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Spring Brims with Music
Written By: Marlene Osteen | Issue: March 2024
Artistic Director William Ransom’s unyielding demands for excellence have earned Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival a global reputation for innovative programming.
The Blair String Quartet
Established over 40 years ago by a small coalition of civic-minded businesses and citizens, the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival (HCCMF) has consistently brought the finest chamber music artists to the Plateau.
Throughout his 24-year-long tenure, Artistic Director William Ransom has expanded the festival’s offerings to foster a more welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, reaching a broader audience and enriching the chamber music “conversation” beyond the traditional performance hall.
Each spring, HCCMF hosts the Residency Program, aimed at enhancing the accessibility of music and forging meaningful connections between chamber music and everyday life. The Blair String Quartet, long-established at Vanderbilt University and celebrated for their commitment to “bringing serious fare” (as praised by the New Yorker) are slated to perform at various local venues on March 22 and 23.
Designed to engage students and foster a love for classical music, free performances are scheduled at three schools: Highlands, Blue Ridge, and Summit in Cashiers. An anticipated performance at the Fidelia Eckerd Living Center promises to immerse residents in the enchanting world of chamber music, while enriching their daily lives. Additionally, the highly anticipated free public concert at the First Presbyterian Church in Highlands at 5:00 P.M. Saturday, March 23, is sure to be exhilarating.
The quartet is a frequent presence at the Blair School of Music of Vanderbilt University, and have received acclaim with performances at the Library of Congress, the Kennedy Center, and the Weill Recital Hall through Edgar Meyer. Their diverse repertoire spans from traditional classical pieces, including Mendelssohn, Debussy and Ginastera to contemporary compositions by John Harbison, George Rochberg and George Tsontakis. Notably, they have collaborated with jazz banjoist Bela Fleck and bluegrass bassist Edgar Meyer. The quartets members include Christian Teal and Cornelia Heard (violins), John Kochanowski (viola) and Grace Mihi Bahng (cello).
The Residency Program is made possible through the generous support of a grant from Cullasaja Women’s Outreach.
The HCCMF regular season officially commences on July 6 and concludes on August 11. Highlands concerts are scheduled for Saturdays and Mondays at the Highlands Performing Arts Center, while Cashiers concerts take place on Sundays and Tuesdays at the Village Green Commons, Lewis Hall.
For tickets and more information, visit h-cmusicfestival.org.
