Unveiling the Magic: Music Transforms Our Lives
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What is the Rites of Spring Music Festival?
Rites of Spring has quickly become the premier classical and contemporary music festival on the North Fork and East End of Long Island. In this tenth edition the festival is devoted to contemporary sounds in a setting that engages the community and invites the listener to participate on many levels. We believe great music works best in a unique environment. We invite you to join us. |
We combine classical and contemporary music with great local food & wine, in historical and natural setting and inspiring talks by artists.
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Support for Rites of Spring Music Festival is fully tax deductible 501(c)(3) |
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photo credit: Dave Benthal
courtesy from NorthForker.com
Letter from the Founder & Artistic Director
2026 RITES OF SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL
A NEW SEASON OF LIVE CONCERTS IN UNCONVENTIONAL AND EXTRAORDINARY LOCATIONS.
A magical encounter of MUSIC, NATURE, AND CULTURE ON THE NORTH FORK of Long Island.
Sea, Soil & Soul: Music follows Nature
I'm thrilled to present the new 2026 edition of the Rites of Spring festival on the North Fork and East End of Long Island! The spring/summer music program will run for six months, from April to September 2026, with more than twenty-five music events bringing music and art to unconventional spaces that engage artists, community and local businesses.
Continuing the theme of last year's successful festival, which celebrated the rich maritime and agricultural traditions with their multiple cultures and practices, we've chosen to title the 2026 program Sea, Soil & Soul: Music Follows Nature.
This program traces the deep bond between music and the natural world. From the rhythms of the sea to the fertility of the soil, from the breath of wind to the resonance of the human soul, music arises as a reflection of nature’s living forces. Music, like nature, is born of cycles — of growth, transformation, and renewal. Through this journey, music reminds us that human creativity is inseparable from the elements that sustain life. The program invites audiences to hear the sea, soil, and soul not as metaphors alone, but as vital presences within the soundscape—reminders that music is not apart from nature but follows its pathways, amplifies its voices, and keeps us attuned to its rhythms.
This year, we wish to devote special attention to two composers--Franz Schubert and Johann Sebastian Bach—who, better than anyone else, knew how to speak to the soul and express the inner strength of the human spirit. We will dedicate three solo violin concerts to a complete performance of J.S. Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas, set within the magical and rustic surroundings of Naugles Barn at the Hallockville Museum Farm.
With Franz Schubert, we decided to open and close the festival with his music. We will present the Trout piano Quintet, the Trio, Op. 100, and a song cycle to express his sensitivity to nature and his sense of respect for natural forces.
The Rites of Spring Music Festival, in collaboration with Stony Brook University, has launched a new initiative Talents for Change: Music, Management, and Community, to provide professional development and financial support to young artists and managers at the beginning of their careers. Talents for Change offers opportunities such as concerts, community events, roles in theatrical productions, workshops, coaching, and international networking. Young talents have the chance to develop their skills, exercise leadership and management abilities, improve performance endurance, and expand their repertoire. Talents for Change nominated in 2026 three Ambassadors for change: Sunmi Han, pianist, music coordinator & educator: Michaela Larsen, mezzo soprano, stage director & vocal coach; Michael Owen Doods, pianist, composer, & music coordinator
As part of this new Talents for Change Initiative, we will present three different subprograms:
Opera Days in the Hamptons in May, three days dedicated to arts songs recitals at the Bridgehampton Museum and a two-act comic opera by Joseph Haydn's La Canterina at the splendid Avram Theatre on the Stony Brook campus in Southampton.
the annual Piano Marathon at the Jamesport Meeting House. A two-days concerts with four pianists and their friends features young professional pianists from Stony Brook University to explore the classical and contemporary piano repertoire.
a new program titled Poquatuck Hall for all! a community-based artistic initiative aimed at promoting socialization, personal well-being, and local identity, offering participatory experiences through music, storytelling, and creativity
For our piano lovers, we will renew the incredible success of PianoRites with three events in August at the extraordinary barn at McCall Preserve. Three extraordinary pianists will lead us on a transformative journey that combines music, nature, and the experience of place.
Finally, in September 2026, we will present a second edition of Energia Internacional in collaboration with the Greenport and Southold municipalities for a rich array of events to express the many cultural, artistic, and linguistic voices that make up our local communities.
Rites of Spring Music Festival continues to successfully invest in community-based activities that bring together residents and local partners to create connections, stories, and foster shared values. Our program is a music - and arts-based initiative that aims to create a fertile cultural ecosystem for the promotion of the arts, shared place, and a sense of belonging.
