Donald Hunsberger conducts the Lake Placid Sinfonietta July 24, 1985
Photo Credit: Nancie Battaglia
History of the Sinfonietta
For more than a century, the Lake Placid Sinfonietta has been bringing world-class musicians together in an intimate ensemble setting to share the joy of live music with the community. What began in 1917 as a small group of just eleven musicians performing at the Lake Placid Club has grown into a cherished regional tradition, with a core group of twenty professional players presenting concerts that range from free outdoor performances by Mirror Lake to ticketed events throughout the North Country. Rooted in a spirit of accessibility and artistic excellence, the Sinfonietta has woven music into the cultural fabric of Lake Placid and the Adirondack region, carrying forward a legacy of connection between artists, audiences, and this extraordinary place.
1917
1925 - 1930s
1939 - 1940s
1946–1960s
The story of the Lake Placid Sinfonietta begins with the arrival of an 11-member ensemble drawn from the Boston Symphony Orchestra. These musicians spent their summers performing at the Lake Placid Club, offering as many as seven concerts a week to private club members. At a time when summer music festivals were still rare in the United States, these concerts created a cultural hub to this community in the Adirondacks, bringing nationally renowned artistry to a small mountain village.
The tradition deepened when the Adirondack Music Festival was established, featuring not only the Boston Symphony Ensemble but also regional community choirs. This blend of world-class musicianship and local participation set the tone for a deeper musical culture in the Adirondacks.
When the Boston Symphony Ensemble dissolved—largely because the orchestra had established its own summer home at Tanglewood—audiences were left yearning for symphonic music. Into this void stepped Dr. Paul White, associate conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic and professor at the Eastman School of Music. Commissioned by the Lake Placid Club, he formed the Lake Placid Club Sinfonietta with ten Rochester Philharmonic musicians and pianist Carl Lamson, once an accompanist to the legendary Fritz Kreisler.
After a wartime hiatus, Dr. White revitalized the Sinfonietta, expanding its size and repertoire. By the late 1940s, the ensemble had grown to 15 musicians, with the addition of instruments like bassoon, trumpet, and additional strings. Importantly, Dr. White also began inviting promising young players from conservatories like Eastman and Juilliard to perform alongside seasoned professionals, creating a unique intergenerational exchange. Many of these musicians returned year after year, raising their families in Lake Placid each summer and helping to weave music into the social fabric of the community even outside of the club.
1972–1976
Following Dr. White’s retirement in 1972, Dr. Carl Eberl, a Sinfonietta violist and Eastman-trained conductor, took the podium. The orchestra’s focus shifted toward the wider Lake Placid community, performing public concerts for the entire community for free. “Cushion Concerts” were launched in Main Street Park, inviting audiences to bring their own pillows or chairs to enjoy free performances by Mirror Lake. These concerts quickly became beloved Adirondack summer traditions, transforming music from a club activity into a village-wide cultural celebration. By this time, the orchestra had grown to 16 musicians, performing in both indoor and outdoor venues.
1977–1981
When the Lake Placid Club withdrew its sponsorship, the Sinfonietta faced an uncertain future. Yet the enthusiasm of local audiences, buoyed by the aim to be an inclusive ensemble of the community, proved vital. The orchestra first came under the wing of the Center for Music, Drama, and Art (now the Arts Center Lake Placid), but by 1981 it took the bold step of incorporating as the Lake Placid Sinfonietta, Inc. For the first time in its history, the ensemble stood on its own, sustained by community support and a growing network of patrons.
1982
In its first season as an independent nonprofit, the Sinfonietta expanded to 20 musicians and organized an eight-week summer season. Despite limited resources, the orchestra thrived, reaffirming its place as a central cultural institution in the Adirondacks.
1985–2018
Over the next three decades, the Sinfonietta flourished under the leadership of a series of dynamic artistic directors: David Gilbert, Robert Bernhardt, Alfred Gershfeld, Mark Laycock, and Ron Spigelman. Each brought fresh vision, from Gilbert’s PBS documentary and newly commissioned works, to Bernhardt’s engaging pre-concert talks and NPR appearances, to Gershfeld’s international flair and choral collaborations. Recordings such as Music in the Mountains and Classic Adirondack expanded the orchestra’s reach beyond Lake Placid, while Spigelman’s tenure culminated in the 2017 Centennial Celebration, complete with a new commissioned work and the release of The First Hundred Years CD.
2019–2025
Acclaimed conductor Stuart Malina was appointed Music Director in 2019, ushering in a new era of artistic leadership. His debut season was delayed when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 summer festival—the first time since World War II that the Sinfonietta fell silent. Yet the orchestra emerged with renewed energy in 2021, returning with a full season of performances, including free weekly community concerts and new family-friendly programming. This resilience affirmed the Sinfonietta’s enduring mission: to bring world-class music to the heart of the Adirondacks.
Today
The Lake Placid Sinfonietta continues to flourish as the Adirondacks’ orchestra of the summer, sharing world-class music through free community concerts, regional performances, and creative collaborations. Looking ahead to 2026, as the Arts Center at Lake Placid undergoes a major renovation, the Sinfonietta will deepen its community roots by bringing music to new spaces and audiences, embracing both tradition and innovation as we step into the future!