Behind the Notes: Classical Music from the Inside Out
A Music Lover’s Guide
to Classical Music
Coming up in 2026!
Experience the Music You Love
in a Whole New Way
Whether you’ve been attending concerts for decades or simply love the beauty of classical music, Behind the Notes invites you into a deeper listening experience.
Led by acclaimed soprano Sarah Hawkey, this 6-week series will take you inside the heart of great music.You’ll walk into your next concert with fresh ears — and a renewed love for the music you already enjoy.
A letter from Sarah:
Creator & Curator of Behind the Notes
This series comes directly from my passion for classical music. I’ve been enthusiastic about it my entire life. I can experience a piece a hundred times, and each time I revisit it, hear it anew. I want that for you, too!
The conversations I’ve had with colleagues about what we hear in the music, as the experts who devote our careers to it, are fascinating. Behind the Notes is my way of sharing that same experience with you.
If you’ve ever felt that “lit-up” sensation when hearing a favorite symphonic theme, a beloved aria, or even one unforgettable chord, you know the joy of getting behind the notes. I hope through our time together, you’ll experience more and more of those moments, and that our conversations will make the music you already love come to life in new ways.
My own path into classical music began at 13 years old. I stumbled across an LP of Leontyne Price singing Samuel Barber’s Hermit Songs. It was the most virtuosic, thrilling vocal music I had ever heard, and it opened the door to the vast world of classical voice, whereas before then I simply thought that Julie Andrews was the most “classical” it got.
At the same time, I was studying violin, and spent my teenage years immersed in chamber music and orchestral repertoire. I fell in love with the great violin concertos—Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, Barber... as well as Bach’s unaccompanied violin and cello suites. These works shaped me just as studying classical voice did, and gave me a deep appreciation for symphonic & instrumental music.
After graduating from Conservatory, I moved to New York City and pursued opera and art song, but was also drawn in new directions. I worked with living composers in contemporary music. These were thrilling collaborations where the composer could sit in the room and shape their work with me. I was also welcomed into the early music community, singing Medieval song, Renaissance polyphony, and the vibrant chamber music of the baroque era- which ultimately captivated me and is what I specialize in performing today.
In this series, I want to bring you into all of these worlds: familiar works, hidden treasures, and unexpected connections. Through our time together, I hope your love of classical music will deepen as we go behind the notes.
Details & Registration
Where
The Granite
5 N Main St
Redding, CT
When
TBD (please join the waitlist so we know your day & time preferences)
Dates
Coming up in 2026
Registration Fee
$195 for the series
Classical soprano Sarah Hawkey invites audiences into the heart of classical music with Behind the Notes: Classical Music from the Inside Out, a listening and lecture series that unpacks the musical complexity, stories, history, and expressive depth behind beloved works of the classical oeuvre.
Known for bringing warmth and clarity to complex ideas, she bridges the worlds of performer and listener, offering fresh insight into how classical music lives and breathes for today’s audiences. She often reminds listeners that historical performance is never really old—its vitality continues to speak with relevance today.
Whether performing on stage, teaching voice, or in conversation with today’s audiences, Sarah is devoted to making classical music feel resonant, alive, and deeply human. She wants contemporary listeners to feel as connected to this music—so old, yet so vital today—as she does herself.
Dive into Classical Music like an Insider
Discover the beauty of classical music in a whole new way. From beloved masterworks to chamber music, soprano Sarah Hawkey will guide you through the rich oeuvre of classical music, sharing the artistry & insights that bring classical music to life and take you behind the notes.
Copyright 2026