Music in the Mountains Crescendos Toward Aug. 3 Finale

The music from world class musicians continues to soar throughout southwest Colorado with the start of music in the mountains on July 10th, but never fear classical musical lovers. The 39th Annual Festival continues through August 3rd with some of the most popular concerts still to come. You're watching the Local News Network, brought to you by the Durango Motor Company and Dunkin Donuts. I'm Connor Shrieve. You can expect much of the same from Durango's classical music festival, world class musicians, classic symphonies, well-known composers, pop concerts, even a special tribute to Walt Disney's fantasy Motion pictures.

I think what we really always try and do is bring the best quality music from around the country into our community. And we are a classical music festival first and foremost, but we want to make sure that we bringing the variety that would interest our community so we have something that's for everyone. You're going to find on the schedule. Everything from classical to pops to world music and various venues all over the community and the region.

The classic music festival began in 1987 with just 11 musicians performing a week's worth of concerts under a big tent. At Purgatory Resort, the event has grown to include educational programs for students, a student conservatory, world music, concerts, and free pop-up performances throughout the region. And while the playbook has remained true to its classical music, roots Beach says Music in the mountains will offer something different. This year as it begins a new era with world renowned violinist, Vadim Guzman. As the festival's recently appointed artistic director and conductor in residence, Danielle Reskin on the podium

This year with our new era Under Vi Guzman, we're, we're slightly changing our model so that we do more chamber music up front and then bring more and more musicians in over the course of the festival so that by the end, we have the full crescendo of the full orchestra here for the, for the full orchestra performances, mostly at the community concert hall, but also out at the casino in Ignacio.

Guzman is no stranger to music in the mountains. First joining the festival as a young violinist in 1997 and has since performed as featured violinist for some of the world's leading orchestras and conductors. Hope performed Vivaldi's Four Seasons on Sunday, July 20th at the Fort Lewis College Community Concert Hall Rice. Ken will conduct five of the remaining concerts with the full festival orchestra of a hundred musicians. Families won't want to Miss Kin when he conducts a theatrical production of Beethoven Lives upstairs on Wednesday, July 23rd. The event begins with an outdoor picnic of hot dogs and root beer floats at the concert Hall. Plaza Tickets are an affordable $10 on Saturday July 26th. The evening's concert features music from Walt Disney and other Hollywood fantasies. Dress up as your favorite Disney character and win a prize. The festival wraps up with a grand finale that features the works of Tchaikovsky on Sunday, August 3rd. You can learn more about music in the mountains, the musicians festival performances, and ticket information at the festival website. In the meantime, watch more local stories about the region on Durango Local News, or Farmington Local news. Thanks for your time. I'm Connor Shreve.