Sunlit Symphonies

The program will feature selections such as Vivaldi’s famous “Summer” from The Four Seasons, one of the most vivid and groundbreaking works of the Baroque era. Guests will learn about Vivaldi’s remarkable life, his astonishing output of hundreds of concertos, and what made The Four Seasons so unusual for its time. The program will also highlight the poems Vivaldi wrote to accompany each season, offering listeners a rare window into how he connected words, images, weather, and music.

Other selections will broaden the summer theme in surprising and memorable ways. A piano work by Tchaikovsky brings its own fascinating backstory, while Samuel Barber’s nostalgic music for soprano and orchestra recalls the childhood world of writer James Agee, whose English-language text inspired the piece. While rooted in classical music, the program will also make room for a few unexpected connections — including “Summer in the City” performed by The Lovin’ Spoonful — showing how the idea of summer has inspired artists across styles and generations.

Through composer stories, historical context, selected performance footage, and evocative video imagery, Sunlit Symphonies: Music Inspired by Summer offers more than a concert experience. It is a guided journey into the music, the people who wrote it, and the many ways summer has stirred the creative imagination.

About the Speaker: A native of Los Angeles, Marc Shulgold was a music journalist at the Los Angeles Times, and for the Rocky Mountain News. He taught music history at the University of Denver's adult enrichment program for over 20 years and is a contributor to Opera Magazine among other publications. Marc is a program annotator for University of Colorado concerts and a longtime speaker at the Vail summertime music festival.

publications. Marc is a program annotator for University of Colorado concerts and a longtime speaker at the Vail summertime music festival.

Ticket price for the Music & Nature series is $10 - proceeds benefit conservation, park enhancement, and nature education in Geauga County through the Foundation for Geauga Parks.

This series is included in the Foundation for Geauga Parks Membership Program:

-Friend level receives 20% off.

-Member level participants may attend free.

-Member Plus level participants receive one free ticket AND a free ticket for a friend attending with you.

Make sure you're logged into the website and when you enter your information and select your tickets, the membership option you chose will be applied.

If the event is canceled or postponed, registered attendees will be notified promptly and we will make every effort to reschedule. Unless otherwise noted, registrations and ticket purchases are nonrefundable.