Miró Quartet to Present Silver & Gold Holiday Concert

The Grammy-nominated Miró Quartet returns to Orcas Island on Tuesday, December 8, with a special holiday-themed program featuring selections from their first holiday album, Hearth. The album brings together original arrangements by 15 extraordinary contemporary composers, each offering a fresh and personal interpretation of beloved holiday favorites.

Joining the quartet for this special evening will be our Founder and Artistic Director, Aloysia Friedmann, and Artistic Advisor, Jon Kimura Parker.

Continuing the tradition of our Leaves of Gold fundraiser, this year's Silver & Gold performance begins at 5 p.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, followed by a festive reception in the Parish Hall overlooking the Orcas Island waterfront.

Tickets are $75 and will be available through our website beginning Friday, November 6. We hope you'll join us for an evening of wonderful music, holiday cheer, and community!

Four Piano Spectacular: What a Show!

One of the unforgettable highlights of our 2026 Festival was Orcas~trations: Four Piano Spectacular! Four grand pianos, four extraordinary pianists, ten hands, and even two surprise performers—all on stage at once. Now that's something grand!

Jon Kimura Parker, Lisa Bergman, Zhenni Li-Cohen, and Adam Stern dazzled audiences with an exhilarating program featuring an array of works, including several of Adam and Jackie's own imaginative arrangements. It was truly a feast for the eyes and ears!

Relive a bit of the excitement with this clip of "Brazileiro" from Darius Milhaud's

Scaramouche, featuring our surprise maraca players, Andrea Bautista and Sophie Parker (better known as the page turners!) And don't miss what happened next: Sophie interviews Jon Kimura Parker and Adam Stern following the performance.

C Street Brass Return to the Islands

What a wonderful week with C Street Brass! The ensemble returned to the islands as part of our Musicians-in-Residence program, bringing infectious energy and musical versatility to students and audiences throughout Lopez and Orcas.

From an appearance at Lopez Island Middle and High School and an afternoon performance at Grace Church on Monday, to visits with students at the Orcas Island Middle and High School, followed by a concert at Orcas Center on Tuesday, the group quickly won over hearts across the islands.

Local photographer Steve Alboucq beautifully captured their time here. In Steve's words:

"The music and professionalism were top-notch, but what really stuck with me was the group’s camaraderie, infectious positive vibes, and true dedication to education. Plus, they were so generous with their time—answering every question, sharing great stories, and bringing the laughs."

We couldn't have said it better!

A heartfelt thank you to C Street Brass for sharing their extraordinary talent, enthusiasm, and generosity with our island communities. Sponsored by OICMF, many thanks also go out to the additional support provided by the Music Advocacy Group, Orcas Center, Grace Church, Rosario Resort, and Cultural Access San Juans.

A Monday morning inter-island ferry ride commuters won't forget:

The Lopez School Assembly and Community Concert at Grace Church:

The Orcas School Band and Orchestra clinic and Community Concert at Orcas Center:

Streaming Opportunities: Catch Our Artists in Action!

Even when the Festival isn't in session, there are wonderful opportunities to enjoy our artists performing on stages around the country. Here are two upcoming performances you won't want to miss!

Jon Kimura Parker with the Minnesota Orchestra

On Friday, November 6, our Artistic Advisor Jon Kimura Parker will perform Anders Hillborg's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Minnesota Orchestra, part of the Nordic Soundscapes Festival from Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis.

Tune in for the free livestream on Friday, November 6, at 6:00 p.m. Pacific.

Watch the free Minnesota Orchestra Livestream



Aloysia Friedmann & Sasha Cooke with the Houston Symphony

Our Founder and Artistic Director, Aloysia Friedmann, joins the viola section of the Houston Symphony over Thanksgiving weekend in a concert featuring one of this past summer's Festival favorites, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke!

The program offers a fascinating musical journey, from Prokofiev's Symphony No. 7 to the sweeping, romantic film score from Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, composed by legendary film composer Bernard Herrmann. The evening also takes us to the enchanting world of One Thousand and One Nights as Sasha Cooke joins the orchestra for Ravel's captivating Shéhérazade.

Streaming tickets are available for $29 for the Saturday, November 28, performance at 5:30 p.m. Pacific.

Watch the Houston Symphony Livestream

Jon Kimura Parker with the Rice University Orchestra

Then, on Friday, December 4, Jon Kimura Parker once again takes center stage with the Rice University Orchestra for Brahms's monumental and virtuosic Piano Concerto No. 1. Known for its sweeping romanticism and formidable technical demands, this is a performance you won't want to miss.

Tune in for the free livestream on Friday, December 4, at 5:30 p.m. Pacific.

Watch the free Rice University livestream

We love seeing our Festival artists continue to make music and inspire audiences around the world—and we love being able to share those performances with you!

Stay tuned -

over the next few Scherzos, we will be sharing more wonderful performances from OICMF's 29th Season!

You can still read all about the concerts, artists, repertoire, program notes, and so much more that made up our 29th Season in our program book - here

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more fun and news -

updates on concerts, interviews with artists, OICMF fashion tips, and more!

We look forward to sharing more OICMF news and events with you — keep your eyes peeled for next month's Scherzo!

All the best,

Christopher Peacock

Executive Director

Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival