2020-2021 Annual Report

Tanglewood’s festive, annual Family Concert returned in 2021, with trumpeter and conductor Byron Stripling leading members of the BSO in “American Melodies,” a program that focused on the early songs that defined America, from folk to spirituals, to gospel and jazz. An internationally renowned jazz trumpeter who performed as lead trumpeter and soloist with the Count Basie Orchestra, Stripling enthralled more than 3,600 kids and families with the diverse and spirited program that shared important lessons about music and culture in a way that was accessible to listeners of all ages. “You’d figure a guy like Stripling, being a seasoned entertainer, would be a lot of fun at parties,” raved The Berkshire Edge. “Only in his case, he is the party.”