Nestled in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts, Tanglewood spans the towns of Lenox and Stockbridge and has served as the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937. The estate takes its name from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Tanglewood Tales — the author once lived in a cottage on the grounds — giving the venue a literary as well as musical pedigree unlike any other concert destination in America.
At the heart of the campus stands the Koussevitzky Music Shed, a fan-shaped open-air structure that opened on August 4, 1938, and seats around 5,700 under its roof while thousands more spread across the sweeping lawn beyond. Seiji Ozawa Hall, a 1,200-seat indoor hall recognized as one of the finest chamber venues built in the United States, opened in 1994 and rounded out a campus that draws more than 350,000 visitors each summer season.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Lenox & Stockbridge, Massachusetts
- Type: Outdoor festival grounds & concert venue
- Opened: 1937 (Koussevitzky Music Shed: 1938)
- Koussevitzky Music Shed capacity: ~5,700 seats
- Seiji Ozawa Hall capacity: 1,200 seats
- Annual attendance: Over 350,000
- Famous for: Summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
A Century of Classical Tradition
The roots of Tanglewood stretch back to August 1934, when composer Henry Kimball Hadley and patron Gertrude Robinson Smith organized outdoor concerts at the nearby Interlaken estate, initially featuring the New York Philharmonic. The Boston Symphony Orchestra took over in 1936, and the following year Rosamond ‘Dixey’ Sturgis Brooks and Mary Aspinwall Tappan donated the Tanglewood estate, cementing the BSO’s connection to the Berkshires. The Koussevitzky Music Shed — named for legendary BSO conductor Serge Koussevitzky — was completed in 1938 and has defined the Tanglewood experience ever since. The BSO has returned every summer since, except during World War II (1942–45) and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The Tanglewood Music Center, founded in 1940, established the campus as an educational powerhouse as well, training generations of professional musicians alongside the festival performances. Today the Boston University Tanglewood Institute and the Tanglewood Learning Institute also operate on the grounds, making it as much an academy as a concert hall.
Beyond the Symphony: Jazz, Pop, and Star-Studded Nights
While classical music anchors the Tanglewood calendar, the venue has long welcomed a remarkable breadth of artists. Jazz legends Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, and Ray Charles have performed on its stages, as have rock icons Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, and The Who. James Taylor became so closely associated with Tanglewood that his July 4th concert grew into an annual tradition beloved by Berkshire residents and visitors alike.
Conductor John Williams and the Boston Pops also make regular appearances, drawing audiences who spread blankets across the lawn for an alfresco concert experience unique to Tanglewood. The combination of world-class acoustics, pastoral scenery, and a program that ranges from Beethoven symphonies to contemporary pop acts ensures the venue remains one of the most coveted summer destinations on the live music calendar.
Explore more: Live Music venues and festivals.
Tanglewood FAQs
What is Tanglewood known for?
Tanglewood is best known as the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, a role it has held since 1937. The sprawling Berkshire Hills campus also hosts jazz, pop, and film-music concerts, as well as professional music training programs, making it one of the most versatile and prestigious live music destinations in the United States.
What is the difference between the Koussevitzky Music Shed and Seiji Ozawa Hall?
The Koussevitzky Music Shed is Tanglewood’s iconic open-air structure, seating around 5,700 under its roof with additional lawn space beyond — ideal for large orchestral and popular performances. Seiji Ozawa Hall, which opened in 1994, is a fully enclosed 1,200-seat venue designed for chamber music and more intimate programs, and is widely regarded as one of the finest concert halls built in the U.S. in recent decades.
When does the Tanglewood season run?
Tanglewood’s main festival season typically runs from late June through Labor Day weekend in early September, concentrating the bulk of its programming across the summer months. Specific dates and schedules are announced by the Boston Symphony Orchestra each year.
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Photo: Chamberednautilus / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.