🍂Dear Birch Festival Friends,

Big news! We are so very excited to share the fall and spring editions of our fourth season! This promises to be a particularly special year of music-making and community here in the Berkshires.

Our Fall Festival!

First, on September 26, we are thrilled to welcome iconic cellist Jan Vogler to the Berkshires. Known around the world for his visionary interpretations of both beloved and new repertoire for cello, Jan has also developed unique collaborations with artists including actor Bill Murray and poet Amanda Gorman. Watch below for videos of their work together and to learn more about Jan.

In this special program, Jan will perform two monumental works: Bach’s first and final solo cello suites. Yevgeny will join him for Ravel’s deeply moving Sonata for Violin and Cello, and Handel-Halvorsen’s Passacaglia, for a program tracing journey through beginning, encounter, and transcendence.

Tickets Available Here!

The concert will take place at 3pm on Saturday, September 26th at the First Congregational Church in Stockbridge.

Over the next weeks, we will also announce additional opportunities to experience Jan’s artistry up close during his visit to the Berkshires. We can’t wait!

Our Second Tanglewood Collaboration!

Following our appearance at the Tanglewood Learning Institute this past May, we were inundated with questions about when we would return to that Tanglewood. And so…drumroll…we are thrilled to announce a second partnership with TLI on May 14, 2027! And it features drums!

This exciting and unusual program will bring together violin and percussion ensemble—and not just any percussion ensemble. We are delighted to collaborate with Boston Conservatory at Berklee’s nationally recognized percussion ensemble for Lou Harrison’s thrilling and virtuosic Concerto for Violin with Percussion Orchestra, along with additional showcases from the world of percussion.

Tickets will go on sale later this month. Stay tuned for more interactive opportunities to experience the percussion ensemble across the Berkshires in the days leading up to the concert.

Thank you again for your extraordinary support. When we started Birch just a few years ago, we never could have imagined the amazing community that would unite around our festival or the caliber of artists we would be fortunate to bring home to the Berkshires year round.

If you aren’t able to attend but would still like to be involved, please consider supporting our mission of bringing extraordinary artists to the Berkshires for accessible music-making at the highest level, educational visits, and low ticket prices for all.

Support The Birch Festival

Thank you for helping us make this work possible.

With gratitude,
Rachel and Yevgeny

Support our work and play by making a tax-deductible contribution and we can’t wait to see you soon!

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

🍃Dear Birch Festival Friends,

What an unforgettable few days for The Birch Festival.

Our Spring Festival (our sixth edition!) at Tanglewood began with an unexpected special guest — a big black bear wandering into view during the opening moment of our concert — and somehow, the rest of the weekend was just as memorable.

We are deeply grateful to the Tanglewood Learning Institute, the Borromeo String Quartet, Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner, the Inaugural Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regie Gibson, and the many friends, supporters, volunteers, students, and community members who helped bring this festival to life.

True to our mission, these days were about much more than a single concert. We worked with the inspiring students of Kids4Harmony, welcomed the community to our free “Don’t Tap on the Glass” open rehearsal, and shared music in the intimate, up-close way that makes Birch so special.

One moment said it all: after working with us earlier in the week, a beginner high-school cellist made his way to the concert in an Uber (no easy task in the Berkshires!) and came backstage afterward with Colombian pandebonos he had baked for each artist. We were all deeply moved — by his thoughtfulness, his enthusiasm, and the reminder of how powerfully music can connect people.

This is why The Birch Festival exists.

If these photos and stories move you, please consider making a gift to The Birch Festival. Your support allows us to keep tickets affordable, offer free community events, work with young musicians, and bring extraordinary artists into the daily life of the Berkshires.

Support The Birch Festival

Thank you for helping us make this work possible.

With gratitude,
Rachel and Yevgeny and The Birch Festival Bear

Photos: Hilary Scott/Boston Symphony

Please consider supporting our mission of bringing extraordinary artists to the Berkshires for accessible music-making at the highest level, educational visits, and low ticket prices for all.

Support The Birch Festival

Support our work and play by making a tax-deductible contribution and we can’t wait to see you soon!

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

This Spring’s Community Partners- We Couldn’t Have Done it Without You!

🍃Dear Birch Festival Friends,

We are delighted to announce that Massachusetts Poet Laureate Regie Gibson, sworn in by Governor Maura Healey last year, will be part of our When Voices Meet concert at the Tanglewood Learning Center on May 9th at 3pm.

Regie Gibson will read George Washington’s 1790 letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, which famously affirmed religious freedom and coexistence in the newly formed United States. This letter inspired Jonathan Leshnoff’s new piece for violin and piano, which will be played after Gibson’s introduction.

Concert Tickets

🎙️ Regie Gibson:

Gibson is the author of Storms Beneath the Skin, and the creator of The Shakespeare Time-Traveling Speakeasy, a theatrical, literary-musical performance focusing on William Shakespeare. Gibson has performed with, and composed texts for, Boston City Singers, Mystic Chorale, and the Handel and Haydn Society. He was a poet-in-residence at the Museum of Fine Arts and is currently a poet-in-residence at the Cary Memorial Library. He is currently the creative lead on a team of scientists and members of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre (Hague, Netherlands), helping to craft language regarding issues of climate change. He teaches at Berklee College of Music as well as Clark University.

