Performances
Annual Fundraiser
ECKERT MEMORIAL LIBRARY
AT 6:00PM, DECEMBER 10, 2025
The Artisan Quartet
Patrice Calixte & Mariama Alcântara, violins
Bruce Williams, viola
Douglas Harvey, cello
PLUS, The 2025 Strings Academy performs “Jolly Old St. Nick”!
“500 Years of Christmas Music”
Bell Carol Fanfare
Bring a Torch Jeanette, Isabella
Carol of The Bells
What Child is This
Gaudete
Carol of the Drums
Arcangelo Corelli: Concerto Grosso Opus 6 No. 8 “Christmas Concerto”
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite
March
Sugar Plum Fairy
Russian Dance
Arabic Dance
Waltz of the Flowers
Sleigh Ride
Tickets $50 Cash/Check – Call Cathy Terrell at 325 218 2353
Back by public demand, our very popular “500 Years of Christmas Music” concert returns to the Mason Chamber Music Festival this December for our annual Fundraiser. The program includes selections from the famous “Nutcracker Suite” by Tchaikovsky. Also featured is Arcangelo Corelli’s “Christmas Concerto” subtitled “Fatto per la notte di Natali,” meaning “Made for the night of Christmas”. The Artisans will also perform tradition Christmas songs and carols from the Renaissance and Baroque eras, along with more contemporary classics. Wear red and green, and be ready to sing along!
Community Concert
LOCATION TBA
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2026 AT 12 O’CLOCK NOON
The Artisan Quartet
Patrice Calixte & Mariama Alcântara, violins
Bruce Williams, viola
Douglas Harvey, cello
“Be Serious”
Joseph Bologne String Quartet No. 1
Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet, Opus 95, the “Serioso”
Tickets suggested donation of $20
Our annual free Community Courthouse Concert returns to the Noon hour to officially kick off our Gala Tenth Anniversary Season with “Be Serious.” Enjoy this mid-day hiatus from your busy schedule in the beautiful surroundings of the Mason County Courthouse with a stirring performance by the Festival’s own Artisan String Quartet including delightful music of the French violin virtuoso and conductor, the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Joseph Bologne. Ludwig van Beethoven’s masterpiece, the String Quartet Opus 95, is also on the program and lends its nickname the “Serioso” to our cheeky concert title.
Odeon Gala Concert
THE ODEON THEATER
ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE TOWN SQUARE
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2026 AT 7 O’CLOCK IN THE EVENING
Solo Violinist Patrice Calixte & The Artisan Chamber Players
“Italian Seasonal Favorites”
Arcangelo Corelli Concerto Grosso Opus 6, No. 4
Antonio Vivaldi “Four Seasons”
The sparkling and effervescent music of the Italian Baroque era comes to life for the Tenth Anniversary Gala Concert performance of “Italian Seasonal Favorites” at our home the Odeon Theater. The Artisan Chamber Players and solo violinist Patrice Calixte will perform Antonio Vivaldi’s timeless classic “The Four Seasons,” and Arcangelo Corelli’s Concerto Grosso Opus 6, No. 4. Corelli and Vivaldi are perhaps the two most famous Italian composers, and this unforgettable Gala concert will show those fortunate enough to attend this milestone in the Mason Chamber Music Festival’s existence just why!
Sandstone Chamber Series
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, MASON
SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2026 AT 2 O’CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON
The Artisan Quartet
Patrice Calixte & Mariama Alcântara, violins
Bruce Williams, viola
Douglas Harvey, cello
“Viennese Classics”
Franz Joseph Haydn String Quartet opus 74, No. 1
Johannes Brahms String Quartet No. 1
Free Performance, Donations Appreciated
The ASQ is again delighted to present the Sandstone Series at FUMC in honor of our dear friends Scott and Manny and the Sandstone Cellars Winery. This year, the Artisan String Quartet plays light-classical music from the theatre and opera reminiscent of a “Boston Pops” style concert. Beautiful melodies are the order of the day as the ASQ performs one familiar classic after another.
The Sandstone Series at First United Methodist Church was created to honor the Sandstone Winery and Wine Bar, and to acknowledge Scott Haupert for his enthusiastic support of, and participation in the Mason Chamber Music Festival from the very beginning! Now celebrating our Gala tenth year anniversary, the Sandstone Series presents “Viennese Classics” featuring monumental works from two of that city’s most beloved composers, Johannes Brahms and Franz Joseph Haydn.
We love this program because both these string quartets were performed in the very early days of the Mason Chamber Music Festival.
The Brahms was part of a sold out concert at the Odeon that welcomed Scott as our guest artist with the Artisan String Quartet May 2, 2015, an event that actually pre-dated the creation of the Festival. Most importantly, it was that evening after the concert while visiting the wine bar and learning just how much people appreciated our effort, that we decided to pursue creating this Festival for the people of Mason. The Haydn was the very first piece performed on the newly minted Festival early in 2016 at a Fundraiser in the home of Scott Zesch. The Artisan String Quartet performed on this first official event to a very full room of music lovers at his house on the river. These two important rest is history!
These two important string quartets in the history of the Mason Chamber Music Festival now launch our next ten years of world class chamber music offerings to the people of Mason.