Chamber music may be one of music’s most misunderstood children. An early form of classical music, it has always been open to a huge spectrum of emotions and moods and can swing instantly from the softly reflective to the boldly dramatic. Musicians love to play it because chamber music allows them much greater personal expression than they’d find in an orchestra. With no conductor, it’s the musicians who collaborate and decide how they want the music they’re playing to be interpreted and performed. Any combination of instruments can be used and, although the word chamber implies a small space, it can be played in any setting. Making it a musical form tailor-made for creative nuance and surprise.
For the past eight years, Chicago based Nexus Chamber Music has been on a mission to make chamber music culturally relevant. “Specializing in live performance and multimedia content”, it’s annual fall chamber music festival highlights how well chamber music is suited to contemporary sensibilities, tastes and interests. By recruiting splendid musical talent and curating a wide range of highly engaging music, Nexus Chamber Music Festivals routinely generate enthusiastic responses.
This year’s festival featuring Grammy nominated John Novacek’s Music for 8, Shostakovich and a treasured composition by Felix Mendelsshon will undoubtedly do so as well. The ninth annual NEXUS Chamber Music Festival returns to Chicago’s Guarneri Hall for an intimate, high-caliber presentation titled "Music for 8." This specialized program highlights the depth and power of expanded string ensembles, bringing together eight world-renowned classical musicians. The repertoire bridges classical mastery and modern innovation, featuring Dmitri Shostakovich’s intense Two Pieces for String Octet, Op. 11, the Chicago premiere of John Novacek’s contemporary Music for 8, and Felix Mendelssohn’s radiant Octet in E-flat major, Op. 20. Designed for both avid chamber music enthusiasts and newcomers, the festival offers an immersive acoustic experience in a premier downtown venue.
Event: 9th Annual NEXUS Chamber Music Festival: Music for 8
Dates: Thursday, August 13, and Friday, August 14, 2026
Time: 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Location: Guarneri Hall, 11 E. Adams St, Suite 350A, Chicago, IL 60603
Admission: $50 General Admission
Violinists: Claire Bourg, Jacques Forestier, Kenneth Renshaw, Rannveig Marta Sarc
Violists: Brian Hong, Cara Pogossian
Cellists: Alexander Hersh, Edvard Pogossian