🌱Support Us:

“This is such a cool program,” you must be saying to yourself. It sure is!! And a cool program like this takes a village. We’d love your support so that we can continue delivering programs with unique programming and voices

Please consider supporting our mission of bringing extraordinary artists to the Berkshires for accessible music-making at the highest level, educational visits, and low ticket prices for all.

Support The Birch Festival

🎶 The Concert:

We are partnering with the Tanglewood Learning Institute at the Linde Center to bring this unique performance to the Berkshires. The concert is May 9 at 3pm and will feature Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner, the Borromeo String Quartet, and Yevgeny Kutik. When Voices Meet is centered around Ernest Chausson’s monumental Concert for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet. The program also includes works by Florence Price and Louis Moreau Gottschalk, as well as the Massachusetts premiere of the brand-new work by Jonathan Leshnoff.

Concert Tickets

*As part of our mission, we offer free tickets to Berkshire students and their guardian. Please email us to reserve: thebirchfestival@gmail.com

🏫Community Connections:

On May 8, our guest artists will work with students participating in Kids 4 Harmony: a free, intensive classical music program for youth from some of the most under-resourced communities in Berkshire County. We are delighted to be partnering with Kids 4 Harmony again.

📰Featured News:

The Birch Festival was featured in Boston University’s Alumni Magazine, which interviewed Yevgeny and also highlights our community mission and the letter that inspired Jonathan Leshnoff’s new piece.

Read the Full Article Here

🌳Gratitude:

We could not be more excited to share this next step for Birch. What began three years ago as a small idea has blossomed into something deeply meaningful, and we are so grateful to all of you for being part of it.

Warmly,

The Birch Festival Team

Support our work and play by making a tax-deductible contribution and we can’t wait to see you soon!

Donate to The Birch Festival

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

This Spring’s Community Partners

🍃Dear Birch Festival Friends,

🎟️ Concert Updates:

Did you get your tickets? We are partnering with the Tanglewood Learning Institute at the Linde Center this year! Our concert is on May 9 at 3pm and will feature Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner, the Borromeo String Quartet, and Yevgeny Kutik in a specially curated program, When Voices Meet.

Concert Tickets

Centered around Ernest Chausson’s monumental Concert for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet, the program also includes works by Florence Price and Louis Moreau Gottschalk, as well as the Massachusetts premiere of a brand-new work by Jonathan Leshnoff. Leshnoff’s piece is inspired by George Washington’s famous 1790 letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, affirming religious freedom and coexistence in the newly formed United States.

Concert Tickets

*As part of our mission, we offer free tickets to Berkshire students and their guardian. Please email us to reserve: thebirchfestival@gmail.com

🏫Community Connections:

On May 8, our guest artists will work with students participating in Kids 4 Harmony: a free, intensive classical music program for youth from some of the most under-resourced communities in Berkshire County. We are delighted to be partnering with Kids 4 Harmony again.

📰Featured News:

The Birch Festival is excited to be featured in Boston University’s Alumni Magazine, which interviewed Yevgeny and also highlights our community mission and the letter that inspired Jonathan Leshnoff’s new piece (on our May 9 program).

Read the Full Article Here

🌱Support Us:

We hope you’ll join us in May. And if you can’t make it, we hope you’ll consider supporting our mission of bringing extraordinary artists to the Berkshires for accessible music-making at the highest level, educational visits, and low ticket prices for all.

Support The Birch Festival

🌳Gratitude:

We could not be more excited to share this next step for Birch. What began three years ago as a small idea has blossomed into something deeply meaningful, and we are so grateful to all of you for being part of it.

Warmly,
The Birch Festival Team

Support our work and play by making a tax-deductible contribution and we can’t wait to see you soon!

Donate to The Birch Festival

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

🍃Dear Birch Festival Friends,

This spring marks an especially exciting moment for The Birch Festival as we collaborate with the Tanglewood Learning Institute at the Linde Center, bringing together an extraordinary group of artists for the next edition of The Birch Festival, taking place May 8–9.

Concert Tickets

The festival will feature Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner, the Borromeo String Quartet, and Yevgeny Kutik in a specially curated program, When Voices Meet.

Centered around Ernest Chausson’s monumental Concert for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet, the program also includes works by Florence Price and Louis Moreau Gottschalk, as well as the Massachusetts premiere of a brand-new work by Jonathan Leshnoff. Leshnoff’s piece is inspired by George Washington’s famous 1790 letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, affirming religious freedom and coexistence in the newly formed United States.

In addition to the main concert at 3:00pm on May 9, TLI will also host our trademark Don’t Tap on the Glass open rehearsal series at 10:30am that morning. Seating for the rehearsal is strictly limited, so be sure to reserve now.

Concert Tickets

Open Rehearsal Reservation

*As part of our mission, we offer free tickets to Berkshire students and their guardian. Please email us to reserve: thebirchfestival@gmail.com

On May 8, our guest artists will work with students in several Berkshire schools, and we also invite you to stay tuned for a free community event to be announced next month.

✨We hope you’ll join us in May. And if you can’t make it, we hope you’ll consider supporting our mission of bringing extraordinary artists to the Berkshires for accessible music-making at the highest level, educational visits, and low ticket prices for all.

