Joining renowned musicians from around the world performing masterworks of music in the Nevada Chamber Music Festival will be three members of the University's Department of Music faculty. The 10th annual festival, presented by the Reno Chamber Orchestra Dec. 26-31, will include performances by cellist Dmitri Atapine, violinist Stephanie Sant'Ambrogio and pianist James Winn, all accomplished musicians and members of the University's faculty and Argenta Trio.

The six-day event includes 12 concerts, taking place at the South Reno United Methodist Church and in Nightingale Concert Hall in the Church Fine Arts building.

"The University will again host several concerts in Nightingale Hall, and it is pleasure to be a part of bringing this extraordinary music event to our community and seeing our faculty members among the accomplished musicians who will perform," University President and Reno Chamber Orchestra Board member Marc Johnson said.

"I am lucky to travel around the country and be part of a multitude of music festivals. Without a doubt, the NCMF is one of the most successful and gratifying events I have ever seen," said Atapine, who performed with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York the week of Dec. 9. "Both the highest level of artists that come to Reno and the special warmth that can be felt from our devoted audiences contribute to an unforgettable experience."

Honorary Patrons for the 10th Nevada Chamber Music Festival are Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and Reno Mayor Robert Cashell.

In addition to Atapine, Sant'Ambrogio and Winn, the acclaimed musicians taking part in the festival include festival artistic director and violist Theodore Kuchar; pianist, award-winning recording artist and Harvard professor Robert Levin; Grammy Award-nominated violinist James Buswell; cellist Peter Wiley, onetime member of two legendary chamber ensembles, the Guarneri String Quartet and the Beaux Arts Trio; and the concertmasters of two of America's finest orchestras, Martin Chalifour of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Noah Bendix-Balgley of the Pittsburgh Symphony.

The festival begins Dec. 26 in Nightingale Concert Hall with a concert by husband-and-wife pianists Anna Polonsky and Orion Weiss. Over the following days, the festival's schedule includes afternoon and evening performances, along with special lunch concerts and a piano showcase. The festival ends with a lively New Year's Eve celebration in Nightingale Concert Hall, followed by a post-concert dinner party at the Grand Sierra Resort.

Since it made its debut in 2004, the Nevada Chamber Music Festival has attracted increasingly large and enthusiastic audiences. One critic wrote, "Kuchar's collection of exceptional musicians playing exceptional music brought forth a collection of stellar performances worthy of any of the world's great centers of culture," and referred to one concert as "electrifying and edifying listening."

The Festival has won international acclaim from publications such as The Strad, a prestigious British magazine for string instrument players.

Jill Winter, emeritus faculty, Reno Chamber Orchestra Board member and one of the Festival's founders, recently wrote in the Reno Gazette-Journal, "The 10th Nevada Chamber Music Festival promises to build on the successes of prior years and to maintain its position as a premier cultural event in Northern Nevada. Every concert has included highlights and moments of soaring inspiration. This year will be no exception."

"We, the Renoites, are so lucky that this is happening here at home," said Atapine. "Making music alongside such great old and new musical friends, while ringing in the New Year surrounded by the most passionate community of music lovers is the best holiday gift anyone could wish for."

Tickets and more information are available at the Reno Chamber Orchestra office, 775-348-9413, or at www.RenoChamberOrchestra.org. Discounted festival passes, transferable and good for all concerts, and individual concert tickets are available. Full-time students and those 18 or younger can attend any concert for $5. Free parking for the concerts in Nightingale Concert Hall will be available on the upper floors of the Brian J. Whalen Parking Complex on N. Virginia Street.