About New Hampshire Music Festival

The New Hampshire Music Festival traces its roots to two New York piano teachers who bought an island on Lake Winnipesaukee near Wolfeboro. They invited young concert pianists to come there to further their studies and perform. Audiences came by boat.

The fresh air, sparkling lake and nearby mountains provided an idyllic setting for the study and advancement of music. In 1952, a young conductor and his orchestra were invited to join them. This was the beginning of the professional summer orchestra and educational programs we know today.

Now celebrating our 55th Season, the New Hampshire Music Festival has earned its place as a mature music institution with a reputation for presenting excellence in performance and education.

The Festival presents more than 150 events annually, 40+ during the summer festival and 100+ year-round in the region's schools. Over the years the Festival has been recognized for its artistic quality and responsible management practices, including eight American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers awards; a special Advancement Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for "high artistic quality"; and the Walter S. Dunfey Award for Excellence in Management. A New Hampshire Public Television program, featuring Festival performances with award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, received an Emmy Award. In 1997, the Festival released its first CD, "Summer Lightning," to critical acclaim.

We remain at the forefront of New Hampshire's cultural scene. Our rich menu of cultural experiences, concerts and educational programs is highly treasured in the state. At the core of our strategic plan for the future is the creation of an endowed year-round center dedicated to music performance and music education at the highest possible level of artistic achievement.

NHMF Center for Music

In 1984, Board President Richard P. Brouillard wrote the letter, “On to the Future.” It began, “The New Hampshire Music Festival, proud of its past, is looking forward to an even brighter future. Thanks to strong support from both year-round and summer residents, we feel it is now time to take a look at our long term goals. At the top of the list is the long sought dream of a permanent music center.”

In 2001, the Festival took the first major step toward this goal, purchasing the Red Hill Inn property in Center Harbor. In 2007, two major gifts allowed us to move forward with the core project, including the renovation of Festival House, the building of a concert hall and chamber music salon of the highest acoustical quality, the discharge of the mortgage and the establishment of an initial endowment to cover operating costs of the performing facility.

We will continue to update you regarding our progress, but we want you to know that the Festival’s new home is on track to open for the 2010 concert season. Our summer concerts will continue for the next two years at the Silver Center. Chairman McLear explains, “While Capital Funds are keeping the building project moving forward, we will continue to build our reputation for excellence in performance and education programs which are supported solely by our Annual Fund.

NHMF Leadership

Paul Polivnick

Michael Krajewski

Jonathan Babtiste

Joel O. Johnson

Thomas Nee

Robert F. Daniell

Edward J. McLear

Susan B. Weatherbie

David H. Graham

Lewis A. Aldrich

A. Cushing Robinson Livens

Board of Directors

Francis Aguilar
Suzanne R. Beach
J. Barry Coughlin
Edward N. Dane
Chuck DiCecca
Margaret Gavenonis

Rev. Michael Graham
H. Eugene Jones
Kathryn Warner Miller
Alida I. Millham
Isobel Parke
Polly Sanfacon

Angelina M. Smith
Carol Snelling
Sara Jayne Steen
Eleanor Stoddard
Timothy L. Vaill
Albert K. Webste

Honorary Board

Phyllis H. Carey
Dr. William J. Farrell
Nathaniel Kessin
T. Holmes Moore

Administration

David H. Graham

Nancy Vaughan

Lynn Anderson

Deborah Karis Graham

Donna Mitchell

Sandra McLaughlin

Linda Hull