Annual Summer Festival
Each season, Artistic Director Aloysia Friedmann creates a new program of innovative concerts and events for the two-and-a-half-week Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival. Audiences are continually amazed at the stellar variety of artists and repertoire offered. From standard compositions to world premieres of works by renowned composers, Aloysia is known for pushing the boundaries of chamber music while at the same time satisfying more traditional tastes with stunning and inspiring performances of familiar pieces. In addition, Festival-goers find themselves entertained and educated at talks given by noted experts in their music-related fields. Well-known classical composers, professors at major music schools, conductors of major symphony orchestras, and internationally-known radio personalities have enlightened our audiences through many Festival seasons. The summer Festival also reaches out to local residents with free Hamlet Concerts at community centers in all corners of the island, a free Children’s Concert, and a free Open Rehearsal for Seniors for older people in the community who might find it difficult to attend an evening concert.
Salon Concerts and Dinner Concerts
Musicians from past Festivals often let us know when they will be performing in the Northwest, and, if schedules permit, Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival arranges for them to play Salon Concerts and Dinner Concerts in private homes. Sign up for our Scherzo Newsletter to be among the first to know about OICMF events throughout the year.
Community Concerts
Community Concerts are presented in a variety of venues several times during the year, usually in conjunction with multi-day educational Musicians-in-Residence experiences. The concerts always feature top musicians, some solo, some in ensembles, and are always engaging and fun for local audiences, many of whom haven’t been to the summer Festival. The Musicians-in-Residence events are underwritten by grants and donors to support community arts enrichment, so the concerts tickets are offered at low cost and are free for young people 18 and under and their families through our “Friends of Joyce” ticket program.
Leaves of Gold Concert
Near the end of each year, the stately Rosario Resort and Spa graciously lends OICMF the beautiful upstairs Music Room in the mansion for the Festival’s annual Leaves of Gold concert. Artistic Director Aloysia Friedmann invites musicians from her network of professionals in the performing world to join her and Jon Kimura Parker for an early evening concert, after which the audience is invited to a lavish buffet prepared by Rosario’s executive chef.
Spring Thank You Concert
Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival recognizes donors who have given $1,000 or more toward the upcoming Festival with the gift of a Spring Thank You Concert. Aloysia Friedmann and Jon Kimura Parker are often joined by other extraordinary musicians to perform for this deserving audience in a beautiful setting, frequently a historic Orcas Island church. The concert is followed by a reception with delicious hors d’oeuvres prepared by one of the island’s finest chefs. This audience is also the first to taste the upcoming season’s private label wine selections.
