Since 1927, Carmel Music Society has presented concerts by more than 600 of the greatest classical musical artists and ensembles from around the world.
For nearly a century, Carmel Music Society has been a beacon of artistic excellence on the Monterey Peninsula — bringing the world’s most celebrated classical musicians to our shores.
We believe in the power of live performance to stir the soul, inspire the spirit, and connect our community through the timeless beauty of music. With passion and purpose, we continue to curate concerts that echo far beyond the concert hall.
The CMS story begins in the early 1920s. Dene Denny and Hazel Watrous had recently moved to Carmel and established themselves as architects and decorators. To enhance the cultural life of the Monterey Peninsula they created a concert series.
At that time in Carmel, local amateurs and professionals gave occasional classical music concerts in small private and public venues. Less frequently there were concerts by touring professionals, often sponsored by metropolitan booking agents and underwritten by wealthy patrons. Although several local groups had tried, no one yet had established a concert series of dependable schedule, venue, or artistry.
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Dene and Hazel experimented by booking a few of their own concerts and events in 1925 and 1926 in their home on North Dolores Street, and also in Carmel's original Golden Bough Theatre. By producing these early events, the two visionary women laid the path for a rich tradition of classical music in Carmel.
Their initial concerts were so successful that in the fall of 1927 Hazel and Dene helped organize a group of local music lovers to establish Carmel Music Society — a non-profit organization devoted to bringing the finest talent in the classical music world to Carmel.
Incorporated in 1927, Carmel Music Society is one of the oldest non-profit arts organization in California. In 1935, Carmel Music Society co-sponsored the establishment of the Carmel Bach Festival.