Since 1977, when it was founded by violinist Olga Bloom, Bargemusic has been a showcase for chamber music on the Brooklyn waterfront and become a champion of chamber music throughout the United States. Both musicians and the public enjoy chamber music in the intimate setting for which the genre was originally intended.

The Barge, a 102-foot long converted barge once used by the Erie Lackawanna Railroad, offers a splendid performance space with wood panellin, a fireplace, and spectacular views of the lower Manhattan skyline along the East River. In an effort to maintain the intimacy of each concert, seating is limited to 125 persons.

Bargemusic presents concerts every Thursday through Sunday throughout the year. With its extensive schedule, Bargemusic is believed to be the largest chamber music presenter in the world. Included in our yearly program are two weeks of Bach's Brandenburg Concerti in December.

More than 100 artists perform at Bargemusic each year. Concerts are coordinated by the seven members of Bargemusic's Resident Artists Committee who bring together individual soloists, rather than established ensembles, to perform each week. The Committee continues to expand and diversify Bargemusic's repertoire of comtemporary and traditional music as well as the roster of visiting performers, including artists through the Young Artists in Performance Fund.

In addition to reaching over 12,000 in-house audience members, a number of concerts are broadcast live, locally on WNYC, and nationally on various NPR radio stations. Each broadcast reaches approximately 200,000 listeners in the New York area alone. They are a huge success and allow Bargemusic to reach a larger audience, one that expands beyond the concert hall. This outreach is an integral part of Bargemusic's mission, which is to incorporate chamber music into everyday life.