Inaugural Chamber Music Athens festival

The Hugh Hodgson School of Music presents the inaugural Chamber Music Athens, a festival with a national scope that will bring together internationally-acclaimed guest artists, UGA faculty and students May 12-21 for 10 days of chamber music festivities and performances:

Audiences can enjoy concerts in the Performing Arts Center as well as venues on and off the UGA campus, such as the Georgia Museum of Art, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, the Seney-Stovall Chapel, the Hugh Hodgson School of Music and Athens Institute for Contemporary Art. Community members also are invited behind the scenes to enjoy open rehearsals, masterclasses and panel discussions with guest artists and UGA faculty.

“Our festival puts the special art of chamber music front and center and brings world-class artists in even closer contact with HHSOM faculty and students, who will collaborate in performances and coaching, as well as the Athens community with performances in multiple beautiful venues around town,” said Liza Stepanova, assistant professor of piano at UGA. “Chamber music is all about sharing, conversation and collaboration, and this is the spirit of our festival.”

Guest artists include the award-winning Jupiter String Quartet, pianist Peter Frankl, violinist Soovin Kim and soprano Sarah Shafer. In collaboration with the UGA Performing Arts Center, a recital by the New York Philharmonic String Quartet also will be part of the festival. In addition to Stepanova, participating UGA faculty include Michael Heald, violin; Maggie Snyder, viola; David Starkweather, cello; D. Ray McClellan, clarinet; Jean Martin-Williams, horn; and pianists David Fung and Martha Thomas. Mark Cedel will be conducting, and Mark Mobley will be narrating.

The festival includes a variety of masterclasses and free concerts, so make sure to check the schedule, come out and enjoy some great chamber music during May.

Image: Jupiter String Quartet, one of the featured performers in the Chamber Music Athens festival.