The Honest Brook Music Festival opens its new season this weekend with a series that celebrates both emerging artists and the vision of its late co-founder, Michael Cannon. The 2026 festival marks a period of transition, with David Brooks stepping into the roles of artistic director and president following Cannon's death in February.
Brooks says the loss was deeply felt throughout the organization.
"We lost Michael Cannon, our artistic director, co-founder, and president, and that was a loss that we had not expected," Brooks said. "We had a lovely memorial service honoring him in June... and now we're trying to gather together, and we're going to try to make it our very best."Although the festival begins a new chapter, Brooks notes that this season's performers were all selected by Cannon before his death.
The July 18 concert features pianist Kiron Atom Tellian in a program pairing Chopin and Scriabin études before concluding with Schumann's Symphonic Études. Brooks says the unusual programming was carefully designed.
"What he's done is put Scriabin études and Chopin études back and forth, and so you're going to be hearing some wonderful music and interplay between the two composers," Brooks said.The August 2 concert welcomes Spanish saxophonist Estel Vivó Casanovas, currently pursuing a doctorate at the Eastman School of Music. She'll perform a program ranging from Bach to contemporary works, demonstrating the versatility of the classical saxophone.
The season concludes August 9 with Trio Azura, another ensemble Brooks says represents the festival's commitment to discovering exceptional young talent. The trio's program ranges from Romantic to contemporary works and includes Mendelssohn's Piano Trio.
Honest Brook Music Festival has earned a reputation for presenting artists before they become international stars. Violinist Randall Goosby and the Jupiter String Quartet both appeared early in their careers, and Brooks credits Cannon's remarkable instincts for identifying exceptional musicians.
"Michael was an incredible artist himself and had a gift for just finding the right performers," Brooks said. "He knows how to pick them."The Honest Brook Music Festival opens Saturday, July 11, with additional concerts on Saturday, July 18, Sunday, August 2, and Sunday, August 9. All performances begin at 4 p.m. in the festival's historic barn near Delhi. More information is available at Honest Brook Music Festival.