Community Engagement - Grand Teton Music Festival

GTMF’s mission to provide exhilarating musical experiences goes beyond presenting concerts at Walk Festival Hall. We’re committed to engaging with our community through interactive programs that reach people of all ages.

For more information about our education and community programs, contact Ashley Hernandez-Salinas, Community Engagement Manager, at 307.732.9962 or ashley@gtmf.org.

If you’re interested in supporting GTMF’s Community Engagement Initiatives, click here, and note that you’d like your gift to support these programs. You may also contact Tim Dodge, Director of Development, at 307.732.9952 or tim@gtmf.org

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GTMF’s Community Engagement programs are generously sponsored by Shelby Pollard Belote & Brent Belote, Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, Frank A. O’Neil Foundation, Jerry & Marilyn Handler Foundation, Rendezvous Mountain Rentals, Karen Rockey, Marguerite & Matt Stoner, Wyoming Arts Council and Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund.

GTMF On the Road

GTMF On the Road brings live classical music to audiences in Teton County and surrounding communities through free concerts presented in partnership with community organizations in welcoming locations. Full schedule:

Musical Adventures

Led by Stoner Family Education Curator Meaghan Heinrich, these free events are fun, informative and engaging music sessions for young children and their adult caretakers. Geared for listeners ages one through five, classes are also fun and accessible for all ages.

Donald Runnicles Scholarship Competition

Grand Teton Music Festival hosted the 8th Annual Scholarship Competition in honor of Music Director Donald Runnicles on July 26 & 27, 2025. Six semi-finalists performed for a panel of judges including Maestro Donald Runnicles at Walk Festival Hall. Three finalists competed for $50,000 in scholarship awards.

Congratulations to our 2025 Scholarship Winners!
1st place – Shelby Cox, violin (Laramie, WY)
2nd place – Benjamin Zielinski, flute (Florence, MT)
3rd place – Charles Snellman, cello (Helena, MT)

Family Jam

GRAMMY®-winning trio Time for Three presents a fun, interactive program exploring the infinite possibilities of music that introduces the whole family to the wonders of strings.

Coombs Outdoors Partnership

Coombs Outdoors and GTMF have partnered to create access to music lessons and opportunities for Coombs Outdoors participants. The Coombs Ukulele Club offers ukulele lessons to Coombs participants once a week for the duration of the summer, followed by a public performance.

Preconcert Talks

Go beyond the program notes with these educational and engaging presentations about the evening’s performances in the Barbara Furrer Goodman Memorial Garden. Free with Festival Orchestra concert ticket.

GTMF Youth Ukulele Jam

Summer is the perfect time for outdoor sing-alongs, and the ukulele is a perfect starter instrument for kids! Participants will learn the basics of tuning, holding and strumming the ukulele and how to play and sing a variety of fun and engaging songs. Students must bring their own ukulele. This program is designed for children ages 6 to 12 years old.

Meaghan On Deck

During the break at Open Rehearsals, join Stoner Family Education Curator Meaghan Heinrich and special guests on the Pavilion for a casual opportunity for attendees to ask questions about the music.

Camp Jackson Music Festival

Teton County/Jackson Parks & Recreation’s Camp Jackson and GTMF have teamed up to provide access to musical experiences through the Camp Jackson Music Festival, Camp participants will work together to present a condensed version of GTMF’s summer opera, "Hansel and Gretel."

MusicLand/Jackson Hole Youth Orchestra Camp

This camp for grades 7-12, aimed at intermediate to advanced players, provides participants the chance to collaborate with GTMF musicians as well as teachers and musicians from MusicLand/JH Youth Orchestra. The camp also includes a field trip to a Festival Orchestra rehearsal and concludes with an evening performance onstage at Walk Festival Hall.

Teton Music School’s Summer Strings Camp

Teton Music School’s Summer Strings Camp for middle school students will feature a performance and clinic instruction by a resident GTMF string quartet. Students will attend a Festival Orchestra Open Rehearsal and end the week with a performance at Walk Festival Hall.

Practice Kindergarten

Teton Literacy Center’s Practice Kindergarten and GTMF have partnered to create an early childhood music education class experience that will introduce participants to the kindergarten music classroom.

Music at Hole Food Rescue’s Sprout Mobile

Come learn how percussion instruments work, join Ms. Meaghan for a sing-along and make your own instrument to take home! Great for children of all ages, plus enjoy a free healthy lunch from Hole Food Rescue’s Sprout Mobile.

StringFest

StringFest unites orchestra students from local schools for an immersive workshop led by an expert clinician. This year, GTMF offered two StringFest sessions in March at Walk Festival Hall: one for 8th grade students led by violinist Barbara Scowcroft and another for high school students led by violinist Lorien Benet Hart.