Zenith Chamber Music Festival

The Zenith Chamber Music Festival is an annual summer chamber music concert festival in Des Moines highlighting national and international guest artists as well as local artists.

This festival is dedicated to highlighting professional musicians from across the globe as well as local artists. The mission and goals of the festival include:

• Enhancing arts in the community through innovative programming.
• Offering performances in diverse and unique and intimate venues. 
• Collaborating with area educators to provide interactive community outreach. 
• Building strong community ties through creative partnerships with local and regional businesses. 
• Celebrating the arts by bringing world-renowned artists to the area to perform for and alongside local artists.

While Drake University is a principal partner in providing facilities for rehearsals, master classes, and concerts, the festival is a community event that will focus on bringing classical music to various venues and Des Moines audiences and will rely on significant patron response and business sponsorship. The structure of the festival, which includes both highly regarded professional musicians and selected aspiring professionals, also provides opportunities for mentoring young artists. This year’s festival will hold master class for pre-college students and culminate in a side-by-side concert. Four select young artists will perform in the final concert with Zenith artists featuring Max Bruch’s Octet.

2015 Concert Schedule

August 18, 7:30 p.m.: Caspe Terrace
August 19, 7:30 p.m.: Des Moines Art Center
August 20, 5:30 p.m.: Des Moines Social Club
August 21, 1:00 p.m.: Master Class Drake University
August 21, 7:30 p.m.: Drake University

Zenith 2015 Artists

Anna Reider, violin, is first violinist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and concert mistress of the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. 

Helen Hwaya Kim, violin, made her orchestral debut with the Calgary Philharmonic at the age of six, and has gone on to become a respected and sought-after artist. 

Arie Schächter, viola, is Assistant Principal Viola with the Seattle Symphony. 

Lei Weng, piano, a Steinway Artist, Dr. Lei Weng is the Keyboard Area Head and Collaborative Piano Program Coordinator at the UNC and the recipient of UNC’s 2014 “CPVA Scholar of the Year”. 

For more information, contact Ashley Sandor Sidon at 515-271-2887 or ashley.sidon@drake.edu