The Southwest Chamber Music Festival proudly announces its fifth annual concert series, taking place from October 1 through October 4, 2026. Bringing world-class classical music performances out of conventional metropolitan concert halls and directly into rural desert sanctuaries, the festival will stage four free public performances across Grant and Luna counties.
This year's iteration features a specialized, low-register string quintet configuration consisting of two violins, a viola, and two cellos. Returning festival foundations James Keene (violin), Stephen Fine (viola), and Charlie Akert (cello) will perform alongside newly arriving guest artists Noah Baum (violin) and James Jaffe (cello). The dual-cello instrumentation unlocks rare, symphonically dense masterworks explicitly composed to leverage a deep, vocal lower register.
The carefully curated 2026 repertoire guides listeners through a spectrum of European cultural landscapes. The program opens with Joaquín Turina's vibrant, impressionistic La Oración del Torero ("The Bullfighter's Prayer"), channeling traditional Spanish colors that share a natural spiritual kinship with the High Desert. Audiences will also experience Frank Martin's rare, hauntingly beautiful 1920 Pavane Couleur du Temps,
followed by Anton Arensky's emotionally transparent Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky, Op. 35—originally scored precisely for this intimate two-cello lineup as an elegiac tribute.
Following intermission, the ensemble will deliver Alexander Glazunov's sweeping, romantic String Quintet in A Major, Op. 39. Celebrated for its rich textures, dynamic pizzicato-driven Scherzo, and a propulsive Slavic folk finale, the work provides a powerful, accessible conclusion.
2026 PERFORMANCE ITINERARY
Oct 1 @ 7:00 PM
LC Ranch Theater 20 LC Lane, Gila, NM
Oct 2 @ 6:00 PM
Deming Railroad Depot 300 N Country Club Road, Deming, NM
Oct 3 @ 6:00 PM
Church of Harmony 609 Arizona Street, Silver City, NM
Oct 4 @ 12:00 PM
Seedboat Collective 214 W Yankie Street, Silver City, NM
All festival events are presented entirely free of charge to the public, with a $25 suggested donation at the door to maintain program accessibility and support continuing community arts outreach initiatives across rural New Mexico.
