The annual Mimir Chamber Music Festival is under way, featuring an outstanding lineup of performing artists from the world’s leading orchestras and music schools who share their love for chamber music each summer at TCU.

This year’s season features six distinguished new guest artists who will join popular returning artists during the five-concert Mimir Festival series.
 
Mimir, named for the Norse god of wisdom, is the premiere Festival in the South Central United States dedicated exclusively to the study and performance of chamber music. Guest artists are selected not only for their superb performing skills, but also for their ability to teach.  

Throughout the event, guest artists hold master classes for aspiring pre-professional musicians, 18 Mimir Young Artists from throughout the USA selected for participation through a rigorous audition process. In the evenings, guest artists present a series of five exciting and distinctly different musical performances.

The remaining Mimir Artists concerts are set for July 12 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. Each performance will be at TCU’s PepsiCo Recital Hall. Individual tickets are $25 at the regular price, with discounts for seniors and for those attending multiple concerts. For a complete schedule and detailed information, go to www.mimirfestival.org.  For information, phone ext. 5443.

Mimir Young Artists’ concerts – free and open to the public – will be July 11 at 7:30, St. Mary of the Assumption Church and July 14 at 7:30 p.m (TCU).

This year’s performers are:

Frank Huang (violin), concertmaster of the Houston Symphony Orchestra. Huang is a winner of the Naumburg competition and popular soloist, formerly on the faculty of the Eastman School of Music and first violist of the Ying Quartet.

Jun Iwasaki (violin), concertmaster of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra. He studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music and has performed in major concert engagements and chamber music festivals worldwide.

Jesse Mills (violin), concert and recording artist and Grammy Award nominee. A graduate of The Julliard School, he enjoys performing music of diverse genres from classical to his own compositions and improvisations.

Curt Thompson (violin), founding director of Mimir and associate professor of violin at the TCU School of Music, has performed as soloist, recitalist and chamber musician on five continents.

Che-Yen Chen (viola), also known as Brian, a four-time winner of the National Viola Competition in his native Taiwan. He studied at The Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School and is now principal viola of the San Diego Symphony.

Kirsten Docter (viola), a member of Cavani String Quartet, winner of the Naumburg Chamber Music Award. The quartet maintains a residency at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Robert DeMaine (cello), principal of the Detroit Symphony, winner of many First Prize awards and widely acclaimed as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and recording artist.  

Brant Taylor (cello), a member of the Chicago Symphony. Taylor appears as guest soloist with orchestras and at music festivals around the world and also serves on the faculty of the DePaul University School of Music.

Alessio Bax (piano), a First Prize winner of the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition in 2000 and Avery Fisher grant award recipient in 2009. He has performed with more than 70 orchestras and worked with a number of esteemed conductors.

Lucille Chung (piano), a First Prize winner of the Stravinsky International Piano Competition. Chung has performed in more than 30 countries as recitalist and as soloist with many of the world’s most prestigious orchestras.

John Novacek (piano), a Grammy-nominated musician who regular tours the world as a solo recitalist, chamber musician and concerto soloist. He has recorded more than 30 CDs.

Gregory Raden (clarinet), principal clarinet for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and an avid chamber musician. He has served as assistant principal for the National Symphony Orchestra and principal clarinet for the Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra.

Drew Lang (marimba), classical percussionist, internationally known as a marimba soloist. Lang serves on the faculty of SMU and is principal percussionist for the summer Breckinridge Music Festival.