St. Augustine Music Festival - 2025

The largest free classical music festival in the United States, St. Augustine Music Festival (SAMF), presents six live performances at the Cathedral Basilica in June of 2025. Scheduled for two weeks on Fridays through Sundays from June 20 to June 29, 2025, the festival features musicians from the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and often includes internationally renowned guest artists. This is the festival's 19th season.

St. Augustine Music Festival

Sponsored by the St. Johns Cultural Council, St. Johns County Tourist Development Council, and the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, the festival was founded in 2007 by Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra members Jorge A. Peña (viola) and Jin Kim-Peña (cello), who encouraged other orchestra musicians and soloists to participate in the festival.

For more details regarding the St. Augustine Music Festival, please visit here.

Admission: Free.  

When: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from Friday, June 20 through Sunday, June 29, at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Concerts are held at the Cathedral Basilica, 38 Cathedral Place in historic downtown St. Augustine, Florida 32084.

Annual Juneteenth Concert

In addition to the six concerts in their normal season, SAMF has added a concert to honor Juneteenth, on Thursday, June 19, 2025.

The 2025 Concerts - First Week

Friday, June 20, at 7:30 p.m. — Season's Best

• Chamber music, featuring Nigel Armstrong (See program below.)

Saturday, June 21, at 7:30 p.m.— A Program with Piano

• Featuring Gabriela Peña on violin. (See program below.)

Sunday, June 22, at 7:30 p.m. — Bach to Mozart

• Featuring the strings and harpsichord.  (See program below.)

The 2025 Concerts - Second Week

Friday, June 27, at 7:30 p.m. — St. Augustine Invitational Choral Festival

• Featuring the Jacksonville Children's Chorus Touring Choir and Voices of Jacksonville in the first half of the program. The program's second half features the Indianapolis Children's Choir and Festival Chorus.
  • Darren Dailey, Artistic Director; Josh Pedde, Guest Conductor; Indianapolis Children's Choir in residence; and Sachiko Frampton, Pianist.  (See program below.)

Saturday, June 28, at 7:30 p.m. — Perfect Balance and Beauty

• Two pieces for string quartet, and one septet with piano, trumpet, and strings. (See program below.)

Sunday, June 29, at 7:30 p.m. — Mozart and More

•  Chamber Orchestra (See program below.)

Programs for Each Concert (These will be updated as we learn more.)

June 20, 2025, Chamber Music: Season's Best

• Astor Piazzolla: Four Seasons of Buenos Aires featuring Nigel Armstrong, Violin
• Felix Mendelssohn: String Symphony No. 8 in D minor/major
  • I. Adagio e grave — Allegro
  • II. Adagio
  • III. Menetto — Trio. Presto
  • IV. Allegro molto

June 21, 2025, Piano Ensemble

Featuring Gabriela Peña on violin.

• Other works
• Ludwig Von Beethoven: "Kreutzer" Violin Sonata No 9

June 22, 2025, Chamber Orchestra: Bach to Mozart

Featuring the strings and the harpsichord, and the premiere of Sinfoietta for String Orchestra, by Piotr Szewczy of Jacksonville.

• Anton Webern: Langsamer Satz
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No 1
  • I. Allegro
  • II. Adagio
  • III. Alegro
  • IV. Menuet – Trio I – Menuet da capo – Polacca – Menuet da capo – Trio II – Menuet da capo
• Piotr Szewczy: Sinfonietta for String Orchestra
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Horn Concerto No 4

June 27, 2025, Choral Music: Celestial Sounds

Featuring a recital of three choral groups attending the St. Augustine Invitational Choral Festival.

• John Ritter: Magnificat, sung by the Jacksonville Children's Chorus Touring Choir and Voices of Jacksonville
• Songs of Joy (More information to come.) Featuring the Indianapolis Children's Choir and Festival Chorus.

June 28, 2025, Chamber Music: Perfect Balance and Beauty

Featuring local composer, Alex Cooper. Cooper's style blends traditional tonal harmonies and classic structural forms with a narrative-driven sound, characterized by clear themes and expressive, emotionally resonant language.

• Antonín Dvorák: String Quintet in G, Op. 77
  • I. Allegro con fuoco
  • II. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
  • III. Poco andante
  • IV. Finale. Allegro assai
• Giacomo Puccini: "Crisantemi" for string quartet
• Alex Cooper: Rhymic Colors
• Caroline Shaw: Valencia for string Quartet
• Camille Saint-Saëns: Septet for Piano, Trumpet & Strings Op.65

June 29, 2025, Chamber Orchestra: Mozart and More

• Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto for Mandolin, in C major, RV 425
• Wolfgan Amadeus Mozart: Symphony 35
• Piotor Szewczyk: St. Augustine Suite for Chamber Orchestra
  • This will be the 10th anniversary of the premiere of the St. Augustine Suite, which celebrates the 460th anniversary of St. Augustine.