The Boston Symphony Orchestra has been performing summer concerts in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts since the late 1930’s. By 1940, the Tanglewood Music Center had been established, a permanent concert hall had been built, and the summer festival was attracting about 100,000 people. In 1966, the impetus for a parallel student institute had reached fruition. The conductors and musicians of the summer festival had always encouraged student engagement in the festival, but in 1966, the Boston University announced a summer project – the Boston University Tanglewood Institute – that has recently celebrated it’s 50th year! Students of voice, orchestra, wind ensemble, chamber music, piano, and composition can learn and work alongside the guest artists of the festival and the musicians of the BSO.
Tanglewood now presents year-round musical offerings, but the summer festival runs from mid-June through Labor Day, and hosts over 350,000 people each year. Over the years, the festival has become known for including a number of “regular” artists participating with the BSO: Yo-Yo Ma, Charles Dutoit, Emmanuel Ax, young artists from the BUTI, and of course, the Boston Pops Orchestra.
If you can’t make it to The Shed (the affectionate name for the main concert hall) this week, the Sound Theology playlist will give you an overview of what’s on the schedule.
Sound Theology II – Tanglewood
Tanglewood Music Center and the Boston Symphony Orchestra