Sunday MountainTop Masterworks IV: Season Finale – Celebration & Dance

In a Wintergreen first, three conductors will grace the stage for the MountainTop Masterworks Season Finale.  Nicoletta Moss will conduct world premiere celebratory work by Wintergreen Music Composer in Residence Jorge Sosa. Celebrated pianist, conductor, and artistic leader Awadagin Pratt will lead Beethoven’s third piano concerto from his seat on the piano bench! Finally, Artistic Director Erin Freeman will take the podium for Rachmaninoff’s exhilarating, feisty, and lush Symphonic Dances. All with our incredible wine selection, our joyful and vibrant community, our top notch artists, and our signature Blue Ridge view. 

Please note: This concert includes a pre-concert talk (beginning at 2:00 pm) with guest conductors to add color and perspective to your concert experience.

Concert Program:

Awadagin Pratt, conductor and pianist

Erin Freeman, conductor

Nicoletta Moss, conductor

Jorge Sosa World Premiere

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, op. 37

I. Allegro con brio

II. Largo

III. Rondo. Allegro

Intermission

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943), Symphonic Dances, op. 45

I. Non Allegro

II. Andante con moto. Tempo di Valse

III. Lento assai—Allegro vivace

Roots & Rhythms IV: Trey Hensley Band

Get ready for a high-energy evening with GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist and vocalist Trey Hensley and his band. Celebrated for his jaw-dropping musicianship and soulful voice, Hensley blends bluegrass, country, blues, and rock with effortless virtuosity and heartfelt authenticity. A 2025 GRAMMY winner for Best Traditional Blues Album and a widely acclaimed “guitar-slinging” standout, he brings both technical brilliance and rich musical storytelling to the stage.

Program to be announced from the stage.

LEAD Cooperative Event: Chamber Music Concert

Free!

Join the students of the 2026 LEAD Cooperative in a free & open to the public chamber music concert showcasing the incredible talents of these budding musicians.

Community Pop-Up Concert - Christmas in July!

Free to attend!

We’re belting it out at Belties. Grab one of Belties’ famous biscuits and enjoy brass chamber music played by our Festival Artists and LEAD instrumentalists, along with festive songs performed by our LEAD vocalists.

Friday MountainTop Masterworks IV: Season Finale – Celebration & Dance

In a Wintergreen first, three conductors will grace the stage for the MountainTop Masterworks Season Finale.  Nicoletta Moss will conduct world premiere celebratory work by Wintergreen Music Composer in Residence Jorge Sosa. Celebrated pianist, conductor, and artistic leader Awadagin Pratt will lead Beethoven’s third piano concerto from his seat on the piano bench! Finally, Artistic Director Erin Freeman will take the podium for Rachmaninoff’s exhilarating, feisty, and lush Symphonic Dances. All with our incredible wine selection, our joyful and vibrant community, our top notch artists, and our signature Blue Ridge view. 

Concert Program:

Awadagin Pratt, conductor and pianist

Erin Freeman, conductor

Nicoletta Moss, conductor

Jorge Sosa World Premiere

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, op. 37

I. Allegro con brio

II. Largo

III. Rondo. Allegro

Intermission

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943), Symphonic Dances, op. 45

I. Non Allegro

II. Andante con moto. Tempo di Valse

III. Lento assai—Allegro vivace

Coffee Talk: Music & Community - Why it Matters, with Corinne Horvath

Free: Sponsored by Festival Season Passholders and Farmers Insurance Michael Bailey Agency

Executive Director Corinne Horvath explores the vital role music plays in shaping and sustaining a community. Through stories, insights, and open conversation, she reflects on how music brings people together, strengthens connection, and enriches cultural identity—both at Wintergreen and beyond. Join her for a thoughtful and welcoming discussion on why music matters, and how its impact resonates far beyond the concert hall.

Mix, Mingle & Music III: Baroque Charm at King Family Vineyards

We’re thrilled to celebrate our new partnership with King Family Vineyards with an evening of sparkling Baroque and Baroque-inspired chamber music—we’ll even have a harpsichord! The program opens with Jolivet’s playful Pastorales de Noël, for flute, bassoon, and harp, followed by the elegant and groundbreaking violin sonata by 17th century composer Isabella Leonarda. Werner’s whimsical Instrumental-Calender is a Vivaldi’s Four Seasons-inspired celebration of the calendar year, and we’ll present—of course—the month of July! Finally, we’re bringing back Bach, with the Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, last heard at Wintergreen in 2015!

