Joan N. Blew, President CCMS
MORE THAN SEVEN DECADES OF OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES
Amati Quartet
Amelia Piano Trio
Amsterdam Sinfonietta
An di Musik
Australia Ensemble
Beaux Arts Trio
Berlin Octet
Berlin Piano Quartet
Boehm Quintette
Brentano String Quartet
Brno Ensemble
Canterbury Trio
Chicago Ensemble
Ciompi Quartet
Colorado String Quartet
Daedalus String Quartet
Degas Quartet
Dorian Wind Quintet
Dunsmuir Piano Quartet
Esterhazy Baryton trio
Euclid Quartet
Graffe String Quartet
Hugo Wolf Quartett
Jacques Thibaud Trio
Juilliard String Quartet
Lark Quartet
Laurentian String Quartet
Leipzig String Quartet
Maggini String Quartet
Manhattan String Quartet
Moscow String Quartet
New York Philomusica Chamber Ensemble
New Zurich String Quartet
Orion Ensemble
Osiris Piano Trio
Pacifica Quartet
Penderecki String Quartet
Poulenc Trio
Prairie Winds
Quintet Attacca
St. Peterburg String Quartet
Sylvan Winds
Trio con Brio Copenhagen
Vienna Virtuosii
HISTORY OF THE CHICAGO CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY
The Chicago Chamber Music Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering chamber music in our city, has prospered in Chicago for more than 70 years.
The Chicago Chamber Music Society’s long history dates back to the economically bleak days of 1935 and 1936 when a group of prominent women joined together to provide a venue for gifted Chicago musicians. These women, all of whom were officers of a musical group called the Russian Trio, founded the Chicago Chamber Music Society (CCMS). The Russian Trio, as the Society’s first beneficiary, performed several series of concerts. In 1948, The Russian Trio was renamed The Pro-Musica Trio and included the well-known Chicago cellist Karl Fruh. The origin of the Russian connection was as much a mystery 60 years ago as it is today. In 1948, Judith Cass of The Sun Times wrote “The Pro-Musica Trio … flourished under the title of The Russian Trio until people began saying ‘but why Russian?’ … How the trio happened to be called Russian in the first place, no one now connected with it remembers.”
In the late 1950s, CCMS concert formats changed from programs performed only by local artists to include those of national and international renown. The artistic expansion continued successfully under the leadership of Mrs. Moise Dreyfus followed by Ms. Rose du Moulin. In the late 1960s the Board turned to impresario Harry Zelzer for assistance in finding its next program chairman. Fortunately, he recommended his wife, Sarah Zelzer, who ably selected ensembles until 1968 when she handed over the reins to Mrs. Frank Ruehle. Mrs. Ruehle brought outstanding chamber music to CCMS audiences for more than two decades. Upon her retirement in 2007, she was succeeded by Gay Stanek.
As its contribution to the Chicago Millennium celebration, past president, Mrs. Douglas F. Schroeder, and the Board of Directors of the CCMS commissioned a chamber piece by Chicago composer and journalist, Dan Tucker. Mr. Tucker chose the writings of Carl Sandburg to set to music. Up in Rootabaga County was performed by The Chicago Ensemble at the Chicago Cultural Center in September, 1999. The CCMS presented the original score to The Newberry Library in a dedication ceremony in February, 2007 at which time a reading of the charming Sandburg Story and musical performance of the work were presented. The original score is now preserved in the archives of The Newberry Library.
The CCMS presents four concerts each season. Now in its 75th year, with the support of its subscribers and friends, The Chicago Chamber Music Society continues to bring great musical performances to Chicago.
The Chicago Chamber Music Society
P.O. Box 350
Kenilworth, IL 60043
Phone: 847.251.1400
ext. 0
Board of Directors
Joan N. Blew,
President
Pat Alberding
Barbara Bermudez
Leora Douraghy
Erika Erich
Helene Feingold
Lola Flamm
Adrian Foster
Clarine Hall
Lee Hamilton
Susan Hanes-Leonard
Barbara Hoffman
Jan Jentes
Kathryn Johnson
Lori Julian
Kerma Karoly
Anne Kern
Paula Kiefer
Diana King
Carola Kupfer
Mina Kuppe
Bonnie Lipe
Margaret McCamant
Patricia Young McKinlay
Rhoda Ann Miller
Theodora Nicolandis
Lynn Orschel
Elizabeth Peters
Marina Phelps
Heather Refetoff
Marilyn Rosengarden/Frederick
Joyce Saxon
Joanne Schroeder
Laura Spingola
Gay Stanek
Susie Stein
Lynn Urstadt
Dorianne Venator
Carilane Vieregg
Nancy Voss