Support The Birch Festival

We could not be more excited to share this next step for Birch. What began three years ago as a small idea has blossomed into something deeply meaningful, and we are so grateful to all of you for being part of it.

Warmly,
The Birch Festival Team

Support our work and play by making a tax-deductible contribution and we can’t wait to see you soon 🌳

Donate to The Birch Festival

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

🍂Dear Birch Festival Friends,

As we look back on this past Birch Festival season, one feeling keeps rising to the surface: gratitude.

When we first imagined The Birch Festival, we dreamed of creating something intimate, joyful, and world-class right here in the Berkshires—music that people could lean into, learn from, and feel part of. Thanks to you, that dream didn’t just come to life; it blossomed. We saw packed halls, families discovering classical music together, and moments where Bach, Shostakovich, and the extraordinary artists who joined us sparked conversations that spilled into the parking lot long after the final notes faded.

Donate to The Birch Festival

Why Your Giving Tuesday Gift Matters:

As we begin shaping what comes next for The Birch Festival, your support today will directly help us:

• Keep ticket prices low so cost is never the reason someone misses out.

• Offer free tickets to students and families, especially through our partnerships with local schools and youth programs.

• Bring remarkable artists to the Berkshires—musicians who perform on the world’s great stages yet still take the time to connect personally with our community.

• Expand the educational and outreach programs that have become the hallmark of Birch, from “Don’t Tap on the Glass” open rehearsals to our informal talks and workshops for young students.

The Birch Festival runs with a small team, a lean budget, and deep roots (we can’t help but make a tree pun). And your gift makes a tangible, immediate difference in what we can offer next.

Make a Giving Tuesday Gift Now

Donate to The Birch Festival

More than anything, we want you to know how deeply grateful we are—for your presence in our concert venues, your encouragement, your belief in this young festival, and your sense that what we are building together really matters.

Thank you for considering a Giving Tuesday gift to The Birch Festival, and for helping us grow something meaningful, right here in the Berkshires.

With gratitude,

Rachel & Yevgeny

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

🍂Dear Birch Festival Friends,

What an absolutely amazing weekend of music at The Birch Festival! Our Fall Edition was sold out and we couldn’t have imagined a more joyful and inspiring start to our third year.

We were honored to present the extraordinary Simone Dinnerstein, joined by her longtime collaborator Alexis Pia Gerlach, and our Artistic Director Yevgeny Kutik, for a luminous program of Bach, Mozart, and Philip Glass.

Over two days, the artists also led a workshop for young orchestra students in Pittsfield (where they explored clapping out “two against three” with Simone and Alexis, and learned that “Bach teaches us that we can play with many voices at one time”) and opened up their rehearsal process for listeners as part of our “Don’t Tap on the Glass” series — offering a rare and personal glimpse into how great music comes to life.

More than just concerts, weekends like this remind us what The Birch Festival is truly about — community. Your enthusiasm and support have turned an idea born just two years ago into a growing addition to the vibrant cultural home in the Berkshires, with the mission of making great classical music accessible to as many as possible.

As we look ahead, we’re filled with gratitude and a renewed sense of purpose. What began as a small, homegrown vision has already accomplished more than we ever imagined: we’ve brought 18 world-class artists to the Berkshires, reached nearly 300 students, and cultivated an ever-growing “Birch Family” of supporters who believe in what music can do for a community.

We invite you to continue growing with us — by attending, spreading the word, or contributing to sustain our work as we move forward in 2026. Every bit of support makes a meaningful difference and helps ensure that we continue to thrive.

With deepest gratitude,
Rachel and Yevgeny

Donate to The Birch Festival

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

And a huge thank you to our concert partners:

🍂Dear Birch Festival Friends,

Tickets are going quickly for our Fall Festival concert, "Simone Dinnerstein and Friends," on Saturday, October 4 at 3 PM. We want you to join us!

Purchase Oct. 4 Concert Tickets

We are honored to welcome Simone Dinnerstein, one of today’s most imaginative pianists, joined by cellist Alexia Pia Gerlach in a rare performance of all three of Bach’s Viola da Gamba Sonatas. These intimate masterworks are seldom heard together in one program.

Also on the program, Yevgeny Kutik joins Simone for Mozart’s poignant Sonata in E minor, K. 304, and the afternoon concludes with Philip Glass’s hypnotic Mad Rush. These works offer a journey from Bach’s timeless counterpoint to Mozart’s vulnerability to Glass’s meditative brilliance.

🎟️ Tickets: $20 | Berkshire County students free with a guardian*

Purchase Oct. 4 Concert Tickets

👀 Open Rehearsal: Our "Don't Tap on the Glass" free open rehearsal series is at 10 AM on Saturday, October 4th (tickets required). Space for the open rehearsal is limited, so sign up now.

Reserve your Seat for the Open Rehearsal

Our artists are also looking forward to a private session of working with music students from Herberg Middle School. We are delighted to be able to bring extraordinary artists and music into our community. If you can't make the concert, please consider supporting our mission. It truly take a village!

