Chamber Music San Francisco (CMSF) is offering a hybrid season in 2026. CMSF Artistic and Executive Director Jeanette Wong explained what that means.
“The season marks the programming transition from founder Daniel Levenstein to me as Daniel booked half the season before he retired from the organization in 2024 and I filled in the remaining dates.”
The organization welcomes back pianists Angela Hewitt, Tiffany Poon, and Olga Kern, while introducing artists new to the series, such as violinist Nathan Meltzer and the Myriad Trio, flutist Demarre McGill, violist Che-Yen Chen, and harpist Julie Smith Phillips.
Meltzer has won prizes at the 2022 Sibelius and Singapore International Violin Competitions; Kern is making her sixth CMSF appearance, this time with the Dalí Quartet. Flutist Brandon Patrick George will perform with the Escher String Quartet.
The 2026 series consists of six concerts in San Francisco’s 892-seat Herbst Theatre and four in the 590-seat Presidio Theatre; five concerts each in Walnut Creek’s 297-seat Margaret Lesher Theatre, and in Palo Alto’s 330-seat Schultz Cultural Arts Hall at the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center.
“Community engagement and accessibility continues to be a main priority for the organization,” said Wong. “We partnered on one of Amateur Music Network’s ‘Backstage Pass’ artist talks last year, featuring Yefim Bronfman. We will be expanding that partnership this season.” The informal post-concert talks are hosted by pianist Sarah Cahill.
CMSF offers a half price, under-30 subscription. The organization also has a Sponsor-a-Student donation program, which distributes free tickets to music students.
Here's the CMSF season, with San Francisco concert dates. For Walnut Creek and Palo Alto dates, see the organization’s website.
Aris Quartet, Feb. 22 — Quartets by Beethoven, Shostakovich, and Brahms
Tiffany Poon, March 1 — Program to be announced
Stella Chen, Matthew Lipman, and Brannon Cho Trio, March 8 — Works by Dohnányi, Andreia Pinto-Correia, and Mozart
Angela Hewitt, March 15 — Works by Bach, Schumann, Couperin, and Ravel
Myriad Trio, March 28 — Works by Rameau, Jan Bach, Lita Grier, and Beethoven
Quatuor Danel, April 12 — Works by Mendelssohn, Ravel, and Tchaikovsky
Nathan Meltzer, April 19 — Works by Poulenc, Fauré, Sky Macklay, and Schubert
Carion Wind Quintet, April 26 — Works by Ligeti, Haydn, Meaglia Belle, Gene Cavadlo, and Bartok
Olga Kern with the Dalí Quartet, May 10 — Works by Piazzolla, Dvorák, and solo piano works to be announced
Escher Quartet with Brandon Patrick George, May 17 — Works by Beach, Verdi, Barber, Mozart, and Ginastera
