Boston Festival Orchestra Chamber Series: Zara & Dmitri

Join BFO Artistic Director Alyssa Wang, BFO musicians, and guest artists for an immersive chamber music experience that blends performance with thoughtful discussion, inviting audiences to engage with the music’s historical, cultural, and emotional context. PROGRAM Zara Levina, Kanzonetta Zara Levina, Fantasy on Bashkir Themes Dmitri Shostakovich, Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67 PERFORMERS Alyssa Wang, violin Samuel Boundy, cello Jihye Chang, piano ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE Two composers. One generation. Two remarkably different voices. Dmitri Shostakovich is one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century. Zara Levina, though nearly his exact contemporary and a fellow Soviet composer, remains largely unknown to American audiences. This concert brings their music–and their stories–side by side, with the ideological pressure of state censorship ever present. Levina’s Fantasy on Bashkir Themes and Canzonetta reveal a composer with a vivid melodic imagination, drawing on folk traditions, Jewish themes, and the rich musical language of her time. Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 moves from an eerie, almost otherworldly opening through unbridled mania, profound grief, and a grotesque final dance that also incorporates Jewish themes. It is at once intensely personal and deeply connected to the devastation of the Second World War. These three works illuminate the fascinating musical landscape of the Soviet Union through the eyes of a composer whose name became legendary and another whose music is only now beginning to receive the attention it deserves. Heard side by side, their music raises questions that extend far beyond time and place: How can music be an act of defiance? How can it preserve what history tries to erase? Whose voices get remembered—and whose are left behind?

The Allen Center

Boston Festival Orchestra: Bruckner 6

In collaboration with Morningside Music Bridge, the Boston Festival Orchestra presents Mozart’s "Sinfonia Concertante" for Violin and Viola in E-flat major, an iconic double concerto featuring internationally acclaimed soloists, Agata Szymczewska (violin) and Teng Li (viola), both Morningside Music Bridge alumni and faculty, in elegant dialogue with the orchestra. The program culminates with Anton Bruckner’s "Symphony No. 6 in A major", a powerful and expansive symphony that moves from noble lyricism to triumphant grandeur. With its soaring themes and architectural brilliance, Bruckner’s Sixth brings the season to a thrilling close. PROGRAM W.A. Mozart, "Sinfonia Concertante" Anton Bruckner, "Symphony No. 6 in A Major" Agata Szymczewska, violin Teng Li, viola Alyssa Wang, conductor TICKETING INFORMATION We are excited to continue our Pay-What-You-Can (PWYC) ticketing model for the 2026 Summer Stage season! Here’s how it works: Regular tickets are $30. Premium tickets are $50. Both are on sale now. Pay-What-You-Can ticket options are available starting on June 7. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://bforchestra.org/summer-stage?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExc0taaU9zZXJESHRidHFCbHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6sf_NEe_jBJf7sMqDxetOZCcwbf8kR66E6MQBA5ZqFJPt3RAYd2Bck4gbVAw_aem_ihd_1oPDxNpJx5YmvKm47Q">bforchestra.org/summer-stage</a>&nbsp;to learn more.

Jordan Hall

Boston Festival Orchestra: The Drop That Contained the Sea

The Boston Festival Orchestra and Chorus pro Musica present the Boston premiere of the complete choral-orchestral work "The Drop That Contained the Sea" by Grammy-winning composer Christopher Tin. Featuring a 100-person choir and 7 vocal soloists performing in ten languages, this evening-length work traces the journey of a single drop of water through the global water cycle and explores cultures from around the world to tell a resounding message of strength in unity and seeing beauty in our shared humanity. The program opens with Paul Bateman’s arrangement of "America the Beautiful", presented in celebration of America250 and connecting Tin’s global vision with a reflection on the American spirit. PROGRAM Samual A. Ward, arr. Paul Bateman, "America the Beautiful" Christopher Tin, "The Drop That Contained the Sea" Ezgi Kurt, mezzo-soprano Emin Ismayilov, tenor Christon Carney, tenor Narantsetseg Ren, soprano Catarina Avelar, mezzo-soprano Harshitha Krishnan, alto Morgan Beckford, mezzo-soprano Chorus pro Musica, Jamie Kirsch, Choral Director Alyssa Wang, conductor TICKETING INFORMATION We are excited to continue our Pay-What-You-Can (PWYC) ticketing model for the 2026 Summer Stage season! Here’s how it works: Regular tickets are $30. Premium tickets are $50. Both are on sale now. Pay-What-You-Can ticket options are available starting on June 7. Visit bforchestra.org/summer-stage to learn more.

