MANCHESTER, Vt. – Taconic Music will celebrate its 10th summer season with a six-concert series spanning genres from classical and contemporary chamber music, to jazz, pops, and more. The 2026 Summer Festival, which will take place from June 15 – July 13, is anchored by three Chamber Music Saturdays (June 20, June 27, and July 11) at the Riley Center for the Arts at Burr and Burton Academy, and a pops concert with full orchestra at Southern Vermont Arts Center on July 4. Two Monday-evening Young Artists Concerts, on June 29 and July 13, featuring students from Taconic’s full-scholarship Chamber Music Intensive, a benefit concert at Dionondehowa in Shushan, N.Y., and midweek and weekend performances around the region round out the offerings.
Comments co-Artistic Director Joana Genova, “This season, the programming is a clear snapshot of our mission and motto, ‘Where music meets life.’ There are classical touchstones, jazz-influenced music, and a symphony orchestra playing music that pretty much everybody loves.” Co-Artistic Director Ariel Rudiakov adds, “I’m really looking forward to conducting the Taconic Pops Orchestra. Our last pops concert sold out well in advance, and with good reason. We’re bringing back an all-star lineup of musicians from near and far, and our friend Maxine Linehan will be the featured guest singer. It promises to be a truly fun evening with tunes from Sousa, Bernstein, and Gershwin, to Star Wars, James Bond, hits from Broadway, and so much more.”
Avery Fisher Career Grant winner Drew Petersen returns as piano faculty and will perform in the festival’s June 20 concert. Fellow piano faculty Willis Delony, who has wowed local audiences with his Jazz in the Barn performances, will bring Louisiana jazz to the Riley stage with his trio on June 27, where flutist Susanna Loewy will also be a featured guest. And the acclaimed Indianapolis Quartet will be showcased on July 11. In addition to Petersen, Delony, violinist Genova, and conductor/violist Rudiakov, veteran faculty include Heather Braun (violin), Hannah Holman (cello), and Tom Landchoot (cello). Taconic also welcomes new piano faculty Young Woong Cho.
All chamber and Young Artists concerts will again be both live in Manchester and livestreamed on Taconic’s YouTube channel. For those able to attend in person, Chamber Music Saturdays are free for students and kids, while Young Artists concerts have a suggested donation for adults, and are free for students and children. Tickets for the pops concert range in price, and reservations are highly recommended.
Rudiakov and Genova both note, “As an organization with deep roots in the area, we are always expanding both our year-round offerings and our audience reach. But the Summer Festival has a special place in our hearts where we can tie together our joy in bringing live music to the community, pride in providing employment and live performance opportunities for the musicians who are at the core of our festival, and hope and inspiration in helping train the next generation of chamber music performers.”
For more information about Taconic Music’s Summer Festival and year-round programs, visit www.taconicmusic.org.