ArtistDirect News
Pine Mountain Music Festival Kicks Off 35th Season with Three Classical Acts Across Upper Peninsula
Under a clear June sky, the Pine Mountain Music Festival (PMMF) opened its 35th summer season on Saturday, June 22, in Houghton, Michigan. The week‑long celebration will wrap up on June 27, with performances scattered across Houghton, Iron Mountain, Ontonagon, and Marquette. The program features three touring classical ensembles—A Little Light Music, the Bergonzi Trio, and UPstarts!—each bringing a distinct voice to the Upper Peninsula’s cultural landscape.
During the opening night, PMMF Artistic Director Joel Neves revealed the lineup. "We are super excited about our three acts for the festival," Neves said. "The world‑class Bergonzi Trio, A Little Light Music and UPstarts!, which is a unique program that highlights talented young Yooper musicians." The season is framed as a return to the festival’s chamber‑music roots while broadening its appeal to a wider audience.
A Little Light Music, a soprano‑tenor duo, will charm listeners with lighter opera and musical‑theatre selections. The pair—soprano Julie Tabash Kelsheimer, who performed with PMMF in 2012, 2013, and 2017, and tenor Drake Dantzler—will be joined by pianist Jon Ensminger. Their first appearance of the season will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23, at Iron Mountain High School. They opened the festival in Houghton on Saturday and will return to Marquette on Sunday.
The Bergonzi Trio, a trio that has graced PMMF stages for 31 years, will bring a repertoire that blends Beethoven, Arensky, and Clara Schumann. Their Wednesday, June 24, concert at Iron Mountain High School will highlight accessible chamber music for families. In addition, the trio will perform two children’s concerts in Marquette (2 p.m. Thursday and 7:30 p.m. Friday) and two shows in Houghton (11 a.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Saturday). The program’s focus on family‑friendly repertoire underscores the festival’s commitment to community engagement.
UPstarts!—a competitively selected group of young Yooper musicians—will offer a fresh, local perspective. The ensemble features flute player Liv Arney (Houghton), oboe player Joel Greene (Hancock), pianist Aubrie Jacobson (Marquette), trumpet player Shane Niland (Houghton), and soprano Jessica Schrader (Marquette). Their first show, 7:30 p.m. on June 24, will be staged at the Ontonagon Theatre. Subsequent concerts are slated for Iron Mountain (June 25), Marquette (June 26), and Houghton (June 27), all at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.
PMMF continues its “Pay As You’re Able” ticketing model, keeping concerts affordable and reinforcing the belief that access to the arts is a fundamental human right. The festival’s website notes that ticket revenue alone does not cover production costs, yet the organization remains steadfast in its mission to make classical music accessible. Patrons may select a tier that reflects their means, and all concerts are available for livestream viewing. Tickets and additional information can be purchased at https://pinemountainmusicfestival.com/tickets/.
Looking forward, Neves announced that the 2027 season will bring back fully staged opera to Pine Mountain, marking the festival’s 37th opera production—the first since 2018. He also highlighted PMMF’s status as the longest‑running music festival in the Upper Peninsula and one of the few classical festivals still thriving across the United States.
In sum, the 2026 Pine Mountain Music Festival delivers a diverse slate of chamber and family‑oriented concerts across four Upper Peninsula cities. Supported by an inclusive ticketing model and livestream options, the season concludes on June 27 in Houghton, with future plans already charted toward a return to full‑scale opera in 2027.
During the opening night, PMMF Artistic Director Joel Neves revealed the lineup. "We are super excited about our three acts for the festival," Neves said. "The world‑class Bergonzi Trio, A Little Light Music and UPstarts!, which is a unique program that highlights talented young Yooper musicians." The season is framed as a return to the festival’s chamber‑music roots while broadening its appeal to a wider audience.
A Little Light Music, a soprano‑tenor duo, will charm listeners with lighter opera and musical‑theatre selections. The pair—soprano Julie Tabash Kelsheimer, who performed with PMMF in 2012, 2013, and 2017, and tenor Drake Dantzler—will be joined by pianist Jon Ensminger. Their first appearance of the season will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23, at Iron Mountain High School. They opened the festival in Houghton on Saturday and will return to Marquette on Sunday.
The Bergonzi Trio, a trio that has graced PMMF stages for 31 years, will bring a repertoire that blends Beethoven, Arensky, and Clara Schumann. Their Wednesday, June 24, concert at Iron Mountain High School will highlight accessible chamber music for families. In addition, the trio will perform two children’s concerts in Marquette (2 p.m. Thursday and 7:30 p.m. Friday) and two shows in Houghton (11 a.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Saturday). The program’s focus on family‑friendly repertoire underscores the festival’s commitment to community engagement.
UPstarts!—a competitively selected group of young Yooper musicians—will offer a fresh, local perspective. The ensemble features flute player Liv Arney (Houghton), oboe player Joel Greene (Hancock), pianist Aubrie Jacobson (Marquette), trumpet player Shane Niland (Houghton), and soprano Jessica Schrader (Marquette). Their first show, 7:30 p.m. on June 24, will be staged at the Ontonagon Theatre. Subsequent concerts are slated for Iron Mountain (June 25), Marquette (June 26), and Houghton (June 27), all at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.
PMMF continues its “Pay As You’re Able” ticketing model, keeping concerts affordable and reinforcing the belief that access to the arts is a fundamental human right. The festival’s website notes that ticket revenue alone does not cover production costs, yet the organization remains steadfast in its mission to make classical music accessible. Patrons may select a tier that reflects their means, and all concerts are available for livestream viewing. Tickets and additional information can be purchased at https://pinemountainmusicfestival.com/tickets/.
Looking forward, Neves announced that the 2027 season will bring back fully staged opera to Pine Mountain, marking the festival’s 37th opera production—the first since 2018. He also highlighted PMMF’s status as the longest‑running music festival in the Upper Peninsula and one of the few classical festivals still thriving across the United States.
In sum, the 2026 Pine Mountain Music Festival delivers a diverse slate of chamber and family‑oriented concerts across four Upper Peninsula cities. Supported by an inclusive ticketing model and livestream options, the season concludes on June 27 in Houghton, with future plans already charted toward a return to full‑scale opera in 2027.