Joy Creativity Transcendence
through world-class chamber music
July 10 - August 2, 2026
Rachel Henderson Freivogel and J Freivogel
Artistic Directors
Welcome to the 2026 Season
Dear Friends,
We are delighted to present our second season as Artistic Directors of Chamber Music Society of the Carolinas!
This season is named The Great Experiment after the founding vision of our self-governed republic. Chamber music shares many of the virtues required for a democratic republic - trust in one another, freedom of thought and purpose, and a belief in one’s ability to do good for the wider world. Each program this season explores this experiment from a different angle: expansion, equality, and class, and all through the lens of tremendous chamber music performed by tremendous chamber musicians.
Week 1 features superstars Susie Park, John T. Posadas, Jenny Kozoroz, and Raman Ramakrishnan, culminating in Brahms’ magnificent String Sextet No. 2. Week 2 brings international historical performance artists Cynthia Miller Freivogel and Artem Belogurov alongside the returning Debra Nagy and Rebecca Landell for a journey from the Parlor to the Pub.
Week 3 features phenomenal bassist Anthony Manzo with the Jasper String Quartet in Dvorak’s Bass Quintet, with composer Reinaldo Moya joining to discuss his new string quartet, Yara. Week 4 welcomes piano virtuoso Jeannette Fang for a program culminating in the Schumann Piano Quartet, a stunning work that closes with the cello C-string tuned down to a low B.
We are grateful to our many supporters. Individual donations increased last year, and your generosity allows us to attract top artists, expand community engagement, and improve the audience experience. We are delighted to welcome Paula Hennon as our new Director of Development and Operations!
On July 22, join us for Summer RADiance, our co-presentation with Asheville Chamber Music Series at the Grey Eagle. This year we’ve expanded our community engagement with visits to TC Roberson High School and Emberlight, and we are grateful to the Sigal Music Museum for providing Artem’s harpsichord.
Thank you to the folks at Swannanoa’s Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church, Greenville’s Fine Arts Center, and Waynesville’s First United Methodist Church for providing intimate, delightful venues.
We look forward to sharing magnificent performances this July and August!
J and Rachel Freivogel
Artistic Directors
Schumann Piano Quintet with J Freivogel, Nicholas DiEugenio, Kara Poorbaugh, Rachel Henderson Freivogel and Mimi Solomon in Greenville, SC - August 2025.
Schubert Cello Quintet with J Freivogel, Karen Kim, Andrew Gonzalez, Rachel Henderson Freivogel and Raman Ramakrishnan in Swannanoa, NC - July 2025.
Join the Chamber Music Society of the Carolinas in 2026 for its 57th Season!
The Chamber Music Society of the Carolinas (CMS Carolinas) is a historic, world-class classical concert series set in the beautiful mountains of North and South Carolina. Each performance comprises a small group of talented, experienced artists, who provide context to the music through spoken introductions, before thrilling the audience with their performances.
Chamber music is a unique, intimate experience where each artist plays one to a part, and the collaboration of voices together leads to a vibrant conversation and a synergetic whole greater than the sum of its individual parts. The audience is able to experience this energy live, creating a magical and visceral experience.
Performers include Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated ensembles, exceptional American string quartets, Van Cliburn and Tchaikovsky competition medalists and principals of major US orchestras.
CMS Carolinas presents 13 concerts in July and August in three intimate and welcoming venues: Asheville, NC, Waynesville, NC, and Greenville, SC. Tickets and information coming soon!
Mondry Quartet with Les Délices in Greenville, SC - July 2025.
Beethoven Serenade with Karen Kim, Julietta Curenton and Andrew Gonzalez in Waynesville, NC - July 2025.
2026 Locations & Event Dates
Artists perform Felix Mendelssohn’s Octet in Waynesville
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of donors and sponsors who make each season possible.