Venerable Jissai Prince-Cherry began practicing Zen in 1994. Since then, she has maintained a daily personal practice and regularly participates in group sittings, intensive Zen meditation retreats, and periods of residential training including at a Zen monastery in Japan. She works closely with her teacher, Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede, successor to Roshi Philip Kapleau, the founder...
Monte Thompson was a professional dancer, and also spent years as a restauranteur. His life was spent on his feet. Now retired, he is interested in continuing to be able to move easily and gracefully while using breathing and stretching techniques to help quiet his mind and prepare him to face each day with purpose...
The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde serves as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. In this role, she serves as spiritual leader for the congregations and Episcopal schools in the District of Columbia and four Maryland counties that comprise the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. The first woman elected to this position, she also serves...
Continuing a weeklong celebration of “Icons and Instigators: Women Who Change History,” Chautauqua welcomes two Olympic gold medalists for a conversation on the state of women’s sports, and the outlook for emerging generations of women and girls in amateur and professional athletics. Kerri Walsh Jennings is a five-time Olympian, three-time gold medalist, and one of...
Molly Patrick is an organist originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her diverse career has brought her to many different places, including six years in Anchorage, Alaska where she was the music director for an Episcopal Church, a violist in the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra and an adjunct faculty member at the University of Alaska. She has performed...
Come learn about the latest research and actions addressing harmful algae bloom and other environmental issues in Chautauqua Lake. Dr. Allison Hrycik is a research scientist for the Jefferson Project and the Darrin Freshwater Institute at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Allison researches harmful algal blooms and algae ecology and is involved in sampling efforts on Chautauqua...
Susannah Heschel serves as the Eli M. Black Distinguished Professor and chair of Jewish studies at Dartmouth College and the Gerard Weinstock Visiting Professor of Jewish Studies at Harvard University. Heschel’s scholarship focuses on Jewish thought in Germany during the 19th and 20th centuries, including the history of antisemitism. Her books include Abraham Geiger and the Jewish Jesus; The Aryan Jesus: Christian Theologians...
"Shia-Sunni Sects and Religious Hierarchy"
Join the Raleigh Ringers for an engaging session that explores the artistry, teamwork, and joy behind one of the world’s premier handbell ensembles. Through discussion and live demonstration, discover how handbells create a powerful, collective musical experience that connects performers and listeners alike.
Kim Hehr is a lifelong Chautauquan and a certified level 2 teacher of Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. She has been a yoga and meditation practitioner for 30 years and has been teaching Kundalini Yoga and Meditation for 25 years. A retired hospice nurse, she is presently the coordinator of the CHQ Mystic Heart Meditation Program. Kim...
For 40 years, the Guerrilla Girls are anonymous artist activists who use disruptive headlines, outrageous visuals and killer statistics to expose gender and ethnic bias and corruption in art, film, politics and pop culture. They believe in an intersectional feminism that fights for human rights for all people of all genders. They work to undermine...
The Raleigh Ringers return to Chautauqua for another dazzling performance by one of America’s premier handbell ensembles. Renowned for their virtuosity and showmanship, The Raleigh Ringers bring an extraordinary range of musical styles to life—from classical masterpieces to rock favorites—on hundreds of bronze bells. Their precision, artistry, and infectious energy transform handbell ringing into a...
Venerable Jissai Prince-Cherry began practicing Zen in 1994. Since then, she has maintained a daily personal practice and regularly participates in group sittings, intensive Zen meditation retreats, and periods of residential training including at a Zen monastery in Japan. She works closely with her teacher, Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede, successor to Roshi Philip Kapleau, the founder...
The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde serves as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. In this role, she serves as spiritual leader for the congregations and Episcopal schools in the District of Columbia and four Maryland counties that comprise the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. The first woman elected to this position, she also serves...
Continuing a weeklong conversation dedicated to “Icons and Instigators: Women Who Change the World,” the Chautauqua Lecture Series is proud to welcome Sutton Foster and Kelli O’Hara, two legendary stars of stage and screen, for a conversation on their lives and careers. The joint appearance and discussion will serve as a preview of the pair’s...
