Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival Unveils a Spectacular 24th Season
The Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival is excited to unveil its spectacular 24th season, spanning December 2024 through June 2025. This year's programming offers a diverse lineup of world-renowned artists and emerging talents, delivering a captivating mix of classical
masterpieces, bluegrass, and family-friendly performances.
Festive Opening: Mark O'Connor's An Appalachian Christmas featuring Maggie O’Connor
The season kicks off on December 15 with the GRAMMY Award-winning fiddler Mark O'Connor and his wife, Maggie O'Connor, bringing their celebrated Appalachian Christmas tour to Amelia Island. With a decade of touring experience, the O'Connors infuse beloved Christmas classics with the rich traditions of bluegrass and American folk music, offering audiences playful and heartfelt renditions that are sure to capture the magic of the holidays.
Iconic Collaborations and Masterful Performances
The new year ushers in legendary performances. On January 19, GRAMMY-award-winning guitarist Sharon Isbin, hailed as “the pre-eminent guitarist of our time,” performs alongside the acclaimed Pacifica String Quartet. This remarkable collaboration will fuse classical elegance with intimate musical dialogue in a program featuring works by Antonio Vivaldi, Astor Piazzolla, Antonín Dvořák, and more. On January 18, 2025, Isbin will conduct a public masterclass with local classical guitar students at Jacksonville University. This season, three of the world-renowned artists being presented by the Festival will teach masterclasses with students at JU, further strengthening the Festival’s educational programming.
On January 27, in celebration of Mozart’s 269th birthday, violinist Anne Akiko Meyers and pianist Max Levinson will team up to present a moving recital in the beautiful sanctuary at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Meyers, a violin prodigy turned international star, is one of the world’s most esteemed violinists, a muse and champion of today’s most important composers, conductors, orchestras, and presenters. She will be performing alongside Max Levinson, the first American to ever win First Prize at the Dublin International Piano Competition, in a program that will highlight their incredible technical abilities.
The Art of Sound: Celebrating Masterful Performances
On February 11, the festival highlights the excellence of the Takács String Quartet, who celebrate their 50th anniversary this season. Known for their virtuosic performances, Takács Quartet became the first string quartet to be awarded the Wigmore Hall Medal and was the first string quartet to be inducted into Gramophone’s Hall of Fame. The quartet will present a program that blends the timeless beauty of Haydn and Beethoven with a new work by Stephen Hough composed specifically for Takács. On Monday, February 10, Takács will coach local student musicians in a masterclass hosted by Jacksonville University.
February 23 welcomes to the Festival a winner of the MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship and the Avery Fisher Prize, pianist Jeremy Denk. Denk, frequently featured as a soloist with the world’s premiere orchestras and music festivals, will present a spellbinding solo recital at the Ritz Carlton. Immediately following the performance, the Ritz Carlton will offer a three-course dinner for $55 per person. Jacksonville University will also host a public masterclass taught by Denk for highly talented students on February 24.
Bluegrass Magic: The Kruger Brothers
Closing out the month, February 28 sees the Kruger Brothers take the stage at Walker’s Landing. Having received numerous awards and accolades for their exceptional talent and innovative music-making, their artistry blends bluegrass, folk, and classical styles into a unique and soulful concert experience. Their music, rich with storytelling, promises an emotionally resonant journey for their audiences.
Springtime and Family Fun
Spring arrives with joyful performances. The annual free Family Concert on April 12 will feature Camille Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals and the charming Pied Piper of Hamelin. Performed by pianists William Ransom and Julie Coucheron, violist Yinzi Kong, and narrated by the Island's favorite actor, Frank O’Donnell, this delightful performance is perfect for audiences of all ages.
On April 27, The Rites of Spring concert will celebrate the arrival of spring with Beethoven’s joyful Spring Sonata and Stravinsky’s powerful Rite of Spring for piano four hands. Festival favorites David (violin) and Julie (piano) Coucheron return to the festival, alongside pianist Elizabeth Pridgen, for a thrilling performance.
Grand Finale: Christopher Rex String Seminar
The season culminates with the annual Christopher Rex String Seminar from June 9-14, 2025, featuring two rising young quartets—the Beth Newdome Fellows—who will perform alongside the esteemed American String Quartet. Each year, the Festival invites two student quartets and one established, professional string quartet to the island for a week of intensive coaching, civic outreach, and public concerts. This exciting finale to the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival’s 2024-25 season will include an informal “Beethoven & Beer” event on June 11, followed by the grand Festival Finale Concert on June 14.
The Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival’s 24th season promises to be a rich tapestry of sounds and stories, offering audiences a chance to hear some of the greatest musicians of our time in an intimate, beautiful setting. With performances ranging from classical masterpieces to family favorites and bluegrass, this season has something for everyone. For more information and tickets, visit www.ameliachambermusic.org or call the box office at (904) 261-1779.