Arrive early to take in the stunning views, enjoy a glass of wine, and grab dinner from Otto Eats food truck before the performance. Then settle into King Family's gorgeous, air-conditioned event space for an evening of exceptional music in an unforgettable setting.

Program:

André Jolivet (1904-1974), Pastorales de Noël for flute, bassoon, and harp

Isabella Leonarda (1620-1704), Sonata Duodecima in D Minor, op. 16, no. 12

I. Adagio

II. Allegro a presto

III. Vivace e largo

IV. Aria. Allegro

Gregor Joseph Werner (1693-1766), Musicalischer Instrumental-Calender, l Lùglio, im Heumonat

I. Il Poltrone. Der Faullentzende.

II. Menuet & c. Tags-Länge 15. Stund. Die Nacht 9. Stund.

III. La tempestà. Ein Donner-Wetter.

IV. Tempo quieto. Stilles Wetter.

V. La cantina. Der Keller.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), Brandenburg Concerto No.6 in B-Flat Major, BWV 1051

I. Alla breve

II. Adagio, ma non tanto

III. Allegro

LEAD Cooperative Event: Diving Into Piano Concertos

Free!

Join guest artist Awadagin Pratt as he teaches our 2026 LEAD Cooperative conductors, instrumentalists, and pianists about the inner workings of standard piano concertos.

Program includes excerpts from piano concertos, to be announced from the stage

Coffee Talk: What 20 Measures Can Teach You, with Jorge Sosa and the 2026 LEAD Cooperative Composition Students 

Free: Sponsored by Festival Season Passholders

 Join Wintergreen Music Festival composer in residence Jorge Sosa and the 2026 LEAD Cooperative composition students as they chat about their 20-measure projects.

Fresh Perspectives III:  Finding Hope – A Light in the Darkness  

Moving from intensity through hope to light-hearted charm, this concert embodies the resilience of the human spirit and the power of music to express the multitude of human emotion. Dedicated to a flute player killed in 1973  the Yom Kippur War, Leonard Bernstein’s Halil is a commentary on war, loss, and hop, and is ostensibly a concerto featuring our own principal flute, Lance Suzuki. Benjamin Britten’s Canticle II for mezzo and tenor recounts the story of Abraham and Isasac and the spirit of a savior angel with beautiful soul and healing musical moments. Dvořák’s American Quintet (for 2 violins, 2 violas, and cello) is a partner to his more well-known American Quartet. It encapsulates his extended time in the United States, embodying his longing for his homeland, his excitement for his adopted home, and the sounds of the people who welcomed him so fully.    

Program:

Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), Halil for flute, percussion, and piano

Benjamin Britten (1913–1976), Canticle II, op. 51 ("Abraham and Isaac")

Intermission

Antonin Dvořák (1841-1904), String Quintet No. 3 in E-Flat Major, op. 97 (“American”)

I. Allegro non tanto 

II. Allegro vivo

III. Larghetto

IV. Finale (Allegro giusto)

LEAD Cooperative Event: Conductor, Voice & Piano Pop-Up Concert

Free!

See our LEAD Cooperative students in action! Strauss was requested by the musicians—it’s a major work for 13 winds!

Program:

Richard Strauss (1864-1949), Suite in B-Flat Major, op.4

I. Praeludium

II. Romanze

III. Gavotte

IV. Introduction und Fuge

Coffee Talk: Meet our Four Conducting Students, with Corinne Horvath

Free: Sponsored by Festival Season Passholders

Join our 2026 LEAD Cooperative Conductors in conversation, led by Wintergreen Music Executive Director Corinne Horvath.

In-Home Concert Special III: An Evening Serenade – Humor, Passion & Elegance

At the Mountain Home of Susan Talarico & Mike Sundermeyer

Mozart’s Divertimento in E-flat Major is more than just a musical diversion. It is a major work for string trio—a tour de force for violin, viola, and cello. Paired with the radiant and rarely-performed sonata by Romantic Croatian composer Dora Pejačević and the quirky Get It for bassoon and cajón, this will be a concert remembered long after the final note has sounded. Space is limited.

Program:

Gene Koshinski (b. 1980), Get it! for bassoon and percussion

Dora Pejačević (1885-1923), Violin Sonata in D Major, op. 26 (“Spring”)

I. Allegro

II. Andante con moto 

III. Allegro molto

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), Divertimento in E-Flat Major for String Trio, K. 563

I. Allegro

II. Adagio

III. Menuetto: Allegretto

IV. Andante

V. Menuetto: Allegretto

VI. Allegro

Coffee Talk: Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, with Erin Freeman

Free: Sponsored by Festival Season Passholders

Join Wintergreen Music Artistic Director Erin Freeman as she chats about Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances.

