Celebrating its 35th-anniversary season, the Pine Mountain Music Festival adapted to unexpected delays in state arts funding with creative logistical shifts, leaning heavily into the intimate settings of historical churches across the Upper Peninsula. Executive Director Lara Neves and Artistic Director Joel Neves designed the current lineup to harmoniously suit these spaces while intentionally pivoting toward lighter, more accessible vocal repertoire. By introducing programming focused on comedic opera and musical theatre rather than a heavily staged traditional production, the festival aims to offer an inviting entry point for a geographically isolated audience that rarely has local access to major metropolitan music centers.
The schedule balances long-standing traditions with fresh showcases, spotlighting the return of celebrated festival alumna Julie Tabash Kelsheimer alongside tenor Drake Dantzler for a crowd-pleasing tour of classic theatrical duets. Further anchoring the season is the return of the beloved Bergonzi Trio, who bridge the generational gap by combining formal evening chamber concerts with interactive and free children's library programs. Meanwhile, the festival continues to champion native talent through its signature youth initiative, UPstarts!, providing five emerging local instrumentalists and vocalists with a professional, multi-city tour across the region to build their public-facing performance skills and professional credentials.
Remaining resilient amid shifting economic landscapes and regional funding hurdles, the non-profit organization maintains its commitment to community inclusivity by using a flexible ticketing structure in which patrons pay whatever they can. Both directors expressed immense pride in the enduring community spirit and patron dedication that have allowed this classical festival to thrive since its founding. With an eye toward the future, the successful navigation of this year's financial hurdles has already set the stage for long-term growth, including plans to bring fully staged opera back to the Upper Peninsula with a major production slated for the next season.
Pine Mountain Music Festival's 2026 season at-a-glance:
- A Little Light Music
- Saturday, June 13: Grace United Methodist Church, Houghton, 7:30 pm
- Sunday, June 14: St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Marquette, 7:30 pm
- Tuesday, June 16: Iron Mountain High School, Iron Mountain, 7:30 pm Central
- The Bergonzi Trio
- Wednesday, June 17: Iron Mountain High School, Iron Mountain, 7:30 pm Central
- Thursday, June 18: Children's Concert, Peter White Public Library, Marquette, 2:00 pm
- Friday, June 19: Messiah Lutheran Church, Marquette, 7:30 pm
- Saturday, June 20: Children's Concert, Portage Lake United Church, Houghton, 11:00 am
- Saturday, June 20: Saints Peter and Paul Lutheran Church, Houghton, 7:30 pm
- UPStarts!
- Wednesday, June 24: Ontonagon Theatre, Ontonagon, 7:30 pm
- Thursday, June 25: First Presbyterian Church, Iron Mountain, 7:30 pm Central
- Friday, June 26: First Presbyterian Church, Marquette, 7:30 pm
- Saturday, June 27: Portage Lake United Church, Houghton, 7:30 pm
Public Radio 90's Kurt Hauswirth spoke with Lara and Joel Neves via phone about the festival:
For performance dates, ticketing, and more information, visit the Pine Mountain Music Festival website.
