Concerts that Celebrate Finger Lakes’ Roots and Future

There’s something about the way our region does tradition.

It stretches back centuries — from the Native peoples who first called this land home to the European settlers who planted the region’s first grapes. You see it in the deep, glacially carved valleys, in the vineyards that have dotted our hillsides for generations, and in the new blends now redefining what our wine can be.

The Finger Lakes continues to show us how the past and future can exist side by side. You taste it in the wines. And, over the next few weeks, you can hear it too.

Two upcoming classical music programs in the Geneva Music Festival’s season offer a multi-sensory experience, blending sound and flavor, past and future. These events aren’t just about the music or the wine, but about what happens when the two are put in conversation.

Each concert program offers a distinct tribute to the traditions that have shaped Finger Lakes wine and its ongoing evolution. At each, audiences will enjoy complimentary tastings from celebrated local wineries, selected to echo the spirit and character of the music.

Tradition and Innovation

Pianist Henry Kramer, cellist Max Geissler, and fellow festival artists take listeners through a program that spans Mozart to Dvořák, alongside modern works by John Corigliano and Margaret Brouwer.

Just as wine carries the flavor of the soil and climate it grows in, music reflects the world that inspires it. Over the evening, audiences will hear (and taste) how both have evolved, from classic Rieslings to exciting new blends. It’s a chance to experience how the old and new coexist, sometimes in surprising harmony.

Complimentary wine tastings from Billsboro Winery will be available before the concert, during intermission, and after the performance.

Tradition and Innovation
When: Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m. both nights
Where: Gearan Center for the Performing Arts, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Tickets: genevamusicfestival.com

Old World Roots

Violinist Blake Pouliot, cellist Clive Greensmith, and fellow festival musicians bring to life French and German masterworks by Ravel, Brahms, and Schumann, composers whose music reflects the traditions of their time.

This performance invites audiences to consider how music — like wine — captures the distinct personality of its heritage. Listeners will come away with a deeper appreciation for the stories behind both the music and the grapes.

Enjoy complimentary tastings from Keuka Lake Vineyards before the concert, during intermission, and after the performance.

Old World Roots
When: May 29-30, 7:30 p.m. both nights
Where: Gearan Center for the Performing Arts, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Tickets: genevamusicfestival.com

“The Geneva Music Festival is about bringing people together through shared experiences,” said Geoffrey Herd, Geneva Music Festival CEO and artistic director. “What better way to do that than with music and wine? They’re meant to be shared.”