As one of Wintergreen Music’s three defining pillars (Destination, Community & Artistry), Community focuses on building a welcoming, creative, and people-centric network for musicians and audience members. The Wintergreen Music Community extends artistry to “the mountain” and beyond – creating not only a destination for visitors passing through but by helping to grow a sense of true community for and with those who reside in Nelson County and the Central Blue Ridge area.
Non-Profit Partners & Highlights
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Over the past few seasons, Wintergreen Music has established and expanded partnership with the Jefferson Area Board of Aging (JABA). In 2021, Wintergreen Music deployed eight Festival Artists as The Wintergreen Brass Ensemble, to perform throughout Nelson County. The Wintergreen Brass Ensemble provided two performances of jazz and “big band'' standards, one at our established partner, Rockfish Valley Community Center, and JABA’s Cecilia Epps Community Center at the Nelson Center.
After the success of 2021, Wintergreen Music and JABA reengaged and expanded their partnership in 2022 with two new concerts: a string orchestra performance with musicians joining JABA participants in their usual mid-day meal and a trip to the mountain for an exclusive open rehearsal of the Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes and an opportunity to meet nationally and internationally acclaimed opera singers, as well as LEAD Cooperative singers, after rehearsal. Travel and picnic arrangements are provided by JABA.
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A long-standing partnership exists between Wintergreen Music and the Rockfish Valley Community Center. During the Festival, community patrons have enjoyed co-presented free concerts featuring Festival Artists, students, and Guest Artists. In December of 2022, Wintergreen Music reimagined its commitment to community by reintroducing the former “Blue Ridge Christmas” holiday concert as “Wintergreen Wonderland” — intentionally designed to be an accessible holiday experience complete with a “holiday hour” pre-concert showcasing the many businesses and nonprofit organizations residing in the Rockfish Valley Community Center.
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Wintergreen Music has partnered with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) for multiple collaborations. During the live Festival season, VMFA has brought its interactive art space – the Artmobile – to Bold Rock Hard Cider in Nellysford, featuring unique mobile art collections feature hands-on activities, digital interactives, and works by Virginia artists past and present. During 2020’s Wintergreen Music: Online Community, VMFA contributed to the “Music and…” web series, hosted by Artistic Director Erin Freeman with special guest, Curator Leo Mazo. Starting in 2022, WM has also featured VMFA curators and educators as special guest lecturers during the free morning “Coffee Talks” series.
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This partnership is supported by the Virginia Commission for the Arts Creative Communities Partnership Grant.
For over 20 years, Wintergreen Music has partnered with Nelson County, administering VCA grant funds to supplement arts programs in the public schools. To encourage local support of the arts, VCA matches up to $4,500 of local government tax monies, in this case from the Nelson County Board of Supervisors.
Wintergreen Music is deeply indebted to Mary Jo Russell, former Chair of its Education and Community Engagement Committee. During her tenure, Ms. Russell administered all facets of the grant-funded programs awarded to Wintergreen Music, ensuring their meaningful impact within Nelson County Public Schools. Her leadership and dedication have left a lasting mark on both the organization and the community it serves.
Programs supported in Nelson County Public Schools include:
On campus performances by Virginia Repertory Theater
On & off campus music & theater workshops
Field trips to Charlottesville Symphony, Ford’s Theater in Washington DC, American Shakespeare Theater, Wayne Theater & Paramount Theater
Music & theater curriculums for NCPS’s Summer Excel Academy
Additional support for NCPS musical productions during the school year
Wintergreen Music is currently supporting:
The Wacky Science Show – combines the enchantment of theater, captivating comedy, and scientific facts
Danielle Simone - children’s author and speaker
The Nutcracker / Richmond Ballet - 6th grade students attended in December
Claude Monet: The Immersive Experience - the most compelling paintings by Monet in a 360º digital art exhibit, and immerse yourself in 20000 sq ft of light and sound
Black Friar Theater - participated in workshop led by actors and actresses on “Shakespeare’s Staging Conditions; attended Twelfth Night play
Summer Enrichment programs
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Wintergreen Music has collaborated with Nelson County Historical Society to celebrate and share Nelson County’s musical heritage. As part of this partnership, the Historical Society helped present events featuring Wintergreen Music LEAD students and Nelson County native Jonathan Page, including screenings of his documentary The Othello Wilson Project and interactive discussions with attendees. By working together, Wintergreen Music and the Historical Society provided audiences with a deeper understanding of the county’s cultural history, supported hands-on educational experiences for students, and strengthened community connections through shared musical storytelling.
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Wintergreen Music has partnered with Oak Hill Baptist Church to host educational and community-focused events celebrating Nelson County’s musical heritage. In the summer of 2025, the church welcomed Nelson County native Jonathan Page for a screening of his documentary, The Othello Wilson Project, accompanied by performances from Wintergreen Music LEAD students and interactive question-and-answer sessions. This collaboration allowed Wintergreen Music to honor the county’s rich musical legacy, strengthen connections with local residents, and provide unique learning opportunities for students, while offering the wider community access to performances and programming that highlighted Nelson County’s cultural history.
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Sing with Us! is a unique offering of the Wintergreen Music Festival that embraces the greater community through inclusive music-making. An important ongoing partner in this event is the Oratorio Society of Virginia, based in Charlottesville, VA. The ensemble also works with Wintergreen Music to produce the annual “Wintergreen Wonderland” holiday concert each December.
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Wintergreen Music’s Artistic Director Erin Freeman also serves as Artistic Director of the City Choir of Washington. The Wintergreen Music Festival’s Sing with Us! program welcomes the City Choir as an anchor partner in this unique program, hosting rehearsals and zoom sessions in advance of the Festival event in the DC area.
Nelson County Public Schools students at a Monet exhibition.
Free Festival Programming
These offerings are made possible by the Virginia Commission for the Arts General Operating Grant.
Hosted by Erin Freeman, Festival Artists, and Guest Lecturers, audiences can start each day with free, casual, podcast-style Coffee Talks held fireside in the recently renovated Hearth Room in Wintergreen Resort’s Mountain Inn to explore the themes and stories behind the Festival season.
Through the LEAD Cooperative, audiences can attend free-to-the-public masterclasses and performances that take place in the afternoons during the final two weeks of the Festival. Patrons are welcome to observe the next generation of classical musicians while they hone their craft.
Back by popular demand and at the generous invitation of Wintergreen Resort, the 2026 Festival will begin with the return of the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra at the Resort’s July Jubilee for a family-friendly patriotic pops concert featuring music from Broadway and Film and patriotic favorites including America the Beautiful and Stars and Stripes Forever before the slopeside fireworks!
Wintergreen Music’s History of Community Engagement
From iterations such as Music in Unusual Places to the more service-focused Community Connections and “Charlottesville Takeover Day”, along with partnerships with Nelson County Schools, Wintergreen Music continues to grow in its efforts to reach the surrounding community with music and artistic programming year-round and during the Festival.
Prior to the pandemic, Community Connections reached underserved populations and the general public by presenting free concerts on the Historic Downtown mall, in the Charlottesville Boys’ & Girls’ Club, and in other accessible public spaces. Community Connections featured short, pop-up-style concerts of small Academy student ensembles that allowed students to hone public speaking and presentation skills. In addition, WM and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) presented the VMFA Artmobile in collaboration with Bold Rock Hard Cider featuring unique mobile art collections with hands-on activities, digital interactives, and works by Virginia artists past and present.
Wintergreen Music looks forward to programming the next evolution of the former Community Connections as part of Festival and LEAD Cooperative programming in summer 2026, building on the values of these service-based musical experiences.
