Back by popular demand, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is proud to partner with the Berks Sinfonietta to kick off the 2nd annual Music on the Mountain—a live presentation of classical selections on Saturday, June 11 from 2 to 4 PM in the Sanctuary’s accessible Amphitheater. Tickets cost $20 for Hawk Mountain members and $25 for non-members. Bench seating is first-come first-served and limited folding chairs are available, or guests may bring their own camp chair or blanket. Click here to register.

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Music on the Mountain is made possible thanks to a generous sponsorship by Dr. and Mrs. Barton Smith and Dr. and Mrs. William I. Smith, Jr. and is held in memory of life-long Hawk Mountain friend Matt Spence, who loved “beetles, birds, and Beethoven.”

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Last year’s Music on the Mountain was the Sinfonietta’s first performance in over a year due to the pandemic, and it was an outstanding performance.

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“If you haven’t experienced a live performance in the amphitheater, you don’t know what you’re missing,” explains Sanctuary President Sean Grace. “The natural wood and shape of the amphitheater is not only appealing to the eye, but with its superior resonance, music performed here is also appealing to the ear.”

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The 25-member orchestra along with special guest Jill Haley will perform selections that celebrate nature and the changing seasons. These include National Parks Suite by composer and musician Jill Haley, Paul Wranitky’s La Tempesta, and Symphony No. 6 (Op. 68, Pastoral Symphony).

“The Berks Sinfonietta is delighted to return to the Sanctuary. This year’s selections are storm-inspired, and Paul Wranitsky's Tempest Symphony and Beethoven’s Symphony 6, with its famous thunderstorm movement, head the program,” explains Vice President and Assistant Artistic Director James Gilmer. “They’re pieces that suit the venue,” he adds.

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The rain date for this late-spring event is Sunday, June 12.

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Music on the Mountain is a great way to spend a day outdoors enjoying music and support two Berks County non-profit organizations: the Berks Sinfonietta and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Berks Sinfonietta’s mission is to expand the appreciation for and to promote the art of classical music. Exclusively consisting of local musicians, the Sinfonietta adopts an intergenerational approach in which artists with varying skill levels, from students and talented amateurs to area professionals, come together for education and community.

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To register for Music on the Mountain or explore other upcoming events, visit hawkmountain.org/events.