Support our work and play by making a tax-deductible contribution and we can’t wait to see you soon 🌳

Warmly,
The Birch Festival Team

Donate to The Birch Festival

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

*As part of our mission, we offer free tickets to Berkshire students and their guardian. Please inquire at the door!

🍂Dear Birch Festival Friends,

Happy September! And ooooo, we are excited to announce The Birch Festival’s third year in the Berkshires with events on October 3 and 4.

October Events

Open Rehearsal: Saturday, October 4 at 10:00 AM at First Congregational Church Stockbridge

Concert: Saturday, October 4 at 3:00 PM at First Congregational Church Stockbridge

Meet the Artists Event: Friday, October 3- stay tuned for more!

We are absolutely thrilled to present the singular pianist Simone Dinnerstein in a specially curated program. Hailed worldwide for her imaginative interpretations, Simone first captured international attention with her recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, which shot to the top of the Billboard Classical chart. She has since released over a dozen albums on Sony Classical and has received millions of streams globally. Her artistry has been praised for its “majestic originality” and “radical freshness.”

For this program, Simone will be joined by her longtime friend and collaborator, cellist Alexis Pia Gerlach, in a rare performance of all three of Bach’s Sonatas for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord. Written in the 1740s, these works are gems of the chamber repertoire and it is uncommon to hear them presented together in a single afternoon.

Alexis, an Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient, has been acclaimed for her deeply sensitive and compelling interpretations both as a soloist and chamber musician.

Yevgeny Kutik will join Simone for Mozart’s Sonata in E minor for Violin and Piano, K. 304. Written in Paris in 1778 shortly after the death of Mozart’s mother, it is an introspective and vulnerably beautiful work.

To round out the afternoon, Simone will perform Philip Glass’s Mad Rush, a mesmerizing piano solo originally composed for the Dalai Lama’s first public address in North America.

🎶 Concert: Saturday, October 4 at 3:00 PM at First Congregational Church Stockbridge
🎟️ Tickets: $20 *

Purchase Oct. 4 Concert Tickets

👀 Open Rehearsal: Saturday, October 4 at 10:00 AM at First Congregational Church Stockbridge

(free tickets required, limited attendance)

Reserve your Seat for the Open Rehearsal

Stay tuned for details about an informal gathering on Friday October 3rd where you can meet Simone, Alexis, Yevgeny, and The Birch Festival team—an evening of music, conversation, and more.

This doesn’t happen without you! Support our work and play by making a tax-deductible contribution and we can’t wait to see you soon 🌳

Warmly,
The Birch Festival

Donate to The Birch Festival

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

*As part of our mission, we offer free tickets to Berkshire students and their guardian. Please inquire at the door!

🍂Dear Birch Festival Friends,

It’s been a little while since you’ve heard from us, but over the past few months we’ve been hard at work shaping what’s next. We’re thrilled to announce that the Birch Festival is back for our third year (!) with something truly special. With full details to share very soon, we want to make sure you all…

Save the Date!! Birch Festival Returns on October 3–4
Our Main Concert: October 4 at 3:00 PM
And Of Course: Engaging and free activities throughout both days

Our artists and program are lined up, and while we can’t reveal names just yet, we’ll give you this hint: her newest and most recent album just surpassed 1 million streams on Apple Music.

So go ahead and mark October 3–4 in your calendars—you won’t want to miss this one.

Looking ahead, we’re also excited to share that plans for our Spring 2026 Festival are already taking shape. Expect the full announcement by November!

As always, thank you for your support. Watching the Birch Festival community grow and strengthen over our first two years has been nothing short of inspiring. Want to be part of our story?

Donate to The Birch Festival

With gratitude,

Rachel & Yevgeny

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Support our work and play by making a tax-deductible contribution.

🍂Dear Birch Friends,

Donate to The Birch Festival

It’s impossible to capture the energy, warmth, and community of The Birch Festival’s May events, but we will attempt here!

Over the past few days, we've received an abundance of kind notes from attendees, students, and members of the community, with messages like “It feels like family,” “Time stood still,” and “The performances deserve to be given again.”

Not only did Margaret, Christine, Francesca, and Yevgeny captivate a large audience at our Saturday concert, we met lots of new folks at our two free events: a wine-tasting and “meet the musicians” event at the Lenox boutique inn Doctor Sax House and with Dare Bottleshop and Provisions providing the delicious wine, and at an entertaining open rehearsal where the musicians worked through the quartets in real time.

We were also lucky to work with Dr. Matthew Heck, who gave an informative and enlightening opening pre-concert talk. He examined the musical relationship between Bach and Shostakovich, and, halfway through the concert, walked the audience through some key musical themes. Audience members told us they had a clearer sense of what to listen for because of his guidance.

We also watched our musicians inspire a new generation of musicians as they worked with Kids 4 Harmony at Pittsfield High School. We put our Birch Festival musicians to work with an afternoon of cello and ensemble coaching. They gave beautiful feedback to the young cellist, including some gems like, “Ask your right hand to inspire the left hand,” and “Practice building trust and confidence in yourself. Don’t practice your fear.” We also learned a new trick! When you’re in the middle of a difficult musical passage, think about what’s for dinner. This inspires the muscles to work but asks the brain to take a step back.

We’ve now been in existence for two years with four incredible and varied festival weekends. We would like to take a moment to pause and say thank you. It truly takes a community and we are so honored and proud of our Birch Festival Community. It is like family.

