Music in the Mountains presents SummerFest at Nevada County Fairgrounds

FOR OVER 37 YEARS, MUSIC in the Mountains SummerFest has been one of Northern California’s premier summer concert series, featuring exciting outdoor performances and sophisticated chamber concerts.

Led by Artistic Director Pete Nowlen and Resident Conductor Ryan Murray, SummerFest runs over the course of 11 days from June 23-July 3 and welcomes over 65 musicians and thousands of attendees to the park-like setting of the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley.

This year’s program embodies the bold spirit of summer — everything is singing and alive. Beginning with an enchanting evening of Handel and Bach and finishing with a spirited Patriotic Pops, SummerFest also includes Brahms Serenade No. 1, Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Symphony, a tribute to Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin, and intoxicating songs from “Romeo and Juliet,” “Carmen,” and more.

SATURDAY, JUNE 23
GARDEN PARTY
A summer garden party at the sprawling Dunham Estate in Grass Valley. The evening features cocktails, with Purcell’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Handel’s Water Music Suite in F, and Robin Mayforth performing Vivaldi’s Summer from the “Four Seasons.”

SUNDAY, JUNE 24
BRAHMS SERENADE
A tranquil chamber concert featuring Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio in C minor, op. 66 and Serenade No. 1, the charming yet rigorous score that was the genesis of Brahms’ great symphonies.

TUESDAY, JUNE 26
SUMMER BRASS
Featuring the Music in the Mountains Brass in a spirited program of music from the Renaissance to now.

THURSDAY, JUNE 28
RACHMANINOFF’S 2ND SYMPHONY
NC Fairgrounds Great Lawn
An epic concert featuring Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Symphony. The drama opens with Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” and then into a dreamlike “Four Last Songs” by Richard Strauss sung by soprano, Carrie Hennessey.

SATURDAY, JUNE 30
BERNSTEIN & GERSHWIN
NC Fairgrounds Great Lawn
A concert celebrating Leonard Bernstein’s 100th and George Gershwin’s 120th anniversaries with music from “West Side Story,” “Candide,” and more. The night culminates with Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with pianist Richard Glazier.

SUNDAY, JULY 1
TRAGIC LOVE
NC Fairgrounds Great Lawn
An orchestral program featuring the tragedies of Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet,” Sarasate’s “Carmen Fantasy” featuring 9-year-old violin prodigy, Amaryn Olmeda.

TUESDAY, JULY 3
PATRIOTIC POPS
NC Fairgrounds Great Lawn
Pack the family picnic basket, wave the flag, and honor America. Patriotic favorites, including Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever.” It’s a SummerFest finale tradition.