Festival Events
Traditional concerts, outdoor concerts, art walks, open rehearsals, movement and music and more! There’s an experience for you.
Summer Festival Preview at the Freeland Library
Summer Festival Preview
Preview the 2024 Summer Festival at this FREE event at the Freeland Library!
WIMF director and violinist Tekla Cunningham and harpsichordist Henry Lebedinsky will share a taste of the musical riches to come this summer, from old favorites like Bach and Handel to new discoveries.
Bring your curiosity and feed your spirit with the sublime sounds of the baroque!
Lift Every Voice: A Celebration of Black Voices in Art Song
Join radiant soprano Michele Kennedy and pianist Henry Lebedinsky for an uplifting, powerful, and inspiring program of Spirituals, art songs, and solo piano works by Black composers Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, Harry T. Burleigh, and Moses Hogan, along with insights and stories that vividly bring the music to life.
Kids are welcome at this and every concert! FREE gift bags and FREE tickets for children - including your own copy of the children’s board book “A is for Aretha” by Leslie Kwan.
One Voice: Songs of Peace and Unity
WIMF welcomes Victoria Children’s Choir from Vancouver Island to Whidbey Island on their spring 2024 US tour. Celebrate Canadian-American friendship, be inspired by youthful talent and support rising young artists at this FREE concert of uplifting choral music.
Bach Cantata Trail
Bach scholar and avid baroque flutist Miguel Rodé previews three Bach cantatas that will be performed June 22 & 23. Learn about the history, the music, and stories of the texts. This multimedia FREE event takes place at the Freeland Library on Whidbey Island. Coffee and Kuchen will be served!
Northern Exposure: Music from the frozen North
While Italy was busy acquiring its status as the center of the baroque musical world, composers and performers in northern Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and England were busy developing their own unique sound, blending Italian influences with a distinctly rich northern sensibility and style. Baroque violinist Tekla Cunningham, viola da gamba player Tess Roberts, and harpsichordist Henry Lebedinsky offer up this program of fiery, bold, and inventive works by Buxtehude, Westhoff, Sidon, Butler, and Roman.
Artists
Tekla Cunningham, baroque violin
Farley Pearce, viola da gamba
Henry Lebedinsky, harpsichord
Living Bach
Join WIMF for a very special event - a screening of “Living Bach” and an announcement of the Summer Festival programs! ADMISSION by DONATION!!
Living Bach
Join WIMF for a very special event - a screening of “Living Bach” and an announcement of the Summer Festival programs! ADMISSION BY DONATION!
The Deer’s Cry: Songs of the Celtic Saints
An old Irish legend says that St. Patrick, traveling though territory controlled by a Druid chieftain, recited a prayer of protection as he walked. The chieftain’s army saw only a great stag leading a herd of red deer, and the saint’s men passed through safely. That prayer has come to be known as The Deer’s Cry, or St. Patrick’s Breastplate.
Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with Irish traditional music, from the mystical to the jovial, including songs and hymns attributed to St. Patrick and St. Columba, a mystical hymn to St. Brigid, and toe-tapping jigs and reels. Vocalist Natalie Ingrisano, fiddler Brandon Vance, and guitarist/keyboardist Henry Lebedinsky serve up this family-friendly musical treat - no green beer involved!
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Artists
Natalie Ingrisano, soprano
Brandon Vance, fiddle
Henry Lebedinsky, guitar and piano
Baroqu-en Hearts
BAROQU-EN HEARTS: Baroque Music to celebrate the highs and lows of love for Valentine’s Day
A Celtic Christmas with the Beggar Boys
THIS PERFORMANCE IS SOLD OUT.
Tickets are still available for Saturday, December 9th.
Warm up your holiday season as The Beggar Boys bring traditional Christmas music from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales to the Pacific Northwest. The ethereal voice of Abigail Lennox blends with fiddles, whistle, and guitar to create the Beggar Boys' signature blend of traditional songs and tunes and powerful originals.. This festive program will also feature Larry Young's dramatic storytelling and live Irish step dancing – a perfect family holiday treat.
A Celtic Christmas with the Beggar Boys
Warm up your holiday season as The Beggar Boys bring traditional Christmas music from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales to the Pacific Northwest. The ethereal voice of Abigail Lennox blends with fiddles, whistle, and guitar to create the Beggar Boys' signature blend of traditional songs and tunes and powerful originals.. This festive program will also feature Larry Young's dramatic storytelling and live Irish step dancing – a perfect family holiday treat.
