Summer Guide to Classical Music 2024

Summer in New England offers many opportunities to hear classical music — in recital halls, churches, and even open outdoor spaces. For classical music lovers, there are some great events to look forward to over the next few months. Here’s what’s coming up for the summer of 2024!

The 2024 Music On The Hill festival presents seven concerts of chamber music between May 27 and June 8 at various locations throughout East Greenwich and Warwick. musiconthehillri.org

The Chorus of Westerly presents its free summer pops concert on Sat, June 22 in Wilcox Park at 8pm. This family-friendly concert is always a good time. chorusofwesterly.org

The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra kicks off its summer pops concerts at Narragansett Town Beach on July 12. With resident pops conductor Troy Quinn at the helm, this group offers unique and special programming of film music, Broadway, and standard classical fare. Subsequent performances take place on July 31 at Roger Williams Park in Providence, and Sep 7 at Slater Park in Pawtucket. All concerts are free and open to the public. riphilharmonic.org

The Newport Music Festival presents multiple concerts of chamber music July 4 – 21. The wide variety in programming promises to keep any music fan coming back for more, not to mention the unique setting of chamber music in and around Newport’s historic mansions. This festival has expanded and is now offering year-round programming. newportclassical.org

The Kingston Chamber Music Festival, in partnership with the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, presents a series of seven chamber music concerts July 24 through Aug 4 at the University of Rhode Island. kingstonchambermusic.org

Further north, the Monadnock Music Festival runs mid-June through mid-August and offers unique chamber music performances by some of the area’s finest musicians. For anyone vacationing in New Hampshire, this festival is a wonderful addition to your itinerary. monadnockmusic.org

To the east, the Cape Symphony presents “Joy4July” in concert on July 4 in Hyannis, MA. Blending pop, Broadway, patriotic, and Americana music, “Joy4July” at Aselton Park is a FREE outdoor event and no tickets are required. capesymphony.org

To the south, The Talcott Mountain Music Festival featuring the Hartford Symphony Orchestra performs outdoor weekend concerts June 28 – July 26. This summer’s programming features music of Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stones, and Fleetwood Mac. hartfordsymphony.org

For die-hard classical music fans, Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, MA remains the epicenter of classical music in New England over the summer months. The season features regular concerts by the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops orchestras, the Festival of Contemporary Music, as well as various pop and jazz artists. bso.org