Maestro Runnicles’ remarkable career includes being the Music Director and Principal Conductor of the San Francisco Opera, as well as Principal Conductor New York’s Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Principal Guest Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. In 2009, he adds the directorship of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the very prestigious Deutsche Oper in Berlin to his posts. The Grand Teton Music Festival and Maestro Runnicles are proud to celebrate the beautiful community of Jackson Hole with inspiring music and many vibrant education and outreach programs, funded primarily through proceeds from the Jackson Hole Wine Auction.They include:
Tune-Up: Created in 2004 Tune UP! is a educational music project created and funded by the Grand Teton Music Festival to provide Jackson Middle and High School Band and Orchestra students with more individual instrumental instruction. The Tune-Up Program provides additional instrument instructors, all local musicians, to come into the classroom to lead instrument sectionals and give students individual attention. *This is a $60k commitment from GTMF Mentorship Program Promising Jackson instrumental music students are linked with Grand Teton Music Festival orchestra professionals for a weeklong mentoring program during the summer Festival season. These students gain exposure to the music business, sit beside the Orchestra musician in rehearsal, receive private instrumental lessons, participate in behind-the-scenes preparations, and also interact with professional musicians in informal settings.
StringFest: A unique three-day string clinic brings together the 8th grade orchestra students of Jackson Hole Middle School and Star Valley Middle School and Barbara Scowcroft, the Music Director of the Utah Youth Symphony for an intense collaborative rehearsal and concert experience. Culminating in a public performance at Walk Festival Hall, StringFest transforms young string students from rival districts into one cohesive ensemble.
Open the House: The Festival opens the doors of Walk Festival Hall to present a rare opportunity to local choir, band and orchestra students. Choir, Orchestra and Band ensembles of Jackson Hole Middle and High Schools have the opportunity to perform in the Festival’s professional, acoustically mastered concert hall, an experience they won’t soon forget.
Winter Music in our Schools/Bus-ins: Guest artists from the Festival’s winter concert series present a concert during the day for local students. In January, February and March area schoolchildren are bused into Walk Festival Hall for school-day concerts presented by guest artists from the Festival’s winter concert series. Hundreds of students attend each time, learning social skills and concert etiquette in addition to the musical content. Elementary school grade levels are targeted in this program so that children are introduced to all the instrument families before they are asked to choose applied music classes (choir, band or orchestra) in the 6th grade. For many students it may be their first experience with classical music, or their first time hearing a live performance.
Winter Family Concerts: Free and open to concertgoers of all ages, this fun and educational concert for children and families features the guest artists from our winter concert series presenting a fun, interactive and educational program. Following the program concertgoers are given the unique opportunity to try playing the instruments they have just heard at the ‘Instrument Petting Zoo’ presented on stage.
Summer Young People’s Concert 6:15 Music Machine: Free and open to concertgoers of all ages, this fun and educational concert for children and families is always one of our most popular offerings of the year. The Music Machine (Festival Orchestra) puts on a special concert just for kids, designed to give wee ones their first taste of classical music.
Opera in the Schools: MET Opera Broadcast ‘Opera in the Schools’ is a brand new Grand Teton Music Festival Education Program. Utilizing the MET Opera: Live in HD Broadcasts, the Festival seeks to share opera with local choral students at the Middle and High School. Each year The Festival will bring in guest lecturers, artists or traveling opera troupes in to the schools as well as inviting students to spend an afternoon at Walk Festival Hall for an exciting MET Opera: Live in HD Broadcast.
Music in Nature: A Chamber Music Residency A partnership between the Grand Teton Music Festival and Grand Teton National Park, ‘Music in Nature’ features daily performance by a pre-professional brass, string or woodwind chamber ensemble in various locations across beautiful Grand Teton National Park! The ‘Music in Nature’ ensemble explores the many connections between nature and the arts.
ADULT EDUCATION OFFERINGS
Pre-Concert Talks: Colorful personalities from Grand Teton Music Festival give listeners the inside scoop on each weekend orchestra program at educational and entertaining pre-concert lectures in the North garden of Walk Festival Hall an hour prior to the performance.
Inside the Music: Scratch your musical itch and satisfy your curiosity about classical music at our FREE ‘Inside the Music’ concerts each Tuesday during our summer season. These casual performances are hosted by Festival Musician Roger Oyster and take you on an exhilarating and user-friendly journey into the music.