Bach Festival 2023: The Italian Concerti
WIMF kicks off the fall season with a Bach Festival, featuring three of J.S. Bach’s most enduring works - the Orchestral Suite in B minor featuring Anthony Allen on baroque flute (which includes the “badinerie"), the beloved A minor violin concerto, and the joyful fireworks of the 5th Brandenburg Concerto. Join us for a reception after the show at the Freeland location of Penn Cove Brewery.
J.S. Bach Cello Suites
Long-time Whidbey Island Music Festival artist William Skeen returns for two marathon performances of all Six Bach Cello Suites. The Grammy nominated cellist will delight you with his stylish, dancey, and intimate rendition of the suites. Skeen is Principal Cellist of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra in San Francisco, and can be viewed in countless high-definition videos produced by Voices of Music.
J.S. Bach Cello Suites
Long-time Whidbey Island Music Festival artist William Skeen returns for two marathon performances of all Six Bach Cello Suites. The Grammy nominated cellist will delight you with his stylish, dancey, and intimate rendition of the suites. Skeen is Principal Cellist of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra in San Francisco, and can be viewed in countless high-definition videos produced by Voices of Music.
FREE Pop- up concert at Whidbey Farm and Market: the Orphan, the Fencer and the Genius
Grab and ice cream cone and a coffee and enjoy a program of delightful baroque duos for 2 violins by Maddelena Laura Sirmen, Joseph de Bologne, and W.A. Mozart. in the charming courtyard of Whidbey Farm and Market.
This is a FREE family concert!
With Tekla Cunningham and Katherine Kyme, violins
Coupeville Waterfront Wednesday Series: the Orphan, the Fencer and the Genius
Join us for Waterfront Wednesday on Front Street in Coupeville Waterfront for delightful duos for 2 violins by Maddelena Laura Sirmen, Joseph de Bologne, and W.A. Mozart!
A FREE event in partnership with the Coupeville Historic Waterfront Association.
With Tekla Cunningham and Katherine Kyme, violins
Organ Recital: Bach, Pachelbel, Böhm, Buxtehude, Marchand
Johann Sebastian Bach's organ works remain some of the most beautiful, virtuosic, and powerful music ever written for the instrument. Organist Henry Lebedinsky performs a selection of Bach's masterworks alongside compositions by some of the people who influenced him the most - including Pachelbel, Böhm, Buxtehude, and Marchand - on the 1997 Martin Pasi tracker organ at St. Augustine's in-the-woods Episcopal Church in Freeland.
"[with regard to playing the organ] There is nothing to it. You simply strike the right notes at the right time, and the instrument plays itself." - Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble Artifice: A garden of musical delights
Ensemble Artifice returns with a garden of musical delights from the 17th century. Inspired by Johann Pachelbel’s collection “Musikalischer Ergötzung” (Musical Delights), Ensemble Artifice explores the singular beauty of this wonderful repertoire. Even if you’ve never been to a classical or early music concert, you know Pachelbel from his famous “Canon in D”. If you love the Canon in D, you’ll love the soul stirring beauty of this repertoire for soprano, strings and continuo from Buxtehude, Becker, Tunder, Rosenmüller, Bernhard and Weichlein.
Ensemble Artifice: A garden of musical delights
Ensemble Artifice returns with a garden of musical delights from the 17th century. Inspired by Johann Pachelbel’s collection “Musikalischer Ergötzung” (Musical Delights), Ensemble Artifice explores the singular beauty of this wonderful repertoire. Even if you’ve never been to a classical or early music concert, you know Pachelbel from his famous “Canon in D”. If you love the Canon in D, you’ll love the soul stirring beauty of this repertoire for soprano, strings and continuo from Buxtehude, Becker, Tunder, Rosenmüller, Bernhard and Weichlein.
Music and Movement: Feldenkrais Method™
Explore the Feldenkrais Method™ with baroque cellist and Feldenkrais™ expert Elisabeth Reed.
Coupeville Waterfront Wednesday Series
Join us at the Coupeville Waterfront for some of the greatest hits of the baroque by Handel, Corelli and Vivaldi. With Ensemble Artifice members Tekla Cunningham, Cynthia Miller Freivogel, Elisabeth Reed and John Lenti. A FREE event in partnership with the Coupeville Historic Waterfront Association.
