Bard Conservatory to Celebrate 20th Anniversary with Lincoln Center Concert In October

Bard College Conservatory of Music will mark its 20th anniversary with a landmark concert on October 29, 2025, at 7:30 PM at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. The event, titled Innovation and Legacy: An Anniversary Celebration with Bard Conservatory Orchestra, will also honor Bard College President Leon Botstein’s 50th year of leadership. Tickets begin at $20, with proceeds supporting Bard Conservatory’s educational mission.

The program highlights the Conservatory’s commitment to bridging tradition and innovation. Botstein will conduct Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Bard Conservatory Orchestra and chorus, featuring mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, Artistic Director of Bard’s Graduate Vocal Arts Program. In dialogue with Beethoven’s masterwork, Tan Dun, Dean of Bard Conservatory, will conduct the North American premiere of his Choral Concerto: Nine, a contemporary reimagining of the symphony’s ideals through a global lens.

“The placing of the making and study of the arts as equal partners alongside the sciences, the study of society, and the humanities in a college and university context is extremely timely,” said Botstein. “It makes for better artists, viewers, and listeners, and strengthens forms of life that are ever more essential to the preservation of freedom and democracy.”

Tan Dun reflected, “Leon Botstein is my hero, and I am so honored to be performing Nine and Nine with him and the Bard Conservatory Orchestra at Lincoln Center to celebrate 20 and 50 years of passion for music, peace, and a beautiful future.”

Anniversary Preview Events

As part of Bard College’s Family and Alumni Weekend, an early preview of the concert will be presented in Annandale-on-Hudson at the Fisher Center’s Sosnoff Theater:

• Saturday, October 25 at 7 PM

• Sunday, October 26 at 2 PM

Proceeds from both performances will support Bard Conservatory students.

Ticket Information