Revival of a Beloved Tradition: Eastern Festival of Music Returns
The Eastern Music Festival, a cherished event among music enthusiasts, faced an unexpected halt last fall due to a contract disagreement with its musicians. However, this summer marks its revival under a fresh identity: the Eastern Festival of Music.
Gerard Schwarz, who has steered the orchestras of the festival for two decades, recalls the sudden termination of the event last October, noting he was informed just before the public announcement. “It was very upsetting, of course, because EMF was one of the great summer music festivals and schools,” Schwarz commented. “And interesting when you see something go away, then you start to really become aware of how important it was.”
The community’s determination led to the swift reestablishment of the festival, forming a new organizational structure and achieving nonprofit status within half a year. The upcoming season will feature a series of eight faculty chamber music concerts on Mondays and Tuesdays, with special events reserved for Wednesdays, including a night dedicated to Mozart’s concertos.
With 60 music faculty members and over 600 student applications, the festival promises to deliver a sense of familiarity to its longstanding supporters. “You’re going to come to concerts this summer,” Schwarz assured. “It’ll be like it’s always been. At Guilford College, in Dana Auditorium. A concert every night of the week, starting on the 30th of June, going through until August 1, with some of the great soloists, some of the great young musicians. I mean, it’s just, it’s a very happy, exciting time for us all.”
The festival will commence with an all-American program on July 4, featuring Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring,” works by Pulitzer Prize laureate Ellen Zwilich, and George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris,” setting a patriotic tone for the season.
