Chamber Music Festival of Lexington appoints new artistic director

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The Chamber Music Festival of Lexington has announced the appointment of violinist Zach Brock as its new artistic director. Brock, a native Lexingtonian, assumes the role from Nathan Cole, who as co-founder in 2007 has been artistic director for 19 years.

Cole was appointed concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2024 and commented: ’I am immensely proud of the quality and accomplishments of the festival, and I want to remain involved.

’Sadly, my new responsibilities in Boston prevent me from giving the time needed to develop the programmes that Lexington has come to expect.’

Cole described Brock as ‘among the most accomplished musicians I know,’ having known him since childhood.

Brock’s first experience of the festival was in 2017, when he served as artist in residence. ’Moving back to Lexington recently has been very rewarding, and this appointment at the Chamber Music Festival of Lexington is among the most significant things to come from it,’ he said.

’I am deeply honoured to be entrusted with an organisation known for its innovation and artistic excellence. I have known and respected Nathan for decades, and I look forward to collaborating with him and the wonderful and talented core troupe to continue bringing world-class chamber music to my hometown.’

Brock is a multi-Grammy Award-winning violinist and composer best known for his long-standing membership in the genre-bending instrumental group Snarky Puppy.

He began studying violin at the age of four and was performing publicly by the age of six. Brock honed his improvisational skills in the Chicago jazz scene while studying classical violin at Northwestern University.

As an educator, Brock serves as an adjunct faculty member at The New School in New York City and has been an artist in residence at Temple University.

He will premiere his new orchestral suite, What Remains, with the Lexington Chamber Orchestra on 9 May 2026.

The Chamber Music Festival of Lexington is held over ten days every year in the famed Bluegrass horse country of Lexington, Kentucky. The festival brings together a quintet of nationally recognised musicians, offering formal concerts, concerts by its ensemble in residence, educational programmes, a guest artist, and in most years a newly commissioned chamber piece.