Bravo! Vail Music Festival announces free education programs

The Bravo! Vail Music Festival is offering more than 30 free events taking place throughout Vail and Eagle County as part of its 35th annual festival from June 23-August 4, 2022.

These programs include an expansive mix of community concerts, family concerts, music appreciation events, and more featuring: Bravo! Vail’s 2022 Chamber Musicians in Residence — the Balourdet Quartet, Verona Quartet, and The Westerlies; Piano Fellows Zhu Wang and Avery Gagliano; musicians from The Philadelphia Orchestra; musicians from the New York Philharmonic; and Bravo! Vail Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott.

“Bravo! Vail promotes a life-long appreciation of the arts as a key part of our mission, and we are proud to offer more than half of our festival programs for free each summer,” said Caitlin Murray, executive director of Bravo! Vail. “Everyone in our community should have the opportunity to enjoy high-quality classical music and educational programs throughout the Valley and we are committed to making that possible.”

Admission to all public Bravo! Vail education and engagement events is free of charge, but tickets are required. Reservations can be made through BravoVail.org or by calling 877.812.5700.

Festival education and engagement events (open to the public)

Community Chamber Concerts (Beaver Creek Interfaith Chapel, 1 p.m.)

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These midday chamber music concerts present renowned visiting musicians and ensembles in unique community venues. Bravo! Vail’s 2022 series welcomes the Balourdet Quartet, The Westerlies, and 2022 Bravo! Vail Piano Fellows Zhu Wang and Avery Gagliano in eight Beaver Creek Interfaith Chapel performances.

• Tuesday, June 28: Hadyn and Bartók – The Boston-based Balourdet Quartet opens the series at the Beaver Creek Interfaith Chapel with string quartets by Haydn and Bartók.
• Thursday, June 30: Bermel & Brahms — The Balourdet Quartet returns to perform the Bravo! Vail premiere of Derek Bermel’s Intonations, alongside the Brahms String Quartet No. 2.
• Tuesday, July 5: Chopin & Dvořák – 2022 Bravo! Vail Piano Fellows Zhu Wang and Avery Gagliano join the Balourdet Quartet in a program that includes Chopin’s Polish-inspired Mazurkas, Op. 50 and Dvořák’s Piano Quintet in A major.
• Thursday, July 7: Beach Piano Quintet – The Balourdet Quartet, Zhu Wang, and Avery Gagliano team up again in a program celebrating American composers with Gottschalk’s patriotic Union and Amy Beach’s Piano Quintet.
• Tuesday, July 12: Zhu Wang in Recital – Praised in The New York Times for his recent Carnegie Hall debut, 2022 Bravo! Vail Piano Fellow Zhu Wang performs a recital including works by Bach, Stravinsky, Schumann, and Timo Andres.
• Thursday, July 14: Avery Gagliano in Recital – First Prize winner of the 10th National Chopin Piano Competition, 2022 Bravo! Vail Piano Fellow Avery Gagliano performs a recital including works by Bach, Mozart, Chopin, and Szymanowski.
• Tuesday, July 19: The Westerlies: American Roots – Renowned brass quartet The Westerlies make their Bravo! Vail debut in a program showcasing songs that provided the foundation for American music, including works by Ellington, Ives, and Walker, as well as traditional spirituals and more.
• Thursday, July 21: The Westerlies Songbook – The Westerlies return with an eclectic mix of ensemble favorites, including songs by John Prine, Willem de Koch, Chloe Rowlands, Woody Gutherie, Ólafur Arnalds, and more.

Other community concerts (6 p.m.)

• Monday, June 27 at the Ford Park Lower Bench: The Balourdet Quartet
• Thursday, July 21 at Edwards Interfaith Chapel: The Westerlies

Little Listeners @ The Library (2 p.m.)

Bravo! Vail’s Little Listeners series presents interactive, 30-minute performances by orchestra musicians, visiting ensembles, and more at the Vail, Gypsum, Avon, and Eagle public libraries. With a special focus on children ages 3-7, performing artists explore musical concepts and ideas with their young audiences in a captivating, memorable way.

The 2022 Little Listeners @ The Library theme is “Oceans of Possibilities” and includes programs by musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Westerlies, the Verona Quartet, and Music Makers Haciendo Música teachers.

Vail Public Library

• Thursday, July 7: Musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra
• Thursday, July 14: Musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra

Avon Public Library

• Monday, July 11: Musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra
• Monday, July 18: The Westerlies

Eagle Public Library

• Wednesday, July 20: The Westerlies
• Thursday, July 28: Verona Quartet

Gypsum Public Library

• Friday, July 22: The Westerlies
• Monday, August 1: Music Makers Haciendo Música Teachers

Family Concerts (5:30 p.m.)

Bravo! Vail presents three family concerts throughout the Eagle River Valley, designed to engage young listeners and their families by introducing classical music in a fun, accessible way. The 2022 family concerts feature the Verona Quartet, performing programs inspired by a book called The Lost String Quartet. Two performances will take place on the Music Box, Bravo! Vail’s mobile performance space, pending the weather.

• Thursday, July 28, Lundgren Amphitheater, Gypsum
• Friday, July 29, Brush Creek Pavilion, Eagle
• Saturday, July 30, Little Beach Park, Minturn

Inside the Music

These informative talks and masterclasses give background, context, and expert insight into the music performed at Bravo! Vail Music Festival.

• Wednesday, July 6, 1 p.m., Beaver Creek Interfaith Chapel – Bravo! Vail Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott gives a masterclass with 2022 Piano Fellows Zhu Wang and Avery Gagliano, in addition to select Music Makers Haciendo Música students.
• Wednesday, July 20, 1 p.m., Vail Public Library – In advance of the New York Philharmonic’s performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 and Symphony No. 6, musicologists discuss the composer’s life, work, influences, and scores with members of the New York Philharmonic.
• Saturday, July 23, time TBD, Walking Mountains Science Center – This Mahler-themed walk explores the composer’s connection to nature and how his surroundings in Austria inspired his works, with the Westerlies performing Mahler excerpts.

Festival education and engagement programs (Reservations only)

In addition to public education and nngagement events, Bravo! Vail offers free and reduced-cost programs for partner organizations and students in our community.

Community Collaborations: Through collaborative partnerships, Bravo! Vail uses the arts to strengthen our community, bring music to audiences outside the concert hall, and enhance understanding of music through innovative, interactive programs. As part of the 2022 Festival, Bravo! Vail presents six free concerts in conjunction with the following partners: Vail Health, Roundup River Ranch, Golden Eagle Senior Center, Castle Peak Senior Living, and Habitat for Humanity.

• Music Makers Haciendo Música: Students in grades 2-12 in the Eagle and Lake County school districts can receive after-school violin or piano instruction, giving them the opportunity to learn an instrument and reap the social, emotional, and developmental benefits of music instruction at an early age. Classes run weekly from September to April, and full-tuition scholarships and free instrument rental are available to any student in need.
• Summer Intensive: Students of the Music Makers Haciendo Música program can sign up for a week of individual training and ensemble coaching through Bravo! Vail’s Summer Intensive camp. In addition, participants have exclusive access to orchestral partners, guest artists, and other music development opportunities during the Festival. This year, Bravo! Vail collaborates with El Sistema Colorado and Aspen Music Festival and School for a Young Musicians Day during the camp.
• Pre-Concert Talks: Led by renowned musicologists and passionate performers, these talks take place one hour prior to select Orchestral Series performances at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. They are designed to enhance concert experiences by giving background and creating deeper connections to the evening’s program.

Event details including programs and artists are subject to change. Visit BravoVail.org for complete season information and updates.