through shared musical experiences.
Expanding the Role of Music in Community Health
Another cornerstone of the residency was the quartet’s engagement with the evolving dialogue about music and health. Central to this work was a collaboration with the Memory Hub, a program within the University of Washington’s Memory and Brain Wellness Center. In partnership with doctoral candidate Sarah McKiddy, the Balourdet Quartet co-designed and performed music-based programs for people living with memory loss. These initiatives explored how live music can spark memory, reduce anxiety, and foster connection—often producing immediate emotional responses, even when other forms of communication are difficult. The work extended beyond performance to co-creation, with participants painting, moving, and engaging physically with music in ways that enrich both artistic and human connection.
This commitment to music and well-being continued through partnerships with Path with Art, where the quartet participated in an interactive jam session, and through performances with the 3 Wishes Program at the University of Washington Medical Center, offering live music for patients nearing the end of life.
Looking Ahead: Year Two
Building on a first season defined by meaningful engagement, the quartet will continue its work in the community—expanding partnerships, refining community-based programming, and working with students in SCMS’s Academy for Chamber Music.
In a recent conversation with the Balourdet Quartet on their upcoming 2026-27 residency, the quartet remarked: “We are excited to keep building relationships in Seattle, create new projects that grow from what we’ve discovered this year, and spend more time in a city that has embraced us with such warmth and generosity.”
At its core, the string quartet in residence program defines the mission of Seattle Chamber Music Society: to foster a deep appreciation for excellent chamber music through experiences that are welcoming, relevant, and rooted in connection. As this past year has shown, when artists are truly embedded in a community, their impact extends far beyond the music itself.
