PROUD HOME OF Manchester Music Festival

Established in 1974, Manchester Music Festival (MMF) has been a beacon for classical music enthusiasts for half a century, showcasing both established artists and young talents. Nestled in the beautiful Green Mountains of Southern Vermont, MMF plays a pivotal role in the cultural enrichment of our community and beyond.

The Festival celebrates its Golden Anniversary in 2024 with a curated season of more than 30 events, including performances, masterclasses, open rehearsals, talks, and outreach programs. Under the leadership of our Artistic Director, Philip Setzer, founder and violinist of the Emerson String Quartet, Season 50 celebrates “The Romantic Journey,” a theme that cuts to the heart of how art reflects our humanity.

The annual Manchester Music Festival transforms the town into a harmonious haven for music enthusiasts. – WorldAtlas.com

Manchester Music Festival welcomes artists from all over the globe to perform in the beautiful Green Mountains of Vermont. We look forward to being joined by these talented musicians and more in 2024.

Featured artists in the 2024 season include: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Artistic Directors Wu Han and David Finckel; pianists Gilles Vonsattel, Jeewon Park, Jenny Lin, and Vassily Primakov; celebrated clarinetist David Shifrin; Emerson String Quartet members violist Lawrence Dutton and Philip Setzer; cellists Ed Aaron and Colin Carr; violist Matthew Lipman; Calidore String Quartet cellist Estelle Choi; New York Philharmonic principal harpist Nancy Allen; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra violinist Sarah Crocker Vonsattel; Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist alum Sara Couden; and Metropolitan Opera star soprano Christine Goerke.

This year marks the inaugural two-year Young Artists program. Previously a one-year program, the new extension will allow young musicians the opportunity to further engage with a faculty of world-renowned artists, intensively studying and performing chamber music at a high level to enhance their craft. The festival will also present concerts featuring these Young Artists in a special program called “Given a Chance”— romantic works of underrepresented composers who have struggled to have their voices heard.

Manchester Music Festival is excited for this season’s special events, including; MMF 50th Presentation and Young Artists Solo Performances on Saturday, July 13th at 5 pm. Vassily Primakov in Concert on Sunday, July 14th, MMF presents The Steinway Spirio and Young Artists Solo Performances Saturday, July 27th, and MMF Talks “The Romantic Era” on Saturday August 3rd.

Weekly themes

• Lighting the Torch – Beethoven, Schubert
• Passing the Torch – Schumann, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky
• Brahms and Friends – Brahms, The Schumanns and Strauss
• France, England, and Some Things New – Debussy, Elgar, Setzer, Snider
• The Grand Finale – Dvorak, Brahms, Barber, Respighi

Series

• MMF Thursday Nights
• MMF Young Artists
• MMF Special Events
• MMF Discovery
• MMF Family