welcome to chicago:
where chamber music meets the moment. 

Iryna Krechkovsky is an award-winning violinist, educator, and arts executive. She is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Chamber Music | OC, where she leads the nationally recognized Pre-College Program. A founding member of Trio Céleste, she has appeared on major broadcast platforms and serves on the summer faculty at the Montecito International Music Festival. iryna@chambermusicoc.org

Jennifer Elowitch is Director of Music at Walnut Hill School for the Arts, a three-time E.E. Ford Faculty Award recipient, and Founder and Artistic Director Emerita of the Portland Chamber Music Festival. She teaches and presents widely, and performs as Assistant Principal Second Violin with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. 

Deborah Barrett Price is a nationally recognized violist, pedagogue, and founder of the Chamber Music Connection, Inc., a leading program for chamber music education and performance. She is a recipient of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Award for Extraordinary Service to Chamber Music and multiple major arts education honors. 

Miriam Owens is the President and CEO of The People’s Music School, Chicago’s largest 100% tuition-free after-school music program. Her career has spanned education, business, and arts. Miriam holds an AB from Harvard University, an MS in Education from Hunter College, and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Miriam Owens is the President and CEO of The People’s Music School, Chicago’s largest 100% tuition-free after-school music program. Her career has spanned education, business, and arts. Miriam holds an AB from Harvard University, an MS in Education from Hunter College, and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Pamela Freund-Striplen is a visionary curator and violist known for innovative programming and community impact. As founder and Artistic Director of the Gold Coast Chamber Players for 35 years, she created over 150 original programs and pioneering educational initiatives, earning major regional arts awards and a mayoral proclamation in her honor.

Of Navajo-Ute heritage, R. Carlos Nakai is the world’s leading performer of the Native American flute. With more than 50 recordings—including two gold albums—he has earned 11 Grammy nominations and 10 NAMA awards. He tours widely, performing instrumental music that blends Native traditions with diverse contemporary influences.

Lyric baritone Robert Sims, a Gold Medal winner of the American Traditions Competition, is acclaimed for his masterful interpretation of African American spirituals. His performances span Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and collaborations with leading artists. A dedicated advocate, he created the Lincoln Center production Majesty of the Spiritual.

Kori Coleman is a Chicago-based arts executive, creative strategist, and entrepreneur who has built a career by leveraging the power of creativity and storytelling to encourage Black people to take up space in any place. She is the Founder, Executive, & Artistic Director of D-Composed, a Black chamber music collective and non-profit organization committed to uplifting and empowering society by providing a platform for the music of Black composers.

Miera Kim has been the Executive Director and core violinist of Red Cedar Chamber Music since 2016. Prior to that, she was a private teacher and titled player in Orchestra Iowa and the Quad Cities Symphony.

Carey Bostian has been the Artistic Director and core cellist of Red Cedar Chamber Music since 2016. As a conductor and cellist, he has commissioned and/or premiered over 200 works. He is also on the conducting faculty of the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City. 

John Dowdall, the founding guitarist and Artistic Director of Red Cedar Chamber Music along with his partner, flutist Jan Boland, performed throughout the USA and in England, Europe and Japan. Dowdall and Boland recorded 13 compact discs, and were frequently featured on NPR, PBS and Iowa Public Radio and Television.

Dr. Andrea C. Baker serves as Assistant Professor of Bassoon at Western Illinois University and is a founding member of Camerata Nova. She works with composers to expand the contemporary woodwind quintet repertoire and has helped secure grant support for Camerata Nova’s commissioning projects, including an IDRS 50 for 50 grant.

Dr. Charlie Chadwell is a saxophonist, educator, and advocate for new music, serving as Assistant Professor at Western Illinois University and Director of Professional Activities for The College Music Society. A Camerata Nova founding member, he frequently premieres new works and presents nationwide. 

Julianna Eidle is a flutist, educator, and organizer based in Illinois. She teaches at Western Illinois University, performs with Opera in the Ozarks and Midwest ensembles, and collaborates with Linton Chamber Music and Concert:Nova. She directs Cincinnati New Music, supports community-centered projects, and regularly premieres new works. 

Matt A. Mason is a composer, pianist, and educator whose work spans contemporary classical, electroacoustic, and music theater. An Assistant Professor of Musicianship at Roosevelt University, he teaches music theory, composition, and performance, with interests in post-tonal theory, electroacoustic music, hip hop musicology, and advanced composition. 

James Ginsburg founded Cedille Records in 1989 to promote the work, careers, and legacies of Chicago’s finest classical musicians. He has personally produced well over 150 recordings for Cedille, working closely with artists and engineers to maintain the label’s reputation for musical and sonic excellence, and has overseen the release of Cedille’s more than 240 albums. Cedille and its recordings have garnered eight Grammy Awards and 38 nominations, including two for Ginsburg as Producer of the Year, Classical. Thanks to Ginsburg’s leadership, the work of more than 180 classical musicians and ensembles from Chicago has been promoted to listeners worldwide and well over 400 works have received world-premiere recordings. 

