3 day long - inaugural season of Rolling Hills Music Festival

The inaugural season of Rolling Hills Music Festival is a weekend-long classical music festival celebrating the art and artists of Iowa. Taking inspiration from Ames, Iowa’s surrounding landscape, neighborly culture, and legacy of innovation, every program incorporates musical compositions with an Iowa connection, performed by top local and regional professionals.

The entertaining and ambitious festival includes five concerts and community events at venues across the city and runs from Thursday, August 6 through Sunday, August 9.

The weekend-long event was founded by Ames native and accomplished violinist Ari Dubin. Since playing on VEISHEA parade floats and making her solo debut with the Central Iowa Symphony as a youth growing up in Ames, she has gone on to perform at some of the country’s most notable venues, from Carnegie Hall to The Kennedy Center.

Rolling Hills Music Festival is presented by Rolling Hills Chamber Music, an Ames-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of central Iowa residents and working artists through musical experiences that inspire joy, creativity, and connection.

Programs feature classical music for solo instruments and small ensembles, from well-known historical compositions to brand-new works by living Iowan composers, including world and state premieres. The artist roster brings together professionals who live and work throughout the state, including principal players of Iowa’s premier orchestras and faculty at university music programs

Tickets for paid events can be found at - https://www.rollinghillsmusicia.com/schedule.

The festival schedule includes:

A Walk in the Park [Free]

When: Thursday, August 6 (6:30-8pm) | Rain date: Sunday, August 9 (6:30-8pm)

Where: McFarland Park, 56461 180th St, Ames, IA 50010

Description: Small ensembles will be stationed at various locations throughout the park, with attendees traveling through the park at their own pace, experiencing a variety of classical styles while immersed in Iowa’s landscape.

Musicians: Caleb Polashek (violin), Abigail Rae (guitar), Dekel Luban (violin), Gretchen Theesfield (violin), Nathalie Cruden (viola), Yeil Park (cello), Steven Kennedy (guitar), Erika Leake McKnight (flute)

Homeward Bound [Ticketed: $20 adults, $7 youth & seniors]

When: Friday, August 7 (7:30pm)

Where: Reliable Street Art Gallery, 4625 Reliable Street, Ames, IA

Description: Program of string duos and quartets, including one of the most popular string quartets of all time: Antonín Dvořák’s iconic String Quartet No. 12 “American”, composed in Spillville, Iowa.

Musicians: Rachel Walter (violin), Ari Dubin (violin), Roslyn Green (viola), Yeil Park (cello)

Community Play-Along + Exhibits [Free]

When: Saturday, August 8 (1-3pm)

Where: Ames History Museum, 416 Douglas Ave #101, Ames, IA 50010

Description: Students, amateurs, and professionals alike are invited to come together to play chamber music as it was originally intended to be played: not on big stages, but among friends in intimate spaces. People can sign up in advance to receive parts to practice or just show up. Meanwhile, the museum will feature musical Ames artifacts from their collection on this admission-free day for all to enjoy.

Iowan Sounds [Ticketed: $20 adults, $7 youth & seniors]

When: Saturday, August 8 (7:30pm)

Where: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ames, 1015 Hyland Ave, Ames, IA 50014

Description: In collaboration with the Iowa Composers Forum, a program entirely of works by contemporary composers who live or have lived in Iowa, including a world premiere.

Musicians: Jonathan Sturm (violin), Kim Helton (flute), Gregory Oakes (clarinet), Nicholas Roth (piano)

Children's Concert [Free]

When: Sunday, August 9 (3-4pm)

Where: Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Ave, Ames, IA 50010

Description: Program of short selections of music with Iowa roots, uniquely curated for children of all ages and their families. From bird calls to love songs to country jigs, the kid-friendly concert will invite focused listening, full-body movement, and opportunities to engage directly with the musicians and their instruments.

Musicians: Rachel Walter (violin), Ari Dubin (violin), Roslyn Green (viola), Yeil Park (cello)

For more information and to reserve seats for ticketed events, visit www.rollinghillsmusicia.com.