Chamber Music Charleston (CMC) is an organization dedicated to developing the audience for classical music through chamber music concerts and educational performances of high artistic quality by musicians of the Lowcountry. All programs presented by CMC are developed to highlight the diversity, eclecticism and excitement possible in chamber music.
Chamber Music Charleston
PO Box 80072
Charleston, SC 29416
(843)763-4941
Staff
Sandra Nikolajevs, President & Artistic Director
sandra@chambermusiccharleston.org
John McFadden, Education Program Coordinator
Susan Polack, Patron Liason
Becky McFerran, Volunteer Coordinator
Rosa Fullerton, Reception Coordinator
Board of Directors 2022-2023 Season
Rob Polack, Chair
Barbara Campbell
Rosa Fullerton
Nelson Hicks
Griff Hogan
Joe A Lambright
Katherine Roberts
Charles Tremann
Richard Wilson
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHAMBER MUSIC CHARLESTON
Chamber Music Charleston (CMC) was founded in 2006 with a 5 member advisory board, 13 core musicians who performed throughout the initial season and presented 15 concerts. The majority of the performances were “House Concerts,” intimate evenings of chamber music in private homes of Downtown Charleston and Kiawah Island.
Over the years CMC began presenting more concerts to meet the demand for their unique, informative, engaging presentations. During subsequent years the organization added performances in churches, schools and art galleries in addition to special performances for the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Happy New Year Charleston, MOJA Festival and North Charleston Arts Festival. In 2013 CMC presented its first concert at Carnegie Hall with a successful return engagement in 2017. May 2018 marked the first international performance as part of a collaboration with the Musica en Segura Festival, Segura de la Sierra, Spain. The 2019-2020 season will continue the tradition of House Concerts in addition to in-school performances, concerts the Dock Street Theatre, a return to the Musica en Segura Festival, the launch of the new “Salon Series” at Charleston’s historic South Carolina Society Hall and a special violin recital concert featuring legendary violinist Midori.
In its most recent season, CMC entertained over 5,400 audience members.
Mission:
The mission of Chamber Music Charleston is to enhance the quality of life in the Greater Charleston area through the performance, cultivation and promotion of classical chamber music of high artistic quality.
Vision:
A Greater Charleston community in which superb chamber music is performed frequently and appreciated by many as an important facet of the cultural richness of the Lowcountry.
Geographic Area Served: Greater Charleston
Population Served:
Annually CMC serves over 1,800 children and 3,600 of the greater Charleston area. The children’s programs primarily reach children residing in the rural Johns Island area while the adult programs reach audiences from Charleston, Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island and Edisto Island.
Recent Milestones:
CMC:
– Engaged legendary violinist Midori for a performance of the 2019-2020 season
– Presented its first international performance at the Musica en Segura Festival in Segura de la Sierra, Spain in May, 2018.
– Presented two sold-out performances at Carnegie Hall (May 2013 and May 2017)
– Reached a total of 262 performance venues, including homes, schools, churches, halls, gazebos, courtyards—and an aquarium!
– completed its most recent season financially in the black, as it has all previous seasons.
– Lead the commission and premiere performance of James Stephenson’s “There Are No Words,” written in response to Charleston’s Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting in June 2015.
– May 1, 2016 was officially recognized by the Mayor of the City of Charleston as “Chamber Music Charleston Day” in celebration of the organization’s 10 year anniversary