The Classical 'High Season' Bursts Upon the Scene
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It's well known that the Berkshires and environs are a mecca for classical music lovers. With the tourist high season – from mid-June through Labor Day – concert activity increases exponentially, offering listeners a cornucopia of musical delights to please every taste.
This week, two magnificent presenter "T"s share the spotlight, offering fabulous musical pleasures: Tanglewood and Taconic Music.
Tanglewood Music Festival
Tanglewood in Lenox, among the world's grandest outdoors summer music festivals, is the summer home of the Boston Symphony, and offers outstanding and varied classical performances. Beginning July 8, the Festival will present a wide range of programs that spotlight favorite returning artists and repertoire, while also introducing dynamic new artists and diverse programming, with eight world and American premieres and 28 works by living composers, as well as 21 artists in their Tanglewood or Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) debuts.
Why go? It's all about the magnitude and the phenomenal diversity of programming. Whether you enjoy the pristine lawns for bring-your-own picnics, or prefer the proximity to gifted musicians in the Shed or in Ozawa Hall, Tanglewood, in all its incarnations is an informal, yet breathtaking place to relax and enjoy music in the most bucolic setting imaginable.
Here are this week's and upcoming extraordinary concerts you'll want to plan to attend – the best in chamber and symphonic music. For tickets to all Tanglewood events, call (888) 266-1200, or go online at tanglewood.org.
Look for weekly "Classical Beat" previews and recommended concert and related events programming at Tanglewood throughout July and August.
Shed Concert: An Upcoming Stellar Boston Symphony Orchestra Opening Night:
• Friday, July 8, 8:00 p.m.: Maestro Andris Nelsons leads the BSO's opening week of performances, July 8-10, beginning with an Opening Night spectacular program of Leonard Bernstein's moving and brilliant Symphony No. 2 ("The Age of Anxiety") with piano soloist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, will be performed along with Igor Stravinsky's stupendous "The Rite of Spring."
Ozawa Hall—Reopening for the First Time Since Summer 2019:
• Saturday, July 2, 10:00 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m.: The fabulous Tanglewood Music Center (TMC) beginning-of-festival String Quartet Marathon, featuring works by Haydn, Ginastera, Gabriela Ortiz, Price, Adolphus Hailstork, Hilary Tann, Gabriela Lena Frank, Shulamit Ran, Sally Beamish, Alvin Singleton, Chen Yi, and Jessie Montgomery.
Tanglewood Music Center (TMC) and Tanglewood Learning Institute (TLI) Activities in Studio E of the Linde Center—Reopening Since Summer 2019:
• Wednesday, June 29, 7:30-10:30 p.m.: Fellows of the TMC String Quartet Class talk shop and perform for the Juilliard String Quartet.
• Thursday, June 30, 6-7:15 p.m. (Cindy's Café): Table Talk Dinner conversation with members of the Juilliard String Quartet, TMC Faculty, and TMC Fellows.
• Thursday, June 30, 7:30-9:00 p.m.: Documentary Film feature: "Strings Attached - On the Road with the Dover String Quartet."
For tickets for all Tanglewood/BSO concerts (lawn and Shed seating) and for special events call (617) 266-1200 or 888-266-1200. TDD/TTY: (617) 638-9289. For local information, call (413) 637-1600. Online: tanglewood.org.
Taconic Music Summer Festival
With just two more weeks of great programs in this exhilarating music festival, be sure to schedule Taconic Music on your "not-to-be-missed" concert agenda.
Why go? Based in Manchester, Vermont, co-founders Ariel Rudiakov and Joana Genova will showcase their outstanding festival-resident teaching/performing artists.
• Faculty Concert III: Saturday, July 2, 7:30 p.m. - 8:45 p.m. Master teacher/performers violinists Heather Braun and Joana Genova; violist Ariel Rudiakov; cellist Tom Landschoot and pianist Jon Klibonoff will present a program of Joaquîn Turina, Jon Klibonoff (a world premiere) and Antonin Dvorak.
The concert will be held at the Riley Center for the Arts, 143 Seminary Avenue, Manchester, VT. Admission: Adults $25, students/kids FREE. Reservations are recommended and masks are requested for this and all indoor concerts. This concert will also be livestreamed.
For specific repertoire listings and other information, including tickets, and Taconic Music's year-round programs, call (802) 362-7162 or visit online at directors@taconicmusic.org.
Tags: classical music, Tanglewood,
