2026-27 Tuesday Matinee Chamber Music Series at Bethany Lutheran Church

The Chamber Music Society of Greater Denver’s 2026–27 season celebrates the diversity of American musical expression. Across three concerts, audiences will experience the sounds, stories, and traditions that have shaped our musical identity—from holiday Broadway and film music, to the innovative voices of America’s greatest composers to shape-note hymns and Appalachian songs,.

Featuring voice, flute, harp, and piano, the season explores how American music reflects shared experiences of faith and community, memory and celebration, theater and storytelling, and the creative spirit of composers who transformed American culture.

An American Winter
Broadway, Hollywood & Holiday Memories
Tuesday, December 8, 2026 @ 1:00 pm

​The holidays have always inspired some of America’s most beloved songs—music that brings families together, evokes cherished memories, and captures the magic of the season. This festive program celebrates the intersection of Broadway, Hollywood, and holiday traditions.

From the heartfelt beauty of “Somewhere Out There” and the timeless elegance of “White Christmas” to Broadway favorites from Mame, this intimate concert brings new warmth to familiar melodies through the distinctive colors of voice, flute, and harp.

Featuring selections by composers such as Irving Berlin, Jerry Herman, Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane, and Meredith Willson, along with music connected to stage and screen, An American Winter celebrates the songs that have become part of our collective holiday soundtrack.

Bernstein & Beyond
The American Imagination
Tuesday, March 2, 2027 @ 1:00 pm

​The American musical voice has always crossed boundaries—between concert hall and theater, classical tradition and popular culture, sophistication and accessibility. This program celebrates composers who expanded our understanding of what American music could be. Centered around Leonard Bernstein and his artistic circle, the concert explores the remarkable range of American creativity, from the theatrical brilliance of West Side Story and On the Town to intimate art songs and chamber works.

Featuring music by Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Aaron Copland, David Amram, Arthur Frackenpohl, Thom Ritter George, and Elmer Bernstein, this program reveals a uniquely American spirit: inventive, expressive, and always connected to the stories of its people.

Rooted in America
Shape Notes, Mountains & Folk Traditions
Tuesday, April 13, 2027 @ 1:00 pm

​Before concert halls and conservatories, American music lived in communities—in churches, homes, fields, and mountain gatherings. This program explores the deep roots of American musical traditions through shape-note hymns, folk songs, and Appalachian melodies that have been passed from generation to generation.

Featuring beloved works such as “Amazing Grace,” “What Wondrous Love Is This,” and “Idumea,” alongside contemporary reflections by composers including Robert Beaser and Thom Ritter George, this concert reveals the enduring power of simple melodies, communal singing, and stories carried through time.

Through voice, flute, and harp, audiences will experience the connection between early American sacred traditions and the vibrant folk expressions that continue to influence composers today.