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, with more than twenty 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.
For these reasons, this year we wanted to focus special attention on two composers, Franz Schubert and John Sebastian Bach, who better than any other spoke to the soul and expressed the inner strength of the human being. We will dedicate three solo violin concerts to the complete sonatas and partitas by J.S. Bach in the magical and rustic setting of Naugles Barn at Hallockville Museum Farm. With Schubert, we will present the Trout Quintet and 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 Opera, has launched a new initiative Opera 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. Opera 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.
We will also have some exciting news: the launch of the Talents for Change initiative in collaboration with the Stony Brook University Opera. This new Initiative will provide professional development and financial support to young artists and managers at the beginning of their careers offering them opportunities such as concerts, community events, roles in theatrical productions, workshops, coaching, and international networking.
As part of this new Initiative, we will present Opera Days in the Hamptons in May, three days dedicated to arts songs recitals at the Bridgehampton Museum and an opera by Joseph Haydn's La Canterina at the splendid Avram Theatre on the Stony Brook campus in Southampton.
Another exciting long-term collaboration is announced with Sylvester Manor on Shelter Island, presenting All That Remains, a new artistic creation in the form of a multidisciplinary work based on Steve Wick's publication, which commemorates the historic presence of the African American community on Long Island.
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 new 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, with more than twenty 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.
For these reasons, this year we wanted to focus special attention on two composers, Franz Schubert and John Sebastian Bach, who better than any other spoke to the soul and expressed the inner strength of the human being. We will dedicate three solo violin concerts to the complete sonatas and partitas by J.S. Bach in the magical and rustic setting of Naugles Barn at Hallockville Museum Farm. With Schubert, we will present the Trout Quintet and 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 Opera, has launched a new initiative Opera 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. Opera 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.
We will also have some exciting news: the launch of the Talents for Change initiative in collaboration with the Stony Brook University Opera. This new Initiative will provide professional development and financial support to young artists and managers at the beginning of their careers offering them opportunities such as concerts, community events, roles in theatrical productions, workshops, coaching, and international networking.
As part of this new Initiative, we will present Opera Days in the Hamptons in May, three days dedicated to arts songs recitals at the Bridgehampton Museum and an opera by Joseph Haydn's La Canterina at the splendid Avram Theatre on the Stony Brook campus in Southampton.
Another exciting long-term collaboration is announced with Sylvester Manor on Shelter Island, presenting All That Remains, a new artistic creation in the form of a multidisciplinary work based on Steve Wick's publication, which commemorates the historic presence of the African American community on Long Island.
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 new 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
6800 |
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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