The City of Stratford, Ontario has proclaimed that July 17 to 20, 2025 will be known as Stratford Summer Music Week. The move comes in recognition of the 25th anniversary for the popular annual festival.
“We’re incredibly honoured by this proclamation,” says Crystal Spicer, Executive Director of Stratford Summer Music in a statement. “It’s a wonderful way to begin a season that reflects 25 years of connection, creativity, and community through music.”
More than 100 artists are featured in a range of concerts and events that stretch across the city, including parks, riverside stages, as well as local venues.
Stratford Summer Music: Highlights
Music lovers have a variety of experiences to choose from. Here’s a look at a few of the highlights.
Opening Night: Carmina Burana (July 17)
German composer Carl Orff’s blockbuster Carmina Burana launches the anniversary season, with Artistic Director Mark Fewer conducting. The performance features an unusual arrangement, with the Bergmann Duo on two pianos, along with percussion, soloists, and a 40-voice choir. Soloists include soprano Camille Labonte, countertenor Christian Masucci Facchini, and baritone Gregory Dalh, and four percussionists: Dan Morphy, Jamie Drake, Graham Hargrove, and Louis Pino. Rounding out the program will be two-piano arrangements from West Side Story, music by Brazilian Egberto Gismonti. And Stratford Poet Laureate David Stones in a new work by violinist Leo Stock.
Carnival of the Animals (July 19)
This free and family-friendly event features Saint-Saëns’ charming musical suite, Carnival of the Animals, and a real live petting zoo afterwards. The music will be performed by the two-piano Marcel & Elizabeth Bergmann Duo, with rapper and poet Idris Goodwin as the narrator. Audience members are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and/or picnic basket.
Tarolinbak (July 20)
Tarolinbak is an ensemble that blends traditional Persian and Azerbaijani music with innovative arrangements, bringing the music of yesterday into the present. The ensemble is: Shahin Fayaz (tar), Bijan Sepanji (violin), Naghmeh Farahmand (tonbak/daf) in a fresh twist to beloved melodies from Azerbaijan, Lorestan, and Khorasan.
Stewart Goodyear plays JS Bach’s Goldberg Variations (July 20)
Uber-talented Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear returns to the festival by popular demand for a performance of Bach’s iconic Goldberg Variations, a pinnacle of the piano repertoire. Goodyear has performed with some of the world’s most prominent orchestras and ensembles, and in the most prestigious halls. He’s also become known as an innovative contemporary composer.
Schmaltz & Pepper (July 24)
Toronto’s innovative Yiddish ensemble blends classical virtuosity with a spirit of innovation and collaboration to come up with a sound that has been winning fans since their debut in 2024. The ensemble was founded by Eric Abramovitz, Principal Clarinet of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and versatile violinist, vocalist and composer Rebekah Wolkstein, and also includes Jeremy Ledbetter (bass), and Drew Jurecka (bandoneon).
Michael Bridge plays with Film (July 26)
In this free event, world-renowned accordionist Michael Bridge performs a kid-friendly show that’s designed to spark the imagination. Film and music will combine for a fun and dynamic experience.
Classical Superstars: The Soul of Strings (July 27)
Artistic Director Mark Fewer leads an all-star string ensemble that includes members of the Rosebud String Quartet, VC2, Continuum and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. It’s a group that will perform together only once in 2025. The repertoire will include works from a young Beethoven, Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov, and Tchaikovsky. Tom Allen hosts, and along with Fewer, musicians include violinists Keith Hamm, Bénédicte Lauzière, and Aysel Taghi-Zada, and cellists Amahl Arulanandam and Leanna Rutt.
John Novacek Plays Rhapsody in Blue (July 31 & August 1)
World-renowned pianist John Novacek performs Gershwin’s jazz-era masterpiece, Rhapsody in Blue. The innovative work combines classical and jazz idioms seamlessly. He’ll be accompanied by Mark Fewer (violin), Ben Bolt-Martin (cello), Peter Stoll (clarinet), Christian Sharpe (bassoon), and Guy Few (trumpet). The program is rounded out by works for solo piano by Mozart, Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninoff.
Vocal Academy (August 8, 9 & 10)
After weeks of intensive training, the members of the Vocal Academy will be ready to share their talents on three occasions at the Festival. They’ll be performing on the MusicBarge on August 8 for a free outdoor concert on the waterfront. Then, on August 9, they’ll hold a Vocal Academy Public Masterclass (also free), where you’ll watch and learn more about the art of opera. On August 10, they’ll hold the Vocal Academy Open Mic Night: Opera + More. The free event spotlights the artists of the Vocal Academy in an intimate bar and restaurant.
And more…
- Find more details about what’s on offer, including the grand finale on August 10 with Toronto’s jazz veterans The Shuffle Demons, talks, and more performances, [HERE].
Are you looking to promote an event? Have a news tip? Need to know the best events happening this weekend? Send us a note.
#LUDWIGVAN
Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.
Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! — local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox HERE.
- INTERVIEW | Toronto Songwriter/Composer/Artist Mark Gane Talks About His Solo Album Garden Music - July 10, 2025
- PREVIEW | Reclaiming Blindness: The National Ballet Teams Up With Outside The March & Peripheral Theatre For Rainbow On Mars - July 10, 2025
- INTERVIEW | The Laws Of Nature: Composer Andrew Staniland Talks About Making Music With Electronics And Dancers - July 9, 2025