Boston Festival Orchestra: Brahms in Boston

The Boston Festival Orchestra launches its Season 6 Chamber Series with an evening of music rooted in New England voices and landscapes, presented for the first time at the First Church in Cambridge. This program traces a distinctly American throughline — from living local composer Arson Fahim to trailblazers Charles Ives, Amy Beach, and Vally Weigl — before concluding with one of the great pillars of the chamber repertoire, Johannes Brahms’s Clarinet Trio in A minor. Together, these works explore memory, place, and personal expression across generations. ​ Join BFO Artistic Director Alyssa Wang, BFO musicians, and guest artists for an immersive chamber music experience that blends performance with thoughtful discussion, inviting audiences to engage with the music’s historical, cultural, and emotional context. ​ This concert is free and open to the public, with registration required. PROGRAM Charles Ives, In the Mornin' Arson Fahim, Song from a Dreamland Amy Beach, Romance Vally Weigl, New England Suite for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano (IV. Connecticut Country Fair) Johannes Brahms, Clarinet Trio in A minor, Op. 114 Nicholas Brown, clarinet Aron Zelkowicz, cello Miki Sawada, piano

First Church in Cambridge

Boston Festival Orchestra: FREE Music & Literature Concert

<a href="https://cambridgepl.libcal.com/event/11394212">REGISTER HERE</a> May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! To celebrate, the BFO performs special selections of chamber music that lift up the voices of AAPI performers and composers. We present this concert one day before the 100th anniversary of President Coolidge’s decision to sign the Immigration Act, which included the Asian Exclusion Act. Together we shine a light on local AAPI voices, including guest appearances with several local AAPI authors and researchers. Here, you’ll learn the names of AAPI composers and authors, and explore beautiful and thought-provoking compositions that you may have never heard before!   Join BFO Artistic Director Alyssa Wang, BFO musicians, and guest artists in an intimate dialogue about what it means to experience art, and how it can help us to relate to the world around us. Enjoy a brief reception following the concert.   This concert is free, but registration is required! <a href="https://cambridgepl.libcal.com/event/11394212">REGISTER HERE</a> ​ PROGRAM Chen Yi, Memory William Newton, excerpts from Miniatures for Solo Marimba  Michael Shun, Re-Tale Salina Fischer, Komorebi Kevin Puts, And Legions Will Rise AUTHORS Rishi Reddi Grace Talusan Susan Tan   MUSICIANS Alyssa Wang, violin ​Nicholas Brown, clarinet Michael Weinfield-Zell, percussion

Cambridge Public Library 

The Power of Four

The string quartet, comprising two violins, one viola, and one cello, has been the foundation of classical chamber music for centuries. But how did we get there? And what is it about this particular instrumentation that is so special? To help answer these questions, carefully chosen selections of chamber music will be performed in chronological order by musicians of the Boston Festival Orchestra. Come to the Cambridge Public Library to learn about the history, characteristics, and possibilities of the universally beloved string quartet.&nbsp; Join BFO Artistic Director Alyssa Wang, BFO musicians, and guest artists in an intimate dialogue about what it means to experience art, and how it can help us to relate to the world around us. Enjoy a brief reception following the concert. This concert is free, but registration is required!

