NEXUS Chamber Music Festival: Music for 8

Guarneri Hall, an intimate state-of-the-art, custom-built classical music venue in the heart of downtown Chicago, proudly opens its 2026/27 season with the 9th annual NEXUS Chamber Music Festival, titled Music for 8. NEXUS Chamber Music, Guarneri Hall’s ensemble-in-residence, presents a rarely heard collection of string octets on August 12, 2026, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at Winnetka Congregational Church (725 Pine St, Winnetka, IL), and August 13-14, 2026, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at Guarneri Hall (11 E. Adams St, Chicago). The program features the Chicago premiere of Music for 8, by the brilliant pianist and composer John Novacek. Written in 2025, Music for 8 has been thrilling audiences around the U.S. and is quickly becoming a new standard in the genre. Also included is Dmitri Shostakovich's haunting and electrifying Two Pieces for String Octet and the beloved String Octet by the young genius Felix Mendelssohn, one of the most cherished works in the literature. The August 12 program also features the world premiere of a new string trio by Brooklyn-based composer and Grammy® award-winning trumpet player Michael R. Dudley Jr. Violinists Jacques Forestier, David Bernat, Rannveig Marta Sarc and Claire Bourg, violist Cara Pogossian, and cellist Eddie Pogossian join NEXUS Co-Artistic Directors, violist Brian Hong and cellist Alexander Hersh, for all three performances. Audience members are invited to mix and mingle with the performers at a themed reception following each performance, adding to the unparalleled intimacy of these events and helping make chamber music a deeply personal experience for all. Tickets can be purchased now at guarnerihall.org, with general admission priced at $50 and student discounts available.

Event Links

Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3764242-0

Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3764242-2

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