We’re starting to think about what’s next for The Birch Festival. In the spirit of community, if there’s something you’d really like to see programmed, send your ideas our way! (You can simply reply to this newsletter.)

If you want to support our work and play, please consider a tax-deductible contribution.

With gratitude,

Rachel & Yevgeny

Donate to The Birch Festival

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

We are proud to partner with:

🍂Dear Birch Friends,

We’re so excited to welcome you as we celebrate the fourth edition of The Birch Festival. It truly feels like a joyful family reunion—the growing Birch Festival family.

This spring’s program brings together the powerful voices of Bach and Shostakovich—two composers who continue to speak to us with urgency and depth, especially in our time.

Here’s a quick reminder of our festival events:

⭐️Please note a schedule change for our "Don't Tap on the Glass" open rehearsal series. Originally set for Saturday morning, it will now be held on Friday, May 16, from 1-3 PM at the First Congregational Church in Stockbridge.

Birch Festival Events

⭐️Don’t Tap On the Glass Open Rehearsal

Friday May 16, 1-3

First Congregational Church, Stockbridge

Come experience the rehearsal process up close as our artists fine-tune the music. Open to the public, no registration required.

🍷Great Wine, Great Music, Great Space

May 16, 6-8pm

Doctor Sax House in Lenox- Register now! Only a few spaces left!

Enjoy free bites, wine, and conversation with our artists—plus a special musical preview of Saturday’s concert.

Register Here

🎶Main Concert: Shostakovich and Bach

May 17, 3-5 PM

First Congregational Church, Stockbridge, $20 tickets or free for any Berkshire student and their guardian. Purchase tickets online or at the door.

• Shostakovich Quartets 8 and 9

• Bach, selections

🎤 Come early for a pre-concert talk at 2:15pm with Shostakovich scholar Dr. Matthew Heck.

🥳 Stay late for an informal reception just following the performance.

Buy Tickets for May 17

Community Engagement

Today, Birch Festival musicians will be working with students throughout the Berkshires—an integral part of our mission to make great music accessible to all.

Support The Birch Festival

Can't make it? Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to support The Birch Festival’s future. It truly takes a village to make this happen, and we are so grateful for your continued support in bringing world-class music to our community.

Support The Birch Festival

Rachel & Yevgeny

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

This program is funded in part by grants from the Lenox Cultural Council, Stockbridge Cultural Council, and Tyringham Cultural Council, local agencies which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

This spring, we are proud to partner with:

🍂Dear Birch Friends,

We hope this finds you well! We have a few important updates as we approach our upcoming festival weekend this May 16 and 17, including a schedule change- keep reading!

We regret to share that cellist Julian Schwarz has had to withdraw from our concerts for personal reasons. However, we are delighted to announce that instead, the exceptional cellist Christine Lamprea will join us for our Bach and Shostakovich Quartets program! Christine is a 2018 Sphinx Medal of Excellence recipient who has performed as a soloist nationwide, including with the Detroit and Houston Symphonies. Her acclaimed "Songs of Colombia" Suite was notably performed at the U.S. Supreme Court.

⭐️Additionally, please note a schedule change for our "Don't Tap on the Glass" open rehearsal series. Originally set for Saturday morning, it will now be held on Friday, May 16, from 1-3 PM at the First Congregational Church in Stockbridge.

Birch Festival Events

We warmly invite you to join us for our main performance on May 17 at 3 PM, featuring an immersive journey through the intense beauty of Shostakovich's Quartets, complemented by the profound timelessness of Bach’s Art of the Fugue. Don't miss the pre-concert talk at 2:15 PM led by Shostakovich scholar Matt Heck, and a post-concert reception open to all.

And of course, join us for the ever-popular "Meet The Birch Festival" celebration at the Doctor Sax House in Lenox, featuring a complimentary wine tasting provided by our friends at Dare Bottleshop and Provisions. Drop by to hear a short performance by our artists, enjoy delicious bites, and meet all of us—Rachel, Christine, Francesca, Margaret, Yevgeny, and our dedicated board members—in a relaxed, festive setting.

We can’t wait to share this beautiful musical weekend with you!

Warmest regards,
The Birch Festival Team

⭐️Don’t Tap On the Glass Open Rehearsal

Friday May 16, 1-3

First Congregational Church, Stockbridge

No registration required.

Main Concert: May 17, 3-5 PM

First Congregational Church, Stockbridge, $20 tickets or free for any Berkshire K-12 student and their guardian.

• Shostakovich Quartets 8 and 9

• Bach, selections from The Art of the Fugue

🎤 Come early for a pre-concert talk at 2:15pm with Shostakovich scholar Matthew Heck.

🥳 Stay late for an informal reception just following the performance.

Buy Tickets for May 17

🍷Great Wine, Great Music, Great Space

On May 16, join us for a (free!) special evening at the Doctor Sax House in Lenox. We’re once again partnering with the experts at Dare Bottleshop & Provisions for a complimentary wine tasting. They’ll bring wine to match the musical mood and we’ll bring the musicians! Come for a short performance, plenty of yummy small bites, wine from Dare, and a chance to mingle and meet The Birch Festival.

