Grand Teton Music Festival Celebrates Successful 60th Season

Grand Teton Music Festival's 60th Season, which boasted 20 sold-out concerts and an audience of 16,000 people both in-person and online, marked a monumental season. Over one thousand people attended GTMF's community outreach events and the Donald Runnicles Musical Arts Scholarship Competition Finals, which were presented during the Festival season for the first time this year.

"The Grand Teton Music Festival's 60th Season was breathtakingly successful," says Executive Director Emma Kail. "From outdoor and indoor concerts to our first foray into livestreaming, I am deeply proud of the Festival's dedicated and adaptable staff and musicians who found a way to create and deliver music in a time when we needed it more than ever."

Audiences and musicians alike have continued to gather as a community every summer at GTMF. Out of 220 musicians performing together this year, 7 have returned for 40 years or more, 36 for more than 25 years, and cellist Marcia Peck has been coming for more than 50 years. Andrew Raciti, Milwaukee Symphony's associate principal bass, says, "Every summer season out here is special. This one meant more-not only because of what preceded it but because of what we all put into it."

This summer, GTMF performed 4 outdoor concerts, 31 performances at Walk Festival Hall, 3 Gateway Series concerts, and 21 community engagement events throughout the valley. Two of the performances in Walk Festival Hall were livestreamed, which was a first for GTMF. Additionally, the Live from the GTMF program was carried by 110+ radio stations across the country.

As GTMF looks forward to next season, which will see the continuation of outdoor and Gateway Series performances, the Festival is pleased to announce Tim Dodge as the new Director of Development. Tim brings extensive experience in donor-centered fundraising. He joins the GTMF team from the Kansas City Symphony where he served as Manager of Major & Planned Giving and Endowment Campaign Manager. "The Grand Teton Music Festival is magic," says Tim. "The music, the mountains, the people - they set this place apart. I'm so grateful to be part of this GTMF family, to serve the donors at the heart of it, and to help folks feel more connected through their giving."

Tim also looks forward to working extensively with the GTMF board, which ushers in new arrivals and retirements this year. GTMF would like to thank Martha Birkett-Morley (Auxiliary President), Christian Erdman, Ralph Haberfeld, Tom Hooten (Musician Director), and Ari Rifkin for their service to the GTMF community. As these dedicated members retire, GTMF is thrilled to welcome new members Madeline Adkins (Musician Director), Natalie Clark, Peter Fenton, Lynn Fleisher, Matt Stoner, and Susan Sutton to the board.

For those who missed the 60th season or want to revisit it, a highlights program was broadcast on WyomingPBS on October 8 and 10, and the program can be streamed on the PBS video app. More info can be found here.

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