Theater Chats (formerly known as Brown Bags) On selected Thursdays at 12:15 p.m., bring lunch to Smith Wilkes Hall and join special guests, including actors, designers, playwrights and more, for a look at our upcoming productions and discussions on the craft of theater-making. Free and open to the public.
Venerable Jissai Prince-Cherry began practicing Zen in 1994. Since then, she has maintained a daily personal practice and regularly participates in group sittings, intensive Zen meditation retreats, and periods of residential training including at a Zen monastery in Japan. She works closely with her teacher, Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede, successor to Roshi Philip Kapleau, the founder...
Yolanda Pierce is a scholar, writer, womanist theologian and accomplished administrator in higher education. She currently serves as University Distinguished Professor of Religion and Literature and dean of the Vanderbilt Divinity School. Pierce’s newest book is The Wounds Are the Witness: Black Faith Weaving Memory into Justice and Healing, which explores how Black faith traditions...
History has never been this ridiculous nor this fun! It’s 1876, and Alexander Graham Bell and his archrival, Elisha Gray, compete to save the world from the tyranny of telegraphs. Toiling in their laboratories, skullduggery ensues as the inventors go to extraordinary lengths in their absurd quest for legacy. Who will claim the title? Stranger-than-fiction,...
Meet the 2026 Chautauqua Opera Company Young Artists! Join us and hear their voices here first!
Enjoy a night with Sutton Foster and Kelli O’Hara inspired by the 1962 CBS special “Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall”— a tribute to Broadway and beyond. Together with Principal Pops Conductor Stuart Chafetz and the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, Sutton and Kelli pay homage to icons of stage and screen Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett...
Venerable Jissai Prince-Cherry began practicing Zen in 1994. Since then, she has maintained a daily personal practice and regularly participates in group sittings, intensive Zen meditation retreats, and periods of residential training including at a Zen monastery in Japan. She works closely with her teacher, Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede, successor to Roshi Philip Kapleau, the founder...
Monte Thompson was a professional dancer, and also spent years as a restauranteur. His life was spent on his feet. Now retired, he is interested in continuing to be able to move easily and gracefully while using breathing and stretching techniques to help quiet his mind and prepare him to face each day with purpose...
Sylvia Earle is the president and chairman of Mission Blue, an explorer at large at the National Geographic Society, founder of Deep Ocean Exploration and Research Inc. (DOER), chair of the Advisory Council for the Harte Research Institute and former chief scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). A legendary marine biologist and...
Jumu'ah introduction for visitors is at 12:30 PM. Jumu'ah Service is at 1:05 PM
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle — Bog Queen: A Novel by Anna North The latest from New York Times bestselling novelist Anna North—a monumental discovery sets off a clash of worlds, past and present, over the fate of the land that holds us. When a body is found in a bog in northwest England, Agnes,...
History has never been this ridiculous nor this fun! It’s 1876, and Alexander Graham Bell and his archrival, Elisha Gray, compete to save the world from the tyranny of telegraphs. Toiling in their laboratories, skullduggery ensues as the inventors go to extraordinary lengths in their absurd quest for legacy. Who will claim the title? Stranger-than-fiction,...
Called the “Van Cliburn of today” by the BBC, pianist Alexander Kobrin has placed himself at the forefront of today's performing musicians. His prize-winning performances have been praised for their brilliant technique, musicality, and emotional engagement with the audience. Mr. Kobrin has taken the top prize in many international competitions, most notably the esteemed Gold...
At a moment when musical streams are crossing with unprecedented frequency, it’s crucial to remember that throughout its history, New Orleans has been the point at which sounds and cultures from around the world converge, mingle, and resurface, transformed by the Crescent City’s inimitable spirit and joie de vivre. Nowhere is that idea more vividly...
Carol McKiernan grew up at Chautauqua and says that her love of mystical practices began here on the grounds. She was formally introduced to meditation many years ago at an off-season yoga and meditation retreat led by Subagh Singh Khalsa and has been practicing Centering Prayer daily ever since. She has attended many seminars, workshops, and retreats...
