2025 SEASON EVENTS

CHAMBER @ THE DRAKE
44 N Pleasant St, Amherst, MA 01002
4:00 pm show (3:30 pm doors)

We are thrilled to announce a new Antenna Cloud Farm residency by NOW Ensemble, a virtuosic group of performers and composers celebrated for their fresh sound and unique instrumentation of flute, clarinet, electric guitar, double bass, and piano.

In collaboration with ACF, Chamber @ The Drake will present a concert by NOW Ensemble at The Drake’s intimate venue in Amherst.

ACF is also proud to partner with Great Falls Middle School, Turners Falls High School, Pioneer Valley Symphony Youth Orchestra, and Strings For Kids (a partnership between Greenfield Public Schools and the PVS) for workshops and performances led by NOW Ensemble. Learn more

FIRST FRIDAY TURNERS FALLS
5:00 - 8:30pm. Free!

A mini-block party on Third Street in celebration of the one-year anniversary of Dreamhouse Restaurant and Waterway Arts! Shops open late, live music, sales, special and pop-up events throughout downtown Turners Falls. Also featuring: MOHAWK FALAFEL & THE UPPER BEND & The Brick House Community Resource Center.

5pm: MONTAGUE WHEAT PASTE MURALS. Installation Opening!

5:45pm: THE ROCKING PUPPIES. A formidable father-and-daughter punk duo, with Nik on drums.

6:30pm: MICHI WIANCKO. Original music for electro-acoustic violin.

7:15pm: CLOUDBELLY. Melancholy Chamber-Pop.

First Friday Turners Falls is sponsored by RiverCulture and local business owners. This event is funded through the Turners Falls Cultural District Grant, a project of the Mass Cultural Council, a State Agency.

ACF Indoor Stage in Gill, MA
Concert #1 @ 2:00 pm (doors open 1:30)
Concert #2 @ 6:00 pm (doors open 5:30)
Each show followed by special reception.

ACF presents acclaimed Duo YUMENO, a collaboration between koto/shamisen player and singer Yoko Reikano Kimura and cellist Hikaru Tamaki. Duo YUMENO explores the dialogue between classical Japanese and western music, captivating audiences around the world from Carnegie Hall and the U.N. to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan.

As cultural ambassadors of Japanese music, the duo has performed at the Consulate General of Japan in Istanbul, Puerto Rico, the Embassy of Japan in Trinidad and Tobago, and in Bogota, celebrating the 110th anniversary of Japan-Colombia diplomatic relations. 

The duo’s name YUMENO 夢乃 means “of dreams” in Japanese. Taken from a scroll gifted to Hikaru by Zen Buddhist master Soko Morinaga (1925-1995), the complete text reads 夢乃里無片雲: “In the land of dreams, not a single cloud exists.” LEARN MORE HERE.

ACF Indoor Stage in Gill, MA
6:00 Concert (doors open 5:30)
Followed by a reception.

Join us for an evening of powerful, contemporary vocal music performed by celebrated baritone Christopher Dylan Herbert and pianist Chris Reynolds.

The Songs We Carry features a series of modern song cycles including a premiere by Judd Greenstein; Nico Muhly’s The Last Letter, which gives voice to wartime correspondence from WWI; Chris DeBlasio’s All the Way Through Evening, a piercing and poetic response to the AIDS crisis; and Ellen Reid’s Comme les ailes d’un oiseau, based on Amin Maalouf's novel Ports of Call.

Known for his nuanced interpretations and rich, expressive voice, Christopher Herbert’s career spans opera, art song, and cross-disciplinary performance, as well as musicology and scholarship. He is joined by Chris Reynolds, a soloist and sought-after collaborator, currently working with Deutsche Oper Berlin. Join us in welcoming these wonderful artists to Gill! LEARN MORE HERE.

ACF Outdoor Stage in Gill, MA
6:00 pm Concert (grounds open 4:30)
Followed by a reception. Raindate tba.

Originally from Damascus, Syria, clarinetist, composer, and improviser Kinan Azmeh has gained international recognition for his distinctive voice and genre-bending artistry, appearing with countless artists and groups including the New York Philharmonic, the Syrian Symphony Orchestra, Yo-Yo Ma, Marcel Khalife, and in venues such as the Opera Bastille in Paris, the UN General Assembly, and Carnegie Hall.

Formed in 2006 in NYC, Kinan Azmeh & CityBand celebrate 18 years of friendship with the recent release of their album, Live in Berlin. Comprised of Kinan on clarinet, guitarist (and ACF alum!) Kyle Sanna, percussionist John Hadfield, and Josh Myers on double bass, the quartet has gained worldwide acclaim for their virtuosic and high energy performances. With this ensemble, Azmeh strives to reach a balance between classical music, jazz, and the music of his homeland, Syria. LEARN MORE HERE.

Raindate September 7
ACF Outdoor Stage in Gill, MA
1:00-3:00 Picnic & jam session
3:00 pm: Singing workshop / Zingeray
4:30 pm: Potluck dinner
5:30 pm: Sunset concert

Antenna Cloud Farms presents Dreaming in Diaspora – an inclusive hilltop mini-festival featuring klezmer music, Yiddish culture, good food, and community gathering rooted in care.

Led by local musicians and cultural organizers Rachel Leader, Ariel Shapiro, Weaver, and Richie Barshay, plus special guests, offerings will include a relaxed afternoon for BYO picnicking, an open klezmer jam session, singing workshop with live musical accompaniment (no experience necessary), a community potluck dinner, and a klezmer concert of folk songs, dance repertoire & original compositions. Drop in for an hour, or stay for the whole day!

Join us in listening deeply, raising our voices in communal song, sharing a meal, and dreaming together in diaspora as we work to imagine and build a frayer velt (a freer world). ​LEARN MORE HERE.

The Experimental Institute is a fully immersive summer intensive that brings together a cohort of highly accomplished musical performing artists and activators in various stages of their careers, from talented students to renowned professionals. Institute programming is centered around collaborative exploration and learning, personal well-being, community resilience, and artistic excellence, with a curricular focus on project incubation, mentorship, and transformative institutional pedagogy. Visit the Ei page to learn more!

What a real honor it is for us to host the renowned performer, educator, public speaker, and flutemaker Hawk Henries each year when he appears at our locally beloved Pocumtuck Homelands Festival, produced by Nolumbeka Project. This year’s festival takes place on August 2 and 3 (10-5 both days) at the Unity Park Waterfront in Turners Falls, MA. Offerings will include an array of traditional music, native drums, circle dances, children’s activities, 40+ indigenous artists selling beautiful creations, Indigenous history talks, and food vendors (including indigenous fare). Visit Nolumbeka Project for more information.