The Oskaloosa Music Festival
Oskaloosa Music Festival
Celebrating its 10th year of outstanding classical music performance and education in Southeastern Iowa
The Oskaloosa Music Festival returns for its 10th consecutive year this summer. From May 29th – June 1st, enjoy “Mahaska Masterworks” when a dozen professional classical musicians put on dressed-up and dressed-down concerts across town. You won’t want to miss the Picnic Concert on the Square from noon-1pm on Wednesday, May 29th, the Smokey Row Jam on Friday, May 31st at 7:30 pm, or the Masterworks Recital on Saturday, June 1st at 7:30 pm hosted at the First Presbyterian Church.
Due to all of the snow days, the second week of The Oskaloosa Music Festival, the “String Chamber Music Camp,” has been moved later in the summer than previous years. From July 29th-August 2nd you can catch top-notch violin, viola, cello, and bass students from Osky, Pella, and Ottumwa perform as they participate in an intensive day camp led by Osky alum and former Acting Principal Violist of the Des Moines Symphony, Ben Burgdorf (Davis) alongside professional artists and educators Samuel Rudy, LaTannia Ellerbe, Yoo-Jung Chang, and Brett Lewis. Be sure to catch students and faculty in action on Thursday, August 1st from noon-1pm for a Picnic Concert on the Square and again that evening at 8pm with the City Band. To finish off their week of hard work, hear both students and faculty perform in recital on Friday, August 2nd at 7:30 pm at Fellowship Bible Church.
For a complete listing of events, visit www.oskaloosamusicfestival.com, the Everything Mahaska Calendar, or you can find the Oskaloosa Music Festival on Facebook.
About the Oskaloosa Music Festival: Founded in 2010 by Oskaloosa High School Alum and professional violist, Ben Burgdorf (Davis), the Oskaloosa Music Festival hosts professional artists and educators from across the country for a 2-week residency in Oskaloosa, IA. Burgdorf, inspired by his musical roots in Oskaloosa, returns each year to inspire the next generation of musicians both young and old across the community through a series of concerts and educational opportunities.
Individuals, businesses, and organizations across Oskaloosa have come together to support OMF to help achieve its mission which states…”To provide entertainment and education to the local students and the public by means of exposure to some of the greatest, yet widely unknown, art music from the 18th to the 21st centuries. By exposing students to this repertoire, the Oskaloosa Music Festival hopes to inspire a life in the pursuit of music, not necessarily as a career path, but as a means to develop necessary skills such as work ethic, goal setting, group collaboration, and self-expression. And the most important part of the entire festival…having fun making music together!
OMF graciously thanks the George Daily Family Trust, the McWane Foundation, the Mahaska County Community Foundation, and all of the students, parents, audience members, and inspiring community members for their support of this project.
