Our Mission:

Tallgrass Chamber Music Festival (TCMF) was created from the belief that spreading art and culture outside of the cities into the more isolated areas of small-town America can mend and heal the cultural disparity between urban and rural communities. So much of what makes cities desirable and wonderful places to live is the privilege of daily access to a diverse and vibrant range of people and cultures. Increasing accessibility and exposure to the different viewpoints, cultures and experiences that art provides is essential to equalizing the quality of life between small-town and city environments.

Tallgrass’ goal is to establish an artistically excellent and significant cultural institution in rural southwestern Wisconsin. In addition to serving the immediate areas of Wisconsin, TCMF will serve as a tristate cultural draw, increasing tourism and growing the economic health of our surrounding regions. As we highly value engagement and education of our attendees, TCMF's programming philosophy is to always present audiences with a diverse, exploratory and impactful experience with music, taking care to ensure our audience reaches a deeper understanding of the music we present and the processes and experiences that led to its creation. All concerts feature a repertoire selection that emphasizes our commitment to new works and underrepresented voices, while also highlighting masterworks from the chamber music canon. All concerts and events take place at the Tallgrass Hall, a renovated and repurposed 1840s barn.

At Tallgrass, we want to establish an environment of art, learning, and discovery. At all Tallgrass concerts, our audiences will find the opportunity to talk with Tallgrass artists and discover the process of creating the music of Tallgrass. Through the close-knit nature of the barn, at Tallgrass, audiences have personal access to artists, leaving with a deeper understanding of the music presented throughout our seasons.

TCMF is a project unique to Wisconsin. The spirit of Tallgrass is based in Wisconsin's reputation as America's heartland we feel it would not be the same in a different area. As the festival refits a Wisconsin dairy farm, renovating its grounds and structures for artistic purposes, it takes an iconic symbol of Wisconsin life and turns it into a centerpoint for the community, resulting in an institution that is very much of the land and community it serves.

The Future:

As seasons progress, we plan to expand beyond chamber music towards the end of establishing a multidisciplinary regional and international arts institution. Tallgrass Chamber Music Festival will become just one of the many festivals taking place under the Tallgrass name. Festivals that are currently in development are festivals for visual arts, opera, other musical genres, literature, cuisine, and mixed media/film.