Register Here

Community Engagement

In the days prior to our concert, Birch Festival musicians will be working with students throughout the Berkshires—an integral part of our mission to make great music accessible to all.

Support The Birch Festival

Can't make it? Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to support The Birch Festival’s future. It truly takes a village to make this happen, and we are so grateful for your continued support in bringing world-class music to our community.

Support The Birch Festival

See you in two weeks!

Rachel & Yevgeny

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

This program is funded in part by grants from the Lenox Cultural Council, Stockbridge Cultural Council, and Tyringham Cultural Council, local agencies which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

This spring, we are proud to partner with:

🍂Dear Birch Friends,

What do J.S. Bach and Dmitri Shostakovich have in common, you might ask?
Surprisingly, quite a lot. Though separated by centuries, both composers created and composed within rigid structures—Bach under the expectations of church and court, Shostakovich under the intense scrutiny of the Soviet regime. Each found ways to embed deeply personal truths in their music, often through abstract forms and coded expressions.

On May 17th, you’ll hear how both composers used fugues and chorales, along with other forms, as musical architecture and as expressions of emotional and spiritual depth. There's a lot more to explore—we can't wait to see you at the concert!

Birch Festival Events

Main Concert: May 17, 3-5 PM

First Congregational Church, Stockbridge, $20 tickets or free for any Berkshire K-12 student and their guardian.

• Shostakovich Quartets 8 and 9

• Bach, selections from The Art of the Fugue

🎤 Come early for a pre-concert talk at 2:15pm with Shostakovich scholar Matthew Heck.

🥳 Stay late for an informal reception just following the performance.

Buy Tickets for May 17

🎶 Some Music For Your Week!

We are honored and excited to bring in such impressive artists for our festivals. For your listening pleasure, here is some great music to start your week.

Francesca dePasquale plays the gorgeous “Marietta’s Lied” by Erich Wolfgang Korngold

Julian Schwarz performs Haydn’s Cello Concerto with Gerard Schwarz and the Mozart Orchestra of New York

Margaret Dyer Harris plays Mozart Viola Quintet in G Minor

Yevgeny Kutik’s new single Going Home by Antonin Dvořák. Watch the music video premiere, just featured in The Strad!

🍷And some wine!

On May 16, join us for a (free!) special evening at the Doctor Sax House in Lenox. We’re once again partnering with the experts at Dare Bottleshop & Provisions for a complimentary wine tasting. They’ll bring wine to match the musical mood and we’ll bring the musicians! Come for a short performance, plenty of yummy small bites, wine from Dare, and a chance to mingle and meet The Birch Festival.

Register Here

Community Engagement

In the days prior to our concert, Birch Festival musicians will be working with students throughout the Berkshires—an integral part of our mission to make great music accessible to all.

Support The Birch Festival

Can't make it? Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to support The Birch Festival’s future. It truly takes a village to make this happen, and we are so grateful for your continued support in bringing world-class music to our community.

Support The Birch Festival

See you in May!

Rachel & Yevgeny

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

This program is funded in part by grants from the Lenox Cultural Council, Stockbridge Cultural Council, and Tyringham Cultural Council, local agencies which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

This spring, we are proud to partner with:

🍂Dear Birch Friends,

We are thrilled to announce the 4th edition of The Birch Festival this May 16 and 17!

The Birch Festival May Events

This year’s festival, Echoes of Defiance: Shostakovich Quartets 8 and 9, honors the music of one of the most important composers of the 20th century, Dmitri Shostakovich, in this 50th year since his passing. Shostakovich’s music has long been a source of inspiration for many, and his work continues to offer profound reflections on the strength and resilience of the human spirit. Shostakovich’s work will be interspersed with several selections from J.S. Bach’s timeless The Art of the Fugue.

Main Concert: May 17, 3-5 PM

📍First Congregational Church, Stockbridge, $20 tickets or free for any Berkshire K-12 student and their guardian.

We are delighted to welcome three extraordinary artists to the Berkshires for this special event, along with our Artistic Director, Yevgeny Kutik:

Francesca dePasquale – Violin Professor, Oberlin Conservatory
Margaret Dyer – Principal Viola, Denver Philharmonic & The Knights
Julian Schwarz – Cello Professor, Shenandoah Conservatory

The performance will be preceded by a pre-concert talk at 2:15pm with Shostakovich scholar Matthew Heck. An informal reception will follow the performance.

Purchase Tickets

Berkshire K-12 students and a guardian come for free! Just show up the day-of, or email us to reserve your ticket(s).

Special Free Event: May 16, 6-8 PM

📍Doctor Sax House, Lenox – Carriage House

We’re excited to return to Doctor Sax House, this time in their charming Carriage House, for an evening of celebration! Enjoy a short performance, small bites, drinks (including a signature Birch Festival Cocktail & Mocktail), and the opportunity to meet the artists and fellow community members in a festive setting.

Admission is free, but advance reservations are requested.

Register Here

Free Open Rehearsal: May 17, 10:00 AM

📍First Congregational Church, Stockbridge

Join us for our signature "Don't Tap on the Glass" open rehearsal series. Get a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of the musicians at work as they prepare for the main performance. No registration required.

