It’s hard to imagine a piece of classical music causing a riot, but that’s the word often applied to the audience’s reaction when Igor Stravinsky’s ballet The Rite of Spring debuted in 1913 in Paris. Apparently, the arguments between those who loved it and those who hated it became so heated the dancers couldn’t hear the orchestra! Stravinsky’s music (and Nijinsky’s choreography) broke with tradition so dramatically that the piece is often called the first example of modernism in music. In this installation of Upbeat with Alasdair, Maestro Alasdair Neale will describe not just the innovation, but the beauty of Rite of Spring, which the Festival will present during the upcoming Summer Season.

Enjoy a broadcast performance of Gankino Horo, performed for the Festival’s 2020 Summer Season by Time For Three and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, Kevin Puts. The Bulgarian folk tune was the inspiration for the fourth movement of Contact, a concerto for Time For Three with orchestra, which the Festival co-commissioned from Puts.

What better way to celebrate a year of musical performances than with more music! The Sun Valley Music Festival is pleased to offer you an exclusive, online performance by pianist Orion Weiss, one of the most sought-after performers of his generation, with this year’s Annual Report. Enjoy 20 minutes of music by Grieg, Albéniz, and Debussy from anywhere and on any internet-connected device. Originally recorded in 2020, this performance is free, of course, and will be available through November 30, 2022 on the Festival website and YouTube channel.