Sitka Summer Music Festival facts for kids
The Sitka Summer Music Festival is a special event that brings amazing classical music to Sitka, Alaska. It's a month-long festival that focuses on chamber music, which is music played by a small group of instruments. Think of it like a musical conversation between a few talented musicians!
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About the Festival
The festival happens every year in early summer, usually in June. During this month, different groups of musicians come to Sitka. Each group performs three concerts before a new group arrives to share their music.
The festival has about ten main evening concerts. These are the most important parts of the festival. There are also free, informal "brown bag" concerts during the day. These are a great way to enjoy music in a relaxed setting. The festival also hosts fun events and cruises to help raise money.
All the evening concerts take place at a beautiful spot called Harrigan Centennial Hall. This hall has large glass windows that show off an amazing view. You can see Crescent Harbor, the Eastern Channel with its small, tree-covered islands, and even snow-capped mountains. Sometimes, you might even spot a bald eagle flying by!
The festival's offices are in Stevenson Hall. This building is part of a historic area in Sitka. It was built in 1911 and has a lot of history. The festival also keeps its large collection of sheet music at Stratton Library, which is also on the campus of the former Sheldon Jackson College.
The person in charge of the music and performances is the artistic director, Zuill Bailey.
Other Music Series
The Sitka Summer Music Festival also offers other concerts throughout the year. They have a series called Autumn and Winter Classics. These concerts happen in Anchorage, Alaska, at Alaska Pacific University. The festival's main office is located in Anchorage.
The festival also has a touring series in February and June. A small group of musicians travels to different small towns across Alaska. They bring their music to communities that might not often get to hear live classical performances. The winter tour visits different towns each year. However, the final concert of the winter series always takes place in Sitka.
Festival History
The Sitka Summer Music Festival started in 1972. It began as a casual get-together for musicians who had studied with famous teachers like Jascha Heifetz and Gregor Piatigorsky. Paul Rosenthal helped organize these first concerts.
The concerts were very popular, and soon, this musical reunion became an annual festival. Paul Rosenthal directed the festival as it grew bigger over the years. The Autumn and Winter Classics in Anchorage began in 1980 and have continued ever since.
In 2020, the festival had to change its plans. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, live concerts were cancelled. Instead, the festival went virtual, meaning people could watch performances online from home.
Festival Musicians
Since 1972, many talented musicians have performed at the Sitka Summer Music Festival. Here is a list of some of the notable musicians who have played different instruments:
Bassoon
- Patricia Kindel
Cello
- Zuill Bailey
- Anthony Elliott
- Denise Djokic
- Godfried Hoogeveen
- Gregor Piatigorsky
- Nathaniel Rosen
- Peter Rejto
- Stephen Kates
- Toby Saks
- Jeffrey Solow
Clarinet
- Eli Eban
- Michael Webster
- Russell Harlow
Double bass
- David Brown
- Jeff Levine
Flute
- Leone Buyse
- Lorna McGhee
- Maria Piccinini
- Donna Stewart
Guitar
- Jack Sanders
- Simon Wynberg
Harp
- Nancy Allen
- Rita Costanzi
Horn
- Francis Orval
- Robert Routch
Oboe
- Allan Vogel
Piano
- Arnulf von Arnim
- Doris Stevenson
- Edward Auer
- Phillip Bush
- Jerome Lowenthal
- Sung Mi-Im
- Ursula Oppens
Viola
- Atar Arad
- David Harding
- Marcus Thompson
- Milton Thomas
- Paul Neubauer
- Rainer Moog
- Randolph Kelly
- Toby Hoffman
- Leslie Harlow
Violin
- Andres Cardenes
- Arturo Delmoni
- Charles Castleman
- Christiaan Bor
- Diane Monroe
- Gwen Thompson
- Ik-Hwan Bae
- Martin Beaver
- Paul Rosenthal
- Philippe Djokic
You can find a full list of musicians on the festival's website.