Coffee Talk: The Rise of the Humble Violin – From the Dance Hall to the Concert Hall, with Jim Lyon

Free: Sponsored by Festival Season Passholders

Wintergreen Festival Artist and LEAD faculty member Jim Lyon explores the violin family’s meteoric rise from a “low class instrument” only fit for “rogues and hardy beggars” to becoming the queen of the orchestra.  Plus, meet Albert Spalding, the first internationally famous American violinist, heir to the Spalding sporting goods family, and employee of LaGuardia during World War 2.

Special Event: 8th Annual Benefit – Let Our Light Shine

SOLD OUT!

SOLD OUT!

6:00 pm: Drinks & Appetizers on the Blue Ridge Terrace, sponsored by Wintergreen Club

7:00 pm: Dinner & Performance in the Dunlop Pavilion

Join the Wintergreen Music team for our major fundraising event of the year—celebrating our unique mountain setting, the community that built us, and the incredible artistry of our Festival Artists. This annual event is one you won't want to miss as we honor the past, present, and future of Wintergreen Music and its lasting impact on the world of classical music.

The evening begins with a Wintergreen Club sponsored cocktail hour on the Blue Ridge Terrace, where you'll mingle with musicians, students, and fellow supporters against the breathtaking backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Then, step into the transformed Dunlop Pavilion and enjoy a 3-course meal catered by Wintergreen Resort, while music fills the air in an elegant celebration of symphonic artistry. You’ll be surrounded by friends, Festival Artists, and LEAD Cooperative students, all coming together to celebrate music in the mountains. For an even more exclusive experience, table sponsors will once again have the chance to sit on stage, offering a unique perspective of the music and providing additional support to Wintergreen Music’s mission.

The 8th Annual Benefit is vital to Wintergreen Music’s continued success, providing crucial support for our artistic initiatives, educational programs, and the community that makes it all possible. With delicious food provided by Wintergreen Resort, delightful music, and an atmosphere like no other, this evening promises to be a sparkling celebration of everything that makes Wintergreen Music truly special.

Sponsored by the 2026 Host Committee

Honorary Co-Chairs: Jan & Bob Jones

Ed & Judy Anderson

John & Beverly Bates*

George & Becky Bostick

Kris Brown

Randy & Janelle Carroll*

John & Joyce Claman

Nancy DeFord

Cal & Linda Dooley+

Jeff & Eleanor Harris+

Diana Hickert-Hill & Peter Hill

Jim Holloway

Jeff Gallagher & Cathy Howard+

Shoshana Lash

Jim McCaffery & Wilma Gormley*

Bob & Denise Meyer*

Bart Patel & Beth Frasher

David & Joy Peyton+

Barbara & Jorge Rios

Vicki Sabin+

Susan Talarico & Mike Sundermeyer

Bob & Linda Watts

Sylvia & Peter Winik

Allan & Susan Winn

Wintergreen Resort+

Edie Wombolt

Mike Woolard

*Musician Sponsor

+Table Sponsor

Sunday MountainTop Masterworks III: From America to Austria – Music of Coleman, Price, & Brahms

Pre-Concert Talk at 2:00 pm

Sure to be a highlight of the summer, our third MountainTop Masterworks led by Robert Moody features the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra in three distinct musical expressions.  Anchored by Brahms’ sunny and joyful second symphony, the concert also features the first violin concerto by American composer Florence Price, performed by celebrated artist Rachel Lee Priday.  The concert opens with Tracing Visions by Wintergreen Music’s Composer-In-Residence Valerie Coleman. This work weaves a narrative that highlights the connection between community and musical expressions—a fitting piece for Wintergreen Music!

Please note: This concert includes a pre-concert talk (beginning at 2:00 pm) with guest conductors to add color and perspective to your concert experience.

Concert Program:

Robert Moody, conductor

Rachel Lee Priday, violin

Valerie Coleman (b. 1970), Tracing Visions*

Florence Price (1887-1953), Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major

I. Tempo moderato

II. Andante

III. Allegro

Intermission

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), Symphony No. 2 in D Major, op. 73

I. Allegro non troppo

II. Adagio non troppo

III. Allegretto grazioso (quasi andantino) — Presto ma non assai 

IV. Allegro con spirito

*Tracing Visions is provided in agreement with Coleman Page Publishing

Roots & Rhythms III: Desirée Roots & The Wintergreen Festival Orchestra

Experience an electrifying collaboration as Desirée Roots and her trio joins the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra for an evening of soulful sound and rhythmic energy. Known for her powerful voice and captivating presence, Desirée Roots brings a dynamic blend of jazz, gospel, and blues to the stage, joined by her exceptional trio. Together with the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra, this genre-crossing program promises fresh arrangements—including premiere orchestrations commissioned by Wintergreen Music—alongside vibrant improvisation and unforgettable musical moments that celebrate the heart and soul of American music.

