Grand Teton Music Festival Reveals Full Summer Programming For Its 65th Season

The Grand Teton Music Festival has revealed the complete programs for its 2026 Benoliel Chamber Music Series, with five concerts taking place from July 9 to August 13 – including the world premiere of a new work by José González Granero, plus Kevin Lau's The Nightingale, based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale; selections from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons; and works by Fauré, Beethoven, Dvořák, Brahms, Mozart, and more, accompanied by commentary from host and Chamber Music Advisor Adelle Eslinger Runnicles.

This season also features a lineup of family and community presentations, including Musical Adventures, On the Road, an outdoor Free Family Jam, pre-concert talks one hour before Festival Orchestra concerts in the Jackson Hole High School Lobby, and open rehearsals at 10:00 AM on any Friday in the Festival Orchestra series at the Jackson Hole High School Auditorium ($20 tickets). Tickets to all of GTMF's 65th anniversary season programs, which run from July 2 to August 15, go on sale today, April 7, via the Festival website or by phone at 307.733.1128.

Benoliel Chamber Music Series

GTMF's 2026 Benoliel Chamber Music Series features the artistry of world-class Festival Musicians in an intimate and welcoming setting on Thursdays at 7:00 PM during the Festival season. Attendees can enjoy core classical repertoire and family-friendly tunes from July 9 through August 13 at Jackson Hole High School Auditorium.

The Benoliel Chamber Music Series offers five weekly programs featuring Festival Musicians and guest artists such as pianist Tanner Jorden (July 9) and violinist Maria Ioudenitch (July 30) in small ensembles performing repertoire ranging from Brahms, Vivaldi, Dvořák, Beethoven, André LaFosse, Mozart, and more to music by contemporary composers such as Kevin Lau, Anna Clyne, Caroline Shaw, and José González Granero, whose piece Hojoki receives its world premiere on Thursday, July 30 at 7:00 PM.

Featured this year are chamber music programs Light & Shadow (July 9), a pan-European collection of masterworks; Brahms & Dvořák (July 16), complete with folk influences, a heartfelt literary connection, and some inventive instrumentation; Fairy Tales, Four Seasons & A World Premiere (July 30), featuring a musical fairy tale for all ages narrated by Stoner Family Education Curator Meaghan Heinrich; From the Heart (August 6), contrasting string quartets by Kevin Lau and Beethoven; and Little Miracles (August 13), with works by two living female composers and pieces by masters of centuries past.

Tickets are $35 for adults and $5 for children and students.

Family & Community Programming

The Grand Teton Music Festival is committed to engaging with its community through interactive programs that reach people of all ages. A myriad of offerings provide instruction, fun, and learning for thousands in Jackson and its neighboring communities.

Musical Adventures continue this summer, June 29 through August 12, led by GTMF Stoner Family Education Curator Meaghan Heinrich. These free events are fun, informative, and engaging music sessions for young children and their adult caretakers. Geared toward listeners up to age five, the sessions are also accessible for all ages, and held downtown at Jackson Hole Land Trust's Greenspace on the Block on Monday mornings, in Teton Village on Tuesday mornings, and in the Idaho communities of Driggs, Victor, and Tetonia on selected Wednesdays.

Families will discover how percussion instruments function and create their own instrument to take home, join Meaghan Heinrich for a fun sing-along, and enjoy a free healthy lunch from Hole Food Rescue's Sprout Mobile on July 3, July 22, and July 30.

On the Road Events

On the Road events bring live classical music to audiences in Teton County and surrounding communities through free concerts presented in partnership with community organizations in accessible locations, ranging from Teton Science School's Murie Ranch in Grand Teton National Park, the Teton Raptor Center, the Alta Library, Jackson Hole History Museum, Shepherd of the Mountains Church, and Pierre's Theatre in Victor, Idaho.

Participating ensembles feature members of the Festival Orchestra. Meaghan Heinrich leads programs that are appealing to all ages and bring the music to life with explanations and demonstrations.

Scholarship Competition

GTMF will host the 9th Annual Donald Runnicles Musical Arts Scholarship Competition on July 18 & 19. The competition is open to graduating high school seniors from Wyoming, Idaho, or Montana who are pursuing a music degree in college.

Six semi-finalists are invited to perform for a panel of judges, including Maestro Runnicles; Jerry Hou, Music Director of the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra; and Stephanie Key, a Festival clarinetist and Musician Board Member. Three finalists are chosen to compete for $50,000 in scholarship awards, and – new in 2026 – the first-prize winner will be invited to perform as a soloist with the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra in its upcoming season.

The semi-finals and finals on July 18 & 19 at Jackson Hole High School are free and open to the public. The application deadline for competitors is Monday, May 4.

Classical Music Listening Club

New this year is GTMF's Classical Music Listening Club, which is free and open to the public on select Mondays at 1:00 PM at Teton County Library in Jackson.

Suitable for interested novices and seasoned fans alike, this adult education group will explore the history, theory, and stories behind epic classical works each week. Led by Stoner Family Education Curator Meaghan Heinrich, participants can prepare for the coming weekend's Festival Orchestra concerts or simply join the discussion.

Festival Orchestra Series

The 2026 Festival Orchestra Series features gems across the classical repertoire and renowned soloists, including Maria Ioudenitch, Madeline Adkins, Eleni Calenos, Daniel Luis Espinal, and José González Granero, alongside GTMF's own Festival Orchestra musicians led by Sir Donald Runnicles.

Highlights include Rachmaninoff & Tchaikovsky's Fifth (July 10–11), Shostakovich & Mozart's Clarinet Concerto (July 17–18), Melodies of Britain (July 31–August 1), Beethoven & Korngold (August 7–8), and the Festival Finale: Night at the Opera (August 14–15).

Outdoor Concerts

Two weeks of outdoor concerts will be held this year: at the Center for the Arts Lawn in downtown Jackson from July 2–4 and Teton Village Commons on July 24 & 25.

Performances include Opening Night: From the Stage to the Silver Screen (July 2), a free Family Jam (July 3), the Jayne & Al Hilde, Jr. Patriotic Pops (July 4), Music of the American West (July 24), and Fantasia 2026 (July 25).

Gateway Series

The 2026 Gateway Series presents renowned artists from a variety of musical genres at the Center for the Arts Theater.

Highlighted performers include The King's Singers (July 6), Punch Brothers (July 27), and Give Our Regards to Broadway (August 3), featuring Cassondra James, Kate Loprest, and Andrea Ross.

Teton House Concert Series

New in 2026 is the Teton House Concert Series, taking place in private homes throughout Teton County.