History

Our Story


Sound Salon was founded in 2013 as “Byron Schenkman & Friends.” In addition to presenting an annual six-concert series at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall, BS&F was presented by the Anacortes Arts Foundation, Camerata Musica (Richland, WA), University of Central Washington, Early Music Society of the Islands (Victoria, BC), and Early Music Vancouver. BS&F also collaborated with the Portland Baroque Orchestra to present chamber music concerts in Portland, Seattle, Mount Vernon, and New York. In 2020, responding to the global pandemic, BS&F launched a digital concert series featuring exquisitely filmed performances which continue to be available at no cost on the Sound Salon YouTube channel. In recent years BS&F has also commissioned and premiered new works from Damien Geter, Caroline Shaw, and Jonathan Woody.

Each Sound Salon concert revolves around a particular theme, often exploring relationships of composers to each other, to their societies, and to our own time. Familiar composers and works are juxtaposed with more surprising discoveries, including music by women and People of the Global Majority.

Past Seasons


“…wide-ranging and imaginatively conceived concert series brings together top chamber players in repertoire that spans three centuries”

   -Melinda Bargreen, Seattle Times 

Season 10


Vivaldi & the (Forty) Four Seasons

October 9, 2022

A Romantic Portrait: Luise Adolpha Le Beau

November 13, 2022

Beethoven’s Archduke Trio

December 29, 2022

A Baroque Portrait: Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre

February 12, 2023

J.S. Bach Meets Caroline Shaw

March 26, 2023

A Contemporary Portrait: Brian Raphael Nabors

April 23, 2023

Dvorak’s Piano Quintet

May 14, 2023

Season 9


Joy & Sorrow Across the Waters

October 17, 2021

Mozart & the Genius of Love

November 14, 2021

Baroque Basses: Beauty & Virtuosity

December 30, 2021

Women of the Baroque

March 6, 2022

Schumann Fairy Tales & Fantasies

April 24, 2022

Brahms & Woody: Lullabies & Waltzes

May 22, 2022

A Double Portrait: Johannes Brahms & Jonathan Woody

June 26, 2022

Season 8


Bach & Musical Offerings

October 11, 2020

Brahms: Love & Longing

November 15, 2020

Bach & Baroque Virtuosity

December 27, 2020

Piano Songs & Fantasies

February 21, 2021

Happy Birthday, J.S. Bach!

March 21, 2021

Beethoven & the Schumanns

April 25, 2021

Season 7


Clara Schumann Bicentennial

September 15, 2019

Brahms, Dvorak and Still

October 27, 2019

Corelli and the Splendor of the Baroque

December 29, 2019

Baroque Bacchanalia

February 9, 2020

Vivaldi in Paris: Baroque Virtuosity

March 15, 2020
Canceled – Covid-19

Beethoven’s Archduke Trio

April 19, 2020
Canceled – Covid-19

Season 6


Boccherini & Scarlatti

October 14, 2018

Handel Italian Cantatas

November 18, 2018

Baroque String Extravaganza

December 30, 2018

Schubert & Britten

February 17, 2019

Mozart Violin Sonatas

March 17, 2019

Leclair & Rameau

April 14, 2019

Season 5


Bach Double Harpsichord Concertos

October 15, 2017

Schumann: The Poet Speaks

November 12, 2017

An Evening of Viennese Classics

December 28, 2017

Handel: From the War of Love

February 18, 2018

Beethoven: The Kreuzer & Pathetique Sonatas

March 18, 2018

Vivaldi & the High Baroque

April 22, 2018

Season 4


Bach & the Mendelssohns

SEPTEMBer 28, 2016

Music for the Sun King

October 30, 2016
Bach & Corelli

December 29, 2016
Russians & Jews

February 12, 2017

Bach’s Goldberg Variations

March 5, 2017

Mozart & the Bachs

April 30, 2017

Season 3


Handel & Haydn Harpsichord Concertos

SEPTEMBer 27, 2015

Telemann Paris Quartets

November 1, 2015

Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook

December 27, 2015

Mozart Piano Quartets

March 6, 2016
Beethoven & Schubert

May 15, 2016

Season 2


Before Bach: Masters of the 17th Century

SEPTEMBer 21, 2014

Mozart & Weber: Musical Cousins

November 23, 2014

Bach Harpsichord Concertos

December 28, 2014

Robert & Clara Schumann

March 8, 2015

Handel & Telemann: Musical Friends

April 19, 2015

Season 1


Beethoven Piano Quartets

October 6, 2013

Bach Sonatas with Ingrid Matthews

November 24, 2013

Vivaldi Concertos

December 29, 2013

Rameau Concerts

March 16, 2014

Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet

June 15, 2014

1211 E Denny Way, #179
Seattle, WA 98122-2516