Seattle Chamber Music Society
Encyclopedia
The Seattle Chamber Music Society (SCMS) is an American organization of musicians located in Seattle, Washington that is dedicated to the performance and promotion of chamber music
. Established in 1982, the presenting organization is currently in its 30th Anniversary Season. Originally the organization only presented a series of summer concerts during the month of July at the Lakeside School
. However, in 1999 the organization added a series of winter concerts during the month of January at Benaroya Hall
in downtown Seattle. In 2005 they expanded their summer series to include further performances during the month of August at The Overlake School
in addition to the July performances.
SCMS was founded by Toby Saks, a cellist
and music professor at the University of Washington
, who continues to serve as artistic director. Grammy Award
-winning violin
ist James Ehnes
was named associate artistic director in 2008. Connie Cooper has been executive director since 1996. Recent performers with the organization include violist Cynthia Phelps
, cellist Ronald Thomas
, pianist Jeremy Denk
and violist Richard O'Neill. The Society hosts more than forty artists each season who also boast impressive careers, with the Seattle Times describing them as "the equivalent of an all-star lineup. A dream team of chamber players."
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
. Established in 1982, the presenting organization is currently in its 30th Anniversary Season. Originally the organization only presented a series of summer concerts during the month of July at the Lakeside School
Lakeside School
Lakeside School is a private/independent school located in the Haller Lake neighborhood at the north city limits of Seattle, Washington, USA, for grades 5–12....
. However, in 1999 the organization added a series of winter concerts during the month of January at Benaroya Hall
Benaroya Hall
Benaroya Hall is the home of the Seattle Symphony in Downtown Seattle, Washington, USA. It features two auditoria, the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, a 2500-seat performance venue, as well as the Nordstrom Recital Hall, which seats roughly 500...
in downtown Seattle. In 2005 they expanded their summer series to include further performances during the month of August at The Overlake School
The Overlake School
The Overlake School is a private, non-sectarian, co-ed, college preparatory school located in Redmond, Washington. It serves 500 students in grades 5 through 12. The school was founded in 1967 by Charlie Clarke. It was recently featured in the Seattle Times for its work in Cambodia.- Academics...
in addition to the July performances.
SCMS was founded by Toby Saks, a cellist
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
and music professor at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, who continues to serve as artistic director. Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist James Ehnes
James Ehnes
James Ehnes, CM is a Canadian concert violinist.The son of Alan Ehnes, trumpet professor at Brandon University and Barbara Ehnes, former director of the Brandon School of Dance, James Ehnes began his violin studies at the age of four...
was named associate artistic director in 2008. Connie Cooper has been executive director since 1996. Recent performers with the organization include violist Cynthia Phelps
Cynthia Phelps
Cynthia Phelps is an American violist whose versatile career involves work as a chamber musician, solo artist, and orchestral musician. Phelps is currently the Principal Violist of the New York Philharmonic, a position to which she was appointed in 1992...
, cellist Ronald Thomas
Ronald Thomas (cellist)
Ronald Thomas is an American cellist known for his work as a soloist and chamber musician. Thomas has made guest appearances with some of the world's finest orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony...
, pianist Jeremy Denk
Jeremy Denk
Jeremy Denk is an American classical pianist. He has performed with numerous orchestras and presented world premieres by Jake Heggie, Libby Larsen, Kevin Puts, and Ned Rorem. He frequently performs with violinists Joshua Bell and Soovin Kim. He has recorded several chamber works as well as a solo...
and violist Richard O'Neill. The Society hosts more than forty artists each season who also boast impressive careers, with the Seattle Times describing them as "the equivalent of an all-star lineup. A dream team of chamber players."