Community Engagement

In the days prior to our concert, Birch Festival musicians will be working with students throughout the Berkshires—an integral part of our mission to make great music accessible to all.

Support The Birch Festival

Can't make it? Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to support The Birch Festival’s future. It truly takes a village to make this happen, and we are so grateful for your continued support in bringing world-class music to our community.

Support The Birch Festival

See you in May!

Rachel & Yevgeny

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

This program is funded in part by grants from the Lenox Cultural Council, Stockbridge Cultural Council, and Tyringham Cultural Council, local agencies which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

We are proud to partner with:

Donate to The Birch Festival

Dear Birch Festival Friends,

In just a year and a half, The Birch Festival has blossomed into something very special. Thanks to your belief in the power of the arts, we’ve presented three unforgettable Festival weekends featuring world-class artists such as Kinan Azmeh, Broadway-star Alysha Deslorieux, principals from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra assistant conductor Fernanda Lastra, and numerous others.

But The Birch Festival is about more than just performances. It’s about connection. We’ve introduced these extraordinary artists in informal, approachable ways to public school students, reaching nearly 300 students across Pittsfield so far. With workshops, interactive performances, and engaging conversations, we’re fostering the next generation’s love for music and the arts.

We are also committed to keeping the arts accessible to all in our Berkshire community. That’s why we’ve capped our ticket prices at $20, honor every free ticket request, and welcome any student and their guardian to attend for free. Your support ensures these initiatives remain vibrant and sustainable.

None of this would be possible without the support of the community we serve. The Birch Festival thrives with the continued investment of those who believe in the vital importance and transformative power of music in our daily lives. Your generosity ensures that this celebration of creativity and connection continues to grow and enrich our region.

Please join us in building on this incredible foundation. Your contribution directly supports:

• Workshops in public schools.

• Artist residencies that inspire and enrich our community.

• World class performances and innovative programming that bring us all together.

Donate to The Birch Festival

Mail your contribution to:
The Birch Festival
PO Box 1778
Lenox, MA 01240

As we look toward a Spring Festival in 2025 and beyond, together we can inspire, unite, and uplift our community, one performance and interaction at a time.

Thank you for being such an essential part of this journey. We are deeply grateful for your belief in our mission and your partnership in making it a reality.

With heartfelt appreciation,
Yevgeny and Rachel
Co-founders, The Birch Festival

thebirchfestival.org

Donate to The Birch Festival

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

We are proud to partner with:

Dear Birch Festival Friends, 

We are still buzzing after last weekend's festival! It was an incredible several days and we are so grateful to all of you.

Over the past week, we've received an abundance of kind notes from attendees, students, and members of the community. We are blown away by the response. Not only did Amit, Roman, and Yevgeny captivate a large audience at Church on the Hill, we met lots of new folks at our two free events: a wine-tasting and “meet the musicians” event at the Lenox boutique inn Doctor Sax House (with Dare Bottleshop and Provisions providing the delicious wine), and at an entertaining open rehearsal where the musicians debated the merits of a "dot" in a thorny part of Beethoven's score.

We also watched our musicians inspire a new generation of musicians at Herberg Middle School and Pittsfield High School. We brought our Birch Festival concert on the road and spent the morning at Herberg, where we also took student questions and had a back and forth discussion about music. “How do you make the notes sounds so good?” was one great query of many.

Our cellist, Amit Peled, also traveled to Pittsfield High School, where he gave a class for students of all levels. He used fancy terms for practicing (like “chicken dance” and “cello breath”) and gifted each student individual attention, motivation, and inspiration, along with a rubber band for practicing bow-holds.

Some of the students at our workshops described their experience like this:

We’ve only been in existence for a year and a half with three incredible and varied festival weekends. We would like to take a moment to pause and say thank you. It truly takes a community and we are so honored and proud of our Birch Festival Community.

We are working on plans for a spring festival, which will revolve around the music of Dimitry Shostakovich in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of his passing. We'll announce more early next year. But for now, if you liked what you saw and heard, please consider a tax-deductible contribution to help our work and mission. And if you have ideas for us, please get in touch. 

With gratitude,

Rachel & Yevgeny

Donate to The Birch Festival

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

We are proud to partner with:

🍂Dear Birch Friends,

We can’t wait to see you next weekend!

Buy Tickets

The third edition of The Birch Festival, Bold Beginnings, is happening this October 18th and 19th. Join us for extraordinary music, artists, community, and conversation. Below are our events, including a FREE Friday event with music, wine, and small bites.

Our Weekend:

• Friday, October 18th at 6pm: A (free!) special artist meet and greet, with a “bold beginnings” wine tasting by Dare Bottleshop and Provisions at Doctor Sax House in Lenox. There will be some music played by our musicians and some small bites. Space is limited, registration required.

Register Here

• Saturday, October 19th at 10:30am: Our famous “Don’t Tap on the Glass” open rehearsal at the Church on the Hill. Watch and listen as our musicians rehearse. No registration or tickets required.

• Saturday, October 19th at 3:30pm: A pre-concert talk featuring Michael Nock at Church on the Hill, available to all concert-goers.

