Belfast Chamber Music (BCM) will hold its second-annual charity benefit concert, Home and Hearth, on Sunday, Dec, 21, 2025, at 3 p.m., at The First Church in Belfast UCC, 8 Court Street. BCM Artistic Director Philipp Elssner (violin/viola) will be joined by visiting artists Olena Kaspersky, violin, and Jacob Wang, piano. Admission is free; donations will be accepted in support of the Midcoast Maine Homeless Coalition and Waldo County Bounty.

“During the holiday season, it’s especially important to support neighbors facing food insecurity, housing challenges, and other hardships,” said Elssner, in a news release. “This concert brings our community together to uplift the organizations doing vital work on their behalf.”

The program will feature beloved favorites as well as lesser-known gems by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Bacewicz, Karabyts, Schumann, and others.

Pianist Jacob Wang has appeared in solo and chamber recitals throughout Michigan, North Carolina, Iowa, Maine, New York, Perugia (Italy), and Germany. As a concerto soloist, he has performed with the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra, UNCSA Symphony Orchestra, Central Iowa Symphony, and the Fort Dodge Area Symphony. He is a prizewinner in numerous competitions, including the RSO, Haeberle, Huntoon, Ronald Sachs, and International Paderewski Competitions. Wang currently serves as a faculty member and Resident Musician at the Music Haven school in New Haven, Connecticut.

Violinist Olena Kaspersky, a Los Angeles native, earned her bachelor’s degree from the USC Thornton School of Music, studying with Lina Bahn, and her master’s degree from McGill University under the guidance of Violaine Melançon. She has held principal positions with the Colburn Chamber Orchestra and the American Youth Symphony, and has served as concertmaster of the USC Symphony, McGill Symphony Orchestra, and the Colburn Youth Orchestra. Kaspersky has also performed with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa). A winner of USC’s Solo Bach Competition (undergraduate division) and the Ofiesh Quartet Competition with the Gateway Quartet, she currently resides in Montréal, performing regularly while pursuing further graduate studies at McGill.

Philipp Elssner is a violinist, violist, and music theorist based in Midcoast Maine. He has been a member of Maine’s renowned DaPonte String Quartet since June 2024 and also performs frequently with the Lake Trio across Maine, North Carolina, Michigan, and beyond. His principal teachers have included Jinjoo Cho at McGill University and Jaime Laredo and Jan Sloman at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Elssner has performed widely across the U.S. and Canada and has appeared at festivals including Encore Chamber Music, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, and the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival.

Founded in 2024 by local artists, Belfast Chamber Music is dedicated to enriching the community through the transformative power of chamber music. BCM’s mission is to provide accessible, high-quality musical experiences that inspire, educate, and connect diverse audiences — fostering collaboration among local musicians, supporting emerging talent, and featuring touring artists.

For press inquiries, interviews, or more information about the event, please contact Philipp Elssner at (828) 712-4129 or email belfastchambermusic@gmail.com, and visit: www.philippelssnerviolin.com/belfast-chamber-music/