Saturday, November 8, 2025
The Oyster Bay Music Festival will return for its 14th season from June 27 through July 3, offering a weeklong celebration of classical music performed by emerging artists at venues across the North Shore.
The 2024 season includes 11 concerts at eight distinctive locations, including waterfront spaces, historic churches and estates, and a new venue: the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington. The seminary concert will feature a musical tour of its three chapels, following a tea and scones reception. All concerts are free, except for three ticketed events.
Festival co-director Pippa Borisy said the new venue came about in a way that reflects the community spirit of the festival.
“We were contacted from someone from the venue that heard about us and wanted to know if we could have a concert there,” she said. “And we love that, because that’s really the gist of what we do, we wanted to just present these fantastic concerts in all these spaces that aren’t necessarily traditionally used as concert venues.”
Now in its 14th year, OBMF has grown from student showcases into a professional-level concert series, highlighting both international talent and young rising stars. This year’s theme is “Emotion,” with each concert exploring music’s power to connect and move audiences in different ways.
“There are really two core purposes to the music festival,” Borisy said. “The first is to present high level classical concerts, but in a different way, in a unique way that celebrates community, and the other purpose is to showcase rising stars and emerging artists.”
Among the returning artists are pianist Maxim Lando, recent winner of the 2025 Khaledi Prize, and violinist Tassilo Probst, who is preparing a second album with Lando. Also returning are flutist Matthew Ross, soprano Emily Donato, and cellist Charles Zandieh. Newcomers include cellist Bethany Bobbs, pianist Robert Carlson, and bassoonist Matthew Gregoire.
Each concert features a rotating cast of 22 musicians.
“Every concert features a variety of musicians,” Borisy said, “so it is such a great way to listen to classical music and hear different instruments, different performers, different genres.”
Programs are finalized just before each concert, allowing artists room for spontaneity.
“We try to give our musicians a chance to use this festival to experiment,” Borisy said, “and try out things that maybe they aren’t able to in their normal concert schedule.”
For concert times, venues and ticket information, as well as ways to donate and support the festival, visit OysterBayMusicFestival.org.
