Olympic Music Festival

Mission

The Olympic Music Festival is committed to presenting chamber music performed at the highest level, engaging the widest audience possible through innovative and emotionally powerful programming, and pioneering education programs that empower emerging young musicians to shape the future of music.

Description

Celebrating our 42nd season on the Olympic Peninsula and 10 years in Port Townsend, the Olympic Music Festival (OMF) is one of the Northwest's premier chamber music concert series. Featuring an array of world-class performers at the pinnacle of their careers, the cultivates an appreciation for chamber music while intellectually and emotionally engaging its audience with programs curated by OMF Artistic Director Julio Elizalde, who provides a long-term vision for the organization. His working relationships with world-renowned musicians enable him to craft varied and exciting programs.

The OMF brings musicians come from across the globe to collaborate during weeklong artist residencies, culminating in public performances during the summer series. Preconcert open rehearsals and post-concert Q&As with resident artists promote connections between the audience members and the musicians. Musicians share educational insights, including nuances of composition, biographical details of composers, and the historical contexts in which the works were written.

The Olympic Chamber Music Fellowship is an educational program spearheaded by Elizalde in 2015, provides exceptional young musicians with invaluable experience through professional-level rehearsals and performances. Fellows are chosen through a highly competitive audition process to collaborate with world-class artists during the two-week program. Private mentoring sessions and group discussions further reinforce the skills necessary to embark on a professional career in chamber music.

2025 Fellows are violinist KJ McDonald (The Juilliard School) and Ria Honda (Columbia University and Juilliard School Exchange), violist Jeremy Klein (The Juilliard School), cellist Annie SeEun Hyung (Northwestern University, New England Conservatory), and pianist Andrew Chen (Eastman School of Music, New England Conservatory). While we had many more qualified candidates than ever before, we believe this group of young artists are rare talents whom you won’t want to miss come August. Thanks to your generosity, all fellows can attend this highly sought-after residency at no cost to them.