Newport Classical
Photo by Lisette Rooney
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PRESS CONTACTS
Christina Jensen, christina@jensenartists.com
Kira Grunenberg, kira@jensenartists.com
646.536.7864
“The new executive director, Gillian Friedman Fox, is stitching together a rich tapestry of works...”
Newport Classical is a premier performing arts organization that welcomes people of every age, culture, and background to intimate, immersive musical experiences. The organization presents world-renowned and up-and-coming artistic talents at stunning, storied venues across Newport – an internationally sought-after cultural and recreational destination.
Originally founded in 1969 as Rhode Island Arts Foundation at Newport, Inc., Newport Classical has a rich legacy of musical curiosity having presented the American debuts of hundreds of international artists and is most well-known for hosting three weeks of concerts in the summer in the historic mansions throughout Newport and Aquidneck Island. In the 55 years since, Newport Classical has become the most active year-round presenter of music on Aquidneck Island, and an essential pillar of Rhode Island’s cultural landscape, welcoming thousands of patrons all year long.
Newport Classical invests in the future of classical music as a diverse, relevant, and ever-evolving art form through its four core programs – the one-of-a-kind Music Festival; the Chamber Series in the Newport Classical Recital Hall; the free, family-friendly Community Concerts Series; and the Music Education and Engagement Initiative that inspires students in local schools to become the arts advocates and music lovers of tomorrow. These programs illustrate the organization’s ongoing commitment to presenting “timeless music for today.”
In 2021, the organization launched a new commissioning initiative – each year, Newport Classical will commission a new work by a Black, Indigenous, person of color, or woman composer as a commitment to the future of classical music. To date, Newport Classical has commissioned and presented the world premiere of works by Stacy Garrop, Shawn Okpebholo, Curtis Stewart, and Clarice Assad.
“This summer’s Newport Music Festival concerts . . .makes a special point of celebrating cultural diversity in music.”
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“Newport Music Festival has always really been a significant part of the cultural fabric for Newport County and Rhode Island, but has also attracted people from all over the country and all over the world,” Friedman Fox said. “So my hope is that as restrictions ease and things start to open back up again, that folks from all over the country will feel comfortable coming out and experiencing everything that Newport has to offer.”