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Massachusetts

Tanglewood: Meet the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Its Summer Home

Program No. 15533RJ

Discover the historic summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, reveling in world-class music, fine art, local cuisine and pristine nature in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains.

Wishlist

Music Festivals Music Appreciation

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5 days

4 nights

11 meals

4B 3L 4D

Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation

Central Berkshires - Pittsfield

Edith Warton, BSO Lectures, BSO Concert

Central Berkshires - Pittsfield

Morning Lecture, BSO Presentation, BSO Concert

Central Berkshires - Pittsfield

Tanglewood Concert, BSO Presentation, BSO Concert

Central Berkshires - Pittsfield

Program Concludes

Central Berkshires - Pittsfield

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At a Glance

Tanglewood has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1936. Attend four concerts and discover the Tanglewood grounds on an expert-led exploration, with behind the-scenes access to performers and BSO staff. Hear instrument demonstrations with BSO musicians and attend lectures to heighten your enjoyment of the concerts.

Activity Level

On Your Feet

Walking one hour or more, uneven terrain. Sitting during performances and lectures.

Best of all, you’ll…

Attend live concerts at Tanglewood to take in the immense talent of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Meet BSO instrumentalists to discuss what it is like to be in a world-class symphony orchestra, and learn from BSO staff about its inner workings.
Explore other unique parts of the Berkshires outside of the music scene, such as the Norman Rockwell Museum.

General Notes

Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available. Boston transfer at added cost. Additionally, due to the program lectures and concerts, we are limiting the enrollment to 70 people.

Featured Expert

All trip experts

Jeremy Yudkin

Dr. Jeremy Yudkin is professor of music at Boston University, an associated faculty member of the Department of African American Studies, and visiting professor of music at Oxford University and Harvard University. Dr. Yudkin received his B.A. and M.A. from Cambridge University in classics and modern languages and his Ph.D. in historical musicology from Stanford University. He is the author of six books, and has written articles for journals including The Musical Quarterly, The Stanford Italian Review, The American Journal of Philology and others. Dr. Yudkin’s principal fields of research include medieval music, early Beethoven, popular music, and jazz.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Jeremy Yudkin View biography

Dr. Jeremy Yudkin is professor of music at Boston University, an associated faculty member of the Department of African American Studies, and visiting professor of music at Oxford University and Harvard University. Dr. Yudkin received his B.A. and M.A. from Cambridge University in classics and modern languages and his Ph.D. in historical musicology from Stanford University. He is the author of six books, and has written articles for journals including The Musical Quarterly, The Stanford Italian Review, The American Journal of Philology and others. Dr. Yudkin’s principal fields of research include medieval music, early Beethoven, popular music, and jazz.

Gayle Felix View biography

Gayle Felix has been a Road Scholar group leader since 2015. She grew up and raised her family outside of Boston and now resides in Hingham, Massachusetts. With a history/American studies degree from Boston University, she enjoys sharing the history of Boston and surrounding areas. Gayle has led programs in New England; Washington, DC; and other areas in the United States. Gayle enjoys being with her family and friends, biking, kayaking, golfing, and hiking. She especially enjoys traveling and meeting new people.

Mary McGovern View biography

Mary McGovern was born in New York and has lived in New England, Florida, and Bavaria. She earned her bachelor's in international business and participated in a trade mission to Japan, which included a family homestay. Mary is a professional group leader in New York City and Washington, DC, and has led field trips on the East Coast and in Germany. In her free time, Mary travels with family and friends to experience new destinations and revisit old favorites.

Katherine White View biography

Katherine White has been a Road Scholar staff member since August 2022. She earned her bachelor's degree in art and criminal justice from Brevard College in 2020. After college, Katherine went on to complete a travel agent training program from Kennesaw State University. Katherine grew up in North Carolina but currently lives in Knoxville, Tennessee. She has had a passion for traveling from a young age and took her first international trip in 2016. She enjoys taking photographs, hiking, playing sports, and traveling.

Lynn Gibb View biography

Lynn Gibb has been a full-time Road Scholar employee since 1988. She has been in a variety of departments and positions during her time at Road Scholar and is currently a program manager—overseeing programs in the Northeast, Midwest, and Southwest—and occasional group leader. She loves leading the Tanglewood program and is passionate about music, as she has been in choirs most of her life. Originally from Maine, Lynn loves the outdoors and spends time kayaking, biking, and hiking in the Northeast.

Suggested Reading List (4 books)

Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop

You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.

Search for a Title

Tanglewood: Meet the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Its Summer Home

Program Number: 15533

Tanglewood: A group Memoir

by Peggy Daniel

The story of Tanglewood – the summer home of the Boston Symphony since 1935 – as told in first-person accounts by such Tanglewood luminaries as Leonard Bernstein, Serge Koussevitzky, Aaron Copland, Erich Leinsdorf, Phyllis Curtin, Seiji Ozawa, Yo-Yo Ma, Dawn Upshaw, John Harbison, James Levine, and many of the leading musicians, critics, and music professionals who consider Tanglewood a second home.

Tanglewood: The Clash Between Tradition and Change

by Andrew L. Pincus

Tanglewood's tranquillity masks the many challenges facing the festival as it strives for success and survival in the coming years. This provocative work explores the dynamics affecting Tanglewood within the larger context of recent trends in American musical life, including dwindling audiences for classical music and growing commercialism in the arts.

Absolutely on Music: Conversations with Seiji Ozawa

by Haruki Murakami

In Absolutely on Music, internationally Haruki Murakami sits down with his friend Seiji Ozawa, the revered former conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, for a series of conversations on their shared passion: music.

Explorer’s Guide Berkshires: A Great Destination (8th Edition)

by Lauren R. Stevens

A rich cultural landscape has grown from the natural splendor of the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts, making it a favorite place for travelers of all types. This all-new edition of the original guide to the Berkshires includes information on history, transportation, accommodations, dining, arts, spa retreats, outdoor recreation, and shopping

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