The St. Timothy’s Summer Music Festival has a tradition of showcasing commissioned music funded by Dianne and Jim Kimball of Butte, Montana, from 2007 to 2018.

The Muir String Quartet performs these unique pieces, which reflect the beauty of Montana, for the first time at the festival.

The commission program is unprecedented in its longevity, and the Quartet works closely with the composer to present the music.

These pieces are then performed at other events across the country, building the Quartet’s understanding of the composer’s message.

Listed below are the commissioned pieces shared at the festival.


2007   String Quartet No. 1., String Quartet. Composer: Michele Levin

2010   White Granite, Piano Quartet. Composer: Joan Tower

2013   Traces, Bassoon and Strings Trio. Composer: Paul Chihara

2014   Zen of the River, Clarinet and Strings Quintet. Composer: Chris Brubeck

2015   Red Maple, Bassoon and Strings Quintet. Composer: Joan Tower

2017   Quintet for Bassoon and String Quartet, Bassoon, and Strings. Quintet Composer: Michele Levin

2018   Mountain Thoughts, Strings Quartet. Composer: Jessie Montgomery