Cambridge Public Library

Boston Festival Orchestra: Reverie

You are invited to the grand season finale of the Boston Festival Orchestra's second season on July 31 in Jordan Hall! Joined by Boston's incredible professional musicians, conductor Alyssa Wang takes you through a musical journey that ends the Summer Mainstage season with a bang! This concert awakens delicately with Sleep Softly by British composer David LePage, but soon emerges from slumber into the enchanting sound world of Maurice Ravel's Tombeau de Couperin, finishing out with Dvorak's exuberant Symphony No. 8 in G Major. Bring your friends and family to this perfect summertime event--you won't want to miss the final concert of the season!&nbsp; Whether this is your first experience with classical music or you are already an avid fan, you are welcome in the BFO community! We take pride in presenting our concerts inclusively, and strive to make your personal experience inspiring, educational, and joyful. As we continue to face challenges in our industry, we are more grateful than ever to be able to perform for live audiences again, and we hope that you will be a part of this journey with us. See you this summer! PROGRAM LePage, Sleep Softly Ravel, Tombeau de Couperin Dvorak, Symphony No. 8 in G Major Alyssa Wang, conductor Ticket Prices: Students: $10 Regular: $30 Premier: $55 To purchase tickets, visit this link:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bostonfestivalorchestra.org/summer-mainstage?fbclid=IwAR1HHGunIoWi1Jrod7QrAm_RaypjDVyVBWVx3vHIPbhWj9j9DYgqsTKd7_Q" target="_blank">https://www.bostonfestivalorchestra.org/summer-mainstage</a>

Boston Festival Orchestra: Silhouette

Join the Boston Festival Orchestra for an exciting Summer Mainstage concert on July 24 in Boston's historic Jordan Hall! BFO Principal Flute Allison Parramore takes center stage as soloist in Cécile Chaminade's enchanting Concertino for Flute. The orchestra will also perform the tragic and vividly imagined Pelléas et Mélisande Suite by French composer Gabriel Fauré, and the beloved Symphony No. 2 in D Major by Johannes Brahms. Perfect for a summer afternoon, "Silhouette" explores the meaning behind the music and the beauty of narrative through sound.&nbsp; Whether this is your first experience with classical music or you are already an avid fan, you are welcome in the BFO community! We take pride in presenting our concerts inclusively, and strive to make your personal experience inspiring, educational, and joyful. As we continue to face challenges in our industry, we are more grateful than ever to be able to perform for live audiences again, and we hope that you will be a part of this journey with us. See you this summer! PROGRAM: Fauré, Pelléas et Mélisande Chaminade, Flute Concertino Brahms, Symphony No. 2 in D Major Alyssa Wang, conductor Ticket Prices: Students: $10 Regular: $30 Premier: $55 To purchase tickets, visit this link:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bostonfestivalorchestra.org/summer-mainstage?fbclid=IwAR2vdBUPp1QGTVNo6NxSC5ygRNW7t9ogF1Tfe__T3EqdNsZz44Q_BIBeAcw" target="_blank">https://www.bostonfestivalorchestra.org/summer-mainstage</a>

Boston Festival Chamber Series: The Super Trio

For centuries, composers of classical chamber music have utilized the power, expansiveness, and expressivity of the Piano Trio, consisting of violin, cello, and piano. From the ultra romantic, to the wild and unhinged, this concert combines four movements from four different iconic Piano Trios to create the ultimate Super Trio! ​ BFO Artistic Director Alyssa Wang takes you through a classical music journey designed to inspire new listeners, classical music veterans, and everyone in between! In the Harvard Musical Association's intimate space, you can interact with BFO musicians up close, ask questions, converse with your fellow audience members, and have a wholly unique and personal experience.   We hope you will join us for this FREE event! *All attendees must be masked and vaccinated for this event unless otherwise noted.

Harvard Musical Association

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything to do around Boston.

Things to do in Boston and beyond

Things to do in Boston

New at Museum of Science, Boston 💫 

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S19: interest based

Kid-friendly events in Boston

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.

Where

joyraft.host36788

Experiences