Time for Tunes!
BY Isaiah Frizzell
The Sun Valley Music Festival (SVMF) is here for its 41st annual celebration and now is the time to go. The largest privately supported, free-admission orchestra in the United States is here in one of the most beautifully imaginable venues. Enjoy glorious natural settings made mellifluous by world-class musicians; it’s like nothing else you’ll find, anywhere. Want to thrill a date, your family, or a group of friends with something fresh? This is your jam.
Classical music is the ‘now’ sound. Pick a scene in a movie you’ve cried to, made love with in the background… scenes that tear at your soul: classical music was there. It’s the full sound of an orchestra with string instruments, woodwinds, drums and percussion and you don’t need a degree to understand or like it. Movies have long used those winding slow strings to elicit strong emotion because they literally give you feels. Almost any famous movie scene you’ve loved has had something like Carmina Burana, Clair de lune or even a Wagner piece behind it. You’ll likely recognize moments from these at one of the SVMF concerts.
Class snobbery can make wonderful things difficult. Intentionally or not, it was a type of class hijacking that tried to make classical music ‘only for some.’ Those times are over. Your favorite rock, hiphop or R&B artist has, guaranteed, a long list of favorite classical tunes that inspired their greatest hits.
True love of lush sound is universal. Babies, children and people of every age enjoy the full expression of human emotion expressed through music. You don’t need to know the names of every instrument or the details of the composition, you only need to have ears to hear. Tickets for a show of this magnitude are inexpensive in the Pavilion but free on the Lawn!
The Pavilion and the Lawn
The Sun Valley Music Festival takes place on stage at the spectacular Sun Valley Pavilion, located at 300 Dollar Road, in Sun Valley. Trivia: “The Pavilion’s walls are made from 1,000 tons of travertine marble extracted from the same quarry that supplied St. Peter’s in Rome,” and is made possible by people who live here. Families, private donors, even you yourself can donate to keep this untarnished gem shining.
The closer you get to the stage, in the Pavilion, tickets are required. Just behind it is the Lawn where you can spread out a blanket, bring a picnic basket (including drinks!) and enjoy the music while socializing or just recline and absorb the lush experience with Baldy views and clean mountain air. Video screens and amazing acoustic technology enhance the show to the Lawn.
Executive Director Derek Dean
Dean has been managing this public good since 2018. “I hope everybody feels welcome to come. Sometimes people think classical music is kind of snobby or, you know, you need to know something to enjoy it. You really don’t. It’s for everyone, and we try to make sure every program has some fun to it, and is easily accessible. You can get into it and enjoy it. It’s all about the sound.” Dean also encourages early access as there are cool introductions and insightful chats about each upcoming show 30-45 minutes before each program.
This is summer, baby, and time to kick back, enjoy Sun Valley’s natural beauty, and indulge in the talent of world-class musicians, including pianist Gabriela Martinez, Time for Three, cellist Gautier Capuçon, and pianist Olga Kern playing music by Ravel, Beethoven, Schumann and Schubert. If you don’t know these names now, you will after! This is about the love of sound, melody and splendid mountain vibes.
Dean is excited, for this year there will be quite a bit more piano. He notes that the 4th, 5th and 10th of August could be the best family nights. The concert on the 10th opens with two of Ravel’s ‘Miroirs’ followed by a set of seven waltzes. “Ravel acknowledged Schubert as his inspiration, but there’s no mistaking Ravel’s distinctive sound and elegant orchestration. The evening concludes with Stephanie Childress conducting Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2. Stravinsky called it “not only Ravel’s best work, but also one of the most beautiful products of all French music.”” (https://www.svmusicfestival.org/event/an-evening-of-ravel-followed-by-lawn-party/)
Lucky you!
Music and Magic
Bring your people, a blanket and a cooler of drinks and food. Or perhaps, after the show, indulge in one of Ketchum’s excellent restaurants like The Pioneer, Covey or Fiamma.
For a night of gorgeous world-class tunes, free Lawn admission—including parking-—try to find a better deal, in any city!
The Sun Valley Music Festival runs July 28–August 21.
300 Dollar Road, Sun Valley, Idaho 83353
All concerts begin at 6:30 p.m..
To see their full calendar of artists or buy tickets to the Pavilion, visit: https://www.svmusicfestival.org/
To donate:
