49th Anniversary Season
Yellow Barn Festival Concerts July 6-August 4
Steven Mackey, Composer in Residence July 23-July 28
Young Artists Program Concerts June 17, 20, 28, and 29
Special Event: JACK Quartet June 16
See below for more details.
Schedule of concerts and ticket order form
"Concerts like those at Yellow Barn shouldn't really exist. And yet they do."—The Boston Globe
All Yellow Barn venues are handicap accessible.
Programming at Yellow Barn
Consideration for the continued artistic growth of Yellow Barn’s musicians is the primary focus of our programming each summer. Repertoire presented during Yellow Barn’s summer season is chosen after the conclusion of our admissions process, and the full schedule of programs and performers will be available after June 1. In the meantime, we invite you to enjoy selected performances from past festivals.
Listen to recordings from Yellow Barn summer festival performances
Watch videos from Yellow Barn's 2017 Summer Festival
SEASON OVERVIEW
Yellow Barn Concerts
July 6 – August 4
Since 1969, Yellow Barn has gathered together an international community of musicians ranging from conservatory students to renowned professionals. For five weeks, Yellow Barn creates an ideal environment for creative exploration and expression, resulting in a series of extraordinary public performances. Each season’s repertoire is unique, spanning a wide range of eras and genres, offering infinite insights into chamber music—for performers, composers and audiences alike. All concets take place at 8pm in the Big Barn.
Composer in Residence: Steven Mackey
July 23 – 28
Since the 1970s, composers of all nationalities have enriched Yellow Barn’s summer season with their music, the work they do with musicians, and interactions with audiences. This summer Yellow Barn welcomes renowned American composer Steven Mackey. His residency week offers multiple performances of his music, including the annual Composer Portrait, an evening dedicated to Mackey’s work, with conversations with Artistic Director Seth Knopp, performers, and audience members. All concerts take place at 8pm in the Big Barn.
Pre-Concert Discussions
July 7, 14, 21 & 28 | August 4
On Saturdays, audience members are invited to the Putney Public Library for an intimate introduction to the evening’s concert given by Yellow Barn musicians. All pre-concert discussions take place at 7pm at the Putney Public Library.
Masterclasses
July 7: Gilbert Kalish, piano
July 14: Donald Weilerstein, violin
July 23: Kim Kashkashian, viola
July 28: Laurence Lesser, cello
At Yellow Barn masterclasses, audience members are invited to sit in the Big Barn with Yellow Barn musicians and witness the interpretive process as Yellow Barn faculty and guests coach participants on a wide range of repertoire. Masterclasses on July 7, 14, and 28 will take place at 10:30am in the Big Barn. The masterclass on July 23 will take place at 8pm at the Big Barn.
Open House
July 14
Yellow Barn’s Open House affords audiences the chance to spend an afternoon attending open rehearsals, participating in discussions, and sharing a meal with Yellow Barn musicians on campus. Lunch and open house begin at 12:30pm at the Greenwood School.
Young Artists Program Concerts
June 17, 20, 28 & 29
Preceding the main season is the Young Artists Program for outstanding composers and performers ages 13–20, with four concerts that include classical repertoire and world premiere performances of works created during the program. The concert on June 17 will take place at 4pm in the Big Barn. The concerts on June 20, 28, and 29 will take place at 8pm in the Big Barn.
Special Event: JACK Quartet
June 16
Yellow Barn welcomes the renowned JACK Quartet (Christopher Otto and Austin Wulliman, violins; John Pickford Richards, viola; and Yellow Barn alumnus Jay Campbell, cello) for a special pre-season performance. 8pm in the Big Barn