Vermont Public Community Calendar

The Latin Grammy winners return to perform alongside the ensemble in an exciting program of two wind ensemble world premieres commissioned by the Hop.

Brian Messier, director

Latin Grammy-winning trumpet virtuoso Pacho Flores and cuatro master Héctor Molina join the ensemble for a night celebrating Venezuelan musical brilliance, featuring two wind ensemble world premieres commissioned by the Hop: "Concerto Venezolano" by Paquito D'Rivera and Albares by Flores. The program also includes Aldemaro Romero's "Suite de Onda Nueva".

Kinhaven Music School is excited to launch its inaugural Semester Program on August 25, 2025—a four-month, residential experience for high-school musicians focused on chamber music, performance, and holistic learning in a creative, community-driven setting. Offered in partnership with Burr and Burton Academy (BBA) in Manchester, VT, the program combines academic coursework at BBA with intensive musical study at Kinhaven, allowing students to grow both artistically and academically in the heart of Vermont.

To share the spirit of the program with the broader community, Kinhaven presents its Southern Vermont Fall Concert Series, featuring free public performances by Semester Program students at the region’s most beloved venues. Each performance offers a chance to experience the artistry, growth, and joy of these exceptional young musicians in welcoming, community-oriented settings.

Join us in celebrating the next generation of artists and the collaborative spirit of Vermont’s educational and cultural institutions. For full concert details, visit kinhaven.org/concerts.

The club kicks off the year with a selection of choral favorites.

Filippo Ciabatti, director

Valerie Coleman may be familiar as the flutist and founding member of the Imani Winds. She is also a celebrated and award-winning composer, named one of the “top 35 women composers” by the Washington Post. She has assembled an incredible group of instrumentalists (Monica Ellis, bassoon and Mariam Adam, clarinet from the Imani; Tai Murray, violin; Titilayo Ayangade, cello; Artina McCain, piano) for a limited tour. The concert, entitled “Reverie”, takes the listener back to the early twentieth century through the perspectives of Black artists who were at the center of “Le Jazz Hot” and the legendary Harlem Renaissance, juxtaposed with work by Debussy and Ravel.

VSO’s string orchestra is joined by The Moth Radio Hour guests from Vermont for a concert with storytelling at its heart. Music by Edvard Grieg, Edward Elgar, Derrick Jordan, Kelly-Marie Murphy and more are interspersed with and underscore storytelling about summer family camping adventures, a beauty pageant, road trips, and narration of Robert Frost and Calvin Coolidge writings. The concert concludes with Benjamin Britten’s Simple Symphony.

To ensure a legitimate and hassle-free experience, always purchase tickets to Spruce Peak Arts events directly from our official website. Third-party resellers often charge inflated prices and may sell duplicate or invalid tickets.

Spruce Peak Arts does not work with any third-party vendors. For the best price and peace of mind, buy your tickets exclusively from sprucepeakarts.org or contact our box office directly at 802-760-4634.

Kinhaven Music School is excited to launch its inaugural Semester Program on August 25, 2025—a four-month, residential experience for high-school musicians focused on chamber music, performance, and holistic learning in a creative, community-driven setting. Offered in partnership with Burr and Burton Academy (BBA) in Manchester, VT, the program combines academic coursework at BBA with intensive musical study at Kinhaven, allowing students to grow both artistically and academically in the heart of Vermont.

To share the spirit of the program with the broader community, Kinhaven presents its Southern Vermont Fall Concert Series, featuring free public performances by Semester Program students at the region’s most beloved venues. Each performance offers a chance to experience the artistry, growth, and joy of these exceptional young musicians in welcoming, community-oriented settings.

Join us in celebrating the next generation of artists and the collaborative spirit of Vermont’s educational and cultural institutions. For full concert details, visit kinhaven.org/concerts.

The ensemble presents Mahler's monumental Symphony No. 6 ahead of their upcoming trip to Italy.

Filippo Ciabatti, director

Join us for a pre-show talk—stay tuned for more info.

A program featuring Haydn's 'Lord Nelson Mass,' a dramatic and triumphant work composed in turbulent times.

Filippo Ciabatti, director

Bold, spontaneous and intimate—pushing the boundaries of chamber music.

Known for their expressive performances, this dynamic trio brings emotional depth and energy to every piece—from classics to contemporary works. At the Hop, they perform music by Leonard Bernstein and Bedřich Smetana.

The Trio is named after the pre-eminent pianist Mieczysław Horszowski (1892–1993) and takes its inspiration from his musicianship, integrity and humanity. The ensemble's pianist, Rieko Aizawa, was Horszowski's last pupil at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. The trio's repertoire includes works by many of the composers with whom Maestro Horszowski had personal interaction, including Gabriel Fauré, Enrique Granados, Bohuslav Martinů, Maurice Ravel, Camille Saint-Saëns and Heitor Villa-Lobos.

Performances:
Sat, Jan 10 at 5 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Join us for a post-show talk where Aizawa discusses the process of selecting the Hop's new Steinway with Hop pianist-in-residence Sally Pinkas, followed by a reception.

Two musical powerhouses boldly reimagine classics by Liszt, Chopin and Schubert.

Renowned for their collaborative spirit, the Grammy Award-winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra has played without a conductor since their inception, performing with "edge-of-the-seat intensity" and displaying an "infectious love for making music" ("The New York Times") for audiences around the world.

