About Us

From beloved pieces by giants of classical music, to exciting new works by living composers, our programming appeals to a wide range of tastes and preferences.

 During each week of our season, the Festival presents two concert series. The Festival Artist Series, taking place Friday and Saturday evenings throughout July and August, is our premier series of ticketed public performances. It features our Festival Artists and Fellows performing a selection of programs announced in the preceding spring.

The Emerging Artist Series, which takes place regularly on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings during the season, showcases works of chamber music that our Fellows prepare under the guidance of their Faculty mentors.  A single New Music Workshop concert, featuring six premieres written by our composer Fellows, takes place on a Friday in late June. No tickets are required for these free concerts.

In addition to these regular series, we also occasionally offer master classes, open rehearsals, and other special events.

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Browse our Season Calendar.

A testament to their rare talent and dedication, our Fellows are regular prize recipients at the most prestigious competitions in classical music, including multiple winners at the Banff International String Quartet Competition, Fischoff Competition, Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Joseph Joachim Violin Competition, and many others. Our Fellows are in the early stages of their professional careers, but by the time they arrive in Norfolk they are already playing at an elite level, on par with the top echelon of classical performers.

At Norfolk, Fellows receive daily coachings with our distinguished Faculty, comprised of classical music’s preeminent performers. Many Faculty members are professors at Yale School of Music, and others hold positions at equally prestigious institutions. Past and present Faculty quartets-in-residence at Norfolk include the Brentano, Miró, Dover, Emerson, Tokyo, Guarneri, Cleveland, and Vermeer quartets.

Learn more about studying at Norfolk.