This year marks the 45th anniversary of the Skaneateles Festival’s summer season whose theme, “Home. Heart. Harmony,” celebrates music and community. From its humble beginnings, to its current status as a premier destination for music enthusiasts from a wide variety of genres, the Festival continues to enchant audiences with its blend of world-class performances and unwavering commitment to artistic excellence.
The 45th season will run from July 31 through Aug. 24 and will feature an incredible variety of concerts from jazz, to classical, to bluegrass. The season includes fourteen main series concerts, two KidsFest performances, a free music lecture series with Juilliard professor Aaron Wunsch, and several community outreach performances.
Concert evenings at the picturesque Robinson Pavilion, offers stunning lake views and is situated at Anyela’s Vineyards, will take place on Friday, Aug. 2, as well as Saturdays, Aug. 10, 17, and 24.
Opening the first vineyard concert of the season is renowned musician Rhiannon Giddens (“a powerhouse performer and a true storyteller,” Billboard). A two-time Grammy-winner and recipient of the prestigious MacArthur ‘Genius’ grant, Giddens is known for her iconic folk music and efforts to spotlight overlooked contributions to American musical history.
Week Two, the festival welcomes Syrian clarinetist Kinan Azmeh and invites audience members to grab a glass of wine and bring a picnic for Beethoven Under the Stars. (“Azmeh effortlessly transcends borders, creating music that speaks to the shared humanity within us all,” NPR Music).
Appearing at the festival for the first time on Aug. 17, Chris Thile is a Grammy Award-winning mandolinist, singer, and songwriter. Thile is a highly regarded musician (“that rare being: an all-round musician who can settle into any style,” Guardian) celebrated for his mastery of the mandolin and innovative approach to bluegrass, folk and classical music.
The festival \finale features the highly anticipated return of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (“a beacon of excellence in the world of jazz, captivating audiences with their virtuosity and infectious energy,” New York Times) on Aug. 24.
For concerts at the vineyards, audiences are welcome to arrive as early as 6 p.m. and bring picnic dinners to enjoy on the lawn overlooking the lake. Wine and beer will be available for purchase at Anyela’s Vineyards; outside alcohol is not permitted. In the event of inclement weather, vineyard concerts move indoors. Venue changes and rain locations may be confirmed by calling 315-685-7418 or visiting skanfest.org after 3 p.m. on concert days.
On Aug. 3, the festival will present their largest-ever orchestral concert at one of the area high schools. The program, Music of the Americas, will include colorful music from North and South America, including Alberto Ginastera’s Harp Concerto featuring Bridget Kibbey, Gabriela Lena Frank’s celebration of Inca warriors, and music by Aaron Copland and Gershwin’s beloved Rhapsody in Blue.
This season’s outreach initiative, “Searching for Home” invites performers, composers, and audiences to reflect on the nature of home and consider what it means to those who must search out a new one.
It will highlight performers, composers, and musical traditions from among those who have resettled in Central New York: Syrians, Somalians, Afghans, and Ukrainians.
This narrative of home is woven deeply into the fabric of the season’s programming and the outreach initiative will include a series of free performances open to the public between Syracuse and Auburn.
Chamber concerts at the First Presbyterian Church at 97 E. Genesee St., are performed Thursday and Friday nights (with the exception of Aug. 2) throughout the season.
Two celebratory opening concerts at the church will feature favorite musicians from the festival’s past, including violinist Joe Genualdi, cellists Steven Doane and Rosemary Elliott, and pianist Andrew Russo. One will be held as a matinee at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31 and the other performance presents a different program later that evening.
Violinist James Ehnes, (“a true master of the violin, his performances radiating with passion, precision, and an undeniable love for the music,” New York Times) will make his festival debut on Aug. 1 with pianist Andrew Armstrong. He is one of the most sought-after violinists in the world, performs regularly with leading orchestras, and recently won a Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo.
The Dover Quartet (“a tour de force, breathing new life into the chamber music repertoire,” The Guardian) will perform Aug. 8 and 9. August 8 will bring together two dearly beloved string quartets, and on Aug. 9, the festival will present a premiere performance of new collaboration between bass-baritone Davóne Tines (“one of the most powerful voices of our time,” L.A. Times) and the Dover Quartet where they will explore spirituality and mysticism through varied cultural lenses.
The Claremont Trio takes the stage August 15 and 16 performing a new work by Kinan Azmeh, commissioned by the Skaneateles Festival, and a “Queen of Hearts” program which will highlight regal trios by Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, whose masterful music was severely underappreciated in her own time.
The Westerlies (“an arty [brass] quartet…mixing ideas from jazz, new classical and Appalachian folk” The New York Times) debut at the Festival on Aug. 22 joined by the young violinist-fiddler, George Meyer. Together they’ll present Songbook, a program of music of John Prine, Randy Newman, Woody Guthrie, spirituals by the famous Golden Gate Quartet and more.
The final week of the festival highlights this year’s Young Artist in Residence, the Ivalas Quartet, who are the current graduate quartet-in-residence at The Juilliard School. There will be several free outreach performances from the Ivalas Quartet, as well as a ticketed evening concert by candle light on Aug. 23.
For more information on the season and to get tickets, visit skanfest.org.
Tickets
Tickets range from $32-70 for adults based on concert and seating choice. Youth under 18 are free in Section B (lawn). College students may purchase $10 student tickets at the door of the concert.
Season Passes are on sale now, Week Passes and Vineyard Passes go on sale Monday, April 1, and Individual tickets go on sale May 1. Visit skanfest.org/tickets/ for more details.
Since 1980, the Skaneateles Festival has grown from a few concerts in the local library to a month-long celebration each summer that attracts some of the world’s finest musicians, involves community volunteers, and draws audiences from all over the Northeastern United States. It is the Festival’s mission to be one of the nation’s outstanding summer music festivals, set in the beauty of the Finger Lakes region, community-inspired, and recognized for its creative and dynamic concert programming, education, and outreach.