Our Main Event: October 19th at 4pm:

Join us for our Birch Festival Concert on October 19th, “Bold Beginnings,”featuring cellist, Amit Peled, pianist, Roman Rabinovich, and violinist Yevgeny Kutik, who will be performing the Bold Beginning works of Beethoven and Brahms.

Buy Tickets

When: 4pm

Where: Church on the Hill, Lenox, MA

How long? About two hours of music.

What’s on the program?

We will be showcasing the Bold Beginnings of some of our favorite composers, performing a selection of their very first works:

L.V. Beethoven – Piano Trio Op. 1 No. 3
Gaspar Cassadò – Requiebros in D Major in D Major
Sergey Rachmaninov – Prelude Op. 23 No. 5
Johannes Brahms – Piano Trio No. 1 in B Major, Op. 8

Who will be there? Hopefully you! And, these incredible musicians:

Buy Tickets

And as a reminder, our mission is not only to bring great music to the Berkshire community, it is to integrate those musicians with students throughout the County by holding workshops in public schools. Also, all Berkshire County students, and a guardian/parent/buddy come to our concerts for free—just show up!

See you soon!

Rachel & Yevgeny

Donate to The Birch Festival

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

We are proud to partner with:

🍂Dear Birch Friends,

There’s more!

As a reminder, our third edition of The Birch Festival, Bold Beginnings, is happening this October 18th and 19th. Join us for extraordinary music, artists, community, and conversation. Below are our events, including a FREE Friday event with music, wine, and small bites.

We are partnering with Dare Bottleshop and Provisions and Doctor Sax House to put on a free music and wine event.

• Friday, October 18th at 6pm: A (free!) special artist meet and greet, with a “bold beginnings” wine tasting by Dare Bottleshop and Provisions at Doctor Sax House in Lenox. There will be some music played by our musicians and some small bites. Space is limited, registration required.

  Register Here

• Saturday, October 19th at 10:30am: Our famous “Don’t Tap on the Glass” open rehearsal at the Church on the Hill. Watch and listen as our musicians rehearse. No registration or tickets required.

• Saturday, October 19th at 3:30pm: A pre-concert talk featuring Michael Nock at Church on the Hill, available to all concert-goers.

For more, visit our website: thebirchfestival.org

And don’t forget! Our Main Event: October 19th at 4pm.

Join us for our Birch Festival Concert on October 19th, “Bold Beginnings,”featuring cellist, Amit Peled, pianist, Roman Rabinovich, and violinist Yevgeny Kutik, who will be performing the Bold Beginning works of Beethoven and Brahms.

Buy Tickets

When: 4pm

Where: Church on the Hill, Lenox, MA

How long? About two hours of music.

What’s on the program?

We will be showcasing the Bold Beginnings of some of our favorite composers, performing a selection of their very first works:

L.V. Beethoven – Piano Trio Op. 1 No. 3
Gaspar Cassadò – Requiebros in D Major in D Major
Sergey Rachmaninov – Prelude Op. 23 No. 5
Johannes Brahms – Piano Trio No. 1 in B Major, Op. 8

Who will be there? Hopefully you! And, these incredible musicians:

Buy Tickets

And as a reminder, our mission is not only to bring great music to the Berkshire community, it is to integrate those musicians with students throughout the County by holding workshops in public schools. Also, all Berkshire County students, and a guardian/parent/buddy come to our concerts for free—just show up!

See you soon!

Rachel & Yevgeny

Donate to The Birch Festival

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

We are proud to partner with:

🍂Dear Birch Friends,

We are so pleased to announce the third edition of The Birch Festival, Bold Beginnings! Please join us this October 18th and 19th for extraordinary music, artists, community, and conversation.

Our Main Event: October 19th at 4pm.

Join us for our Birch Festival Concert on October 19th, “Bold Beginnings,” featuring cellist, Amit Peled, pianist, Roman Rabinovich, and violinist Yevgeny Kutik, who will be performing the Bold Beginning works of Beethoven and Brahms.

Buy Tickets

When: 4pm

Where: Church on the Hill, Lenox, MA

How long? About two hours of music.

What’s on the program?

We will be showcasing the Bold Beginnings of some of our favorite composers, performing a selection of their very first works:

L.V. Beethoven – Piano Trio Op. 1 No. 3
Gaspar Cassadò – Requiebros in D Major in D Major
Sergey Rachmaninov – Prelude Op. 23 No. 5
Johannes Brahms – Piano Trio No. 1 in B Major, Op. 8

Who will be there? Hopefully you! And, these incredible musicians:

Buy Tickets

Our Other Events:

• A special artist meet and greet on Friday, October 18th at 6pm (details TBA- stay tuned)

• Our famous “Don’t Tap on the Glass” open rehearsal on Saturday, October 19th at 10:30am at the Church on the Hill. Watch and listen as our musicians rehearse. No registration or tickets required.

• A pre-concert talk at 3:30 at Church on the Hill, available to all concert-goers.

For more, visit our website: thebirchfestival.org

And as a reminder, our mission is not only to bring great music to the Berkshire community, it is to integrate those musicians with students throughout the County by holding workshops in public schools. Also, all Berkshire County K-12 students, and a guardian/parent/buddy come to our concerts for free.

See you soon!

Rachel & Yevgeny

Donate to The Birch Festival

The Birch Festival is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

We are proud to partner with: