Dive into the vibrant world of contemporary and classical music with the Lakes Area Music Festival 2025. Featuring a dazzling array of performances, this year’s festival offers a rich tapestry of sound with events like 'Hub Mixtape' in Minneapolis and Brainerd, 'Songs Without Words' showcasing Romantic period gems, the imaginative 'Storms, Shipwrecks & Sorcery', and the grand finale 'A Hero’s Life'. Join an array of talented artists as they bring to life compositions that span genres and centuries, promising an unforgettable musical journey.

Exploring the Musical Tapestry: Highlights from the Lakes Area Music Festival 2025

Hub New Music gives a glimpse into the exciting world of contemporary composition in a program of short works. The program is a musical tasting menu of sorts, in which audiences can sample a variety of styles and influences that make up today's musical palette.

Hub Mixtape (Brainerd)

Lutheran Church of the Cross

Hub New Music gives a glimpse into the exciting world of contemporary composition in a program of short works. The program is a musicatasting menu of sorts, in which audiences can sample a variety of styles and influences that make up today's musical palette.



Hub Mixtape (Minneapolis)

The Woman's Club Of Minneapolis

“When choosing the pieces for this program, I was thinking about Amy Beach’s deeply romantic voice and how it relates so naturally with the easeful melodies of Felix Mendelssohn’s Songs without Words, Sergei Rachmaninoff’s lush harmonies from his Cello Sonata in G Minor, and Clara Schumann’s whimsical 3 Romances. Mendelssohn and Clara Schumann preceded Amy Beach, paving the way for the tonal worlds of the 20th Century Romantics (like Rachmaninoff and Beach). Sergei Rachmaninoff and Amy Beach were contemporaries, and I find that their music pairs together well. Since they were both pianists, Rachmaninoff and Beach were not only incredibly romantic in their compositional styles, but also both deeply connected to the physicality of the piano in their compositional languages.” —Audrey Vardanaga, Piano/Curator

Songs Without Words (Minneapolis)

Jackiw Plays Dvořák

Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts

The Rake’s Progress

This winter, at the 66th annual awards ceremony, Julia Bullock was awarded a GRAMMY® in the category of ‘Best Classical Solo Vocal Album’ for her 2022 Nonesuch Records album, Walking in the Dark, “an album that shines, introducing us to an artist curating a career on her own distinctive terms,” (NPR). A regular guest artist of the Lakes Area Music Festival, Julia returns this summer to perform a solo recital in collaboration with pianist and LAMF Vocal Fellowship leader, Bretton Brown.

Julia Bullock Solo Recital

Downtown Brainerd Block Party

Family Concert: Thrills & Superheroes

Thalea String Quartet performance of three world premieres by composer fellows. 11 a.m. at Tornstrom Auditorium
Orchestral reading of fellows' works with Christian Reif and the LAMF Symphony, 2-4 p.m. at Gichi-ziibi Center

Lamf Composer Fellowship Experience

A Night At The Opera

Beethoven’s Ninth

Gala: Summon The Heroes

Historically, the art form known as “jazz” has largely been kept separate from the rest of the classical canon, but as time goes on more people are understanding the classic nature of this uniquely American musical tradition. In this program curated by Loki Karuna, audiences will experience the breadth of jazz’s influence on the European chamber music canon, contemporary composition, and everything in between, as a means of understanding jazz as one of the world’s “classical” traditions. Featuring the versatility of the saxophone alongside piano and strings.

Loki Karuna Curation (Brainerd)

Our the Road series brings our LAMF superfans together to experience the other world-class ensembles Minnesota has to offer. Not only do those trips provide coach bus transport to amazing Twin Cities venues, but they also include a one-of-a-kind dining experience joined by the artists we'll see on stage! Hop on the bus in Brainerd, or join us in the Twin Cities, and experience classical music without the hassle of driving, parking, and navigating.

On the Road to MN Orchestra

LAMF artistic advisor Chloe Fedor returns to our winter series– this time alone with her violin. She brings a solo program featuring masterpieces from the baroque era alongside contemporary pieces drawing on the historical context of her instrument. An intimate program not to be missed!

Solo Spotlight: Chloe Fedor (Brainerd)

Solo Spotlight: Chloe Fedor (Minneapolis)

Our On the Road series brings our LAMF superfans together to experience the other world-class ensembles Minnesota has to offer. Not only do those trips provide coach bus transport to amazing Twin Cities venues, but they also include a one-of-a-kind dining experience joined by the artists we'll see on stage! Hop on the bus in Brainerd, or join us in the Twin Cities, and experience classical music without the hassle of driving, parking, and navigating.

On the Road to MN Opera

The Callisto Quartet will brave the winter in Minnesota in LAMF's first ever winter residency! Join them for the culimination of their visit in this intimate program of string quartet repertoire. In addition to these performances their residency will include school visits and community outreach in the Brainerd Lakes Area.

Callisto Quartet in Residence (Brainerd)

Callisto Quartet in Residence (Minneapolis)

Pianist Audrey Vardanaga joins strings from the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Orchestra bringing music from the Romantic period, including Amy Beach's stunning Piano Quintet.

Lakes Area Music Festival

May 2, 2025

Songs Without Words (Brainerd)

Jul 31, 2025

Storms, Shipwrecks & Sorcery

17 - 18 Aug, 2025

A Hero’s Life

Apr 13, 2025

Hub Mixtape (Brainerd)

Apr 11, 2025

Hub Mixtape (Minneapolis)

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Lakes Area Music Festival