Catchfire Collective presents innovative, powerful, and inspiring performances that reignite the chamber music experience. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, Catchfire was founded by six graduates of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in May 2019. A pierrot ensemble plus percussion (flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and percussion), Catchfire's members bring unique perspectives shaped by personal histories, cultures, and artistic practices — equally at home as a sextet, in smaller formations, and as soloists.
Catchfire's mission is to cultivate an experience where musical innovation and tradition coexist, encouraging experimentation while honoring the legacies that inform their work. They engage their communities through performances, educational workshops, and discussions that foster understanding, experimentation, and imagination — and believe in the power of art to challenge perceptions and spark dialogue. Their collaborative spirit is at the heart of everything they do, and they intentionally program to create compelling, meaningful experiences for their audiences, inviting them into something fresh, personal, and just a little unexpected as they reimagine what chamber music can be.
Catchfire's innovative programming has been met with audience and critical acclaim. Their December 2021 program City of Industry: The Music of Annie Gosfield drew critical praise for the ensemble's extraordinary ability to shift between total transparency and a vivid array of colors. Their December 2020 program Falling Up: The World Upside Down was hailed by reviewers as magical and artistically cohesive, with standout individual playing throughout. Other past projects include Dreamscapes, an immersive exploration of the music of George Crumb. Catchfire has commissioned over a dozen works from emerging composers, with upcoming projects including a new work by Hilary Purrington.
A dedicated educational presence, Catchfire served as the Chamber Ensemble in Residence at Music for a Great Space in 2025. They have also been featured as guest artists at Virginia Tech, Towson University, the University of North Carolina Greensboro, Grand Valley State University, High Point University, and the Steinway Piano Gallery – Greensboro, bringing educational programming and residency components to many of these visits.
Since their formation, Catchfire has become a prominent part of Greensboro's arts scene, performing throughout the city and the Piedmont Triad region as a regular fixture at local venues, churches, and bars. During the 2020–21 season, they partnered with Flux Creative Studio to present performances in a virtual, interactive format, attracting attendees from across the country. In 2019, Catchfire was the featured ensemble at the 2nd Annual Darkwater Women in Music Festival at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
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