Worcester Music Festival, Massachusetts facts for kids

The Worcester Music Festival is a famous classical music event. It takes place in Worcester, Massachusetts. This festival has been happening since 1858. Many people say it is the oldest music festival in the entire United States.

Discover the Festival's Long History

How the Worcester Music Festival Began

The very first festival happened in 1858. It was a four-day music meeting. Two people, Edward Hamilton and Benjamin F. Baker, organized it. In that same year, the Worcester Chorus was created. This group was formed to sing at the festival. Guess what? They still perform there every single year! Even though the meeting lasted four days, only one concert was held.

Changes and Growth Over the Years

In 1863, a group called the Worcester County Musical Convention was formed. Carl Zerrahn became its director in 1866. Later, in 1877, the group changed its name. It became the Worcester County Musical Association. They also decided to call their events "festivals" instead of "conventions."

Famous Musicians Who Performed Here

Many amazing musicians have performed at the festival. Victor Herbert worked with the festival for three years, starting in 1889. He was an assistant conductor and a soloist. The famous composer Antonín Dvořák performed there in 1893. Wallace Goodrich was the conductor from 1902 to 1907.

In 1958, Van Cliburn played at the festival. Other legendary performers include:

• Arthur Fiedler
• Peter Nero
• Birgit Nilsson
• Itzhak Perlman
• Beverly Sills
• Roberta Peters
• Isaac Stern
• Leontyne Price
• Anna Moffo
• Joan Sutherland
• André Watts
• Duke Ellington
• André Previn

Orchestras and Festival Format Changes

The Philadelphia Orchestra was part of the festival for thirteen years. This started in 1944. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra was the main orchestra from 1958 to 1974. In 1976, the festival changed how it worked. It went from a week-long series of shows to a season-long series. This meant more music throughout the year!

Music Worcester: The Festival Today

In 1996, the Worcester County Music Association joined forces with another group. This group was called the International Artists Series. Together, they formed Music Worcester, Inc. This new organization has been in charge of the festival ever since. They also brought in the International Artists Series and the Mass Jazz Festival. This made the Worcester Music Festival even bigger and better!