Join us May 18-23, 2026, for an exciting week of chamber music performances, educational activities, and a celebration of multicultural exchange in and throughout the Lindsborg community and the Smoky Valley region.
All festival events are free and open to the public.
Festival Schedule
The festival will feature daily concerts and special events in and throughout the Lindsborg community, culminating with the Festival Finale concert on Saturday, May 23, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. in Presser Hall, featuring Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring,” and the world premiere of a brand-new composition by AJ Harbison, inspired by musical flavors unique to Lindsborg—from Handel’s “Messiah” to Swedish fiddle tunes!
In addition to musical performances, artist musicians will host outreach activities in the community and educational workshops with students from local schools.
Festival Theme
The festival programs are woven together by the 2026 theme: American Soundscape, featuring music that reflects the unique blend of multicultural traditions across the American musical landscape.
The festival will highlight this unique melting pot of voices featuring works of both American-born composers and composers with special connections to our national identity and local community, such Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Antonín Dvořák, Johann Sebastian Bach, Lars Erik Larsson, and Johann Halvorsen.
Check out the full concert schedule below!
Festival Weekday Concerts & Special Events
May 18-21
RAIN DATE: TBD Monday, May 18 at 7:30p: “Välkommen To Lindsborg”
A pop-up performance ft. SVCMF Young Artists | Välkommen Bridge & Bike Trail
Tuesday, May 19 at 4p: “Teaching the Piano: A Masterclass WITHIN a Masterclass”
Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church Messiah Lutheran Church
Featuring:
Dr. Karen Savage, SVCMF Faculty Artist
Shiyi Zhu, SVCMF Young Artist
Carolyn Hofer, SVCMF Student Artist
Performing Beethoven: Sonata No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90
CONCERT #1: Tuesday, May 19 at 7p: “American Soundscape”
Seville String Quartet | St. Bridget’s of Sweden Catholic Church
Works by Caroline Shaw, Florence Price, and Antonín Dvořák.
Wednesday, May 20 at 11a: “Virtuosic Soundscape”
Sunflower Terrace, North Entrance | Bethany Village
Sunflower Terrace
Featuring: Shiyi Zhu & SVCMF Young Artists
Wednesday, May 20 at 3p: “Summer Sound & Stories”
Lindsborg Community Library
Featuring SVCMF Young Artists: Bekah Walker, Flute
Jeff Doucette, Bassoon
Jesus Garcia, Horn
Allison Smith, Violin
Cesarín Caro, Clarinet
Wednesday, May 20 at 4p: “America’s First Lady Of The Baton: An Introduction to the Life & Legacy of Ebba Nylander Sundstrom — Swedish-American Violinist, Conductor, and Lindsborg Native.”
Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum
Presented by Caroline J. Beckman, M.M.
Doctor of Musical Arts Candidate at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music.
CONCERT #2: Wednesday, May 20 at 7p: “Scandinavian Soundscape.”
Young Artists String Chamber Concert, featuring Moa Glimberg, Bass
Swedish Pavilion | Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum
Works by Johann Halvorsen, Lars Erik Larsson, and Edvard Grieg.
Thursday, May 21 at 12:25p: “Bach & Chalk”
SVCMF Youn Artist Elise Cole & Chalk Artist Shelly Carlson | Blacksmith Roastery & Coffee Shop
Original chalk drawing created in real time during a live performance of J. S. Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007.
CONCERT #3: Thursday, May 21 at 7p: “European Threads”
Faculty Artist Recital | Sandzén Art Gallery
Works by Robert Schumann, Bela Bartok, Edvard Grieg, and Lukas Foss.
Festival Weekend Concerts & Special Events
May 22-23
CONCERT #4: Friday, May 22 at 3:00p: “American Sketches”
Bethany Lutheran Church
Featuring: AndEs Pian Duo Andreas Landstedt & Esther Jihye Han Landstedt Composers: Amy Beach, Libby Larsen, Edward MacDowell, and Logan Skelton.
CONCERT #5: Friday, May 22 at 7:30p: “American Mosaic”
Young Artists Showcase Recital | Pearson Chapel, Bethany College
Works by George Gershwin, John Williams, Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, and Amy Beach.
Saturday, May 23 at 10a – 2p: “Spring Artists’ Studio Open House”
Red Barn Studio Museum
Lindsborg area artists invite you to experience Lindsborg’s charming art scene firsthand by stepping inside actual working studios of Lindsborg artists and enjoying live performances by Smoky Valley Chamber Music Festival musicians.
Featured studios and map of locations found at redbarnstudio.org
Saturday, May 23 at 2:15p: “Lindsborg Folkdanslag”
Southeast Lawn, Presser Hall | Bethany College Campus
Come enjoy a pop-up performance of Swedish Folk dancing before the SVCMF Finale Concert
CONCERT #6: Saturday, May 23 at 3p: “Smoky Valley Soundscape”
Festival Finale Concert | Presser Hall Auditorium, Bethany College
Works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Edvard Grieg, Aaron Copland, and AJ Harbison.
Festival Artists
The festival will feature a residency of professional musicians from across the USA and around the world, including faculty artists Joseph Genualdi (violin), Michael Mermagen (cello), and Karen Hsaio Savage (piano), and 18 emerging young artists from 11 states across the USA and 9 countries around the globe, including Canada, China, Columbia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, Venezuela, and Sweden.
785-227-7175