NICEVILLE, Fla. — The Emerald Coast Chamber Music Festival has announced its 2026 season, bringing free classical chamber music concerts and educational programs to Northwest Florida State College later this spring.
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The Emerald Coast Chamber Music Festival said concerts and related events will run from May 16 through May 31 at Tyler Recital Hall inside the Mattie Kelly Arts Center music wing on the college campus. Free tickets to reserve seats will be available through the festival’s website.
According to the festival, the 2026 season will include a variety of musical styles, ranging from a Mozart piano quartet to a jazz-inspired sonata by Nikolai Kapustin and a duo composed by Emerald Coast composer David Ott. Organizers said the programming is designed to deliver performances that are both entertaining and emotionally engaging for audiences.
Most performances are expected to feature the festival’s Artist Faculty, described by organizers as seasoned performers who have appeared at venues including Chicago Symphony Hall, Koerner Hall in Toronto, and Carnegie Hall in New York City.
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The festival also includes a Chamber Music Institute that selects approximately 40 young pre-professional and early-career musicians through competitive auditions. According to the Emerald Coast Chamber Music Festival, participating students receive intensive instruction, perform in concerts and outreach events, and receive mentorship from faculty artists.
Festival Co-Artistic Director Jacob Clewell said the organization values its connection with the Niceville community and enjoys returning to the area each year.
“The ECCMF team always looks forward to our time in Niceville. Whether it’s playing a concert or just grabbing coffee at Wondah or lunch at Pounders, we truly love visiting and showing our students what a special place this is,” said Mr Clewell.
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“We value the connections we’ve built in the community, and have programmed some truly special music for the 2026 season to show that!”
Festival organizers said outreach efforts are expected to continue this year, building on past visits to retirement communities and educational presentations such as a lecture on the history of the string quartet presented at the Niceville Public Library.
Additional information about concerts, performers, and festival activities is available at emeraldcoastchambermusicfestival.org, according to organizers.
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