Aug. 15: Newport Classical Presents Free Annual Children’s Concert Featuring Frisson in Peter and the Wolf
Photo credit: Dorothy Shi
Newport Classical Presents Free Annual Children’s Concert
Featuring Frisson in Peter and the Wolf
Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 4pm
Newport County YMCA | 792 Valley Rd, Middletown, RI
Free and Open to the Public
www.newportclassical.org | www.frissonensemble.com
Newport, RI – Newport Classical presents its annual Free Children’s Concert at the Newport County YMCA (792 Valley Rd.), on Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 4pm. The wind members of Frisson, featuring some of New York City’s finest classical musicians, will present an interactive, family-friendly performance of Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf in a playful retelling.
The hour-long performance is free and open to the public. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy this program in a casual, laid-back setting. Prior to the performance, children of all ages can explore musical instruments up close during an “instrument petting zoo.”
Frisson will also perform George Gershwin’s Summertime, The Pink Panther Theme by Henry Mancini, selections from Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha and Maple Leaf Rag, as well as excerpts from The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas and music from Pirates of the Caribbean by Klaus Badelt and producer Hans Zimmer.
For over 56 years, Newport Classical has brought world-class musicians to some of the most iconic venues in Newport, Rhode Island — from gilded-age mansions to seaside outdoor venues, celebrating the living art of classical music. This concert is made possible through the generous support of Randy and Becky Johnson in honor of their granddaughter Schuyler Madison and is presented as part of the BankNewport Community Concerts Series.
About Frisson
Frisson features some of today’s brightest stars of classical music and, in just a few seasons, has become one of the most popular chamber ensembles in America. The group brings together emerging young artists and distinguished professionals, many of whom have appeared at renowned festivals including Marlboro, Verbier, Spoleto, and Mostly Mozart, as well as in performances at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Several members have participated in Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect program, with alumni now serving as principal players in leading ensembles such as the Cleveland Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
Since its founding, Frisson has performed more than 100 concerts across the United States and abroad. Recent and upcoming engagements include appearances at the Morgan Library and Museum (New York City), the Da Camera Society (Los Angeles), the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Bermuda Festival, Newport Classical, Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music, InConcert Sierra, Chamber Music Marin, El Camino College, Sarasota Opera House, Woodstock Town Hall, the Mann Center in Fort Myers, and the Palm Springs Concert Association.
Praised by the Borrego Sun as an ensemble filled with ”individual brilliance and collective versatility,” Frisson offers dynamic programs that span an array of ensemble combinations — from winds, piano trios, and piano quartets to octets and nonets. Their repertoire ranges from masterworks to lighter fare, with programs featuring Gershwin, Cole Porter, John Williams, and Astor Piazzolla, as well as their own celebrated version of Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf.
About Newport Classical
Newport Classical is a premier performing arts organization that welcomes people of every age, culture, and background to intimate, immersive musical experiences. The organization presents world-renowned and up-and-coming artistic talents at stunning, storied venues across Newport – an internationally sought-after cultural and recreational destination.
Originally founded in 1969 as Rhode Island Arts Foundation at Newport, Inc., Newport Classical has a rich legacy of musical curiosity having presented the American debuts of hundreds of international artists and is most well-known for hosting three weeks of concerts in the summer in the historic mansions throughout Newport and Aquidneck Island. In the 56 years since, Newport Classical has become the most active year-round presenter of live performing arts on Aquidneck Island, and an essential pillar of Rhode Island’s cultural landscape, welcoming thousands of patrons all year long.
Newport Classical invests in the future of classical music as a diverse, relevant, and ever-evolving art form through its four core programs – the one-of-a-kind Music Festival; the Chamber Series in the Newport Classical Recital Hall; the free, family-friendly Community Concerts Series; and the Music Enrichment and Engagement Initiative that inspires students in local schools and community organizations to become the arts advocates and music lovers of tomorrow. These programs illustrate the organization’s ongoing commitment to presenting “timeless music for today.”
In 2021, the organization launched a new commissioning initiative – each year, Newport Classical will commission a new work by a Black, Indigenous, person of color, or woman composer as a commitment to the future of classical music. To date, Newport Classical has commissioned and presented the world premiere of works by Stacy Garrop, Shawn Okpebholo, Curtis Stewart, Clarice Assad, and Cris Derksen.
After a year-long community-driven process, and rooted in the organization’s mission “to celebrate the living art form of classical music in intimate and iconic locations,” Newport Classical released its 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, presenting a clear roadmap to become a stronger, healthier, and more vibrant organization that enhances its programs and community engagement, promotes responsible financial growth and sustainability, and centers artistic excellence in every decision, as the organization aspires to open its doors even wider.