The Ottawa Chamber Music Society (OCMS) has quietly become one of the country's most respected presenters of intimate classical music, and its spring 2026 series is further evidence of that reputation.
The Spring Series
Running from mid-March through mid-May, the six-concert series opens this weekend with the Kronberg Academy Ensemble, a string quartet assembled from alumni of Germany's prestigious Kronberg Academy. The program includes Haydn, Schubert, and a world premiere commission from Ottawa composer Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa.
Subsequent concerts in the series feature a renowned French pianist, a Canadian piano-violin duo, and, closing the season in May, a rare Ottawa appearance by a major international cellist.
The Venues
OCMS rotates through several Ottawa venues depending on the program. This season's concerts take place at Dominion-Chalmers United Church (which has some of the best acoustics in the city), the Ottawa City Hall chamber, and the NAC's Fourth Stage.
All three venues are intimate enough that there's no bad seat in the house, something that matters a lot with chamber music, where you want to hear every breath and bow change.
Tickets and Accessibility
Individual concert tickets are $35–$55. Season subscriptions are available and represent better value if you're planning to attend multiple concerts. Student tickets are $15 for most programs.
OCMS also runs a free "Lunchtime Listening" series on select Wednesdays, featuring shorter programs by emerging local musicians at noon. These are held at various downtown locations, check ocms.ca for the spring schedule.
Why Chamber Music Matters in Ottawa
Ottawa's classical music scene is anchored by the NAC Orchestra, but smaller ensembles like OCMS fill a crucial gap: music at a human scale, in rooms where you can feel the sound rather than just hear it. If you haven't been to an OCMS concert, this spring series is the place to start.
Source: Ottawa Life Magazine / RSS
