Chamber Music on the Mountain, a year-round classical concert series based in Northwest Arkansas, will open its summer festival this week as part of the Creative Spaces NWA program at Mount Sequoyah Center in Fayetteville. The series brings high-caliber musicians together with local artists and organizations in the Northwest Arkansas region.

Artistic directors Tomoko Kashiwagi and Miho Odo Sakon aim to bring classical music into the NWA community through outreach programs, performances in casual settings and affordably priced tickets, according to the Chamber Music on the Mountain’s mission statement.

This year, there will be performances at Mount Sequoyah, The Momentary, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Fayetteville Public Library. Featured performers include Daniel Velasco, Meredith Maddox Hicks, Felix Olschofka, Tomoko Kashiwagi, Jonathan Ruck, Jarrett Bastow, Daphne Gerling and Miho Oda Sakon. Guest artists and speakers include Native American flutist Gaby Nagel, Cherokee storyteller Gayle Ross and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute’s Dr. Joon Park.

Kashiwagi, Sakon and their team have asked that audience members–even those vaccinated–wear masks for indoor concerts and events at Mount Sequoyah to minimize COVID-19 virus exposure. Fully vaccinated musicians may not be wearing masks during performances so they can perform at full capacity, according to a safety statement on the organization’s website.

Outreach concerts at the Fayetteville Public Library and Crystal Bridges are free and require registration. The outreach concert at the Momentary is also free but registration isn’t required.

General admission to one concert at Mount Sequoyah ranges from $10 to $15. Festival passes are available for July 23-24 and 30-31, which includes admission to all four concerts at Mount Sequoyah and a T-shirt.

The festival will take place across Northwest Arkansas from July 19 to 31. The full schedule and ticket information can be found on the Chamber Music on the Mountain’s website.

Featured photo: Stephen Ironside/Ironside Photography