Tanglewood Learning Institute Unveils Ambitious Year-Round Season Lineup
Tanglewood has become synonymous with summer. Now there are three more seasons to get excited about.
When the Tanglewood Learning Institute (TLI) opened the Linde Center for Music and Learning in 2019, it marked a shift in the identity of one of the country's most storied summer music festivals. With the announcement of its most expansive non-summer lineups yet (more than three dozen programs spanning September 2025 through May 2026) TLI is now becoming a year-round cultural anchor for the Berkshires.
In addition to the return of smaller more intimate chamber concerts with Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians and recitals, the new schedule introduces a jazz series and expanded family programming. “We have been thrilled and humbled to see the Tanglewood Learning Institute embraced as a year-round destination,” says BSO President and CEO Chad Smith. “Our 2025–26 season reflects our deepening commitment to engaging the vibrant, year-round Berkshires community and to fully exploring the potential of TLI as a space where BSO programs make thought-provoking connections between music, art, and society.”
Jazz Takes the Stage
The newly minted TLI Jazz series debuts September 12 with Mexican vocalist Lucía, whose genre-bending blend of Latin, jazz, and pop has been earning the 23-year-old lots of attention. The series continues through May with performances by celebrated artists including drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. and his band Generation Y (November 7), pianist Ted Rosenthal’s Trio (November 28), and vocalist Stella Cole (December 13). Valentine’s Day will feature two cabaret-style concerts by Tammy McCann, honoring jazz legends including Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday (February 14 & 15). Later spring highlights include the return of trumpeter Jumaane Smith (May 9) and a soul jazz showcase from saxophonist Nick Hempton (April 10).
TLI Presents: Global and Local Resonances
In addition to jazz, the TLI Presents series brings a wide range of other genres and voices to the Linde Center as well. Returning guests include Palaver Strings, this time exploring tango with guest bandoneonist Heyni Solera and dancers (September 28), and the Grammy-winning Catalyst Quartet, who perform a cinematic-themed program on November 14. Other highlights include the experimental percussion group Sandbox Percussion (October 5), classical guitarist Raphaël Feuillâtre (November 1), and violinist Joshua Brown (January 30).
The series concludes just in time for the 2026 summer season to start again on May 1, with Mirage, a program from Hub New Music featuring works by composer Daniel Wohl, including a movement inspired by a famous 1969 Berkshire UFO sighting.
Chamber Concerts and Community Engagement
TLI’s popular Sunday afternoon Chamber Concerts return with performances by small ensembles of BSO players on five dates throughout the season. These concerts continue the In Concert with Community initiative, spotlighting local nonprofits including Thanksgiving Angels and the Literacy Network.
December also brings back the festive TLI Holiday Brass series, curated by BSO musicians. Four performances, including a morning concert designed for families, will feature seasonal music, holiday themed menus, and elaborate decorations (December 19–21).
The TLI for Families program has been expanded to include events focusing on music, movement, and storytelling. Hip-hop artist Baba Israel returns October 26 with “Music Moves, Stories Groove,” joined by dancers and musicians for an interactive experience. On April 12, TLI will screen the animated short Magic Piano and The Chopin Shorts, accompanied live on piano—offering young audiences a unique introduction to classical music.
In partnership with Great Barrington’s Triplex Cinema, TLI Cinematics will present three more Saturday screenings across the season, with details still to be announced.
A push by Berkshire arts organizations like Tanglewood to expand their offerings beyond the summer season may be an effort to diversify their portfolio in the face of a swiftly changing economic reality. Inflation and the radical curtailment of federal arts funding under the Trump administration means finding new ways to increase revenue. The best way, it seems, to support the future of the arts in the Berkshires, is to go see more art throughout the year.
