Imagine sitting in a wooded setting, listening to a flute choir playing the Shaker hymn “Simple Gifts”. In the tree canopy above, a bird trills, perfectly encapsulating the ensemble’s notes with its unexpected response. Many of the three dozen or so audience members attending the free performance in the rustic amphitheater looked up in wonder on that perfect morning. This happened during a spring performance of the Cville Flutes at the Botanical Garden of the Piedmont in June 2025. In that wooded setting, audience members could easily forget they were sitting just a few hundred yards from the busy John Warner Parkway not far from Charlottesville’s urban center.

Since its beginnings, music has found inspiration in nature. It was only natural to feature music in the Garden. 2025 was the inaugural year for the Music In the Garden series and featured six musical performances, including the Felicity String Trio, the flute and cello duo Terra Voce, violinist David McCormick, and several ensembles from the Cville Band. Musical selections ran the gamut from the giants of classical music to music based on folk and jazz idioms of the Western Hemisphere.

Music In the Garden is back for 2026! The series commences in 2026 beginning March 28 with a performance by the Charlottesville Albemarle Saxophone Ensemble. The monthly series will feature return appearances by the Cville Flutes, Terra Voce, Rivanna Winds, woodwind quintet Cville Cinco, the Felicity Ensemble, David McCormick, and will conclude with music provided by the Charlottesville High School Orchestra at the Fall Festival. The Saturday morning concerts are free and open to the public. Complete dates and ensembles will be listed at piedmontgarden.org. Attendees are encouraged to register online for the concerts, but drop-ins are welcome too. The programs are appropriate for all ages. On many of the performance dates, other events will take place before and after the music. These may include nature walks, presentations, tai chi, and activities for children to engage with nature.

The series will continue even as construction commences, with heavy equipment beginning to create the permanent physical features of the Garden this summer. The nearly 15-acre site will accommodate audiences and musicians safely at a distance from the active construction site. Many trails and features of the Garden will remain open to the public during Phase One construction and plenty of parking will be available on Melbourne Road.

Throughout its history, the Botanical Garden of the Piedmont has partnered with many non-profits in Central Virginia to provide opportunities to enjoy nature in an urban setting. The core values of the Garden, inspiring connection, learning, and joy through nature, are the guiding principles for all public opportunities offered at the Garden, including the use of local musicians to enhance the experience of the wonders of the Garden. The Garden is proud of these partnerships and the mutual support for increasing the quality of life in the Central Virginia region.

Music In the Garden is made possible through the generosity of the Vesta Lee Gordon Foundation, which encourages performances of classical music throughout the Charlottesville area.

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