Standing Ovation

Invite renowned classical musicians to intimate mountain venues to perform for appreciative audiences, and you’ve got the makings of an enduring music series. The Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival has followed this approach for three decades, and for this summer’s anniversary season, a memorable set of performances is in store. The lineup includes violinist Timothy Fain, who performed in the recent film “Black Swan,” the Linden String Quartet from Yale University, and returning favorite, Eroica Trio.

Chamber music is sometimes described as “the music of friends” because of the limited number of instruments and small performance settings. The festival embodies that friendly spirit with plenty of interaction between patrons and players during its six-week run. “Musicians stay in residents’ homes, and patrons get to meet them at receptions and dinners,” says festival Executive Director Nancy Gould-Aaron. “There have been a lot of friendships formed through the years.”        

Highlands-Cashiers
Chamber Music Festival
July 8-August 14
$28 per show, $280 for the Highlands or Cashiers series (11 concerts each)
For a full schedule and more, visit