For the fourth year the Lake George Music Festival is providing guests and residents live concerts, workshops and outreach events throughout the Lake George community this August 14-21.

According to Lake George Music Festival President Alexander Lombard there will be a variety of events over the August 14-21 festival. This year Lombard has brought in over 70 young professional musicians to participate in the open rehearsals, chamber concerts and workshops around Lake George. In addition there are new activities such as a formal collaboration at The Sembrich in Bolton Landing on August 16 and a late (9-11 pm) casual show at the Lake George Boathouse Restaurant on the 18th.

“We are also hosting our first Family Fun Day on August 18 at 4 pm,” says Lombard. “ We will have a full orchestra at the Shepard’s Park Amphitheatre as well as food vendors and an instrument ‘petting zoo’ during the intermission. Children can come up, touch and try to play various instruments. The instruments will be set up on a table and musicians will be there to help introduce the children on how to hold a violin or play a trumpet.”

After the orchestral music there will be a performance of Prokofiev’s “Peter and Wolff” narrated by actress Lindsay Gates. After the intermission various musicians will play a variety of lively chamber music geared toward introducing children to classical music in a fun setting.

“We also have ‘Art Attacks” scheduled around the village,” says Lombard. “Musicians will be going into hotel lobbies, the beach or sidewalks for impromptu performances. The purpose is to expose classical music to people that may be too timid to come to a concert. If they like it, perhaps they will then come to one of our free concerts.”

Every year all the concerts are professionally recorded and CDs are available for purchase. For an introduction to the Lake George Music Festival their SoundCloud page is readily accessible.

Lombard says,” I’ve been surprised each year by how well received our concerts are. The first year, our first concert was standing room only. We’ve grown every year since then. No one is ever turned away. We made a decision from the beginning to steer away from just formal classical concerts. I want to bring music to where the people are. We are doing something innovative and new. There is something for everyone from children to seniors. We have formal settings for that person who wants to attend a quiet setting, family day with outside activities.

Photo of the Lake George Music Festival used with the permission of Alison Lowel.