The Savannah Music Festival (SMF) – known for its unique mix of jazz, classical and American and global roots music programs presented in venues across Savannah’s National Historic Landmark District – is pleased to announce its 2024 festival lineup, which will run from Thursday, March 28 through Saturday, April 13, 2024. A second wave of festival concerts will be announced in early 2024. 

The festival’s kick-off concert will showcase GRAMMY Award-winning jazz vocalist Samara Joy, preceded by the annual Spring Fling, a party to benefit SMF’s year-round artistic and education programs. Featured 2024 Savannah Music Festival artists will include world renowned soprano Renée Fleming, bluegrass living legend Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, eminent classical pianist Emanuel Ax, high-energy Southern rockers North Mississippi Allstars with blues icon Bobby Rush, Afro-Cuban jazz pioneer Chucho Valdés, bluegrass supergroup Mighty Poplar, jazz wunderkind Matthew Whitaker, GRAMMY Award-winning Malian Wassoulou singer Oumou Sangaré and acclaimed singer-songwriter-guitarist Madison Cunningham, among others.  

“The 2024 Savannah Music Festival lineup encourages the celebration and discovery of acclaimed artists throughout classical, jazz and American and global roots music,” says SMF Artistic Director Ryan McMaken. “We’re delighted to spotlight genre standard-bearers along with standout luminaries and to present more than 75 incredible live performances throughout historic downtown Savannah this spring.”

INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS, CLASSICAL MUSIC, JAZZ AND MORE

During the 17-day festival, top artists from around the world will converge in Savannah. In 2024, talented musicians from India, South Africa, Ireland, Cuba, Sweden, Portugal, Mali, Canary Islands, France, Argentina and Spain will take the stage. 

In addition, American roots music abounds in the 2024 lineup, with multiple projects that illuminate the musical legacies of American masters, including Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, Clifton Chenier, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf.

The 2024 festival season also features a classical music (and adjacent) schedule featuring exceptional notoriety, newly-commissioned work, specially conceived chamber music programs, a multimedia presentation and genre-bending crossover concerts. 

In jazz, 2024 programming moves chronologically along an arc from more traditional to contemporary, spotlighting genre standard-bearers and standout luminaries. 

FESTIVAL DEBUTS, SPECIAL PROJECTS AND UNIQUE COLLABORATIONS

Festival debuts will include Renée Fleming, Oumou Sangaré, Marta Pereira da Costa, Emanuel Ax, Dervish, Isaiah J. Thompson, Stephane Wrembel, Cha Wa, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, The Savoy Family Cajun Band, Orquesta Akokán, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Viv & Riley, Brandee Younger, Immanuel Wilkins Quartet, Bobby Rush, Madison Cunningham, Juana Molina, Matthew Whitaker, and Mighty Poplar. 

Unique co-bills and artistic collaborations run throughout the season. New chamber music works by Terence Blanchard, Rhiannon Giddens, Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate and David Balakrishnan, co-commissioned by SMF, will be performed by Turtle Island Quartet. In addition, the co-commissioned “Quintet in the Key of Blue” by Stefan L. Smith will be performed by the Dubhe Ensemble featuring Savannah native and Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Bassist Joseph Conyers. 

Special projects celebrate the legacies of iconic artists ranging from J.S. Bach to Francisco Goya. The Philip Dukes & Friends chamber music series is anchored by first half performances showcasing the music of Bach, with each program taking a distinctly different shape in the second half. 

The free Encounters Artist Talks Series begins with Renée Fleming’s Music & Mind, a public discussion about the intersection of the arts and mental health. In Doc @ 100, also at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center, author Ted Olson discusses Doc Watson’s musical history, with stories and songs shared by Jack Lawrence, Wayne Henderson and Jack Hinshelwood. Additional panel discussions and Q&As, including one with longtime SMF photographer Frank Stewart, will be announced in advance of SMF 2024. 

TICKET INFORMATION/DISCOUNTS/EXPLORER PASSES

Savannah Music Festival tickets start at $32 and can be purchased online at savannahmusicfestival.org, by phone at 912.525.5050 or in person at the Savannah Box Office, located at 216 E. Broughton St. A pre-sale for SMF supporters begins on November 16, with tickets available to the public on December 1 at 10 a.m. ET. 

