Islanders can hear the joyful strains of Schumann, Brahms and Beethoven when some of the region’s finest classical musicians gather for the second annual Vashon Chamber Music festival.

Island cellists Rowena Hammill and Douglas Davis have invited a stellar list of musicians to participate in the festival. The bill includes Odeonquartet, Duo Patterson, the Hammill-Davis Duo, Françoise Régnat, Patricia Kostek, Martin Kuuskmann, Karin Choo and guest composer Alex Shapiro. 

At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 19, Odeon-quartet will perform music by Golijov and Beethoven at Vashon Methodist Church. 

The group will also play two original works by guest composer Alex Shapiro, who composes works known for their lyricism and drama. Educated at The Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music, Shapiro has receiveds honors and awards from The American Music Center, the American Composers Forum and other entities. She will discuss her work in an informal pre-concert lecture at 6:30 p.m.

Odeonquartet will also perform a free concert for McMurray Middle School students on Friday, May 20. 

“It will be a potpourri, an introduction to classical music,” Hammill said. 

At 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21, at the Blue Heron, the festival’s program will include works by Mozart, Brahms and Arvo Pärt, as well as several variations on Pachelbel’s “Canon.” 

A condensed version of the Friday and Saturday evening programs will also be performed at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 21, in a free family concert at the Blue Heron. 

Tickets for other shows are $20/$23 for single performances. Combined tickets to two performances are $34/$39. Tickets are available at Blue Heron, Heron’s Nest, Books by the Way and www.brownpapertickets.com.