Summer Musicians Return to Festival Hill for 52nd Season

June 10 is the ‘Fayette County Day’ Concert

Round Top Festival Institute is celebrating its 52nd Season and has set aside Saturday, June 10, 2023 as “Fayette County Day at Festival Hill.” Fayette County residents are invited to enjoy a concert on this day at a reduced rate. The special performance will be the Opening Chamber Music Concert of the 2023 Round Top Music Festival, performed in the Festival Concert Hall located at Highway 237 and Jaster Road just north of Round Top.

Fayette County Judge Dan Mueller encourages everyone to attend this concert to support an important Texas treasure here in our county.

The afternoon concert will begin at 3:30 pm and will last about one and one-half hours. The program, performed by Festival Institute faculty and young artists, will include the Johannes Brahms Quartet for Strings and Piano No. 2 in A, Op. 26, (1861) and Nonet in F, Op. 31 by Louis Spohr. The Nonet features nine of the Summer Music Festival faculty.

Fayette County residents may purchase tickets for the afternoon performance at the special rates of $10 for adults and $5 for students by calling the Festival Institute office at (979) 249-3129 while tickets last. Tickets must be purchased in advance. When calling, indicate you are coming for “Fayette County Day.” The special rates will not be available online.

Events on June 10 continue at 7:30 p.m., with a full orchestra in the Festival Concert Hall. The Texas Festival Orchestra, under the direction of guest conductor Robert Spano. Opening work will be the very contemporary piece, Nyx, composed in 2011 by Esa-Pekka Salonen. The orchestra will be joined by pianist James Dick, Founder and Artistic Director of the Institute as they perform Edward Grieg’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A. The program will conclude with the orchestral performance of Symphony No. 2 in D, Op.43 by Jean Sibelius. Ticket prices for the evening concert are $45 for adults and $10 for students. Tickets must be purchased in advance online at www.festivalhill.org or by phone.

The 7:30 p.m. performance is honoring the memory of Joe W. Bratcher III, professor, musician, founder of Malvern Books in Austin and long-time supporter of Round Top Festival Institute Steward’s Circle. Season Partners for the 52nd Summer Music Festival are The Burdine Johnson Foundation and The Faith P. and Charles L. Bybee Foundation. Additional funding from concert ticket sales help off-set the full scholarships that are offered to the young artist participating in the Summer Institute.

It is of special note that a young artist from Fayette County will return this year. Miles Gillette of Fayetteville will be among some 90 students from around the world participating in the Summer Music Festival.

Also, this summer the intermission during evening performances will return with the opportunity to enjoy a glass of wine from local winery Majek Vineyards. We hope to make our concertgoers feel welcome while providing the safest environment possible. Call the Festival Institute office now to take advantage of this special opportunity on June 10 to listen to great music in the magnificent Festival Concert Hall at a special price. For more information about Round Top Festival Institute and all it has to offer, visit festivalhill.org, send an email to info@festivalhill. org, or call (979) 249-3129. Round Top Festival Institute can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/RoundTopFestivalInstitute and Twitter @ FestivalTop.