Program to be announced from the stage.

LEAD Cooperative Event: Chamber Music Concert

Free!

Join the students of the 2026 LEAD Cooperative in a free & open to the public chamber music concert showcasing the incredible talents of these budding musicians.

Community Pop-Up Concert: Rich & Mellow – Low Brass in the Blue Ridge

Free

Start your morning at the Blue Ridge Overlook and take in the sweeping mountain views accompanied by the rich, mellow sounds of three trombones and a tuba. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the beauty of this instrumental combination in such a breathtaking setting.

Concert Program:

Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) arr. Ross Holcombe, Christus Factus Est

Omar Thomas (b. 1984), Emma Catherine

Sanae Kanda, Awaking from a Dream

Katahj Copley. (b. 1998). Oblivion

Friday MountainTop Masterworks III: From America to Austria – Music of Coleman, Price & Brahms

Sure to be a highlight of the summer, our third MountainTop Masterworks led by Robert Moody features the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra in three distinct musical expressions.  Anchored by Brahms’ sunny and joyful second symphony, the concert also features the first violin concerto by American composer Florence Price, performed by celebrated artist Rachel Lee Priday.  The concert opens with Tracing Visions by Wintergreen Music’s Composer-In-Residence Valerie Coleman. This work weaves a narrative that highlights the connection between community and musical expressions—a fitting piece for Wintergreen Music!

Concert Program:

Robert Moody, conductor

Rachel Lee Priday, violin

Valerie Coleman (b. 1970), Tracing Visions*

Florence Price (1887-1953), Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major

I. Tempo moderato

II. Andante

III. Allegro

Intermission

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), Symphony No. 2 in D Major, op. 73

I. Allegro non troppo

II. Adagio non troppo

III. Allegretto grazioso (quasi andantino) — Presto ma non assai 

IV. Allegro con spirito

*Tracing Visions is provided in agreement with Coleman Page Publishing

Coffee Talk: Inside Two Great American Traditions – Jazz & Gospel with Desirée Roots

Free: Sponsored by Festival Season Passholders

Join Wintergreen Music guest artist Desirée Roots as she explores the rich traditions of jazz and gospel.

Mix, Mingle & Music II: Surprises at the Cidery, at Bold Rock Hard Cider LOCATION CHANGE: Dunlop Pavilion

Expect the unexpected in this program that features strings, brass, and woodwinds from the jazzy sounds of Jeff Scott’s Startin’ Sumthin’ to the pleasant, nature-inspired woodwind quintet by Amy Beach. The true surprise is the sextet by Beethoven—blending a string quartet with a pair of french horns creates a hunting-trip-meets-concert-hall feel.

7.14.26 UPDATE:

With Thursday's heat index expected to climb well above 100 degrees, we've made the decision—together with our friends at Bold Rock Hard Cider—to move this event to the Dunlop Pavilion on the mountain. While we know you were looking forward to an evening at the cidery, the safety of our patrons, artists, students, volunteers, and staff is always our top priority.

The good news? We're creating a “Bold Rock Reimagined” experience at the Dunlop Pavilion. The concert will still begin at 7:00 p.m., and we'll be serving Bold Rock Hard Cider throughout the evening while bringing the fun, relaxed spirit of our partnership to the mountaintop. We're excited to celebrate with great music, great cider, and great company.

Thank you for your understanding and flexibility. We can't wait to raise a glass with you on Thursday evening!

Program:

Jeff Scott (b. 1967), Startin' Sumthin'

Amy Beach (1867-1944), Pastorale

Eric Ewazen (b. 1954), Colchester Fantasy

I. The Rose and the Crown

II. The Marquis of Granby 

III. The Dragoon

IV. The Red Lion

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), Sextet for string quartet and two horns in E-Flat Major, op. 81b

I. Allegro con brio 

II. Adagio 

III. Rondo. Allegro 

Coffee Talk: Sunlight and Shadows – Unpacking Brahms’ Second Symphony, with Erin Freeman

Free: Sponsored by Festival Season Passholders

In her signature, inviting way, Artistic Director Erin Freeman will be tour guide through this most joyful and uplifting of symphonies by Johannes Brahms. 

