UPCOMING CONCERTS
NEXT CONCERT
REFRACTIONS
DECEMBER 6, 2025 | 5PM
PianoForte Studios
Chicago, IL ​
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The American Chamber Music Society presents:
REFRACTIONS: Violinist Eric Gratz in Recital
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Internationally celebrated violinist Eric Gratz returns to the stage with another dramatically eclectic program, REFRACTIONS. Explore music through a variety of lenses, from the elegance of Leclair to the spirituality of Messiaen, the refined brilliance of Mozart, and the storm-lit drama of Saint-Saëns.
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REFRACTIONS draws on the deep tradition of the violin recital while illuminating the unique character of each composer. Intimate and expansive, lyrical and virtuosic, this program explores how music refracts time, style, and spirit through the hands of the performer. Gratz is joined by his collaborator of nearly two decades, New York-based pianist Eliot Goldmund.
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ACMS performs all concerts at PianoForte, an intimate 75-seat concert hall with spectacular acoustics in downtown Chicago's South Loop neighborhood. A reception and meet-and-greet with the performers will follow this 90 minute program.
PAST CONCERTS
INNER VOICES
SEPTEMBER 6, 2025 | 5PM
PianoForte Studios
Chicago, IL ​
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The American Chamber Music Society presents:
INNER VOICES | Season Opener
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American Chamber Music Society returns with a brilliant season opener, INNER VOICES, showcasing the two stunningly beautiful String Quintets by Brahms. The concert offers an all-star lineup of ACMS debuts: Teng Li, the new Principal Viola of Chicago Symphony; Rubén Rengel, New York-based soloist and winner of the Sphinx Competition; Colin Brookes, former member of the internationally acclaimed Ulysses Quartet; as well as the return of ACMS audience favorites, Julian Schwarz and Eric Gratz.
Brahms’s two radiant String Quintets—rarely heard together—offer an evening of soaring melodies and emotional vulnerability, capturing the full breadth of his chamber music genius. ​​
CAFÉ MUSIC
MAY 17, 2025 | 5PM
PianoForte Studios
Chicago, IL ​
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The American Chamber Music Society presents:
CAFÉ MUSIC | Season Finale
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CAFÉ MUSIC is a wildly entertaining evening of chamber music infused with classical, jazz, tango, and other unique styles from the 20th century. This flashy final program of the season showcases the music of Piazzolla, John Novacek, Coleridge-Taylor, Britten, and concludes with Schoenfield's groundbreaking piano trio, "Cafe Music."
Gold medal winner at the Gurwitz International Piano Competition, Scott Cuellar teams up with poetic St. Louis Symphony cellist, Yin Xiong. They join violin soloist and ACMS Director Eric Gratz.
STRING THEORY
MARCH 21, 2025 | 7PM
PianoForte Studios
Chicago, IL ​
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Prepare yourself for an unforgettable night of chamber music in STRING THEORY. This concert showcases the virtuosity of three world-class soloists, performing a set of masterworks: Zoltan Kodaly's fiery Duo for Violin and Cello, Cassado's haunting Suite for Solo Cello, and Beethoven's epic String Trio in C Minor.
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Don't miss the return of GRAMMY-nominated cello virtuoso Julian Schwarz, alongside Matthew Cohen, the celebrated prizewinner of the Primrose International Viola Competition and a member of the renowned Formosa Quartet, making his American Chamber Music Society debut. They are joined by violin soloist and ACMS Director Eric Gratz. ​​​
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MOSAIC
FEBRUARY 8, 2025 | 5PM
PianoForte Studios
Chicago, IL ​
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The American Chamber Music Society presents:
MOSAIC | An Evening with Violinist Eric Gratz
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MOSAIC is an eclectic and soulful evening of music for violin and piano, performed by international prizewinning soloist Eric Gratz with Eliot Goldmund. Explore a love triangle between composers (Brahms, Robert and Clara Schumann), fact and fiction (Fritz Kreisler and Gaetano Pugnani), and other fascinating connections.
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MOSAIC features the music of Clara Schumann, Lili Boulanger, Ernest Bloch, Béla Bartók, Fritz Kreisler, Maurice Ravel, Johannes Brahms, Felix Mendelssohn, and others.
FAURE'S SALON
OCTOBER 26, 2024 | 5PM
PianoForte Studios
Chicago, IL ​
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The American Chamber Music Society presents:
Fauré's Salon | An evening of music by Schubert, Debussy, Scriabin, and Fauré.
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American Chamber Music Society Director & Violinist Eric Gratz is joined by special guests: cellist Ken Olsen and violist Lawrence Neuman of the Chicago Symphony, and international prizewinning pianist Christopher Guzman of Northwestern University.
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PROGRAM
Franz Schubert: Sonatina in A Minor
Claude Debussy: La plus que lente
Alexander Scriabin: 3 etudes
Gabriel Fauré: Piano Quartet in C Minor
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THE GREAT PIANO TRIOS
SEPTEMBER 7, 2024 | 5PM
PianoForte Studios
Chicago, IL ​
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Cellist Julian Schwarz and pianist Marika Bournaki join American Chamber Music Society Director Eric Gratz in a thrilling series debut, featuring piano trios by Mendelssohn, Esmail, and Brahms. Don't miss it!
PROGRAM
Felix Mendelssohn: Piano Trio in D Minor, Op. 49
Reena Esmail: Saans
Johannes Brahms: Piano Trio no. 1 in B Major, Op. 8
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