In addition to discounts for students, military, educators and seniors, Savannah Music Festival offers discounts for purchases of tickets to more than three concerts (10% off), more than five concerts (15% off) or more than 10 concerts (20% off). Tickets to most classical concerts at Trinity United Methodist Church are available to patrons age 40 or younger for a discounted rate of $20. 

Thanks to the generous support of the Wall Lynch Family, Savannah Music Festival will bring back the successful Explorer Pass program, which offers all Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools students and a family member or chaperone free tickets to general admission Savannah Music Festival performances. 

YEAR-ROUND LIVE PERFORMANCES

Additional year-round concert programming includes a January 20, 2024 SMF Encore concert featuring the North Mississippi Allstars at Victory North Savannah, along with a monthly concert series presented in partnership with Plant Riverside District at District Live starting in February of 2024.

“Our organization is thrilled to begin multiple initiatives to expand year-round programs, including artist residencies, an exciting new agreement to produce off-season concerts at District Live and various other community engagement activities,” said Savannah Music Festival Executive Director Gene Dobbs Bradford. “Savannah Music Festival has a deep commitment to the local community and to expanding access to live music.”

VIBRANT MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS

In addition to excellence in musical presentations, SMF is also committed to supporting music education in the Savannah community, with programs inside and outside of the classroom. Musical Explorers, now in its tenth year, is a year-round education program for K-2 students which reaches over 10,000 children locally. 

SMF Jazz Academy is a free after-school program for students in grades 5-12, offering instruments, private lessons, public performances and in-depth, immersive learning experiences. New in 2024, South African singer, composer and educator Naledi Masilo serves as the nonprofit organization’s first year-long Artist in Residence. Additional off-season community engagement events will be announced soon. 

SAVANNAH MUSIC FESTIVAL 2024 SCHEDULE 

Saturday, January 20, 2024

North Mississippi Allstars

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Samara Joy

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Noon30: Lena Jonsson Trio

Oumou Sangaré

Lena Jonsson Trio/ Kieran Kane & Rayna Gellert 

David Finckel, Cello & Wu Han, Piano

Friday, March 29, 2024

Noon30: Marta Pereira da Costa ft. Duarte

Germán López: ALMA / Marta Pereira da Costa feat. Duarte

Bayou Boogie! A Tribute to Clifton Chenier “The King of Zydeco" Feat. C.J. Chenier, Marcia Ball & The Red Hot Louisiana Band

Futurebirds / T. Hardy Morris

Saturday, March 30, 2024

Noon30: Gérman López: ALMA

The Art of the Kora: Derek Gripper & Ballake Sissoko

Dervish

Joseph Conyers' Dubhe Ensemble

Chucho Valdés Royal Quartet

Sunday, March 31, 2024

Renée Fleming

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Sebastian Knauer Celebrates Gershwin

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Tisra: Zakir Hussain Trio with Debopriya Chatterjee and Sabir Khan

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Warren Wolf & Wolfpack: History of the Vibes / Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet

Thursday, April 4, 2024

Noon30: Isaiah J. Thompson Duo

Stephane Wrembel Quartet / Tatiana Eva-Marie & Avalon Jazz Band 

Philip Dukes & Friends I

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder

Friday, April 5, 2024

Noon30: Stephane Wrembel

Dumpstaphunk / Cha Wa 

Escher String Quartet

Doc and Earl: Doc at 100 / Tony Trischka’s EarlJam

Crescent City Funk: Dumpstaphunk / Cha Wa

Saturday, April 6, 2024

Noon30: Tony Trischka

Cajun Dance Party: The Savoy Family Cajun Band 

Philip Dukes & Friends II

Latin Dance Party: Orquesta Akokán 

Sunday, April 7, 2024

Michael Collins & Friends

The Po' Ramblin’ Boys / AJ Lee & Blue Summit

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Kaia Kater / Viv & Riley

Philip Dukes & Friends III

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Brandee Younger Trio / Immanuel Wilkins Quartet

Muddy and Wolf Revisited: A Tribute to Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf feat. Bobby Rush with North Mississippi Allstar

Thursday, April 11, 2024

Noon30: Brandee Younger Trio

Philip Dukes & Friends IV

Madison Cunningham & Juana Molina

Friday, April 12, 2024

Emanuel Ax

Matthew Whitaker

Mighty Poplar

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Island Prayers: Turtle Island Quartet

Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca: Searching for Goya