DOWAGIAC — A chance for the people of Dowagiac to open their ears and expand their interests is coming town, thanks to the Dogwood Fine Arts Festival.

As part of the Dogwood Fine Arts Festival running throughout the month of May, there will be two Fischoff Soirees hosted at 7:30 p.m. on May 10-11. Each night will feature a quarter finalist ensemble of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, followed by a question and answer session with the musicians. Light refreshments will also be served.

The first will take place May 10 at the Dowagiac Train Depot, 200 Depot Dr., Dowagiac, and feature the Callisto Quartet from the Cleveland Institute of Music. The second will take place May 11 at the Dowagiac History Museum, 201 E. Division St., Dowagiac, and feature the Donald Sinta Quartet from Ann Arbor. Tickets are $18 for each event.

“This will be a fun event with great music,” said Jim Benedix, chair of the Dogwood Fine Arts Festival. “It is something we do every year, and we are happy to bring it back.”

According to Benedix, the Fischoff Soirees are a way for people in the community to experience a new type of music, as the Fishoff Soirees can feature classic music with a spin, all played by award winning performers. For example, the Donald Sinta Quartet features a contemporary saxophonist, while the Callisto Quartet features a string ensemble.

“This is all chamber style, but the idea of chamber isn’t necessarily classic,” he said. “It can be contemporary. Chamber style is just a small group, playing in a small venue for a small crowd.”

Part of the appeal of the Fishoff Soirees are that they are played in small venues, as it makes the music feel more personal, Benedix said.

“It’s like if you were throwing a house party with live music. That’s kind of a soiree. That’s the whole concept,” he said.

Because of the intimate nature of the events, Benedix recommended that people buy tickets ahead of time at dogwoodfinearts.org, as there is limited seating for both events.

“We tend to sell out. It is very limited,” he said. “It’s a great event, so we always appreciate advance notice.”

A full list of Dogwood Fine Arts Festival events:

May 3: Starfish Circus, 7:30 p.m., Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center, 57028 Riverside Dr., Dowagiac.

May 4: Starfish Circus, 7:30 p.m., Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center, 57028 Riverside Dr., Dowagiac.

May 10: Fischoff Soiree, 7:30 p.m., Dowagiac Train Depot, 200 Depot Dr. Dowagiac.

May 10: Klassics for Kids, 1 p.m., Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center, 57028 Riverside Dr., Dowagiac.

May 11: Fischoff Soiree, 7:30 p.m., Dowagiac History Museum, 201 E. Division St., Dowagiac.

May 12: Sweet Tea Trio, 7:30 p.m., Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center, 57028 Riverside Dr., Dowagiac.

May 15: Storytelling Master Class: 7 to 9 p.m., COA Front Street Crossing, 227 Front St., Dowagiac.

May 16: Storytelling with Ed Stivender, 7:30 p.m., Southwestern Michigan College, 58900 Cherry Grove Road, Dowagiac.

May 17: Youth Fine Arts Night, 6 p.m., Dowagiac Union High School, 701 W. Prairie Ronde St., Dowagiac.

May 18: Karen Dionne, 7 p.m., Southwestern Michigan College, 58900 Cherry Grove Road, Dowagiac.

May 19: Harp Twins, 7:30 p.m., Southwestern Michigan College, 58900 Cherry Grove Road, Dowagiac.