History has never been this ridiculous nor this fun! It’s 1876, and Alexander Graham Bell and his archrival, Elisha Gray, compete to save the world from the tyranny of telegraphs. Toiling in their laboratories, skullduggery ensues as the inventors go to extraordinary lengths in their absurd quest for legacy. Who will claim the title? Stranger-than-fiction,...
Stuart Chafetz, conductor Aubrey Logan, vocals/trombone John Manzari, dancer/vocals Celebrate America’s 250th year with The Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra’s annual Independence Day Celebration. The orchestra is joined by guests Aubrey Logan and John Manzari. Under the baton of Principal Pops conductor Stuart Chafetz, enjoy patriotic classics to pay tribute to the spirit of America. Bring your...
Hosted by the Friends of CVA, Art in the Park is an open art fair with 70+ vendors held in Miller Park, showcasing art by members of the Chautauqua community,...
In 2008, The Rev. Robert W. Henderson was installed as the sixth senior minister and head of staff at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C. A respected pastor, preacher, and...
Chautauqua Writers’ Center Faculty Reading — Featuring Noah Falck (Poetry) and Sunita Puri (Prose) Noah Falck is the author of Exclusions (Tupelo Press, 2020) which was a finalist for the...
Kriss Young Miller and her husband Gary manage the Quaker House. Kriss is a 2022 graduate of Earlham School of Religion with her Master of Arts in Peace and Social...
Sharon R. Wesoky, Ph.D has been practicing Buddhist meditation for over 15 years. Born and raised in a Reform Jewish tradition, she regards Buddhist practice as a way to connect...
Monte Thompson was a professional dancer, and also spent years as a restauranteur. His life was spent on his feet. Now retired, he is interested in continuing to be able...
In 2008, The Rev. Robert W. Henderson was installed as the sixth senior minister and head of staff at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C. A respected pastor, preacher, and...
Joanna Stern is an Emmy Award-winning technology journalist. She opens Chautauqua’s week of “Charting a New Media Landscape” with remarks inspired by her new book I Am Not a Robot:...
Rabbi Joshua Stanton is associate vice president for Interfaith and Intergroup Initiatives at Jewish Federations of North America, where he empowers leaders from 141 Jewish Federations across the continent to...
"The Quran and What is Says About Other Faiths"
Experience the award-winning vocal ensemble Cantus in a performance of stunning harmony and heartfelt storytelling. Renowned for their rich tone and collaborative artistry, Cantus brings a diverse program spanning classical...
Suzanne Watters is a Pratt Institute MFA graduate with a concentration in painting/drawing. Her art practice centers around woven pieces made with found textiles painted with pigments and/or dyed with...
Comprised of top-tier students from conservatories and universities in the U.S. and abroad, Music School Festival Orchestra members participate in a variety of musical activities during their summers at Chautauqua...
Step into a different side of opera training with an evening of jazz, musical theater, and American Songbook favorites performed by the singers of the Chautauqua Opera Conservatory. Curated by...
Sharon R. Wesoky, Ph.D has been practicing Buddhist meditation for over 15 years. Born and raised in a Reform Jewish tradition, she regards Buddhist practice as a way to connect...
In 2008, The Rev. Robert W. Henderson was installed as the sixth senior minister and head of staff at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C. A respected pastor, preacher, and...
Chautauqua Science Group Weekly Lecture Michael J. Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., studies genomics and genotype-phenotype relationships in heritable cardiovascular diseases predisposing to sudden death. In the Mayo Clinic Windland Smith Rice...
Chuck Todd is one of America’s foremost experts on American politics. A seasoned political journalist and analyst known for his sharp insight, he is the host of “The ChuckToddCast,” a...
Bird, Tree & Garden Club lunchtime lecture series Adrian Higgins began his career in the mid-1970s as a reporter in England for East Midlands Allied Press and its flagship daily...
The Science of Cooperation: How Understanding Our Evolutionary History Helps Us Build a Cooperative Future. Athena Aktipis, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University, Director of...
