Portland Chamber Music Festival

The Portland Chamber Music Festival (PCMF) is a premier chamber music event in New England, renowned for showcasing acclaimed performers from the United States and around the globe. Established in 1994 by violinist Jennifer Elowitch, a Portland native, and pianist Dena Levine, PCMF was born out of a vision to create a musical gathering where friends and fellow musicians could collaborate and enjoy the scenic beauty of the Maine coast. Initially, the Festival's musicians were accommodated and entertained by Elowitch's family and friends, which helped foster the familial atmosphere that is still a hallmark of the event today. The Festival's debut venue was Ludke Auditorium at the University of New England, where a symbiotic relationship was formed through the provision of space in exchange for an annual concert open to the community, reflecting PCMF's dedication to accessibility and community engagement from the outset. In 2007, PCMF found its summer residence at Hannaford Hall in the Abromson Community Education Center on the University of Southern Maine’s Portland campus. The Festival has expanded over the years, introducing a contemporary music series in collaboration with SPACE Gallery in 2012 and a Salon Series in 2015, which features concerts in private homes and intimate venues across southern Maine. Community engagement remains a key focus, with partnerships including The Telling Room, Portland Museum of Art, Maine Academy of Modern Music, and various senior-serving facilities in the region. After a 25-year tenure, founder Jennifer Elowitch stepped down as Artistic Director in 2018, passing the baton to violist Melissa Reardon. Under Reardon's leadership, PCMF has introduced Extended Artist Residencies, an Emerging Artist program, and new traditions that celebrate both Portland's culinary scene and a diversity of musical genres and cultural traditions. In a significant move towards increased accessibility, PCMF began offering free online streaming of its main stage summer concerts in 2021. PCMF's concerts have been presented regionally by institutions such as Longy School of Music, Harvard Musical Association, Wolfeboro Friends of Music, Bates College, Bowdoin College, and Johnson Hall. The Festival's performances are also broadcast on Maine Public Classical, WGBH Radio in Boston, and nationally on American Public Media’s Performance Today. Committed to the evolution of chamber music, PCMF has commissioned new works from composers like Eric Chasalow, Peter Askim, Paul Wiancko, and Tomeka Reid, and has hosted resident composers including Pulitzer Prize winner Melinda Wagner, Grammy Award winner Osvaldo Golijov, and Charles Ives Living Award winner Chen Yi. The Festival has also been involved in co-commissions and co-productions of numerous pieces. PCMF's past initiatives have included an International Composers Competition and a Young Artist Apprentice Program, which provided performance opportunities for an outstanding Maine string student alongside internationally renowned artists. Winners of the PCMF International Composers Competition have included Carla Magnan from Italy (2016), David Crumb from Oregon (2015), Josh Newton from Maine (2014), Nick DiBerardino from Connecticut (2013), and several others, highlighting the Festival's international reach and influence. The Portland Chamber Music Festival continues to connect, inspire, and celebrate the community through the intimate power of chamber music, breaking down barriers and fostering shared experiences among artists and audiences alike.