Family Concert
Free and open to the public of all ages, the Family Concert is an interactive and fun way to introduce everyone to classical music. Taking place on the last Saturday morning of the Festival and hosted by educator and conductor Mark Mandarano, this concert is a favorite for all ages (although recommended for ages 5 and up), and introduces children and adults to great chamber music in engaging and entertaining ways. Come sing, clap and enjoy a musical morning with our wonderful musicians!
Master Class
The annual Master Class is free and open to the public. The student masterclass takes place on the second Friday of the Festival from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. The program connects world class artists with local, young musicians and community members.
OffTopic! Talks
OffTopic! talks are free and open to the public, and take place on Monday afternoons during the Festival. Individual musicians are featured in these popular lecture/demonstrations, and are given the stage to talk about any musical topic they feel passionate about.
Pre-Concert Talks
Pre-concert talks are open to all ticket-holders. Mark Mandarano, conductor and educator, gives an informal talk one hour prior to each concert, starting at 6:30 pm. These gatherings are fun and informative, and help audiences gain a better understanding of a program’s musical and historical context, as well as how each piece fits into the overall theme of the Festival. Audiences will hear musical excerpts as well as interviews with musicians and composers.
Program Notes
Conductor and educator Mark Mandarano also authors the program notes which are printed in the Festival book, tying together information about the individual pieces with the over-arching theme of the Festival.
Mark Mandarano, conductor and educator