Events for Our 2025 Season

June 8 – The 18th Annual Young Musicians Series

8:00 PM, Historic Kupferle Chapel

The Chautauqua Historical Society is pleased to present the 18th Annual Young Musicians Series which will feature Sophia Heaton, violinist, accompanied on piano by Vera Parkin.

Sophia studies under Professor Danielle Belen at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theater, & Dance. Prior to her time at Michigan, Sophia studied under violinist Angie Smart.

Sophia has previously performed for five seasons with the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, serving as Co-concertmaster, Co-principal 2nd violin, and Assistant concertmaster in three consecutive seasons. She also participated for many years in the Preparatory Program of Webster University’s Community Music School, fostering her love for chamber music.

Outside of music, Sophia spends time reading, drinking coffee, and hanging out with her little sister. She loves curating endless Pinterest boards and going for long walks.

We continue to be grateful for our longstanding partnership with Vera Parkin of the Community Music School of Webster University, who makes this concert and series possible.

July 13 – Twenty-first Annual Platform Lecture

Boyce Upholt – The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi

7:00 PM, Town Hall

Boyce Upholt, author of The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi will be speaking about the sweeping history of the Mississippi River—and the centuries of human meddling that have transformed both it and America.

This is sure to be a fascinating look at the river that so deeply impacts our life at Chautauqua.

Boyce grew up in the Connecticut suburbs and holds a bachelor’s degree from Haverford College and an MFA from the Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College. He currently lives in New Orleans.

His work has been recognized with a James Beard Award for investigative journalism and the Willie Morris Award for Southern Writing.

For additional information, please visit his website.

Donations to the CHS and proceeds from the PCEF helped to make this lecture possible.