Performance quality has ceased to be any kind of issue at the Colorado College Summer Music Festival.

For its 31 years faculty artist rosters have always been blessed by world-class musicians. Their culture of cooperation and artistic commitment continues to blossom and seems to be at a highpoint.

In recent seasons, the festival’s student “fellows” have begun to match the quality of their teachers resulting in outstanding chamber and symphonic performances. Still, some moments have stood out this summer: the festival opening Franck “Piano Quintet;” the Bartok and Brahms from the first Festival Orchestra concert; Schumann’s “Fairy Tales” – due in most part to violist Toby Appel’s stunning sound and artistry; and, just this past Tuesday, the pleasant surprise that was Zwilich’s “Quintet for Strings and Piano” and the awesome complexity and intensity rendered in Berg’s “Chamber Concerto.”

How were we to expect that last night’s penultimate concert by the faculty artists would reach an even higher level of musical excellence while breaking new artistic ground? So it was.

The inimitable John Novacek kicked things off with the pre-concert offering of his “sounding piece (2011).” Although the composer and pianist promised more dissonance and angularity in its first three movements, this was still the kind of offering we’ve grown to expect from him: spontaneous, engaging music-making that is nothing short of contagious.

And he had a perfect partner for this: guest cellist Michelle Djokic hurled herself at this often erratic ride. But it was in the somber finale – “fade…out” that a new Novacek appeared. Classic stuff. Three energetic, extroverted movements were met with deep reflection and desolation.

By the time music reached its inevitable and breathtaking end, a spell was cast upon Packard Hall. Clarinetist Bil Jackson called it “sorbet,” but the performance that he and Elizabeth Mann (flute), Anne Marie Gabriele (oboe), Michael Kroth (bassoon) and Michael Thornton (horn) rendered of Jacques Ibert’s “Three Short Pieces” from 1935 produced a universe of sound and textures that one could happily spend eternity within.

Looking back over the repertoire of this season’s faculty concerts, there have been maybe one or two works that could be said to be “popular” pieces. The choices that music director Sue Grace makes in putting together these programs is one of the absolute strong suits of this festival.

The rest of last night’s music- seldom heard efforts by beloved composers- proved this point beyond a doubt. Think Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and definitely “Scheherazade,” “Capriccio Espagnol” and “Russian Eastern Overture” come to mind for classical music lovers.

Thanks to festival programming of a few years ago, the “Quintet for Piano and Winds” remains forever etched upon my musical consciousness. After last night, I happily welcome the “String Sextet in A major.” Violinists Steven Copes and Stefan Hersh, violists Toby Appel and Virginia Barron, and cellists Bion Tsang and Michelle Djokic made magic of this work that often made it seem like one was listening to an entire orchestra.

Each of its five movements came off as a joyous and beautiful celebration of being alive. And one of the missing elements, and now an expected mainstay of the festival, finally appeared. Rimsky-Korsakov gave a juicy spotlight to the first cello. Bion Tsang grabbed hold of this opportunity and dug out glorious tightly spun golden fleece.

Program annotator and pre-concert lecture host Michael Grace came on stage to set up the performance of Igor Stravinsky’s “Les noces” first performed in 1923. After almost apologizing for the festival being unable to perform this remarkable and groundbreaking work of art with the choreography and costumes the composer intended, he outlined this simple story of a Russian peasant wedding and stated that it would be unlikely we would ever hear it performed live again.

Thanks to this festival that still flies under the radar of the great happenings in the musical firmament, a virtually packed house was witness to something that transcended what routinely happens in concert halls.

Here was the team: Scott Yoo, conducting; Colorado Vocal Arts Ensemble, Deborah Teske, director; Annamarie Zmolek, soprano; Jennifer DeDominici, mezzo soprano; Alex Richardson, tenor; Liam Bonner, bass; John Novacek, Sue Grace, Amalia Rinehart (festival student) and Giyong Ahn (festival student), pianos; John Kinzie, Peter Cooper, Michael Tetreault, Michael Van Wirt, Nena Lorenz, Kevin Keith (festival student), Bryce Leafman (festival student) and Andrew Ferdig (festival student), percussion.

The need to single out each performer and ensemble is not obligatory. This is a monstrously difficult work to realize. Everyone on stage had to give themselves entirely to their performance- reticence would have led to ruin. The sum of the parts was astounding.

With Scott Yoo in command, Stravinsky’s vision was alive and dynamic- the lack of the theatrical element a non-factor. The four vocal soloists were amazing; the pianists caught the soul of the sound, percussionists incisive; and the CVAE on the money although not as prominent as the music called for.

Time stopped – a rare occurrence possible only when great art lives and breathes. For me, this instantly became one of a handful of artistic moments that will walk with me forever.

And… tonight is the festival finale. Scott Yoo is back in front of the Festival Orchestra for Verdi, Shostakovich and Brahms “2nd Piano Concerto” with the great William Wolfram at the keyboard. Grab, steal or beg a ticket.

The Colorado College Summer Music Festival Finale

Tickets: 719-520-SHOW; www.ticketswest.com; the Worner Center Desk on the Colorado College Campus.

Full Schedule and information: 719-389-6552; www.coloradocollege.edu/musicfestival