Lenox — The Boston Symphony Orchestra has announced several additions to its 2024 Tanglewood season (June 20 through August 31), with Tanglewood on Parade taking on special significance as an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of the late Seiji Ozawa, the orchestra’s music director laureate.
Additional announcements include updated programs for Renée Fleming and Yuja Wang, as well as free community events like Tanglewood in the City (July 6), Berkshire Day (July 28), and the Days in the Arts camp for middle school students (June 24 through 28 and July 8 through 12).
This summer, Tanglewood on Parade will celebrate the life and legacy of Music Director Laureate Seiji Ozawa, who died last February at the age of 88. Ozawa was the BSO’s longest-serving conductor, having led the orchestra as music director from 1973 to 2002, 29 years. During that time, he conducted hundreds of concerts and mentored generations of Tanglewood Music Center fellows.
The day-long festivities of Tanglewood on Parade, held on August 6, will include a tribute concert at 8 p.m. in the Koussevitzky Music Shed, featuring a slate of celebrated performers including Boston Pops Conductor Laureate John Williams, Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart, guest Conductor Alan Gilbert, former BSO Assistant Conductor Anna Rakitina, soprano Christine Goerke, and the Marcus Roberts Trio.
The evening’s program will begin with John Williams conducting his “For Seiji!,” composed in 1999 on Ozawa’s 25th anniversary as music director of the BSO. Figuring in prominently will be such signature Ozawa works as Hector Berlioz’s “Hungarian March” from “The Damnation of Faust.” Christine Goerke, one of Ozawa’s favorite musical collaborators, will perform songs by Richard Strauss, and the Marcus Roberts Trio will reprise their astounding rendition of “Rhapsody in Blue,” which by itself will be worth the price of admission.
In accordance with custom, Tanglewood on Parade will close with Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” a piece Ozawa conducted 16 times during his years at Tanglewood. And, as always, there will be fireworks afterward.
But before all that happens, there will be a full afternoon of performances and activities, starting at 2 p.m. with a brass fanfare by musicians of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute at 2 p.m.
The July 6 Tanglewood in the City event will be part of the new Common Ground Festival hosted by Mill Town Foundation and the City of Pittsfield on The Common in Pittsfield. This free event will run from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will feature performances by such Berkshires arts and culture groups as MASS MoCA, Kids 4 Harmony, Kripalu, Barrington Stage Company, Katunemo, and the Funky Dawgz Brass Band. The rain date is July 7 (2 to 8 p.m.)
Lawn tickets for Tanglewood on Parade are free for children under 18, and family activities include lawn games, a scavenger hunt, kids yoga with Kripalu, face painting, magic shows, an instrument playground, and hot air balloon rides (weather permitting).
For complete details of the Tanglewood on Parade daytime activities and evening tribute performance, visit the BSO’s website.
