EarRelevant Staff | 23 JUN 2025
The Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival, which takes place July 5 to August 10, 2025, offers day-trippers a chance to immerse themselves in world‑class chamber music amidst the cool mountain air of Western North Carolina. Rooted in the idyllic towns of Highlands and Cashiers, the Festival blends scenic elegance with compelling programming, delivering a summer escape tailored for both regional travelers and classical music aficionados.
Performances rotate between two primary venues—the Martin Lipscomb Theatre in Highlands and Lewis Hall at The Village Green in Cashiers—ensuring easy access for day visitors venturing from nearby Asheville, Greenville, or even Atlanta. Over five weeks, each “regular series” concert unfolds twice—once in Highlands and once in Cashiers—allowing flexible day-trip planning around your schedule.
Artistic director William Ransom and a roster of internationally acclaimed musicians—among them the Viano Quartet, Sharon Isbin, Chee‑Yun, and Grammy-winning cellist Zuill Bailey—navigate a thoughtfully curated repertoire. Highlights include the North Carolina premiere of Paul Coletti’s Viola Quintet, Beethoven and Stravinsky tributes, literary-programmed selections by poet Rita Dove, and a spirited fusion of jazz and classical styles. The season culminates in a gala “CelloBration,” spotlighting eight cellos in a communal finale.
For a regional traveler, the Festival offers the perfect day‑trip formula: arrive early to explore local boutique shops and art galleries; enjoy lunch overlooking mountain vistas; attend a late‑afternoon concert; and ease home at dusk, music still echoing in memory. Each of the eight main concerts is self-contained and scenic, inviting both seasoned enthusiasts and newcomers to discover chamber music’s transcendent power amid a serene mountain setting.
The Regular Concert Series listed below form the Festival’s core, offering an accessible, musically rich itinerary perfect for classical enthusiasts seeking a culturally textured day trip in the southern Appalachians.
In addition to its regular series, the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival presents a variety of Special Concerts and Family Concerts throughout the season, offering informal, community-oriented events that range from intimate performances and educational programs to themed gatherings with refreshments. These concerts provide a more relaxed way to experience chamber music, often with free admission or unique settings. For a full schedule and details about these special events, visit the Festival’s website at h-cmusicfestival.org. ■
2025 HCCMF Regular Concert Series
- Saturday, July 5 @ 5pm in Highlands
Sunday, July 6 @ 5pm in Cashiers
“The Old and the New”
The Viano Quartet; Paul Coletti, viola/composer
Paul COLETTI: Viola Quintet (NC premiere)
MOZART: String Quartet in G Major, K. 387 “Spring”
Paul COLETTI: The Pawn Who Dreamed Of Becoming A Queen
MENDELSSOHN: Viola Quintet in B‑flat Major, Op. 87 - Monday, July 7 @ 5pm in Highlands
Tuesday, July 8 @ 5pm in Cashiers
“Viano Plus”
The Viano Quartet; Yinzi Kong, viola; Charae Krueger, cello
HAYDN: String Quartet in D Major, Op. 76/5 “Largo”
SHOSTAKOVICH: String Quartet No. 9, Op. 117; Brahms String Sextet in G Major - Saturday, July 12 @ 5pm in Highlands
Sunday July 13 @ 5pm in Cashiers
“The Whitehead Family Young Pianist Concert”
Zitong Wang, piano; Susie Park, violin; James Kim, cello
BEETHOVEN: Sonata in F‑sharp Major, Op. 78
CHOPIN: Scherzo No. 4 in E Major
LISZT: (arr. Busoni) Fantasy on Themes from Mozart’s “Marriage of Figaro”</.span>
ARENSKY: Piano Trio in D Minor - Monday, July 14 @ 5pm in Highlands
Tuesday, July 15 @ 5pm in Cashiers
“Strings Attached”
Sharon Isbin, guitar; The Pacifica String Quartet
VIVALDI: Concerto in D Major for Guitar and Strings
GRANADOS: Danza española No. 5 “Andaluza”
TÁRREGA: Capricho árabe; Mangoré Waltz, Op. 8 No. 4
TURINA: La Oración del Torero, Op. 34
PIAZZOLLA: Four for Tango
DVOŘÁK: String Quartet in F Major, Op. 96 “American”
BOCCHERINI: Guitar Quintet No. 4 in D Major, G.448 “Fandango” - Saturday, July 19 @ 5pm in Highlands
Sunday, July 20 @ 5pm in Cashiers
“The Rites of Spring”
Julie Coucheron & Elizabeth Pridgen, piano; Chee‑Yun, violin
VIVALDI: “Spring” from Four Seasons
GRIEG: To Spring
BEETHOVEN: Spring Sonata
STRAVINSKY: The Rite of Spring for piano four hands - Monday, July 21 @ %pm in Highlands
Tuesday, July 22 @ 5 pm in Cashiers
“Musical Stories”
Chee‑Yun, violin; Jesse McCandless, clarinet; Kevin Lyons, trumpet; Gabriel Colby, trombone; Jonathan Colbert, bass; Richard Prior, narrator; Julie Coucheron, piano; Eleni Katz, bassoon; Scott Pollard, percussion
RIDOUT: Ferdinand the Bull
POULENC: Babar the Little Elephant
STRAVINSKY: The Soldier’s Tale - Saturday, July 26 @ 5pm in Highlands
Sunday, July 27 @ 5pm in Cashiers
“The Enchanted Harp”
Elisabeth Remy Johnson, harp; Ransom Wilson, flute; Jesse McCandless, clarinet; Vega Quartet
Arnold BAX: *Elegiac Trio*
Catrin FINCH Nuntii
Cheryl France HOAD: Vocalise
DAMASE: Sonata No. 1
DEBUSSY: Sacred and Profane Dances
RAVEL: Alborada del Gracioso
RAVEL: Introduction and Allegro - Monday, July 28 @ 5pm in Highlands
Tuesday, July 29 @ 5pm in Cashiers
“Eternal Love Triangle”
Vijay Venkatesh, piano; Jesse McCandless, clarinet; Vega Quartet
Clara SCHUMANN: Three Romances
Robert SCHUMANN: String Quartet in A Major
BRAHMS: Sonata in F Minor - Saturday, August 2 @ 5pm in Highlands
Sunday, August 3 @ 5pm in Cashiers
“Sonata Mulattica”
Rita Dove, poet; Njioma Grevious, violin; William Ransom, piano
Readings from Rita Dove’s Sonata Mulattica
BEETHOVEN: “Kreutzer” Sonata - Monday, August 4 @ 5pm in Highlands
Tuesday, August 5 @ 5pm in Cashiers
“Jazz Meets Classics – Three’s Company”
Matt Herskowitz, piano; Helen Kim, violin; Charae Krueger, cello; jazz musicians (TBA)
BRAHMS: Piano Trio in B Major
jazz‑classical crossover selections - Sunday, August 10 @ 5pm in Highlands
Final Gala Concert “CelloBration”
Zuill Bailey, cello, cello ensemble ensemble, plus soprano Bethany Mamola
VILLA_LOBOS: Bachianas Brasileiras #5
TCHAIKOVSKY: Rococo Variations
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival: h-cmusicfestival.org
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