Mostly Modern Festival Announces 7th Season

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Mostly Modern Festival (MMF) will return this June for its 7th season, bringing a concentrated run of concerts that celebrate modern classical music in Saratoga Springs. Performances take place at Arthur Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College (with the exception of the festival kickoff at Caffè Lena), featuring festival artists and guest ensembles in programs built around contemporary composers and brand-new world premieres. 

MMF’s programming is designed to feel inviting, even for listeners who are curious about contemporary music but not sure what to expect. Concerts often move quickly across styles, with shorter works and a wide range of musical voices. Mostly Modern encourages patrons to think of it as a “tapas” approach to modern classical programming, where discovery is part of the fun.

“You are literally experiencing music hot off the press, fresh ink coming your way,” said Robert Paterson, MMF’s artistic director and composer. “When I’m curating this festival, I’m always thinking about the listener, not just the repertoire. I want the concerts to feel welcoming and energized, even if you don’t listen to new music every day. So, we mix styles, we keep things moving, and we build programs where each piece opens a different door. Mostly Modern is about discovery. It’s about hearing what composers are saying now, in our own time, and realizing modern music can be surprising, beautiful, playful, and deeply human.” 

The festival opens with a kickoff at Caffè Lena, where the MMF opener has sold out in recent seasons, before moving into its full run at the Arthur Zankel Music Center. 

• June 4 — Caffè Lena Kickoff, 7:30 p.m. (Caffè Lena)

• June 5 — MMOrchestra (with special guest collaboration with Albany Pro Musica), 7:30 p.m.

• June 6 — MMEnsemble, 7:30 p.m.

• June 7 — FAB5, 4:00 p.m. (Family/Seniors Matinee)

• June 11 — Mostly Modern Brass, 7:30 p.m. (“Beer & Brass” working title)

• June 12 — MMEnsemble, 7:30 p.m.

• June 13 — The Bell and Peter & the Wolf, 4:00 p.m. (Family/Seniors Matinee)

• June 14 — MMOrchestra: Harp Concerto, 4:00 p.m. (Family/Seniors Matinee)

• June 18 — Euclid String Quartet, 7:30 p.m.

• June 20 — Season Finale: MMOrchestra “Cocktail Concerto”, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets, subscription options, and additional festival details will be announced at mostlymodernprojects.org/calendar/.