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MONADNOCK REGION, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) For six decades, Monadnock Music has worked to bring chamber music out of formal concert halls and into churches, town halls, museums, parks and village gathering spaces across the Monadnock Region.
Now entering its 61st summer season, the longtime nonprofit arts organization is doubling down on that mission with an ambitious lineup of free village concerts, family programming, educational outreach and themed supper clubs designed to make classical music approachable for audiences of all ages.
Founded in 1966 by conductor James Bolle, Monadnock Music was built around a simple idea: exceptional music should be experienced up close, in intimate settings where audiences can connect directly with performers. That philosophy remains central today under Artistic Director Rafael Popper-Keizer and Executive Director Laina Barakat.
“Our mission is to make high-caliber classical music accessible for all,” Barakat said during a recent interview discussing the organization’s upcoming season.
That commitment is reflected in this summer’s schedule, which includes 11 free concerts presented throughout the region in venues ranging from churches and museums to parks and community gathering spaces.
Barakat said the organization has intentionally shaped each concert around a distinct theme to create a stronger identity for every performance.
“This is like the most excited we’ve ever heard our audiences,” she said. “People have said this is the best season they’ve ever seen.”
The season opens June 21 with “Inextinguishable Joy,” a free village concert at Harrisville Community Church featuring works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johannes Brahms and a traditional Norwegian folk tune arranged by the Danish String Quartet. The program pairs darker, introspective works with more exuberant compositions in a performance designed to showcase the emotional range of chamber music.
Later in the summer, audiences can attend “Memory and Transformation” on Aug. 1 at Mariposa Museum, featuring works by contemporary composers Andrea Tarrodi, Molly Herron and Osvaldo Golijov. The intimate museum setting was selected specifically to highlight the subtle textures and near-silent moments within the music.
The organization will also return to Depot Square Park on July 23 for its “Listen & Lunch” performance, a free midday concert previewing upcoming string quartet performances while introducing audiences to lesser-known composers including Juan Crisostomo Arriaga, Laura Valborg Aulin and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer George Walker.
Beyond the music itself, Monadnock Music is increasingly blending performances with community experiences.
One example is the organization’s seasonal supper club series, which helps fund its free programming.
“We have four supper clubs that we do every year, seasonal, which help us pay for our free programming,” Barakat said.
This year’s Spring Supper Club on June 2 will be held at the Dublin home of Jerry and Sue Bird and feature an Italian wedding feast paired with performances by guest singers from Raylynmor Opera. The collaboration serves as a preview for a larger joint gala later in the season.
Guests attending the dinner will hear selections from Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” while enjoying a multi-course Italian-inspired menu featuring handmade pasta, saltimbocca, pistachio lasagna and traditional desserts.
Barakat said the partnership with Raylynmor Opera emerged as a practical and creative opportunity for both organizations.
“This year we decided to combine our galas,” she said.
The joint “Opera Around the World!” gala is scheduled for Aug. 15 at the Peterborough Town House and will feature performers from both organizations in a celebration of opera from around the globe. Organizers hope the partnership will expand audiences while helping reduce production costs and increase fundraising potential.
Monadnock Music’s emphasis on accessibility also extends to younger audiences and education initiatives.
Its Monadnock Music in the Schools program introduces elementary students to live music and instruments through hands-on experiences with professional musicians in more than a dozen schools.
The organization is also making a deliberate push toward family-friendly performances this season, including a musical adaptation of “The Wind in the Willows” designed to appeal to children and adults alike.
“Something else that’s cool is our townhouse concert — we made it into a family program,” Barakat said. “It’s for all ages. It’s very accessible for children.”
While many arts organizations nationwide struggled financially during and after the pandemic, Monadnock Music says it has remained financially stable, ending the last five years in the black while continuing to expand its programming.
That stability has allowed the organization to take creative risks this season, including making nearly all performances free to the public.
“It’s exciting for us. It’s a risk,” Barakat said. “We’re really trusting that we can get support in the community, but we felt like, okay, let’s just live our mission to the max.”
More information about Monadnock Music’s 2026 season, including tickets for supper clubs and gala events, is available at the organization’s website.