Sharon R. Wesoky, Ph.D has been practicing Buddhist meditation for over 15 years. Born and raised in a Reform Jewish tradition, she regards Buddhist practice as a way to connect...
Elizabeth Dias is the national religion correspondent for The New York Times. She has reported on faith and politics for 15 years, covering religion in four presidential elections and reporting...
Rossen Milanov, conductor Alexander Gavrylyuk, piano The Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra welcomes the return of Artist in Residence Alexander Gavrylyuk for an evening of symphonic passion. Tabakova’s Orpheus' Comet opens the...
This event is a part of Chautauqua's partnership with Arizona State University and is hosted by comedian Shane Mauss and Athena Aktipis (featuring comedy, science & music.) Surviving AI is...
Sharon R. Wesoky, Ph.D has been practicing Buddhist meditation for over 15 years. Born and raised in a Reform Jewish tradition, she regards Buddhist practice as a way to connect...
Monte Thompson was a professional dancer, and also spent years as a restauranteur. His life was spent on his feet. Now retired, he is interested in continuing to be able...
In 2008, The Rev. Robert W. Henderson was installed as the sixth senior minister and head of staff at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C. A respected pastor, preacher, and...
Jason Riley is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and the “Upward Mobility” opinion columnist for The Wall Street Journal, where he has written about politics, economics, education, immigration...
"Homecoming: School of Art Alumni" exhibition runs July 8-August 16. We welcome our School of Art residency alumni back to Chautauqua to share their talents and recent works. Co-curated by...
The Bear Lake Preserve is a key piece in a growing conservation corridor in northern Chautauqua County. Together with the nearby College Lodge Forest, protected in 2022, and Floating Fen,...
Naomi Schaefer Riley is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she focuses on child welfare and foster care issues. Specifically, her work analyzes the role of faith-based...
"Homecoming: School of Art Alumni" opening reception. Exhibition runs July 8-August 16. We welcome our School of Art residency alumni back to Chautauqua to share their talents and recent works....
"Shia-Sunni Sects and Religious Hierarchy"
Kim Hehr is a lifelong Chautauquan and a certified level 2 teacher of Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. She has been a yoga and meditation practitioner for 30 years and has...
The Chautauqua School of Art proudly welcomes Kyle Hackett, a distinguished member of our 2026 visiting faculty. Kyle Hackett will participate in the School’s Summer Lecture Series, sharing insights and...
Programmed by Unity of Chautauqua
Curated by Sasha Janes, Bonnefoux McBride Artistic Director of Chautauqua School of Dance, the annual All-Star Dance Gala serves as a celebration of the exceptional talent consistently produced by the...
Sharon R. Wesoky, Ph.D has been practicing Buddhist meditation for over 15 years. Born and raised in a Reform Jewish tradition, she regards Buddhist practice as a way to connect...
In 2008, The Rev. Robert W. Henderson was installed as the sixth senior minister and head of staff at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C. A respected pastor, preacher, and...
Paula Kerger is president and chief executive officer of PBS, the nation’s largest non-commercial media organization representing more than 330 member stations throughout the country. She also serves as president...
Theater Chats (formerly known as Brown Bags) On selected Thursdays at 12:15 p.m., bring lunch to Smith Wilkes Hall and join special guests, including actors, designers, playwrights and more, for...
Sharon R. Wesoky, Ph.D has been practicing Buddhist meditation for over 15 years. Born and raised in a Reform Jewish tradition, she regards Buddhist practice as a way to connect...
The Rev. Nicole Martin is the president and chief executive officer of Christianity Today. She has been with the magazine since 2023, previously holding the positions of chief operating officer...
Praised for her artistry and expressive depth, HieYon Choi is one of the most sought-after pianists of her generation. “One of this sonata’s greatest-ever recorded interpretations… a model of intelligent...
Join filmmaker Janice Overbeck for a film screening and discussion. This thought-provoking documentary exposes the alarming rise of antibiotic resistance, shedding light on the quiet war unfolding within the microbial...