The Classical 'High Season' Bursts Upon The Scene

It's well known that the Berkshires and environs are a mecca for classical music lovers. With the tourist high season – from late-June through Aug. 31 – concert activity increases exponentially, offering listeners a cornucopia of musical delights, with enough variety to please every taste.

This week, two magnificent presenters share the spotlight, offering fabulous musical pleasures: Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass. and Taconic Music's 8th  Summer Festival in Manchester, Vt.

Tanglewood Music Festival

Tanglewood, 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 6, the Festival will present a wide range of programs that spotlight favorite returning artists and repertoire, while also introducing dynamic new artists, premieres of unfamiliar and new works and diverse styles and genres of programming.

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, Ozawa Hall or in the Linde Center, Tanglewood, in all its incarnations is an informal, yet breathtaking place to relax and enjoy music in the most bucolic setting imaginable.

Here are several upcoming extraordinary concerts you'll want to plan to attend – featuring favorite popular artists and great string quartet chamber music. For tickets to all Tanglewood events, call (888) 266-1200, or go online at tanglewood.org.

The Tanglewood Popular Artist Series features a parade of stars this week and beyond, leading up to James Taylor's July 3 and 4 shows: Jon Batiste (June 28), Trey Anastasio with the Boston Pops (June 29), Brandi Carlile (June 30), and Jason Mraz with the Boston Pops(July 2). Later in July, the Shed will offer An Evening with Pretenders (July 16) and June Beck with the Boston Pops (July 23). 

Late June brings the annual String Quartet Marathon: three distinct free concerts performed by the Fellows of the Tanglewood Music Center on June 30 in Ozawa Hall, preceded by a TLI Open Workshop on string quartet performance technique on June 26. 

Taconic Music Summer Festival

With six remaining of seven concerts over three weeks of great programs in this exhilarating music festival, be sure to include 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 and young artists.

For information, including tickets, and Taconic Music's year-round programs, call (802) 362-7162 or visit online at directors@taconicmusic.org. Chamber Music Saturdays are $30. for adults, free for students and kids. Reservations are recommended. Concerts will also be livestreamed.  

COME EARLY for an informal pre-concert reception on every Chamber Music Saturday, beginning at 6:30, when the box office also opens. Enjoy a glass of wine or Töst, and mingle with friends before the concert begins.

Here's a listing of the Taconic Festival's programming highlights over the next three weeks:

Wednesday, June 26 at 7pm:
MASTERCLASS with Cellist Roberta Cooper
Experience firsthand how chamber music is refined and brought to a whole new level. Roberta Cooper will offer insights and guidance to our Young Artists as they prepare for their July 1 concert.

Saturday, June 29 at 7:30pm:

CHAMBER CONCERT II:  Mozart, Villa-Lobos, Martin?
Evangelia Leontis, soprano; Megan Shumate Beaumont, clarinet; Gili Sharett, bassoon: Wayne du Maine, trumpet; Taconic Strings; Ariel Rudiakov, viola and conductor; Joana Genova, violin; Hannah Holman, cello; Davide Cabassi, piano

Saturday, July 6 at 7:30pm:

AN EVENING OF POPS

Wednesday, July 10 at 7pm:

MASTERCLASS with violinist Eugene Drucker
Experience firsthand how chamber music is refined and brought to a whole new level. Eugene Drucker will offer insights and guidance to our Young Artists as they prepare for their July 15 concert.  

Saturday, July 13 at 7:30pm:

CHAMBER CONCERT III: Brahms and Mendelssohn
Eugene Drucker and Joana Genova, violins; Ariel Rudiakov and Stefanie Taylor, violas; Raman Ramakrishnan and Roberta Cooper, celli; Drew Petersen, Piano

Monday, July 15 at 7pm:

YOUNG ARTISTS CONCERT II
Our 2024 Young Artists perform works for string quartet and quintet, and piano quartet in the final concert of our summer festival.

Look for weekly "Classical Beat" previews and recommended concert and related events programming at Tanglewood, Taconic Music, Sevenars and at other regional venues throughout July and August.

Lt. Governor Driscoll Visits Great Barrington Businesses

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Wednesday, December 24, 2025

Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Housing Secretary Ed Augustus and state Rep. Leigh Davis are ready to chop wood out back of Pleasant and Main. 

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll did some holiday shopping on Main Street last week after announcing millions of federal Community Development Block Grant funds. 

She was glad to see an array of small-business owners thriving, and the eclectic items that Great Barrington has to offer. 

"We know that the vibrancy of communities can often be defined by what's happening on Main Street," she said. 

"It's great to be here in Great Barrington and see so many independent entrepreneurs who are running really, not only fun, but businesses that are doing well, and we want to try and find ways to uplift and support that work moving forward." 

State Rep. Leigh Davis coordinated a business tour with Pleasant and Main Cafe and General Store, Robbie's Community Market, and Butternut Ski Mountain. While downtown, Driscoll also stopped at Coco's Candy and Rob's Records and Audio. 

Earlier that day, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced $33.5 million in federal CDBG funds at the Housatonic Community Center. Great Barrington, in conjunction with Egremont and Stockbridge, has been allocated $ 1.25 million to rehabilitate approximately 14 housing units.  A new Rural and Small Town Housing Choice Community designation for its Housing Choice Initiative was also launched. 

Davis emphasized the significance of the state announcing these dollars in the small village of Housatonic.  

Craig Bero, founder of Pleasant and Main, prepared desserts and hors d'oeuvres for the group at his cozy cafe across the street from the Housatonic Community Center. Bero opened more than a decade ago after migrating from New York City, and Pleasant and Main offers sustainable, organic meals for an affordable price while enjoying the museum of antiques that is the restaurant.