The Concert Truck Acquired by Seattle Chamber Music Society

Seattle Chamber Music Society (SCMS) has acquired The Concert Truck, a traveling music venue that presents concerts across the country and redefines how people experience live music. By converting a box truck into a fully equipped mobile concert hall, complete with lights, a sound system, and a grand piano, The Concert Truck brings world-class classical music directly into city streets, festivals, schools, neighborhoods, parks, and other everyday spaces. Now, as a core element of SCMS’s programming, The Concert Truck can further advance accessibility, engagement, and artistic excellence with renewed support, turning spontaneous outdoor moments into lasting connections with the community.

“We believe classical music is vibrant, magnetic, and belongs in everyday life,” says John Holloway, SCMS’s Dr. Oliver E. Cobb Executive Director. “By welcoming The Concert Truck and its visionary co-founder, Susan Zhang, into our organization, we are putting our money where our mouth is—investing in the future of classical music and partnering with organizations nationwide to bring world-class performances to wherever you can think to park a truck. We’ve seen firsthand how performances in public spaces can inspire new audiences to become ticket buyers, and we’re committed to sharing that blueprint so organizations across the country can turn community encounters into lasting support for classical music,” he adds.

Pianist Susan Zhang created The Concert Truck with pianist Nick Luby in 2016. Since its founding, The Concert Truck has partnered with leading arts organizations including the Kennedy Center’s Washington National Opera, Gilmore Piano Festival, Piano Cleveland, the Aspen Music Festival and School, and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Guest artists who have performed aboard The Concert Truck include James Ehnes, Lawrence Brownlee, Ursula Oppens, Shaun Martin, and Jerome Lowenthal.

“Chamber music is a remarkably flexible art form—it thrives anywhere people gather,” says James Ehnes, Gilbert Omenn and Martha Darling Artistic Director of SCMS. “One of the most powerful ways to show people that this music belongs to them is to bring it directly into their daily lives. The Concert Truck makes that possible in the most joyful and immediate way.”

Now at SCMS, Zhang will continue to lead the program as the Maryanne Tagney Director of The Concert Truck, while Opus 3 Artists will continue to handle booking and artist management. In addition to sharing original programming with local communities, The Concert Truck will continue to be available to leading performing arts organizations and musicians to use as a stage in their communities, strengthening their relationships with the audiences they serve. During September and October alone, The Concert Truck is booked to present performances at a Juvenile Probation Center, a winery, parks, museums, performing arts centers, and dozens of schools for students of all ages.

“Being part of Seattle Chamber Music Society is a powerful step forward in our mission to make classical music a vital, living part of today’s culture,” says Zhang. “We’re not just expanding access — we’re reimagining where and how people experience this art form. There’s a raw, magnetic energy when brilliant musicians perform in unexpected places. It breaks classical music out of the concert hall and into the heartbeat of the community. These performances help people see themselves in the music — and that’s how we build a future where classical music isn’t just preserved, but pulsing through the cultural zeitgeist for decades to come.”

Both organizations have been committed to inspiring the next generation of artists and music lovers through opportunities in education. In addition to playing for thousands of students and creating specialized programming for children across the country, The Concert Truck team co-created an online children’s program with the Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival that has reached more than 55,000 students in North Carolina public schools. The Concert Truck has been continually engaged by institutions including Rice University and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, mentoring young artists in community engagement and entrepreneurship.

Visit Seattle Chamber Music Society.

View The Concert Truck’s fall tour dates.

The Concert Truck acquisition is made possible by the generous leadership support of Maryanne Tagney.