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Organization
 
The Chamber Music Society of Salt Lake City is a community-based organization dedicated to bringing world-class chamber music to the Wasatch Front. The Society was founded in 1966 and operates as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization governed by a volunteer board of directors.
 
Education
 
In conjunction with the concerts the Society sponsors outreach programs in the community, principally for music students in the Salt Lake County high schools and the Department of Music at the University of Utah. For those attending the concerts the Society is proud of its legacy of providing in-depth program notes.
 
History of the Chamber Music Society of
Salt Lake City
 
As recounted by one of the founders, Gale Dick:

As I remember it, the organization had its origin at a Halloween party that took place probably in 1966. There were costumes and dancing. And there was also a conversation about the fact that, in spite of the wonderful offerings by distinguished local musicians, we weren't hearing as much chamber music in Salt Lake as we would like to hear.

Bernadette Velick was part of this conversation and reported that she knew something about starting a chamber music series, having just been involved in doing so in St. Louis. Soon there was a meeting at the Velick's house. The first Board of Directors was formed under the chairmanship of Sherman Dickman and included David Bennett, Louis Booth, Mrs. George Cannon, Leyah & Oscar Chausow, Ann & Gale Dick, Bill Hanley, Mrs. Arthur Hess, Gladys Rosenberg, Mrs. Leo Samuels, Mr. Thomas, Bernadette & Sydney Velick, Sue & Walker Wallace, Reed Watkins, and Max & Becky Wintrobe.

We started with a good deal of enthusiasm but quickly realized that many of us had a lot to learn about how to go about running a concert series. They certainly don't run themselves. In particular, we worried that we were embarking on a risky venture: we had to sign contracts with performing groups and plan a concert season before we could advertise or sell any tickets. What if nobody bought season tickets? Bernadette knew about the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation of the Library of Congress that made grants to help fledgling organizations such as ours to reduce the initial risk. We applied for and got a grant. There were also a few generous board members who agreed to underwrite the first season in case of emergency.

The first season started in 1967 at the main Salt Lake City Library with the Juilliard Quartet playing Beethoven Opus 130, the Schubert Quartet in D minor, and the Sixth Bartok Quartet; a wonderful initiation for an enduring tradition that has brought much pleasure to thousands of Utahns.