Festival Announces Cancellation of 2020 Season

April 13, 2020

Dear Festival Community,

At this point it will come as no surprise that we must cancel our usual season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. First and foremost we must do what we can in our realm to ensure the safety of our students, faculty, staff, and community of audience members and supporters. While we are saddened that we will not have the opportunity to share beautiful music and provide transformative education for the first summer since our inception in 1964, we know that this is the right thing to do. The season will not be entirely lost however. Please join us online for performances, masterclasses, and insights that we hope will still serve to inspire students and audiences alike. Read ahead for our plans for continuing to provide the musical experiences we love.

Soon, all students, faculty, seasonal staff, corporate sponsors, and supporters will receive specific communication related to the cancellation.

To our students: the entire Festival community, especially our faculty, were so eager to meet you, and we hope to serve as a part of your musical journey in a future summer. Please know that your tuition payments and deposits for 2020 will be refunded promptly.

To our supporters: Thank you for your unwavering commitment to the Festival. Your past and future contributions are vital to the organization’s health and growth. We ask that you help the Festival through this challenging period. With the loss of all tuition and ticket sale revenue, our normal year-round expenses present a financial challenge. We hope and ask that you allow us to redirect any designated donations given this fiscal year to our annual fund to sustain us during the year ahead. For concert attendees we ask that you consider substituting whatever your regular purchase would have been with a direct contribution in the same amount. If you have the capacity to increase your gift even in the face of this upheaval we will be particularly grateful.

Now for some good news for our students and audience. 

  • We will offer online masterclasses. Faculty will host online seminars with students to answer questions and discuss topics including technique, repertoire, interpretation, and much more. Many of these seminars will be open to the public for viewing.
  • Regular rebroadcasts of past concerts. Dave and Phil will select memorable performances from the past three seasons to be streamed at least weekly and perhaps more. And, they will provide introductory comments about the pieces we will see and hear.
  • New, live-streamed performances (subject to summer social distancing guidelines). While still in the early thinking stage, faculty pairings who live in the same city are already planning to perform. Candidate musicians include the Ying and the Jupiter Quartets.
  • Other faculty-directed digital sessions on musical subjects. For example, an open-ended chat room with Dave and Phil to discuss the Festival and other musical matters.

We know that these will not be the same as being together on campus. But we still want to be with you in whatever way we can. We wish you all the best during this uncertain period, and please do not hesitate to be in touch with us at any time.

Mark your calendars for the 2021 Festival Season from June 26 to August 6. We appreciate you and your generosity. Please continue to support us with your financial contributions. We need you now more than ever.

Elliot Rosen, Chair
David Ying, Artistic Director
Phillip Ying, Artistic Director
Daniel Nitsch, Executive Director

 

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