LA PLATA, Md. — The Charles County Youth Orchestra (CCYO) is thrilled to announce its annual Chamber Music Festival, taking place across two consecutive weekends this July. All four performances will be held at 4 p.m. at the historic Christ Church in La Plata, Maryland. Admission is entirely free to the public, and no tickets or advance registrations are required.
The festival offers an immersive, intimate look at chamber music, contrasting world-class performances by CCYO’s professional faculty with dynamic showcases featuring the region’s finest young instrumentalists.
The festival schedule includes:
- Saturday, July 18, at 4 p.m. (Faculty Concert): An elite quartet featuring Takako Mato (clarinet), Teri Lazar (violin), Osman Kivrak (viola), and Andrew Kivrak (piano) performing timeless masterpieces by Beethoven and Bruch, alongside a featured work composed by CCYO Director Osman Kivrak.
- Sunday, July 19, at 4 p.m. (Student Showcase): Four talented CCYO student ensembles — comprising two quartets, one trio and a duo — will perform a vibrant, energetic program of works by Vivaldi, Mozart, Telemann, and 19th-century composer Johann Wenzel Kalliwoda.
- Saturday, July 25, at 4 p.m. (Faculty Concert): A prestigious faculty string trio featuring Teri Lazar (violin), Osman Kivrak (viola), and Marion Baker (cello). The program features the highly anticipated World Premiere of Improvisations on a Theme by Rob Vuono, and Hallow by Bernie Walasavage—winner of the 2025 FMMC International Composition Contest, recently premiered by this trio at the Kennedy Center. The trio will also perform works by Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven.
- Sunday, July 26, at 4 p.m. (Grand Student Finale): A fast-paced celebratory closing concert showcasing seven distinct CCYO student quartets performing back-to-back masterworks by Dvorak, Mozart, Schubert, and Haydn.
“Our Chamber Music Festival is a wonderful opportunity to experience high-caliber classical artistry right here in Southern Maryland,” said Osman Kivrak, director of the Charles County Youth Orchestra. “By keeping these concerts entirely free and non-ticketed, we want to welcome families, music lovers, and newcomers alike to escape the summer heat and enjoy beautiful music in a magnificent community setting.”
All concerts are hosted indoors with air conditioning and open, general admission seating. Doors open 30 minutes prior to each performance.
For more information about the Chamber Music Festival or the Charles County Youth Orchestra program, please visit https://www.charlescountyyouthorchestra.org/ or contact charlescountyyouthorchestra@gmail.com.