Ozark Music Initiative

03/03/2026

On this day in 1875, Bizet premiered his famous opera, Carmen. We hope you’ll enjoy this clip from our most recent Chamber Music of the Ozarks concert featuring Sarah Mesko, Virginia Kunzer, and Tomoko Kashiwagi. 💃 🎶

02/25/2026

Calling High School musicians! We hope you'll join us! For more information click the link in our bio or visit ozarkmusic.org/ozark-honors-orchestra 🎼🎻🎺🥁📯🎵

02/18/2026

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02/13/2026

We hope to see you tomorrow! ♥️ 🎵

🌅 💕 Tomorrow spend an enchanting Valentine’s Day at one of Northwest Arkansas’ most beautiful venues, enjoying chamber music for voice, flute, and piano! 🎹

🎶 Acclaimed Mezzo-Soprano Sarah Mesko will be joined by flutist Virginia Broffitt Kunzer and pianist Tomoko Kashiwagi for Golden Hour, a sunset concert at Heroncrest featuring romantic pieces from Mozart, Ravel, Rodgers, and a dazzling, show-stopping arrangement of the Carmen Fantasy. 💃

🎟️ Tickets: https://vivenu.com/event/golden-hour-pgmqzx

02/06/2026

We are so happy to share that Stacie Mickens is returning as the horn mentor for our second year. Learn more about our faculty and the Ozark Music Festival by clicking the link in our bio. 📯🎵

02/05/2026

02/02/2026

One of the pieces the 2026 festival orchestra will be performing is Stravinsky’s Firebird. 🕊️✨ Firebird was written when Stravinsky was just 27 years old and it launched his career overnight. Premiered in Paris in 1910, the ballet’s glowing orchestration and fiery rhythms introduced the world to a bold new musical voice. 🔥🎶 Learn more about the 2026 festival here: https://ozarkmusic.org/ozark-music-festival2026

01/30/2026

We’re thrilled to announce the Ozark Honors Orchestra, a brand-new program from the Ozark Music Initiative designed for advanced string and wind players in grades 7–12! 🎼

📅 April 17–19, 2026
📍 Springdale High School — Springdale, AR

This immersive experience gives student musicians the chance to:
🎶 Rehearse and performance as a full orchestra
🎺 Work with professional musicians and university faculty
🎻 Receive sectionals and build skills with advanced orchestral repertoire
🎓 Strengthen college/scholarship applications with elevated ensemble experience

👉 Auditions: Free video submissions — open to students grades 7-12 in AR, MO, OK and beyond!
🔗 Register and learn more at https://ozarkmusic.org/ozark-honors-orchestra
👏 Spread the word — we can't wait to make music with you! 🎵

01/29/2026

This Valentine’s Day, Chamber Music of the Ozarks will welcome acclaimed Mezzo-Soprano Sarah Mesko for Golden Hour ~ Enchanting Music for Voice, Flute, and Piano at Heroncrest! Mesko is known for her role in Bizet’s Carmen (pictured last year in the title role at Vancouver Opera), and Golden Hour will feature a special arrangement from Carmen! Tickets: https://vivenu.com/event/golden-hour-pgmqzx

📷 Photo by Emily Cooper // Vancouver Opera // Carmen 2024

01/25/2026

What’s your plan for Valentine’s Day? 💌🎶🎹

Spend the Golden Hour immersed in romantic music for voice, flute, and piano. This special concert features mezzo-soprano Sarah Mesko, praised by The Washington Post for her “consistently beautiful sound.” She has appeared with The Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand Opera, and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and recently performed the role of Carmen with Vancouver Opera—a role celebrated in this program with a captivating arrangement of the iconic “Habanera.”

She is joined by Virginia Kunzer, principal flutist of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA), and pianist Tomoko Kashiwagi.

The concert begins at 4:00 PM and concludes during the golden hour, leaving the perfect window to continue your Valentine’s celebration with dinner at your favorite restaurant. ❤️ Tickets: https://vivenu.com/event/golden-hour-pgmqzx

01/24/2026

We are accepting applications for the second season of the Ozark Music Festival! Visit our website to review our accessible audition requirements! Please spread the word! 🎶

01/13/2026

Applications are open for the second season of the Ozark Music Festival! In addition to working with our incredible faculty, students will have the opportunity to play in a full symphony orchestra and in a chamber ensemble. Orchestral repertoire includes Sibelius Symphony No. 2, Stravinsky Firebird, Copland Appalachian Spring, Marquez Danzon No. 2, and more! Accepted students may submit repertoire requests for their chamber ensemble. Please spread the word! 🎼