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Stories   >   Bela Fleck and his band of bluegrass all-stars are set for Skaneateles Festival's 44th season / auburnpub.com

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Bela Fleck and his band of bluegrass all-stars are set for Skaneateles Festival's 44th season / auburnpub.com

Posted: July 26, 2023

auburnpub.com's Ellen Sorber Special to The Citizen writes…..Celebrating its 44th season, the Skaneateles Festival has a lineup bridging genres from bluegrass to Broadway to classical, jazz, orchestral and opera. What started as a local adoration for music has grown into a flourishing festival attracting world-class musicians and music lovers from all over the United States.

Every member of the family will find something to love, whether it's sipping wine listening to jazz in the vineyards by the lake, enjoying moving orchestras under the stars, listening to opera in the warm glow of the sanctuary, participating in live music education classes or bringing the little ones to interactive kid’s events.

The opening week of the festival kicks off with a matinee recital with Syracuse native and guitarist Eliot Fisk at 3 p.m. Wednesday, July 26, at First Presbyterian Church, 97 E. Genesee St. On July 27, a nearly sold-out opening night performance by Eliot Fisk at the church will feature a celebratory program of Bach, Paganini, Boccherini and Spanish guitar selections.

While all festival evening concerts start at 8 p.m., on opening night the Skaneateles Festival is offering a Backstage Pass at 7 p.m. Eliot Fisk joins festival Artistic Directors Aaron Wunsch and Julia Bruskin for a discussion of Fisk’s life in music, the magic of the guitar and a preview of the new season. The Backstage Pass is open to all ticket-holders of the opening night concert.

The Danish Quartet, “the string quartet’s best hope,” (The Wall Street Journal) takes the stage at 8 p.m. Friday, July 28, at the First Presbyterian Church. The foursome from Denmark has captivated audiences worldwide with its blend of apparent ease and wild abandon. Their program showcases both their mastery of classics by Bach, Haydn and Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, as well as their inimitable, joyful renditions of Nordic folk music. Limited tickets will be available at the door each night. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. for performances at First Presbyterian Church.

Headlining the first weekend of the festival on Saturday, July 29, at Anyela’s Vineyards is 15-time Grammy Award-winning banjoist Béla Fleck with his band of bluegrass all-stars, including “blind and nearly deaf” fiddler Michael Cleveland, singer and mandolinist Sierra Hull, multi-instrumentalist Justin Moses, guitarist Bryan Sutton and bassist Mark Schatz. Known as the premiere banjo player in the world, Béla Fleck has virtually reinvented the image and sound of the banjo through a remarkable performing and recording career. Fleck has been nominated in more different categories than any instrumentalist in Grammy history. The concert at the Skaneateles Festival is part of the "My Bluegrass Heart" tour featuring the 2022 Grammy-winning Best Bluegrass Album.

In addition, on the night of the concert, the festival will also raffle off a banjo donated by one of the night’s sponsors, the Deering Banjo Co. The banjo will be signed by Béla Fleck and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Skaneateles Lake Association.

For concerts at the vineyard, audiences are welcome to arrive as early as 6 p.m. and bring picnic dinners to enjoy on the lawn overlooking the incredible view of the lake. Wine and beer will be available for purchase at Anyela’s Vineyards; outside alcohol is not permitted. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to an alternate location. Venue changes will be made aware to all affected ticket holders in advance.

This year’s free educational course, SkanFest U, began from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 25, at First Presbyterian Church. The class theme is "Why Mozart?" and explores what gives Mozart’s music its staying power, and how it continues to inspire both listeners and composers. Get inside the music, including several works to be heard on festival programs this season, live performances and learning how Mozart’s music inspired those who followed him. These sessions are free this year and will include a wine social after each session. Classes will be held every Tuesday from July 25 through Aug. 15.
 

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