The Atlanta Chamber Players (ACP), a cornerstone of Atlanta’s chamber music community, is set to kick off its 50th season this fall. This milestone will showcase a series of performances that blend classical masterpieces from composers such as Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn with new works by contemporary artists Che Buford and Andrea Casarrubios.
For the members of the ACP, this season feels like a familial celebration, filled with longstanding friendships and cherished experiences. “I love playing with friends,” said violist Catherine Lynn. “Relationships are, at the end of this life, all we have.”
Violinist Helen Hwaya Kim echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of music not just as a form of practice but as a shared experience that enriches lives. “As time goes on in life, I treasure these concerts even more. I treasure the rehearsals,” Kim emphasized. “That’s the beauty of live music — you can practice all you want by yourself, but it becomes meaningful when you can share them with people.”
The desire to make chamber music more accessible and move it beyond the confines of conservatories was foundational to the vision of founder Paula Peace. Peace’s journey began during her undergraduate studies at Florida State University, where she discovered her passion for chamber music. After transferring to the State University of New York at Stony Brook and gaining more experience in chamber ensembles, she returned to Atlanta to establish the ACP alongside colleagues flutist Melanie Cramer and clarinetist Robert Brown in 1976.
The ACP quickly diversified its instrumentation, incorporating horns, percussion, and other instruments with the help of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. “We were a mixed ensemble,” Peace explained. “We thought it would be more fun for us and more fun for the audience if we weren’t just a string quartet.” The group’s repertoire expanded to include baroque trio sonatas as well as works from classical and romantic eras, reflecting an eagerness to explore 20th-century classical compositions.
“This was in our blood,” Peace said, underscoring the group’s intention to introduce new musical experiences to Atlanta audiences. Their inaugural performance took place in October 1976 at Agnes Scott College, featuring Mozart’s G minor piano quartet and George Crumb’s avant-garde piece “Voice of the Whale,” which blends electric instruments to mimic whale songs.
“That’s typical, bona fide ACP,” remarked Peace, referring to the blend of traditional repertoire with contemporary experimentation.
During a recent conversation with active ACP members Lynn and Kim, they reaffirmed their commitment to contemporary music, emphasizing the need for accessibility in their commissions. “Always someone with an original voice,” said ACP Artistic Director Elizabeth Pridgen. She acknowledged the challenge audiences face in understanding the abstract nature of much contemporary classical music, stating, “We want it to be something that is relatively accessible.”
Kim reinforced this idea, saying, “I like to listen for music that makes one feel something. Melody or not, if there is intent — if a composer is really skilled at what they do — that element should come through. Is there something this music brings that can be shared with an audience?”
“Does it speak to the heart?” Lynn added, highlighting the ensemble’s fatigue with uninspired works characterized by lengthy sequences of whole notes, describing them as “holding footballs,” a playful reference to the notation.
Expanding its reach beyond Agnes Scott, the ACP established partnerships with Emory University, Kennesaw State University, and Georgia State University, allowing for extended residencies and increased presence throughout Atlanta. The group embraced performances in diverse venues, including schools, prisons, and public squares, all while remaining true to Peace’s vision of bringing music to the community.
Among their innovative initiatives was the “soiree” series, consisting of concerts held in intimate, beautiful homes, which proved popular for its straightforward and personal setting. “Our numbers were doubling each year,” Peace reminisced. By the early 1980s, national and international performances had become routine, leading to the ACP’s unofficial motto: “have chamber music, will travel.”
After 38 years of dedicated service, Peace stepped down as artistic director in 2014, passing the torch to Pridgen. Peace expressed her pride in having Pridgen succeed her, emphasizing, “I could not be more proud to have Liz be my successor with my life’s work. She’s brilliant.”
Pridgen acknowledged the significance of this transition, pointing out that the ACP’s expanded board of directors facilitated a smooth succession. She took on the artistic director role while the executive director, currently held by Melissa Klein, managed business affairs.
For all involved, the ACP has consistently represented a labor of love over its five decades. Although the challenges have sometimes strained this love, the commitment to music has remained unwavering for Peace, who reflects, “Life was complicated. But the music was always so gratifying.”
image source from：artsatl
