MUSIC WITHOUT ROYALTIES

September 11-13, 2026

Bezanson Recital Hall

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Admission to all performances free!

Welcome to Five College New Music Festival 2026, the ninth celebration of contemporary music as performed by faculty of the Five Colleges. The festival weekend will feature five programs of new and recent compositions by eighteen composers. The diversity of the music and creators represents a range of contemporary music being created in our region, the U.S., and around the world. This music speaks not only to the present but to a living history working to reclaim neglected figures and currents from the classical tradition. Thirty-eight performers from the Five Colleges will bring this music to life. We invite you to join us to hear the music of our transformative time.

Festival Coordinators: Elizabeth Chang, Salvatore Macchia, Eric Sawyer, Jiayan Sun, Steven Beck