CHAUTAUQUA–During just the first two weeks of Chautauqua Institution’s 2026 season, the music at Chautauqua Institution has been tremendous.

Finding more than three examples would be easy, yet for today, let’s take just three.

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You, faithful reader of this column, have long known the Raleigh Ringers–a North Carolina handbell choir that its conductor said has been to Chautauqua seven times beginning in 1995–are worth hearing.

Their July 1 concert didn’t disappoint.

What’s obvious from any Raleigh Ringers performance is that they’re having so much fun, especially–but not only–during their encore performance of Flight of the Bumble Bee, a favorite of many audiences.

During this song, the fun starts when they swap their usual black gloves for black and yellow gloves, and it gets even better from there.

Long before the encore–indeed, from the beginning–their performance brings the audience to its feet.

On July 1, they opened with the overture from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and continued with the Wilhelm Tell Overture, both of which are easy for many audience members to recognize within seconds of the first notes.

Then came the finale from Firebird and what the ringers called an American sampler in celebration of the country’s 250th birthday:

– A circus march: Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite.

– A folk song: American Carillon.

– Jazz: Powerhouse.

– Ragtime: Pine Apple Rag.

– Rock and roll: Don’t Stop Believin’, and

– A patriot march: Stars and Stripes Forever.

And since July 1 is Canada Day, the ringers played the Canadian national anthem, during which the audience rose and spontaneously sang.

For part of the concert, the ringers changed into Carolina Hurricanes’ jerseys in celebration of Raleigh’s National Hockey League’s team’s winning the Stanley Cup in 2026.

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Independence Day brought the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra to the stage.

The Saturday-evening concert itself was great, yet what was also fun was to find a seat in the nearly-empty amphitheater on Saturday afternoon while the orchestra was practicing.

The practice included many songs, among them Stars and Stripes Forever.

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The orchestra was back on stage for another stunning performance on July 7.

Before intermission, the orchestra itself played Dobrinka Tabakova’s Orpheus’s Comet plus five movements from Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major.

Afterward, talented pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk, who the program said was born in Ukraine and has Austrian citizenship, joined the orchestra in playing three movements from Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor.

The entire concert was stunning.

The standing ovation was well earned.

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With that, let’s pick up where we left off five weeks ago: Each year, Chautauqua Institution invites Chautauqua County residents to be its guests on Chautauqua County day.

This is your annual chance, Chautauqua County residents, to visit the institution on a weekday without paying gate fees and without paying for parking.

The 2026 Chautauqua County day at Chautauqua Institution is July 17. According to the institution’s website:

– Chautauqua County residents enjoy free admission and parking from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., including free access to all amphitheater and Hall of Philosophy events.

– Bring proof of residency. Children 12 and under are always free.

However:

– Parking is complimentary for Chautauqua County day participants who secure tickets before July 17, either online, by phone, or in person. If you wait until July 17, you’ll have to pay for parking with a credit card at the parking lot or with cash at the main gate before entering the parking lot.

– Attending the Friday evening, July 17, performance requires purchase of a separate ticket.

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Randy Elf hopes you’ll enjoy Chautauqua Institution’s hospitality on Chautauqua County day.

COPYRIGHT © 2026 BY RANDY ELF