June 5 – 11

World class opera singers and instrumentalists come together annually at Skidmore College for the Mostly Modern Festival, an exploration of new classical works. Tonight’s downtown kick-off at Caffe Lena features Monica Yunus, a soprano from the Metropolitan Opera & Sing for Hope, Amir Farid on piano, Victoria Paterson on violin, Dave Eggar on cello and a fabulous cast of festival singers. Yunus is the daughter of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammed Yunus.

Harris’s preservation of Underground Railroad and Civil Rights songs has advanced the national dialogue on history, education and race. Wictor’s poetic songs and expressive guitar playing are seasoned with jazz, pop, philosophy and social commentary. This will be an uplifting celebration of music, friendship and joy.

Kottke’s mesmerizing technique, characterized by fast and precise finger movements, has earned him widespread recognition as one of the most skilled guitarists of his generation. His distinctive sound, blending elements of folk, blues, and jazz, has captivated audiences since the ’60s.

Sister Kate makes a triumphant return with a seasoned, lived-in, bluesy voice, marking her renewed embrace of music-making. Taylor’s return from a long hiatus of making music and touring “basks in a radiant glow that finds Taylor as effusive and excited as a teen releasing a first record.” (American Songwriter) Like her brothers James and Livingston Taylor, she’s a charismatic, gracious performer.