The Festival’s 45th anniversary opened with two celebratory concerts featuring beloved local musicians and the theme “Home. Heart. Harmony.” Highlights included returning artists like Wynton Marsalis and Rhiannon Giddens, alongside Festival debuts by Chris Thile and James Ehnes.
The outreach initiative “Searching for Home” explored the meaning of home through free performances showcasing traditions from resettled communities in Central New York, including Syrians, Somalians, Afghans, and Ukrainians. The theme continued with commissioned works by Kinan Azmeh and Arson Fahim, including Gravitas, Memories from a Place I’ve Never Been, and a new arrangement of En Gham Be Haya.
