Mission

Chameleon’s mission is to present the highest quality chamber music performances, to foster an understanding and appreciation of the art form through imaginative and adventurous programs, and to infuse a public-spirited sensibility in all that we do to make classical music available, understandable, and accessible for audiences throughout the Boston area.

History

Over the past 25 years, Chameleon has performed more than 400 concerts featuring a remarkable array of nearly 625 different works by 300 different composers presented in smart, thematic programs that appeal to both connoisseurs and newcomers alike. We started out with a modest five-concert series, and through thoughtful, paced growth over time, we have nearly quadrupled the number of annual concerts – with 17 performances on deck for our 2023-2024 season. Annual activities now include three concert series – our flagship Chamber Music Series, cabaret-style “Up Close” recital series, and music education series – along with our cherished community outreach programming, and various residencies, guest appearances, and radio broadcasts.

The Ensemble is led by Artistic Director and flutist Deborah Boldin. Her inspired vision and vast knowledge of the chamber music repertoire have garnered widespread acclaim. The Boston Globe hailed “Chameleon Arts Ensemble has distinguished itself over the course of two decades by sheer dint of its sparklingly imaginative programming,” and noted “planning a good chamber music program is an art unto itself, and few in town have mastered it as persuasively as the Chameleon Arts Ensemble.”

The programs feature her hallmark mix of standard, neglected and contemporary chamber music, tied together by unique thematic concepts (highlighted by poetic concert titles) that provide framework to make all the music understandable and relatable. We aim to show connections rather than differences and create diverse and balanced programs of music that are satisfying and enriching on every level. It is this artistic philosophy that has earned Chameleon its excellent reputation, unqualified praise from critics, and a loyal, growing core of concertgoers and supporters. The Boston Globe called Chameleon “a local treasure” and noted, “During intermission, concertgoers could be heard marveling at the program’s breadth… Chameleon makes daring seem easy.” The Boston Musical Intelligencer praised us for “keeping the element of adventure alive…not just as a sophisticated craft, but as a labor of love.”

National honors include 2017 and 2015 awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, 2015 and 2004 awards from the Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress, and 2009 and 2007 Adventurous Programming Awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and Chamber Music America. Chameleon has served as artists-in-residence at Lee University and Salem State, and for Northeastern University’s Fusion Arts Exchange, a summer program for international students sponsored by the US State Department. The Ensemble has appeared twice at the venerable Rockport Chamber Music Festival, and has been featured on WCRB, WHRB, and WBUR Radio Boston.