Throughout the past year, the Sun Valley Music Festival brought free, world-class music to children and families throughout the Wood River Valley. For the first time, Festival musicians visited every school (public and private) in Blaine County, demonstrating their instruments and performing fun pieces with 4th and 5th graders, helping local teachers continue to inspire their students to enjoy–and perhaps pick up an instrument and play–classical music. Their visits in previous years have had an impact, as the Music Institute now has its first woodwind and brass students!
During the Winter Season, 21 percussion and brass musicians from the Festival Orchestra filled the Argyros with a rollicking (and loud!) rendition of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. They also filled the Wood River Middle School’s gymnasium with excerpts from this as well as film tunes, in a performance for all Middle School students.
The Summer Season featured the return of many beloved guest artists, including Sasha Cooke, Yefim Bronfman, Orli Shaham, and Augustin Hadelich. The Festival broke all attendance records with guest conductor Stéphane Denève’s Pops Night performance of the Music of John Williams. And, the orchestra delivered a few blockbusters on its own as well, including Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8, and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. It was a wonderful year of music-making! Learn more about how your support impacts the community in this year’s annual report.
*Economic impact statistics courtesy of Sun Valley Economic Development
2023 Annual Report