Fresh Perspectives II: Passionate Piano - Music of Glinka, Fauré, & Brahms

The piano plays a central role in this exciting evening of Romantic-era chamber music. From the folk inspired trio for the unusual combination of Clarinet, Bassoon, and Piano by Russian composer Mikhail Glinka to the sweeping lines of French composer Gabriel Fauré’s first piano quartet. Arched in the middle is the second of our 2026 Brahms’ cello sonatas, a tour de force as much for the cellist (Hannah Holman) as for the pianist (Jason Wirth).

Program:

Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857), Trio pathétique in D Minor for oboe, bassoon, and piano

I. Allegro moderato

II. Scherzo. Vivacissimo

III. Largo

IV. Allegro con spirito

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Cello Sonata No. 2 in F Major, op. 99

I. Allegro vivace

II. Adagio affettuoso

III. Allegro passionato

IV. Allegro molto

Intermission

Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) Piano Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, op. 15

I. Allegro molto moderato

II. Scherzo: Allegro vivo

III. Adagio

IV. Allegro molto

Coffee Talk: 150 Years Apart, With More In Common Than You Think, with Erin Freeman 

Free: Sponsored by Festival Season Passholders

Join Wintergreen Music Artistic Director Erin Freeman as she chats about two epic concertos: Florence Price’s first Violin Concerto and Beethoven’s third Piano Concerto. From different continents, backgrounds, and eras, you’ll find that these two concertos are actually sister compositions.

In-Home Concert Special II : American Interludes 

In the Mountain Home of Ed & Judy Anderson

This vibrant evening of American music blends sophistication, charm, and playful musical surprises in a warm, welcoming setting. From Paul Wiancko’s reflective American Haiku for viola and cello to Charles Ives’ impressive and enjoyable String Quartet No. 1, subtitled “From the Salvation Army”, and lively American favorites from Irving Berlin, Scott Joplin, Victor Herbert, George Gershwin, and John Philip Sousa, this concert offers a journey through the heart and soul of American music. Space is limited. 

Program:

Paul Wiancko (b. 1983), American Haiku for viola and cello

Charles Ives (1874-1954), String Quartet No. 1, S.57

I. Chorale: Andante con moto

II. Prelude: AllegroIII. Offertory: Adagio cantabile

IV. Postlude: Allegro marziale

A Suite of American Favorites, arr. Bruce Holcombe

Irving Berlin (1888-1989), Alexander's Ragtime Band

Scott Joplin (1868-1917), The Entertainer

Victor Herbert (1859-1924), Italian Street Song

George Gershwin (1898-1937), Rialto Ripples Rag

John Philip Sousa (1854-1932), Liberty Bell March

Coffee Talk: A Beautifully Broken Virginia, A VMFA Presentation with John Plashal

Free: Sponsored by Festival Season Passholders

 Join photographer John Plashal of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to experience a unique photographic journey through the beautifully decaying rural places within our state with which so many Virginians have become fascinated. Mr. Plashal has commemorated these abandoned gems by capturing their beauty and delivering them to you in a presentation full of powerful imagery and emotional stories. Experience the “unseen” side of Virginia with all of the houses, churches, schools, asylums, diners, and secret societies that have been “frozen in time” and now documented and photographed in Mr. Plashal’s coffee table book titled “A Beautifully Broken Virginia.” This talk is sure to satisfy your curiosities and captivate your imagination with exploration tips and photography advice. ” Appreciate them now . . . for soon they will be gone . . . but still, they stand . . . beautiful . . . but broken.”

Special Event: Music & Nature Hike II – Serenity & Strings

Rain Date: Tuesday, July 14 at 11:00 am

Presented in partnership with The Nature Foundation at Wintergreen

Wintergreen Music partners with The Nature Foundation at Wintergreen in this second of two special event collaborations. Embark on a serene journey through the woods, where each step invites you to find solace within the mountain trails. Join your Nature Foundation guides, Artistic Director Erin Freeman, and Festival Artists Alison Hall (violin) and Johanna Beaver (viola) as you connect with nature’s meditative side.

Trail point and logistics to be shared after ticket purchase. Hike level: beginner to moderate. Advance purchase required; space is limited.

Coffee Talk: Q&A with the 2026 Arts Administration Fellows – Lessons Learned from a Festival, with Cynthia Steele

Free: Sponsored by Festival Season Passholders

Join the 2026 LEAD Cooperative Arts Administration Fellows as they talk about lessons learned from the Festival.