Adam Chamber Music Festival - Nelson, New Zealand
The Adam Chamber Music Festival began in 1992 with an enthusiastic group of professional musical friends performing five concerts over five days in Nelson. Their inspiration was to utilise the intimate, smaller venues of the region to recapture the essence of chamber music performance. Performed in the height of summer, the relaxed and friendly atmosphere offered a satisfying alternative to the more usual formal concert setting.

The Nelson Music Festival Trust was founded to run the 1994 Festival, secure its future, and administer its affairs. In 1995 the Festival became a biennial event, with the 2011 Festival being the 11th Adam Chamber Music Festival.
 
2011 Overview:linkGuest artists included: New Zealand String Quartet with Mary Ayre, Gillian Ansell, Douglas Beilman, James Campbell, Justine Cormack, Rolf Gjelsten, Denis Goldfeld, Leonid Gorokhov, Michael Houstoun, Hiroshi Ikematsu, Victoria Jaenecke, Hermitage String Trio, Keith Lewis, Kugeltov Klezmer Band, Richard Mapp, Douglas Mews, Euan Murdoch, NZSO Soloists, Richard Nunns, Helene Pohl, Martin Riseley, Martin Roscoe, Rebecca Struthers, Robert Weeks and the Zephyr Wind Quintet. The icon at left is a link to the programme overview.
 
2009 Guest artists included: NZSQ with the Pražák Quartet, Piers Lane, Catrin Johnsson, David Tanenbaum, Richard Nunns, Jenny Wollerman, Michael Houstoun, Diedre Irons, Richard Mapp, Emma Sayers, Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra, Flight, Bonanza trombone ensemble, Rachel Fuller, Philip Green, Bob Bickerton, Martin and Victoria Jaenecke, Douglas Mews and Hiroshi Ikematsu.
 
2007 Guest artists included: NZSQ joined by the Michelangelo String Quartet, James Campbell, Peter Nagy, Diedre Irons, New Zealand Trio, Deborah Wai Kapohe, The Musical Island Boys, Bob Bickerton, Ricahrd Nunns, Martin & Victoria Jaenecke and Saxcess. The Adam Chamber Music Festival headed the "BEST OF 2007" list of classical music events in the NZ Listener magazine.
 
2005 Guest artists included: NZSQ joined by Anton Kuerti, Robert Ingliss, Nobuko Imai, Christoph Richter, Tim Deighton, Douglas Mews, Euan Murdoch, Patricia Wright, Victoria Jaenecke, Martin Jaenecke, Diedre Irons and Bob Bickerton.
 
2003 The Festival received national recognition by the nomination as 'The Best Chamber Music Festival in New Zealand' by Lindis Taylor (Evening Post) for Best - A New Zealand Compendium, released May 2004. Guest artists included: NZSQ accompanied by Piers Lane, Atar Arad, Colin Carr, Caroline Wolff, Diedre Irons, Helen Medlyn, Penny Dodd, Bidget Douglas, Richard Nunns, Rachel Thomson, Nevine String Quartet and Bob Bickerton.
 
2001 Guest artists included: NZSQ accompanied by Goldner String Quartet, Anton Kuerti, Thomas Hecht, Dan Poynton, Richard Nunns, Dale Gold, Deborah Wai Kapohe, Kirsten MacKenzie/Leight Jackson Quartet, Roger Sellers, Tim Robertson and Bob Bickerton.
 
1999 Guest artists included: NZSQ accompanied by Edward Allen, Donald Armstrong, Dimitri Atanassov, Katherine Austin, Ashley Brown, Maria Grenfell, Lara Hall, Joanna Hood, Sam Konise, Douglas Mews, Euan Murdoch, Nairobi Trio, New Zealand Chamber Orchestra, Ogen Trio, Rowan Prior, Arthur Rowe, Mary Scott, Wilma Smith, James Tennant, Patricia Wright and Vyvyan Yendoll.
 
1997 The Adam Foundation was welcomed as the Principal Sponsor. The first time artists had been invited from overseas. Guest artists included: NZSQ accompanied by Margaret Medlyn, Michael Houstoun, Dene Olding, Irina Morozova, Alexa Still, James Tennant, Ellen Jewett, Uri Wassertzug and Richard Mapp.
 
1995 Guest artists included: NZSQ accompanied by James Tennant, Philip Rose, Terence Dennis, Maire Ni Chathasaigh, Chris Newman, Jeroen Speak, Douglas Mews, Shelly Wilkinson, Bernard Wells, Peter Barber, Alexa Still, Jackie Clarke, Nick Bollinger, Callie Blood, Janet Roddick, Ian Morris, Donald Armstrong, Peter Scholes and Carolyn Mills.
 
1994 The Nelson Music Festival Trust was founded by Douglas Beilman, James Tennant & Stephen Managh.
 
1992 The Chamber Music Festival was founded by a group of friends Alexa Still, Gillian Ansell, Susan DeWitt Smith Douglas Beilman and James Tennant who performed five concerts in five days in Nelson.