Summer is on its way, and now is the best time to start thinking about what violin concerts you can catch during a festival-packed 2019 season for string players and music fans alike. There's nothing like seeing a live concert of the instrument you play – especially by an icon in the field. You'll find inspiration to elevate and motivate your spirit for some time.
Many violin-focused concerts are taking place this summer both across the U.S. and internationally. If you’re on the hunt for ideas, you simply can’t go wrong with this handy guide to show you some of the best violin concerts happening this summer.
- In the mood for some violin? Brevard Music Center Summer Festival in Brevard, North Carolina starts things off with an “All Tchaikovsky” celebration on opening night, Friday, June 21, 2019. Conductor JoAnn Faletta will guide an orchestra featuring violinist Chee-Yun in performing Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 and a Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto.
- How about some jazz violin? After all, instruments like the violin, viola and cello are some of the most forward-thinking jazz instruments around. The free event Jazz ‘N Families Fun Days on June 1, 2019, in Washington, D.C. will see a performance from violinist David Schulman among the many participating artists.
- Don't forget the more pop-music-minded varieties of violin! Crossover violin star Lindsay Sterling will perform at the San Diego County Fair on June 27, 2019. And for handy musicians in attendance, a violin-making demonstration occurs on the fairgrounds that same day.
- Here’s a concert to tickle your fancy: A night of classical music comes to Los Angeles’ famed Hollywood Bowl when electrifying violinist Ray Chen leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a rendition of Vivalidi’s Four Seasons on Thursday, August 8, 2019.
- For those in the Northeastern area of the States, Maine’s Bowdoin International Music Festival from June 24-August 2, 2019, will feature performances from violinists such as David Bowlin, Sergiu Schwartz, Janet Ying and many more (including the ensemble the American String Quartet) over its jam-packed summer season.
- Joshua Bell Plays Dvořák should certainly pique the interest of violin aficionados. The violinist and conductor best known for serenading busy subway patrons during a Washington Post experiment will pay tribute to music from the Austro-Hungarian empire (including Zoltán Kodály, Antonín Dvořák) during his dual performances at the Lincoln Center in New York, August 6-7, 2019.
- On the international stage, jetsetters can submerse their love for the classical period of music during the Salzburg Festival 2019. Taking place in the Austrian town of Salzburg from July 20 through the end of August, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart will give life to a stunning series of performances bolstered by multiple string quartets and chamber concerts sprinkled amid the operatic and theatrical event.
- Like it hot? Get warmed up in the arid desert climate of Sedona, Arizona, this summer to see violinists David Ehrlich and Yibin Li lead the charge in the “From Mozart To Gershwin and More” concert that happens at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre on Sunday, September 8. Capping off a fine summer of violin-based performances, the program will include selections by Mozart, Coleridge-Taylor, Gershwin and Webern.
Which violin player would you most like to see this summer? With so many great opportunities to see accomplished violinists and ensembles this summer, it’d be a shame to miss out on some of your favorite concerts scheduled for the upcoming summer season. If you aren't traveling this summer, check out local event listings near you, get tickets, and enjoy a fun summer filled with the sweet sounds of the violin.
Top photo of Ray Chen, courtesy of raychen.com
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