Enjoy the music!
Paolo Bartolani
Founder, Artistic & Executive Director
2026 RITES OF SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL
A NEW SEASON OF LIVE CONCERTS IN UNCONVENTIONAL AND EXTRAORDINARY LOCATIONS.
A magical encounter of MUSIC, NATURE, AND CULTURE ON THE NORTH FORK of Long Island.
Sea, Soil & Soul: Music follows Nature
I'm thrilled to present the new 2026 edition of the Rites of Spring festival on the North Fork and East End of Long Island! The spring/summer music program will run for six months, from April to September 2026, with more than twenty-five music events bringing music and art to unconventional spaces that engage artists, community and local businesses.
Continuing the theme of last year's successful festival, which celebrated the rich maritime and agricultural traditions with their multiple cultures and practices, we've chosen to title the 2026 program Sea, Soil & Soul: Music Follows Nature.
This program traces the deep bond between music and the natural world. From the rhythms of the sea to the fertility of the soil, from the breath of wind to the resonance of the human soul, music arises as a reflection of nature’s living forces. Music, like nature, is born of cycles — of growth, transformation, and renewal. Through this journey, music reminds us that human creativity is inseparable from the elements that sustain life. The program invites audiences to hear the sea, soil, and soul not as metaphors alone, but as vital presences within the soundscape—reminders that music is not apart from nature but follows its pathways, amplifies its voices, and keeps us attuned to its rhythms.
This year, we wish to devote special attention to two composers--Franz Schubert and Johann Sebastian Bach—who, better than anyone else, knew how to speak to the soul and express the inner strength of the human spirit. We will dedicate three solo violin concerts to a complete performance of J.S. Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas, set within the magical and rustic surroundings of Naugles Barn at the Hallockville Museum Farm.
With Franz Schubert, we decided to open and close the festival with his music. We will present the Trout piano Quintet, the Trio, Op. 100, and a song cycle to express his sensitivity to nature and his sense of respect for natural forces.
The Rites of Spring Music Festival, in collaboration with Stony Brook University, has launched a new initiative Talents for Change: Music, Management, and Community, to provide professional development and financial support to young artists and managers at the beginning of their careers. Talents for Change offers opportunities such as concerts, community events, roles in theatrical productions, workshops, coaching, and international networking. Young talents have the chance to develop their skills, exercise leadership and management abilities, improve performance endurance, and expand their repertoire. Talents for Change nominated in 2026 three Ambassadors for change: Sunmi Han, pianist, music coordinator & educator: Michaela Larsen, mezzo soprano, stage director & vocal coach; Michael Owen Doods, pianist, composer, & music coordinator
As part of this new Talents for Change Initiative, we will present three different subprograms:
Opera Days in the Hamptons in May, three days dedicated to arts songs recitals at the Bridgehampton Museum and a two-act comic opera by Joseph Haydn's La Canterina at the splendid Avram Theatre on the Stony Brook campus in Southampton.
the annual Piano Marathon at the Jamesport Meeting House. A two-days concerts with four pianists and their friends features young professional pianists from Stony Brook University to explore the classical and contemporary piano repertoire.
a new program titled Poquatuck Hall for all! a community-based artistic initiative aimed at promoting socialization, personal well-being, and local identity, offering participatory experiences through music, storytelling, and creativity
For our piano lovers, we will renew the incredible success of PianoRites with three events in August at the extraordinary barn at McCall Preserve. Three extraordinary pianists will lead us on a transformative journey that combines music, nature, and the experience of place.
Finally, in September 2026, we will present a second edition of Energia Internacional in collaboration with the Greenport and Southold municipalities for a rich array of events to express the many cultural, artistic, and linguistic voices that make up our local communities.
Rites of Spring Music Festival continues to successfully invest in community-based activities that bring together residents and local partners to create connections, stories, and foster shared values. Our program is a music - and arts-based initiative that aims to create a fertile cultural ecosystem for the promotion of the arts, shared place, and a sense of belonging.
Enjoy the music!
Paolo Bartolani
Founder, Artistic & Executive Director
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Concerts
22 |
Attendees
2900 |
Locations
20 |
Year 2025
Contact Us
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Rites of Spring Music Festival, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit.
Tax identification number 82-3695345 . Donations may be mailed to the Festival’s address or made online through PayPal and are fully tax deductible. |
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