ABOUT

Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music is an all-volunteer organization made up of music lovers dedicated to bringing some of the world's finest chamber music ensembles to Syracuse. In addition to contributions from our many friends and subscribers, we enjoy grant support from the Syracuse Sounds of Music Association, CNY Arts, and the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation.

ABOUT SFCM

SFCM History Highlights

1949: Virtuoso violinist Louis Krasner joins the Syracuse University School of Music faculty and creates the Syracuse Frriends of Chamber Music, a chamber music society for his new community. The First SFCM concert is held on October 1, 1950.

1950s: Krasner forms a string quartet - the Krasner Ensemble - with his violinist wife Adrienne, violist Claude Bortel, and cellist Jack Karp. Joined by visiting artists, they become the centerpiece of SFCM concerts.

1960s: SFCM brings first the Julliard String Quartet and then many other well-known ensembles to Central New York.

1970s: SFCM presents distinguished chamber music groups from all over the world, although the organization also showcases artists from the local community. Under Krasner's leadership, SFCM encourages the performance of 20th century works and brings prominent composers such as Aaron Copland, Lukas Foss, Gunther Schuller, and Joan Towers to Syracuse.

1976: Krasner moves to Boston. SFCM's new music director is Henry Palocz, who serves until 2008 – 32 years! SFCM continues to bring world famous groups to Syracuse.

1999: SFCM holds its first annual Youth Competition. Ensembles made up of young people from Central New York compete for small financial prizes and the opportunity to play chamber music for our audience.

2006: A seventh concert, featuring local professsional musicians and organized by John Oberbrunner, is added to the regular season – in keeping with Krasner's original vision.

2017: Travis Newton, Le Moyne College's Director of Arts Administration, becomes the fifth SFCM Director of Music Programming, following Jonathan Chai and Richard Moseson.

2020–22: SFCM records concerts for online viewing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Concerts continue to be performed throughout the shutdown.

2024: SFCM begins the celebration of its 75th Anniversary with a gala dinner and performance by the Juilliard String Quartet--its 24th for us.

2024: Stamatios Kyrkos becomes SFCM's sixth music director. The newly refurbished Art Deco auditorium at Grant Middle School becomes SCFM's new home.

Read our most recent program book!

SFCM Leaders

SFCM's all-volunteer "staff" makes it possible for us to put most of our revenue into engaging the very best international artists for our concert series. In addition to the officers listed below, a large group of hardworking board members keeps this organization running.

President: Virginia Robbins
Vice-President: Jamie Traver
Secretary: Beth Oddy
Treasurer: David Abrams
Programming Director: Stamatios Kyrkos
Music Operations: Richard Moseson