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Musical Festival Season Appears on the Horizon
By Stephen Dankner, Special to iBerkshires.com
12:40PM / Tuesday, May 31, 2016
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Tanglewood is ready to be filled with music. (Image courtesy BSO)

With the upcoming summer music festival season almost upon us, music lovers in droves will soon flock to the Berkshires and southern Vermont to immerse themselves in classical music.

Call it a reward for enduring a long, though relatively mild winter, or a yearly renewal of the soul via the musical preachments of the great masters. Whatever the reason, the classical canon, plus a few surprises consisting of some unfamiliar works and premieres, nurture and inspire us anew at this special time and in this magical place: a “cultural capital” indeed.

Music lovers, ravenous as they are for great performances of beloved, favorite masterworks, want still more: the lives of the composers; the historical and societal backdrop against which these works were composed; the immersion in time and place – the backstory that makes for our complete understanding of the music – that is indeed part and parcel of it. These are the details that serious, devoted listeners hunger for, to round out their knowledge of these universally cherished scores. 

My goal, as your musical guide, will be to assist you in choosing venues to visit and performances to attend. Each week there will be “something to suit every taste,” as the saying goes, but I will try, from June through October, to highlight exceptional offerings that may pique your interest. Some performances will be offbeat or rare; others promise to be exceptional. I will provide the backstory in advance ("why go?") to inspire you to attend these concerts.

On the topic of attending concerts, let me get on my soapbox for a moment. These days, with the technology available to download music at little or no cost, it’s more important than ever to support live music. As a result of the competition from digital media, live music is in trouble. Yes, it takes some time and effort to plan for, buy tickets and drive to the venue, rather than listening at home, in your car or while exercising. But it’s worth it. The experience is so much better, both sonically and communally, than listening to music over iPad headphones, your computer’s speakers or even over the best home stereo system or TV. Performers making the music before your very eyes and ears – that’s how music is ideally meant to be heard.

I hope you will plan on being stoked for what’s ahead this summer: “Go the extra mile,” “take the plunge” and “be in the moment.” You’ll be thrilled, and I think you’ll ultimately agree that the concerts you’ll hear will be memorable; they might even be life affirming, high points of your life. Yes, live music can potentially deliver all that. And, by attending, you’ll be supporting all the artistry and countless years of hard work that the musicians on stage have dedicated to mastering their art, for the sole purpose of keeping music alive and giving pleasure to listeners.

Next week, I’ll provide a list of the major music venues within the Berkshires and Southern Vermont – the best places to hear great performances, e.g. Tanglewood, Tannery Pond, Manchester Music Festival, and many more.

Soon it will be time to gas up the car, (get out the road maps or turn on the GPS if you need it,) pack a box lunch or dinner and hear some fantastic music making in some of the most scenic and acoustically satisfying music venues in the world. And we’re blessed that they’re right here, in our own "back yard"!

Stephen Dankner is a composer, writer and digital artist in Williamstown. Send your comments to him at sdankner@earthlink.net, or visit his website stephendankner.com.

Stephen Dankner lives in Williamstown. Send your comments to him at sdankner@earthlink.net, or visit his website stephendankner.com.
Stephen Dankner lives in Williamstown. Send your comments to him at sdankner@earthlink.net, or visit his website stephendankner.com.
Stephen Dankner lives in Williamstown. Send your comments to him at sdankner@earthlink.net, or visit his website stephendankner.com.
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