Marc-André Hamelin, a pianist praised for his "commanding technique" along with his "warmth and affection" ("The New York Times"), shares the stage with Orpheus in his first appearance at the Hop. He navigates the emotionally and physically draining "Wanderer Fantasy" in a newly commissioned orchestration that updates Liszt's concerto version. Hamelin is himself a formidable pianist-composer, as heard in the rich counterpoint of his "Passacaglia". Michi Wiancko's take on fanciful delights by Chopin and the unflinchingly honest final sonata from Schubert allow the orchestra to flesh out sounds and emotions buried within these piano masterpieces.

Hop pianist-in-resident and three chamber music friends explore rich, emotionally expansive works by Brahms from his youthful passion to mature mastery.

Brahms' three piano quartets, composed between 1857 and 1875, need no introduction. From the fiery Rondo alla Zingarese of Op. 25, through the broadly lyrical Op. 26 and the darkly dramatic Op. 60, they mine this concise foursome of instruments to its fullest. They are here explored by four consummate chamber music friends and partners from our neighboring New York's Music From Salem Festival.

Sally Pinkas, piano
Markus Placci, violin
Lila Brown, viola
Rhonda Rider, cello

Hop pianist-in-resident and three chamber music friends explore rich, emotionally expansive works by Brahms from his youthful passion to mature mastery.

Brahms' three piano quartets, composed between 1857 and 1875, need no introduction. From the fiery Rondo alla Zingarese of Op. 25, through the broadly lyrical Op. 26 and the darkly dramatic Op. 60, they mine this concise foursome of instruments to its fullest. They are here explored by four consummate chamber music friends and partners from our neighboring New York's Music From Salem Festival.

Sally Pinkas, piano
Markus Placci, violin
Lila Brown, viola
Rhonda Rider, cello

Led by Director Brian Messier, the ensemble is joined by guest conductor Luis Manuel Sánchez and student artists from UNAM to premiere a Hop-commissioned symphony for band by the preeminent Mexican composer.

They also perform Hop commissions and works by Mexican composers, including the world premiere of "Antrópolis" by Gabriela Ortiz with a new arrangement by Messier, featuring Amy Garapic on timpani. They also premiere Concertino for Harp and Wind Ensemble by Omar Arrellano Osorio and perform a piece by Eduardo Gamboa.

In a landmark creative partnership, the Hop is leading a commission for a new work by Márquez, with many universities and institutions contributing to its creation as consortium partners. In addition, Dartmouth will be commissioning and creating a platform for the winner of the annual Márquez competition.

Chamber music with a wild streak.

Named for "Generation Y," yMusic and their cohort of composer-collaborators represent the vanguard of American contemporary music. Now in its 17th season, this genre-leading American chamber ensemble is renowned for its innovative and collaborative spirit. Since their inception, yMusic has pursued a unique mission: to work on both sides of the classical and popular music divide, without sacrificing virtuosity, charisma or style. They have collaborated with a wide range of artists, including John Legend, Paul Simon, Ben Folds and Caroline Shaw. Their music is lush and cinematic, effortlessly blending classical precision with the energy and aesthetic of pop, rock and folk.

Performances:
Tue, Feb 17 at 5 & 7:30 p.m.

The choral singers draw on their ever-expanding repertory for an uplifting performance.

Filippo Ciabatti, director

Capital City Concerts presents its first-ever Farmer’s Night program with Grammy-nominated Palaver Strings, Vermont’s own Grammy-nominated flutist Karen Kevra, and a select chorus conducted by Richard Riley. The evening features Sisask’s Te Deum, Bloch’s Suite Modale, Mustonen’s String Nonet #2, and colorful choral works from Estonia and Scandinavia.

This event is funded in part by a grant award from Montpelier Alive, with funds from the Montpelier Downtown Improvement District.

The concert will be repeated on Friday evening, February 29 at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Burlington, Vermont in conjunction with Cathedral Arts.

A high-energy program featuring a selection of favorite gospel songs.

Ahmaya Knoelle Higginson, director

The ensemble dazzles with a repertoire of timeless classics.

Filippo Ciabatti, director

Handel's gripping dramatic oratorio resonates through the fingertips of a leading Baroque ensemble and the voices of the Clarion Choir.

The English Concert returns under the direction of Harry Bicket with Handel's Hercules—a rarely performed oratorio that blends the grandeur of myth with the intimacy of human emotion.

Part opera, part tragedy, "Hercules" tells the story of a hero's return home and the unraveling that follows, moving from fiery arias to aching laments and capturing a volatile mix of emotions.

Known for their clarity and precision, The English Concert will be joined by the critically acclaimed Clarion Choir—praised for their radiant blend of sound—and their founder, the visionary conductor and Juilliard-trained Steven Fox '00, as well as a cast of renowned soloists to bring this dramatic work to life.

Join us for a pre-show talk.

Late works by Beethoven, Schumann and Brahms.

In this program, Pinkas explores the later fruits of three magnificent composers. Beethoven's Sonata Op. 110, Schumann's Gesänge der Frühe and Brahms Intermezzi Op. 118 are distillations of wisdom, experience, joy and perhaps sorrow: a celebration of a rich life lived in music.