Blab Music
Wyoming International Chamber Music Festival Expands to Cheyenne, Offers Free Concerts Aug. 7-16
From the vaulted stone of St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Laramie to the buzzing atmosphere of Cheyenne’s Blue Raven Brewery, the Wyoming International Chamber Music Festival (WICMF) is returning for a second summer season and adding a free concert on August 11.
The festival will run from August 7 to 16, 2026, with daily performances in Laramie—except for August 10 and 11—held inside the cathedral at 104 S. 4th St. Each program will last between one and a half and two hours, and all concerts are open to the public.
Artistic director Ross McIntosh, a viola player who grew up in Laramie and was born in Cheyenne, said the festival was inspired by his trips to Wyoming and the welcoming response of local audiences. “It’s a sort of vacation for the players to come and be somewhere beautiful and for audiences to hear voices from all over the planet,” he explained.
At the heart of the season is The Academy of St. Matthew’s in the Valley, the core ensemble that performs a repertoire ranging from 16th‑century hymns to contemporary works. McIntosh noted that the group’s mission is to bring musicians together in a variety of settings, from two‑player duos to 25‑person orchestras.
A financial award from the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming now allows WICMF to compensate performers in both Laramie and Cheyenne. The grant has enabled the organization to expand its lineup, adding more orchestral and chamber pieces and bringing in a larger group of musicians, half of whom are returning.
The festival is also a nonprofit charitable organization recognized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (EIN 39‑2372275). Daniel Galbreath, former teacher of McIntosh at the University of Wyoming Strings Project, has been appointed as the new executive director and conductor.
Before the summer concerts begin, two outreach events will introduce audiences to the musicians. “Tell me More!”, an orchestral performance and feature talk by Galbreath, will be held on Monday, August 6, at Coal Creek Coffee Company. A second event, “Chamber Music at Blue Raven”, will take place at Blue Raven Brewery in Cheyenne on the same day.
McIntosh emphasized the community aspect of the festival. “About 2% of what we do is about the notes we play, and the rest is about the people who get involved to make something like this happen,” he said. He also noted that the festival has already attracted audiences who were not traditional classical music fans.
The expansion to Cheyenne is part of a broader plan to reach more Wyoming communities. McIntosh said the goal is to share classical music with new audiences and to foster a sense of community in both cities.
WICMF will continue to maintain a permanent presence in Laramie after the festival. McIntosh has recently been hired to teach viola and chamber music at the University of Wyoming.
For full performance schedules, ticket information, and additional details, visit the festival’s website at wyomingchambermusic.org.
The 2026 lineup features 16 musicians from around the world, and the festival’s free concerts are scheduled to run for the full ten‑day period, with the exception of the two days in Laramie when no concert is scheduled. The Cheyenne concert on August 11 will be the sole non‑Laramie event of the season.
The festival’s nonprofit status and the diocesan grant underscore the importance of community support for classical music programming in rural areas. By offering free concerts and engaging outreach events, WICMF aims to broaden the reach of chamber music in Wyoming while sustaining a high level of artistic quality.
As the festival prepares for its second season, organizers are looking ahead to further expansion and to strengthening ties with local educational institutions. The continued collaboration between McIntosh, Galbreath, and the University of Wyoming will likely shape the festival’s programming and outreach efforts in the coming years.
The festival will run from August 7 to 16, 2026, with daily performances in Laramie—except for August 10 and 11—held inside the cathedral at 104 S. 4th St. Each program will last between one and a half and two hours, and all concerts are open to the public.
Artistic director Ross McIntosh, a viola player who grew up in Laramie and was born in Cheyenne, said the festival was inspired by his trips to Wyoming and the welcoming response of local audiences. “It’s a sort of vacation for the players to come and be somewhere beautiful and for audiences to hear voices from all over the planet,” he explained.
At the heart of the season is The Academy of St. Matthew’s in the Valley, the core ensemble that performs a repertoire ranging from 16th‑century hymns to contemporary works. McIntosh noted that the group’s mission is to bring musicians together in a variety of settings, from two‑player duos to 25‑person orchestras.
A financial award from the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming now allows WICMF to compensate performers in both Laramie and Cheyenne. The grant has enabled the organization to expand its lineup, adding more orchestral and chamber pieces and bringing in a larger group of musicians, half of whom are returning.
The festival is also a nonprofit charitable organization recognized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (EIN 39‑2372275). Daniel Galbreath, former teacher of McIntosh at the University of Wyoming Strings Project, has been appointed as the new executive director and conductor.
Before the summer concerts begin, two outreach events will introduce audiences to the musicians. “Tell me More!”, an orchestral performance and feature talk by Galbreath, will be held on Monday, August 6, at Coal Creek Coffee Company. A second event, “Chamber Music at Blue Raven”, will take place at Blue Raven Brewery in Cheyenne on the same day.
McIntosh emphasized the community aspect of the festival. “About 2% of what we do is about the notes we play, and the rest is about the people who get involved to make something like this happen,” he said. He also noted that the festival has already attracted audiences who were not traditional classical music fans.
The expansion to Cheyenne is part of a broader plan to reach more Wyoming communities. McIntosh said the goal is to share classical music with new audiences and to foster a sense of community in both cities.
WICMF will continue to maintain a permanent presence in Laramie after the festival. McIntosh has recently been hired to teach viola and chamber music at the University of Wyoming.
For full performance schedules, ticket information, and additional details, visit the festival’s website at wyomingchambermusic.org.
The 2026 lineup features 16 musicians from around the world, and the festival’s free concerts are scheduled to run for the full ten‑day period, with the exception of the two days in Laramie when no concert is scheduled. The Cheyenne concert on August 11 will be the sole non‑Laramie event of the season.
The festival’s nonprofit status and the diocesan grant underscore the importance of community support for classical music programming in rural areas. By offering free concerts and engaging outreach events, WICMF aims to broaden the reach of chamber music in Wyoming while sustaining a high level of artistic quality.
As the festival prepares for its second season, organizers are looking ahead to further expansion and to strengthening ties with local educational institutions. The continued collaboration between McIntosh, Galbreath, and the University of Wyoming will likely shape the festival’s programming and outreach efforts in the coming years.
