Gretna Music packs summer season with jazz, Irish, bluegrass, and chamber music

Gretna Music has announced its 2026 summer season, with a lineup including jazz, classical, a cappella, bluegrass, and Irish music.

The series runs from June through September, with performances held at the open-air, 708-seat Mount Gretna Playhouse unless otherwise noted.

According to the announcement, the acclaimed Telegraph Quartet will launch the season and will serve as the artist-in-residence for the summer. Other summer highlights include two chamber ensemble masterworks by Manhattan Chamber Players, three rising stars in jazz, unique vocal arrangements by the all-women vocal ensemble Lyyra, 19-time Grammy Award winner Béla Fleck, Emmy-nominated Puerto Rican cuatrista Fabiola Méndez, and nine-time All-Ireland fiddle champion Eileen Ivers.

Several performances will be preceded by a free, 20-minute First Listen pre-concert show by “promising young local musicians,” the release says.

Here is the lineup:

• Sunday, June 14, 3 p.m. – Telegraph Quartet (2:15 p.m. First Listen)
• Sunday, June 21, 11 a.m. – Father’s Day Jazz Brunch with Valley X-Tet at The Hall of Philosophy
• Sunday, June 28, 4 p.m. – The Raleigh Ringers
• Friday, July 17, 7:30 p.m. – New Jazz Underground (6:30 p.m. First Listen)
• Saturday, July 18, 7:30 p.m. – Fabiola Méndez
• Sunday, July 19, 3 p.m. – Manhattan Chamber Players (2:15 p.m. First Listen)
• Sunday, July 26, 7:30 p.m. – Curtis On Tour: Guitar, Violin, & Cello (6:45 p.m. First Listen)
• Saturday, Aug. 1, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. – 40th annual Mount Gretna Tour of Homes (a self-guided walking tour)
• Friday, Aug. 7, 7:30 p.m. – Eileen Ivers & The Brigideens (preceded by free Irish session, 4i7 p.m. at The Hall of Philosophy)
• Saturday, Aug. 8, 7:30 p.m. – Michael Mayo
• Sunday, Aug. 9, 7:30 p.m. – Lyyra (6:45 p.m. First Listen)
• Sunday, Aug. 23, 3 p.m. – Trio Confero (2:15 p.m. First Listen)
• Saturday, Aug. 29, 2-5 p.m. – Play Music on the Porch Day (local musicians perform on Mount Gretna porches)
• Saturday, Aug. 29, 7:30 p.m. – Mathis Picard Trio (6:45 p.m. First Listen)
• Sunday, Aug. 30, 3 p.m. – Lysander Piano Trio (2:15 p.m. First Listen)
• Wednesday, Sept. 2, 7:30 p.m. – Béla Fleck: My Bluegrass Heart
• Saturday, Sept. 12, 3 p.m. – Borromeo String Quartet with Henry Kramer, piano (2:15 p.m. First Listen)

The summer schedule also includes three free special Gretna Music for Kids events at The Hall of Philosophy.

• Monday, June 15, 10 a.m. – Telegraph Quartet
• Monday, July 13, 10 a.m. – Mr. Music
• Monday, July 27, 10 a.m. – Happy Birthday Mon a.m.i (puppet show with accordion)

For more details and to purchase tickets, visit gretnamusic.org.

According to the release, Gretna Music offers an array of ticketing options. The Tutti Ticket offers steep discounts on all 11 open-seating events (Raleigh Ringers, Eileen Ivers, and Béla Fleck are designated seating events), while Gretna Grooves package is for the three jazz concerts (New Jazz Underground, Michael Mayo, and Mathis Picard Trio), and the Club Classical package is for the seven chamber music performances.

Gretna Music also offers $5 tickets for youth under 18, $5 tickets for the adult who brings a youth, half-price admission for ages 19 to 30, a 10% discount for active and retired military, and a pay-what-you-will option at the door based on availability.