See CMN President Cate O'Hara's video interview with Brian O'Donnell on CET Connect.

Traditionally, chamber music has referred to classical music written for small ensembles, one performer to a part, usually without a conductor. However, modern usage has expanded that definition to include a wide variety of instrumental combinations, musical styles and contextual settings.

Historically, chamber music was music suitable for performance in a room of a home or a palace chamber, often composed by a court musician and sight-read by court musicians who were on hand.

Wikipedia says "The phrase chamber music suggests a piece for at least two instruments, but there is no theoretical upper limit to the number of instruments. In practice, chamber works for more than five instruments are unusual, and works scored for more than eight are rare. When dealing with a piece for ten or more players, it is generally considered a small chamber orchestra."

According to Chamber Music America, "At the heart of chamber music lies the spirit of collaboration and the role of the individual performer...(placing) the highest order of responsibility upon the individual to engage in a close musical dialogue with the other performers..."

There is no doubt that the highlight of listening to chamber music lies in the intimacy of the experience. Hearing and watching a small group of performers in a small setting as they communicate through the power of music is a thrilling experience that defies boundaries of age, culture or educational background. Everyone owes it to themself to experience the power of chamber music!