Lute recital at Skein and Tipple
Lutenist John Lenti performs a recital at the adorable Skein and Tipple, Whidbey Island’s yarn store by day/speakeasy and music venue by night. Only 22 seats so avoid disappointment and arrive early. Skein and Tipple features a full menu of craft cocktails/non-alcoholic options as well as light bites. Conveniently located in Clinton, WA.
No tickets for this event, first come first served.
Spanish Nights with Sherezade Panthaki and Pacific MusicWorks
Star soprano Sherezade Panthaki returns to the Whidbey Island Music Festival singing arias from Handel’s first opera, Almira. Written when Handel was just 19 years old, Almira was a roaring success, and enjoyed 20 performances in Hamburg when it opened. Pacific MusicWorks performs the most beautiful, most thrilling arias from this early masterwork. Spanish composer Irribaren’s thrilling cantata “Prosigue acorde Lira” rounds out the program along with instrumental works by Corelli, Boccherini, Soler and Pla.
“Panthaki is a new trailblazing type among the new female singers of old music…when she sings it is not simply an aria, it is an event” Hannoversche Allgemeine
Spanish Nights with Sherezade Panthaki and Pacific MusicWorks
Star soprano Sherezade Panthaki returns to the Whidbey Island Music Festival singing arias from Handel’s first opera, Almira. Written when Handel was just 19 years old, Almira was a roaring success, and enjoyed 20 performances in Hamburg when it opened. Pacific MusicWorks performs the most beautiful, most thrilling arias from this early masterwork. Spanish composer Irribaren’s thrilling cantata “Prosigue acorde Lira” rounds out the program along with instrumental works by Corelli, Boccherini, Soler and Pla.
“Panthaki is a new trailblazing type among the new female singers of old music…when she sings it is not simply an aria, it is an event” Hannoversche Allgemeine
Music and Movement: Gentle Yoga
Relax into the weekend with a gentle yoga class at a historic barn in Coupeville. Class will be accompanied by baroque harpist Maxine Eilander. Register for address.
The Influencers: J. S. Bach and his circle
Kick off the summer festival season with musical fireworks! J.S. Bach was deeply influenced by his musical milieu which included composers and composers from all over Europe. His circle of influences included Pisendel, concertmaster of Dresden’s legendary orchestra, Telemann, a close friend and penpal, Böhm, one of his teachers and Couperin the famous French composer. Join us for a sparkling afternoon of music for baroque violin, viola da gamba and harpsichord by Bach and the influencers!
2023 Festival Passes Now on Sale!
Purchase a 2023 Festival Pass and receive access to ALL ticketed concerts at the 2023 Whidbey Island Music Festival and VIP seating.
BUY a 2023 WIMF Festival Pass for $150. Good for all Festival Concerts
BUY a 2023 WIMF Festival Pass for $190. Good for all Festival Concerts plus 2 Music and Movement classes
Art Show opening: Brian Mahieu
Tekla Cunningham, baroque violin and Henry Lebedinsky will play works by Corelli and more at the Rob Schouten Gallery in Langley in celebration of plein air painter Brian Mahieu’s solo show. A FREE event!
The Glorious Mysteries: Biber's Rosary Sonatas Part 3
The Mystery Sonatas
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber’s Rosary Sonatas
A soulful journey into the heart of the Baroque
The Sorrowful Mysteries: Biber's Rosary Sonatas Part 2
The Mystery Sonatas
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber’s Rosary Sonatas
A soulful journey into the heart of the Baroque
The Joyful Mysteries: Biber's Rosary Sonatas Part 1
The Mystery Sonatas
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber’s Rosary Sonatas
A soulful journey into the heart of the Baroque
Music on the Prairie
An enchanting afternoon of classical music in the idyllic and pastoral setting of one of Central Whidbey’s historic farms. Baroque favorites include Pachelbel’s beloved “Canon in D” performed by musicians from the Whidbey Island Music Festival including Tekla Cunningham, Lindsey Strand-Polyack, Elizabeth Phelps and Henry Lebedinsky.
The Community Foundation for Coupeville Public Schools provides an “extra measure of support” to Coupeville students and staff and contributes to high standards for academics and character in the Coupeville School District through classroom grants, scholarships and the Promise Fund. Join us and make a difference!
Tickets and more info at:
Love and Longing: Johannes Brahms and Florence Price
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