The Kuressaare Chamber Music Days have taken place in Kuressaare, the capital of Saaremaa, in the beginning of August since 1995. Saaremaa is the largest island in Western Estonia. This chamber music festival has the longest tradition in Estonia and it was also the festival to begin the tradition of music festivals in Saaremaa. The founder and artistic director of Kuressaare Chamber Music days is the pianist Andres Paas.
In recent years the Kuressaare Chamber Music Days have become even more international, and famous soloists and chamber ensembles from Argentina, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Great Britain, Rumenia, Turkey, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, China, Japan, Latvia and Lithuania, together with leading musicians from Estonia, have also participated. The most famous guests have been the Kodaly Quartet, Bartók Quartet, Auer Quartet and Accord Quartet from Hungary, Vilnius String Quartet and Ciurlionis Quartet from Lithuania, New Russian Quartet from Russia, Eos Guitar Quartet and Garcia Abril Quartett from Switzerland, Quatuor Varese, Quatuor Parisii, Mandolin Quartet Quatuor à Plectres de France, the pianist Alexandre Tharaud and the vocal duo Jean Delescluse and David Selig from France, Mandolin Quartet Classica Pizzicata, Neapolis Ensemble and EON Guitar Quartet from Italy, the pianist Mihaela Ursuleasa from Rumenia, vocal groups quintet Calmus Ensemble from Germany, vocal trio Trio Mediaeval and Quattro Stagioni from Norway, vocal ensemble The London Quartet, vocal quintet Apollo5, vocal ensemble Gallicantus, vocal quartet Orlando Consort and vocal sextet Marian Consort from Great Britain, vocal sextet UniCum Laude from Hungary, vocal quintet Wishful Singing from Netherlands, fado singer Joana Amendoeira, Mar Ensemble, vocal-instrumental group South Trovadore, percussionist Pedro Carneiro and the dancer Teresa Simas from Portugal, vocal sextet Tempvs Fvgit from Corsica, String Quartet Meta4, Talla Vocal Ensemble, Trio Finlandia and cellist Jan-Erik Gustafsson from Finland, Prague Guitar Quartet, the pianist Martin Kasik and the male quartet Q VOX from Czech Republic, pianists Zoltan Fejervari and Denes Varjon and the violinist Barnabas Kelemen from Hungary, the cellist Vytautas Sondeckis from Lithuania, the clarinetist Marcis Kulis, the pianist Vestard Shimkus and the saxophone quartet n(ex)t from Latvia, Argentinian tango groups La Portena Tango Trio and Conjunto Típico Fernando Moreno, Spanish-Argentinian Fabian Carbone Tango Ensemble, Ensemble Flamenco Jerez, the castanets player Bélen Cabanes, flamenco dancers Estefania Cuevas and Ana Maria Garcia, flamenco singer El Sobrino and guitarist Jesus Majuelos from Spain, the guitarist Andreas Maria Germek from Austria and the vocal septet Svetilen from Russia, Estonian Sinfonietta, Glasperlenspiel Sinfonietta, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, the saxophone quartet SaxEst, vocal ensembles Vox Clamantis and Orthodox Singers from Estonia etc.
An important priority has been the introduction of international chamber ensembles with the participation of Estonian musicians. So during Kuressaare Chamber Music Days new ensembles have been born: the HonEst Quintet (Hungary-Estonia), the Moscow-Milan piano trio and the New Baltic Trio (Estonia-Latvia-Lithuania).
Not only have classical chamber music works been performed at the festival, but also Estonian and world premieres of many works have taken place in Kuressaare, including those written especially for the festival and less well-known works of a high standard.
The concerts are performed in various chamber music halls in Kuressaare, including the concert hall of the Cultural Centre, the Chapter House of the medieval Kuressaare castle, the halls of the Music School and the Town Hall, and Rüütli SPA Hotel, Kuressaare St. Laurentius Church,
In summer 2005 the first CD of the Kuressaare Chamber Music Days was released. The double CD Kuressaare Chamber Music Days 10 is a compilation of highlights from previous festivals.