Forest Music Returns in June

Once a year, something extraordinary happens in the forest at Adkins Arboretum. Music begins under the forest canopy, echoing through the woods, luring visitors to come closer. Born of a partnership between the Arboretum and the National Music Festival, Forest Music is a unique performance art event that brings young musicians and their mentors from the Festival to play in the forest, where visitors travel from near and far to hear them. This year, Forest Music takes place on Thursday, June 11 from 2–4 pm.

Positioned individually or in small ensembles along a circuit of wooded trails, musicians send their music into the air to mingle with birdsong and the rustle of leaves in overhead branches. Visitors walking the paths may begin to notice a distant melody that gradually grows as they move closer and the musicians come into view. What started as a mystery becomes an intimate encounter as visitors watch them play and perhaps chat with the young musicians between pieces before walking on. The individual ensembles play their selections simultaneously so that, as visitors move from one group to the next, the music shifts and fades and mingles, sometimes harmonizing between one group and the next, sometimes creating strangely magical dissonances.

While the National Music Festival is dedicated to providing numerous performance opportunities, from chamber music ensembles to large symphony orchestras to young apprentices, Forest Music is its most nontraditional offering. It offers musicians a unique opportunity to perform in nature, experience the beautiful, surprising acoustics of the towering forest, and interact one-on-one with visitors who pause along the trails to hear them play.

Forest Music is a celebration of musical diversity. Over the years, the forest has come alive with the sounds of violins, clarinets, horns, bassoons, double basses, and even steel drums. The repertoire is equally diverse, ranging from classical masterpieces by Bach to The Beatles and even original compositions crafted specifically for the Arboretum’s forest. This musical extravaganza, held during the Festival’s annual two-week run in early June, draws a vibrant mix of visitors from the Festival, the local community, and beyond.

Light refreshments will be served, and wine will be available for purchase. Tickets to Forest music are $20. Advance registration at adkinsarboretum.org is encouraged. Call Adkins Arboretum at 410-634-2847 for more information.