Fayette Co. Day at Festival Hill is Saturday

Round Top Festival Institute is celebrating its 55th Season and has set aside Saturday, June 6, as “Fayette County Day at Festival Hill.” Fayette County residents are invited to enjoy a concert on this day at a reduced rate. The dedicated performance will be the Opening Chamber Music Concert of the 2026 Round Top Music Festival, performed in the Festival Concert Hall located on Highway 237 and Jaster Road just north of Round Top.

The afternoon concert will begin at 3:30 p.m. and will last about one and one-half hours. The program, performed by Festival Institute faculty and young artists, will include two contemporary pieces composed by Kevin Puts, And Legions Will Rise, Les Citations by French composer Henri Dutilleux and the 1842 Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Op 47 by Robert Schumann.

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 6 continue at 7:30 p.m., with. the Texas Festival Orchestra, under the direction of guest conductor Stefan Asbury in the Festival Concert Hall. Opening work will be Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op 58 and the orchestra will be joined by pianist James Dick, Founder and Artistic Director of the Institute. The program will conclude with the orchestral performance of Sir Edward Elgar’s Symphony No.1 in A-flat major. 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 Alan Geistman, a longtime friend and supporter of the Institute. Allan was a real estate developer, church and non-profit community leader, naturalist, sports fan and traveler. He and his wife Jan Lehmann served as members of the Founder’s Council of the James Dick Foundation, 2011-2025.

Season Partners for the 55th Summer Music Festival are The Burdine Johnson Foundation, The Clayton Fund, Estate of Alain Declert and The Pine Foundation. Additional funding from concert ticket sales helps offset the full scholarships that are offered to the young artists participating in the Summer Institute. It is of special note that 20 young musicians among the 85 invited to join the 2026 Texas Festival Orchestra have ties to Texas, and together they represent 48 schools and institutions.

Also, this summer the intermission during evening performances will return with the opportunity to enjoy a glass of wine, coffee, sodas, water, and excellent cookies from the Festival Hill kitchen at Beethoven’s in the newly completed Educational Ensemble addition.

Call the Festival Institute office now to take advantage of this special opportunity on June 6 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 Round-TopFestivalInstitute and Instagram, festivalhill.institute.