The story of the Summit Chamber Music Series (Summit CMS) begins with our Artistic Director, Sunmi Chang; her passion for music; and music’s power to reach, heal, comfort, and uplift the human spirit. Sunmi believes that good music has the power to tap directly into the heart of who we are as humans and to revive us.
In Spring 2020, as COVID-19 cases surged and people were confined to our homes, Sunmi decided to bring great music to those who needed it most – patients, their families, and frontline healthcare workers. Having just graduated with a Doctorate in Violin Performance from the University of Michigan, Sunmi recruited 68 fellow musicians to perform a series of 30 video performances for participating hospitals. At times reaching over 13,200 people online, listeners posted that these musical moments introduced beauty, comfort, and calm to otherwise challenging and frenetic days.
When Sunmi moved to Morgantown, WV, she continued to test her theory that music could positively impact her community and began to perform in senior communities. The response from recital attendees was so positive that Sunmi decided to pursue her dream to form the Summit Chamber Music Series (Summit CMS). In late 2020, Summit CMS was incorporated in the state of West Virginia and received 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. From Fall 2021-Spring 2022, Summit CMS presented its inaugural season of four live concerts.
The mission of Summit Chamber Music Series is to bring joy, peace, comfort, and encouragement to the communities of Morgantown and North Central West Virginia by presenting world-class, classical chamber music. We believe our organization is responsible for advocating, nurturing, and educating our community through the medium of classical chamber music.