If you’ve ever wanted to begin a run or a hike with a trumpet blast — or how about a tuba? — you may be able to do it over at Boulder’s Chautauqua Park over the next few days.
In conjunction with the that concludes Aug. 3, the festival will be offering “Tiny Rock Concerts” on four mornings at the Chautauqua trailhead, starting Saturday, July 20.
For about 10 minutes, a musician or musicians playing violin, trumpet, French horn, trombone, tuba, oboe, English horn or cello will serenade you before you run or hike up the steep trails at the foot of the Flatirons, which loom just over a half-mile away. The schedule shows individuals as well as teams of musicians performing each day.
Chautauqua Park has more than 15 miles of trails with stunning views of Boulder’s signature peaks.
Founded in 1976, the Colorado Music Festival features 96musicians from around the country playing orchestral and chamber music. The first pop-up concert at the trailhead is set for 9 a.m.on Saturday with Stefan Jackiwon violin. Subsequent performances are scheduled for July 22 at 9 a.m., July 24 at 9 a.m. and July 26 at 9 a.m. and again at 9:30, according to a press release.
“The Tiny Rock Concerts are a fun new addition this year,” Elizabeth McGuire,Colorado Music Festival ‘s executive director, said in the release. “While our season runs for six weeks with robust and varied classical musical programming, we have not had many opportunities to feature the individual talent of our orchestra members. The Tiny Rock Concerts provide a chance for the public to have an intimate experience with musicians who have arrived from all over the world to join the Colorado Music Festival in Boulder, many of whom are principal players in their home orchestras.”
Keep in mind parking at Chautauqua Park is very limited and usually is a challenge. The city of Boulder encourages Chautauqua visitors to carpool, walk or bike. Don’t be surprised if you have to park in an adjacent neighborhood and hoof it to the park. In its parking suggestions for Chautauqua, the city says, “All parked vehicles should be 5 feet from a driveway, 15 feet from a fire hydrant, 20 feet from an unmarked intersection, and 30 feet from a stop sign.”
