The South Mountain Concerts in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, are a favorite musical endeavor for locals and visitors to the Berkshires alike. This venue offers great chamber music concerts and has a rich local history. From its beginnings in the early 1900s as a performance hall to its listing on the National Register of Historic Places, this building has always supported chamber music. Indulge in a piece of the past along with some local history during your stay in the Berkshires at the Brook Farm Inn! Here is everything you need to know about the South Mountain Concert Hall and South Mountain Concerts coming up this year.
South Mountain Concert Hall History
The host of the South Mountain Concerts is the famous historic venue, South Mountain Concert Hall. This performance hall was built in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1918 by Chicago native Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. Coolidge moved to the Berkshires to improve her husband’s health and was a long-time supporter of chamber music. She was, in fact, a patron of the art, establishing the Berkshire String Quartet, which first gave concerts in her own home. Just two years later, Coolidge had a performance hall constructed on her property.
This performance hall was assembled to resemble a church, featuring a cupola on the roof, along with a porte cochere (carriage porch). The timber for the performance hall was taken from an old textile mill, and the seats were pews taken from a church. Coolidge also had cabins built for housing for the performers. Thus, the South Mountain Performance Hall became the venue for the very first South Mountain Concerts. In 1973, the hall was initiated on the National Register of Historic Places.
2016 South Mountain Concerts
The slated 2016 South Mountain Concerts will take place in September and October. These prestigious chamber music performances will feature some premier artists. The schedule includes a show on every Sunday from September 4 to October 9. The South Mountain Concerts kick off with Wu Han on piano, David Finckel on cello, and Philip Setzer on violin. This trio will be performing on September 4. The Juilliard String Quartet will then be playing on September 11. Tickets range between $35 and $40 per show. Next up will be the Dover String Quartet on September 18, followed by the Emerson String Quartet on September 25. The Johannes String Quartet and Richard Stoltzman on clarinet will finish up the South Mountain Concerts this fall on October 9.
After the South Mountain Concerts
After enjoying these exclusive South Mountain Concerts, explore the rest of the culture that the Berkshires has to offer. Indulge in a spa experience at Brook Farm Inn to relax and rejuvenate. Then, explore the area with a hiking trip or enjoy more performance art with the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. When you arrive back at Brook Farm Inn, you will experience a great night’s sleep before waking up to gourmet breakfast in the morning. We can’t wait to see you here in the beautiful Berkshires. For more to do and see in the area, download our free vacation guide!
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Brook Farm Inn News, Music
Tags: Dover String Quartet, Emerson String Quartet, Johannes String Quartet, Juilliard String Quartet, South Mountain Concerts
The 2017 South Mountain Concerts Season is just around the corner, with 5 concerts of chamber music scheduled between September 3rd and October 1st, 2017. Come to the Berkshires and experience an evening of fine music at one of the nation’s longest-standing chamber music venues, South Mountain Concert Hall.