Music on the Mountain returns to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary for 2nd year

Back by popular demand, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Albany Township hosts its 2nd annual Music on the Mountain — a live presentation of classical selections presented by the Berks Sinfonietta in the Sanctuary’s outdoor amphitheater from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 11.

“If you haven’t experienced a live performance in the amphitheater, you don’t know what you’re missing,” said Sanctuary President Sean Grace. “The natural wood and shape of the amphitheater is not only appealing to the eye, but with its superior resonance, music performed here is also appealing to the ear.”

Last year’s Music on the Mountain was the Sinfonietta’s first performance in over a year due to the pandemic.

“The Berks Sinfonietta is delighted to return to the Sanctuary. This year’s selections are storm-inspired, and Paul Wranitsky’s Tempest Symphony and Beethoven’s Symphony 6, with its famous thunderstorm movement, head the program,” said vice president and assistant artistic director James Gilmer. “They’re pieces that suit the venue.”

The 25-member orchestra along with special guest Jill Haley will perform selections that celebrate nature and the changing seasons. These include National Parks Suite by composer and musician Jill Haley, Paul Wranitky’s La Tempesta, and Symphony No. 6 (Op. 68, Pastoral Symphony).

Music on the Mountain is a great way to spend a day outdoors enjoying music and support two Berks County non-profit organizations: the Berks Sinfonietta and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Berks Sinfonietta’s mission is to expand the appreciation for and to promote the art of classical music. Exclusively consisting of local musicians, the Sinfonietta adopts an intergenerational approach in which artists with varying skill levels, from students and talented amateurs to area professionals, come together for education and community.

Music on the Mountain is made possible thanks to a sponsorship by Dr. and Mrs. Barton Smith and Dr. and Mrs. William I. Smith, Jr. and is held in memory of life-long Hawk Mountain friend Matt Spence, who loved “beetles, birds, and Beethoven.”

Tickets cost $20 for Hawk Mountain members and $25 for non-members. Bench seating is first-come firstserved and limited folding chairs are available, or guests may bring their own camp chair or blanket. Register at hawkmountain.org/ berkssinfonietta. The rain date is Sunday, June 12.

The 2,500-acre Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is the world’s first refuge for birds of prey and an international center for raptor conservation. Its Sanctuary is open to the public year-round by trail-fee or membership, which in turn supports the organization’s raptor conservation mission and localto-global research, training, and education programs. To learn more about Hawk Mountain and its programs, visit www.hawkmountain. org.