A Message on the Cancellation of our 2020 Season

Dear Manchester Music Festival Community:

Prioritizing the health and well-being of our patrons, staff, and performers, the Manchester Music Festival Board of Directors has voted unanimously to cancel the 2020 season. This momentous decision was carefully considered, weighing all pertinent scientific data about COVID-19 alongside the actions to-date of our community partners, and we are certain that we have made a responsible and ethical decision. 

Our hearts go out to the many people throughout the world in desperate need, whose lives are on the line, and whose livelihoods have been decimated by the impacts of this pandemic. The brave first responders, medical professionals, and front-line workers across the globe are undoubtedly absorbing the brunt of the hardships, and there are not sufficient words to express the awe that we feel for their heroic actions. Sometimes music speaks louder than words: we will therefore continue to send our Connecting Through Music emails with exquisite musical selections that convey our feelings of gratitude, empathy, and love throughout this tumultuous time. 

MMF views the myriad challenges that lie ahead as a call to action, and we treasure the community of which we are honored to be a part. Though we will soon turn our attention toward the planning of our 2021 summer festival, we are immediately engaged in redirecting our time and creative energy toward the production of a digital festival for this summer (2020), which will broadcast an innovative mix of live-streamed performances, pre-recorded lectures, and interviews – all at no charge to the public. 

This endeavour will not only fulfill MMF’s central mission of delivering great classical music to the region, but also feature some of our world-renowned artists on the frontier of a new performance landscape. Our hope is to set a precedent for our future as a modern-era chamber music festival, one with both a live presence and significant digital footprint. As we solidify these plans in the coming weeks, stay tuned at www.mmfvt.org. 

To meet these goals, MMF depends upon your continuing support during this challenging time. To the extent that you are able, we would greatly appreciate your consideration of the following means of support:

  • If you have already purchased a subscription or season pass, please consider converting your purchase to a tax-deductible donation by contacting the office.

  • If you have donated a temporarily restricted gift or Young Artist sponsorship, please consider converting your gift to an unrestricted status by contacting the office.

  • If you could make a gift to our annual fund, no matter the size, we would be profoundly grateful.

Thank you in advance for your generosity and understanding, and we look forward to providing you with a state-of-the-art MMF experience in your home this summer.  

Please stay healthy and safe! 

With warm regards,

Peggie Telscher, Board President
Adam Neiman, Artistic Director
Betsy Bleakie, Festival Manager
Emily Shaw, Assistant Festival Manager

MMF