Music Director Donald Runnicles

Dear Friends,

It is with great pride that I look back on the 2007 Grand Teton Music Festival, my second as Music Director, and perhaps our finest artistically. I continue to be inspired by the virtuosity of our orchestra and the remarkable contributions, both musical and personal, that these great musicians make to the Festival. Clearly, they, as you, share a strong affection for this magnificent place and its unique musical environment.

We look forward now to summer and what we hope to be another thrilling season. We will open the Festival with a weekend of concerts honoring the great Leonard Bernstein, who would have turned 90 this year. In addition to his Symphony No. 2, “The Age of Anxiety” (with pianist Norman Krieger), we will feature Britten’s Four Sea Interludes and Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, both works Bernstein conducted at his poignant final concert at Tanglewood. I am also delighted to lead performances of Mahler’s Ninth Symphony, Messiaen’s Trois petites liturgies (in celebration of his 100th birthday) with the San Francisco Festival Chorale, Holst’s Planets, and highlights from Der Rosenkavalier, arguably Richard Strauss’ most popular opera.

I am also pleased to welcome the return of conductor Roy Goodman and to celebrate the debut of Maestro James Gaffigan in symphonies by Robert Schumann and Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. Several distinguished soloists will join us for the first time, including the extraordinary violinists Janine Jansen and James Ehnes, pianist Louis Lortie, and sopranos Twyla Robinson, Elizabeth Bishop, and Jane Archibald.

Finally we will, as ever, be featuring a wide variety of chamber music spotlighting in a more intimate setting our terrific musicians. I invite you to return this summer to be a part of this colorful season.

Thank you for your continued support.

Warmest regards,

READ DONALD RUNNICLES' BIOGRAPHY

Come hear Music Director Donald Runnicles performing in the following events: