Alan Rafferty, a cellist in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and CCM professor, is artistic director of a new, three-week festival, Ascent International Chamber Music Festival in Cincinnati. Alan tells me that 70 students have been at the festival, which is based at CCM, coming from all over the U.S.

In addition, there’s a concert series that continues this week, with three more concerts scheduled. The “headliners” include the renowned violinist Cho-Liang Lin and the Miró Quartet.

Performances are in Werner Recital Hall at CCM, which has excellent acoustics.

Visit ascentmusic.org to read more. The concerts are ticketed — visit Event Brite to secure your tickets.

Here’s the lineup:

July 5, 7:30 p.m. –Cellist David Popper wrote his Requiem for Three Cellos as a dedication to the memory of a longtime colleague.  Inspired by living through the tragedy of WWII, Shostakovich composed his 2nd Piano Trio, a monumental and moving work that is as relevant today as the day it was written.  The program concludes with Dvorak’s epic Piano Quintet

The program: Popper’s Requiem: Sarah Kim, Melissa Kraut, Alan Rafferty, cellos; Ming Li Liu, piano

Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2: Grigory Kalinovsky, violin, Alan Rafferty, cello, Vladimir Stoupel, piano

Dvorak Piano Quintet in A Major: Judith Ingolfsson & Tom Stone, violins, Rebecca Barnes, viola, Alan Rafferty, cello, Michael Chertock, piano.

July 9, 7:30 p.m. — Violinist Cho-Liang Lin performs with faculty and festival participants.

The program: Telemann Concerto for Four Violins in D Major: Cho-Liang Lin, Jingting Liu, Marina Alba Lopez Sanchez, Elias Fredericks, violins

Shostakovich 3 Pieces: Philip Marten & Cho-Liang Lin, violins

Moszkowski Suite for Two Violins and Piano: Cho-Liang Lin & Philip Marten, violins; Sandra Rivers, piano

Brahms Sextet No. 1 in B-Flat Major, Op. 18: Cho-Liang Lin & Philip Marten, violins. Scott Lee & Rictor Noren, violas, Sarah Kim & Alan Rafferty, cellos.

July 12, 7:30 p.m. — The Miró Quartet returns to Cincinnati to present this special concert featuring a quartet by Beethoven and the Ohio premiere of “Home” by Kevin Puts, commissioned for the Miró Quartet.

The program: Beethoven String Quartet Op18, #2; Kevin Puts “Home”; Brahms String Sextet No. 2 in G major with Masumi Per Rostad & Alan Rafferty