Manchester Music Festival returns for another season of world-class classical music! Season 49 will see the return of festival-favorite performers, but will also have lots of fresh faces and new experiences for our audiences to enjoy.

NEW THIS SEASON

The renowned Emerson String Quartet (Eugene Drucker and Philip Setzer, violins; Lawrence Dutton, viola; Paul Watkins, cello) are embarking on their worldwide farewell tour, and we are delighted that they will join us at our Season Opener Mainstage Chamber Concert on June 29, 2023. The Emerson String Quartet, called “America’s greatest quartet” by Time Magazine, will be disbanding at the completion of their tour after more than four decades of performing together, and Philip Setzer will be launching a new phase of his career as our new Artistic Director.

This summer also marks the inaugural year of the MMF Rising Stars! Exceptional Young Artists alumni who distinguish themselves during their time as YA performers will be invited to return to the Arkell Pavilion as Rising Stars. This year, Maïthéna Girault (2018) and Cathy Heidt (2022), violins; Sebastian Gonzalez Mora (2022), viola; and Ismael Guerrero Bombut, cello (2019) will join our world-renowned guest artists to perform the Mendelssohn Octet on July 6, 2023.

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Our Thursday night Mainstage Chamber Concerts continue in Southern Vermont Arts Center’s Arkell Pavilion. Featuring performances by festival favorites including Ara Gregorian, viola; Amit Peled, cello; and Tara Helen O’Connor, flute; alongside MMF newcomers Brian Hong and Qing Hou, violins; Laurence Neuman and Astrid Schween, celli; and Orion Weiss, piano.

Young Artists Concerts will take place on four Sundays, July 9-30. The talented students of the Young Artists Program perform chamber masterworks at these not-to-be-missed events. Come and witness the next generation of great chamber musicians!

THE GRAND FINALE

Manchester Music Festival is excited to welcome The Knights to the Arkell Pavilion on Thursday, August 31 for An Orchestral Evening, the final concert of our 49th season. The Knights are a collective of musicians dedicated to transforming the orchestral experience and eliminating barriers between audiences and music. 

“An adventurous young orchestra that has established a strong reputation for polished performances and imaginative programming.” —The New York Times

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Manchester Music Festival engages, inspires, and grows a supportive audience for classical music, performed at the highest level of artistic excellence, and teaches exceptional young performers in the art of chamber music.