Pamela Freund-Striplen is a visionary curator and violist known for innovative programming and community impact. As founder and Artistic Director of the Gold Coast Chamber Players for 35 years, she created over 150 original programs and pioneering educational initiatives, earning major regional arts awards and a mayoral proclamation in her honor.

Of Navajo-Ute heritage, R. Carlos Nakai is the world’s leading performer of the Native American flute. With more than 50 recordings—including two gold albums—he has earned 11 Grammy nominations and 10 NAMA awards. He tours widely, performing instrumental music that blends Native traditions with diverse contemporary influences.

Lyric baritone Robert Sims, a Gold Medal winner of the American Traditions Competition, is acclaimed for his masterful interpretation of African American spirituals. His performances span Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and collaborations with leading artists. A dedicated advocate, he created the Lincoln Center production Majesty of the Spiritual.

Kori Coleman is a Chicago-based arts executive, creative strategist, and entrepreneur who has built a career by leveraging the power of creativity and storytelling to encourage Black people to take up space in any place. She is the Founder, Executive, & Artistic Director of D-Composed, a Black chamber music collective and non-profit organization committed to uplifting and empowering society by providing a platform for the music of Black composers.

Dr. Andrea C. Baker serves as Assistant Professor of Bassoon at Western Illinois University and is a founding member of Camerata Nova. She works with composers to expand the contemporary woodwind quintet repertoire and has helped secure grant support for Camerata Nova’s commissioning projects, including an IDRS 50 for 50 grant.

Dr. Charlie Chadwell is a saxophonist, educator, and advocate for new music, serving as Assistant Professor at Western Illinois University and Director of Professional Activities for The College Music Society. A Camerata Nova founding member, he frequently premieres new works and presents nationwide. 

Julianna Eidle is a flutist, educator, and organizer based in Illinois. She teaches at Western Illinois University, performs with Opera in the Ozarks and Midwest ensembles, and collaborates with Linton Chamber Music and Concert:Nova. She directs Cincinnati New Music, supports community-centered projects, and regularly premieres new works. 

Matt A. Mason is a composer, pianist, and educator whose work spans contemporary classical, electroacoustic, and music theater. An Assistant Professor of Musicianship at Roosevelt University, he teaches music theory, composition, and performance, with interests in post-tonal theory, electroacoustic music, hip hop musicology, and advanced composition. 

James Ginsburg founded Cedille Records in 1989 to promote the work, careers, and legacies of Chicago’s finest classical musicians. He has personally produced well over 150 recordings for Cedille, working closely with artists and engineers to maintain the label’s reputation for musical and sonic excellence, and has overseen the release of Cedille’s more than 240 albums. Cedille and its recordings have garnered eight Grammy Awards and 38 nominations, including two for Ginsburg as Producer of the Year, Classical. Thanks to Ginsburg’s leadership, the work of more than 180 classical musicians and ensembles from Chicago has been promoted to listeners worldwide and well over 400 works have received world-premiere recordings. 

Iryna Krechkovsky is an award-winning violinist, educator, and arts executive. She is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Chamber Music | OC, where she leads the nationally recognized Pre-College Program. A founding member of Trio Céleste, she has appeared on major broadcast platforms and serves on the summer faculty at the Montecito International Music Festival. iryna@chambermusicoc.org

Jennifer Elowitch is Director of Music at Walnut Hill School for the Arts, a three-time E.E. Ford Faculty Award recipient, and Founder and Artistic Director Emerita of the Portland Chamber Music Festival. She teaches and presents widely, and performs as Assistant Principal Second Violin with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. 

Deborah Barrett Price is a nationally recognized violist, pedagogue, and founder of the Chamber Music Connection, Inc., a leading program for chamber music education and performance. She is a recipient of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Award for Extraordinary Service to Chamber Music and multiple major arts education honors. 

Miriam Owens is the President and CEO of The People’s Music School, Chicago’s largest 100% tuition-free after-school music program. Her career has spanned education, business, and arts. Miriam holds an AB from Harvard University, an MS in Education from Hunter College, and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Miriam Owens is the President and CEO of The People’s Music School, Chicago’s largest 100% tuition-free after-school music program. Her career has spanned education, business, and arts. Miriam holds an AB from Harvard University, an MS in Education from Hunter College, and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Miera Kim has been the Executive Director and core violinist of Red Cedar Chamber Music since 2016. Prior to that, she was a private teacher and titled player in Orchestra Iowa and the Quad Cities Symphony.

Carey Bostian has been the Artistic Director and core cellist of Red Cedar Chamber Music since 2016. As a conductor and cellist, he has commissioned and/or premiered over 200 works. He is also on the conducting faculty of the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City. 

John Dowdall, the founding guitarist and Artistic Director of Red Cedar Chamber Music along with his partner, flutist Jan Boland, performed throughout the USA and in England, Europe and Japan. Dowdall and Boland recorded 13 compact discs, and were frequently featured on NPR, PBS and Iowa Public Radio and Television.