Bravo! Vail and Vail Health celebrate music education month with community events throughout October 

The Bravo! Vail Music Festival (Bravo! Vail) announces the second annual Music Education Month in partnership with Vail Health, presenting free concerts and collaborative learning opportunities during the month of October. Following last year’s successful launch of Music Education Month, Bravo! Vail will offer even more public and private events throughout Eagle County, as well as expanded partnerships with local businesses.

This year’s events will include a special music workshop with Bravo! Vail Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott and cellist and pedagogue Maureen McDermott; a residency by the Lírios Quartet, the Graduate String Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Colorado Boulder; interdisciplinary arts workshops, talks, and a film screening; and additional learning and performance opportunities for Bravo! Vail’s Music Makers Haciendo Música students. 

“This month-long celebration not only showcases Bravo! Vail’s extensive music education programming throughout the year, but it also enhances these offerings to include new music experiences in the Valley, including interdisciplinary arts events,” said Caitlin Murray, executive director of the Bravo! Vail Music Festival. “We are excited to expand our partnership with Vail Health and other local businesses, giving members of our community more ways to connect with Bravo! Vail through music.” 

Bravo! Vail’s 2023 Music Education Month events include the following: 

• Music Workshop with Anne-Marie and Maureen McDermott: Oct. 2 at 5 p.m. (Edwards Interfaith Chapel) — Bravo! Vail Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott and cellist and sought-after pedagogue Maureen McDermott (also Anne-Marie’s sister) present a special workshop for Music Makers Haciendo Música teachers, students, and their families. This program is by invitation only. 

• Vail Health & Bravo! Vail, Music & Art Appreciation: Oct. 5 and 6 at 10 a.m. (Edwards Interfaith Chapel) — Led by Bravo! Vail educator Hannah Terrell, these programs guide Vail Health employees through interactive music education activities, including the creation of a unique art piece while listening to classical music. These events are open to Vail Health employees only. 
• Bravo! Vail Book Club- Mozart’s Starling: Oct. 11 at 5 p.m. (The Bookworm of Edwards) —This music-themed book club led by a Bravo! Vail staff explores the book Mozart’s Starling by Lyanda Lynn Haupt, which features the unlikely and remarkable bond between one of history’s most cherished composers and one of the world’s most common birds. Admission is free, but reservations are required through BravoVail.org. Reception to follow and attendees receive a discount on the book. 
• Vail Health Lobby Concert with Lírios Quartet: October 17 at 11 a.m. (Vail Health) — The Lírios Quartet, the University of Colorado Boulder’s Graduate String Quartet-in-Residence, performs a concert in the lobby of Vail Health. This free performance is open to the public, and reservations are not required. 
• Community Concert- Lírios Quartet: October 19 at 6 p.m. (Edwards Interfaith Chapel) — The Lírios Quartet — comprised of violinists Benjamin Goldstein and Maggie Brady, violist Yuri Santos, and cellist Chas Barnard — presents a special evening of chamber music by Haydn, Beethoven, and Debussy. Admission is free, but reservations are required through BravoVail.org. 
• Cocktails & Canvas- La vie bohème: October 20 at 5:30 p.m. (Alpine Arts Center) — In celebration of Bravo! Vail’s La bohème presentation in 2024 with The Philadelphia Orchestra, this adult-friendly event provides materials for participants to make French-inspired art centered around the storied opera, while listening to musical excerpts from the beloved piece. Admission is $30, and reservations are required through alpineartscenter.org. Cocktails are available for purchase. 
• “Alive Inside” Documentary Screening: Oct. 22 at 3:30 p.m. (Riverwalk Theater, Edwards) — Bravo! Vail partners with Riverwalk Theater to present a special screening of Alive Inside, a stirring documentary chronicling the astonishing experiences of individuals around the country with memory loss who have been revitalized through the simple experience of listening to music. Admission is free, but registration is required at riverwalktheater.com. 
• Mexican Ofrendas (Altars) & Music: Oct. 24 at 4:30 p.m. (Alpine Arts Center) — Ofrendas, or altars, are an essential part of Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico. This family-friendly workshop gives participants an opportunity to create their own ofrendas while listening to and learning about the music from Bravo! Vail’s 2024 featured international chamber orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería. Admission is free, but reservations are required through alpineartscenter.org. 
• Bravo! Vail Story Hour- Gustavo the Shy Ghost: Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. (The Bookworm of Edwards) — This spooktacular bilingual story hour features readings  of #1 New York Times bestseller “Gustavo the Shy Ghost” by Flavia Z. Drago, with special musical performances by Bravo! Vail’s Music Makers Haciendo Música students. Admission is free, but reservations are required through BravoVail.org. 
• Spooky Concerts with Bravo! Vail: Oct. 28 at 1-4 PM. (Walking Mountains Science Center, Avon Campus) — Bravo! Vail Music Makers Haciendo Música students and staff present the sounds of the season with spooky concerts and nature music instruments in partnership with Walking Mountains Science Center staff. Participants can connect the eerie sounds heard in nature to those made by musical instruments in these family-friendly, interactive events. Admission is free, and no reservations are required. Visit walkingmountains.org for further information. 
• The Sound of Rain with Bravo! Vail and Eagle River Watershed Council: Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. (Edwards Field House) — Bravo! Vail partners with Eagle River Watershed Council to decorate rain barrels, create rain stick instruments, and enjoy a special performance by the Bravo! Vail Teen Chamber Ensemble highlighting sounds of the season. Admission is free, but reservations are required through BravoVail.org. 

For more information on Bravo! Vail’s Music Education Month events, visit BravoVail.org.