The Adam Chamber Music Festival (ACMF) has announced its lineup for 2026. Set in the scenic surrounds of Nelson Whakatū, at the top of New Zealand’s South Island, the biennial festival enters its 18th edition with an array of international artists,  gems of classical and contemporary music, and a celebration of Schubert masterworks across 29 January – 7 February.

Among the international stars is Australia’s Phoebe Russell, double bassist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Ensemble Q. Other international performers include Canadian tenor Colin Ainsworth. Canadian clarinettist James Campbell, the USA-based Jupiter String Quartet and American pianist Jeremy Denk.

ACMF’s Grand Opening Concert kicks off the festivities on 30 January with a selection of works from Mozart, Poulenc, Nielsen, NZ composer Jenny McLeod and more.

Phoebe Russell. Photo Supplied.

Russell features in Twos and Threes, a program of duos and trios featuring works by Leclair, Piazzolla, Bridge and Glière as well as contemporary works from NZ composer Salina Fisher and Bernardo Alvis Iriarte (Russell’s husband).

Later that night, A Taste of Sound pairs treats from Hogarth Chocolate Makers with Kevin Lau’s A Drop of Light (Buttered Toast & Sea Salt), James Rolfe’s Six Songs (Hazelnut Coffee Caramel) and Franck’s Piano Quintet (72 percent dark, for the “brooding Romantic fervour”).

Colin Ainsworth. Photo © Bo Huang

Vocal music takes centre stage throughout ACMF. In a festival highlight, Ainsworth and Denk are front and centre for Schubert’s Die Schöne Müllerin (1 February); Bach arias get a meditative treatment in Bach by Candlelight at the Nelson Cathedral (2 February), Ainsworth tackles Vaughan Williams’ On Wenlock Edge in a program that also features the world premiere of composer-in-residence Liam Furey’s Limbic Evolution (4 February); and reConstitution weaves together American spirituals, Black art songs, and minimalist string writing in a concert of social and musical reflection (4 February).

Works by Florence Price, Margaret Bonds and William Bolcom and John Adams’ Shaker Loops are framed by Schubert’s late Piano Trio No. 2.

New Zealand composers also feature in two programs on 6 February: in Sounds of Aotearoa (6 February), more works by Furey get an airing, as do works from Gillian Bibby, Gilliam Whitehead, Ross Harris and Janet Jennings, while Twilight & Trickery opens with improvisations from Ariana Tikao, Bob Bickerton and James Campbell.

There are also two intimate recitals across the course of the festival. On 3 February, Jeremy Denk plays Mazzoli, Beach, Farrenc, Beach, Clara and Robert Schumman and Brahms. On 7 February, Michael Enres performs Schubert, Schumann, Tchaikovsky and selections from the Gershwin Songbook.

The Antipodes Quartet. Photo © Melissa Banks

ACMF’s Grand Finale on 7 February wraps up the festival with a flourish – Maria Grenfell’s whimsical Knitting Unicorns, Dubois’ Sonatine-Tango, Brahms’ First Piano Quartet and Schubert’s monumental Octet.

The 2026 Fellowship Ensemble is the Antipodes Quartet (Eden Annesley, Lavinnia Rae, Mana Waiariki and Tal Amoore), which offers two free-to-attend programs across the course of the festival. The ACMF also hosts a Meet the Artists series and a string of masterclasses presented by festival performers.

More about the 2026 Adam Chamber Music Festival program can be found here.