After three years of “city” music, Oregon Festival of American Music goes country this year in Fiddlers’ Cross-Stitch, a week-long tribute to the rich musical fabric of the American rural tradition. As always, the Festival Concert Series offers something for everyone, this year through 5 “not-to-be-missed” shows: Sweet, hot fiddle, traditional American songs, and the ageless art of storytelling. Texas swing (and plenty of food, music, and dancing!) with the legendary fiddler Johnny Gimble and his band. The world premier of two symphonic works by composer David Rimelis. And fiddler Mark O’Connor’s beautiful, haunting “cross-stitch” compositions for fiddle and orchestra. And we are again pleased to present the Festival Exhibition Series of free presentations, which this year includes pre-concert talks by Alsop & Festival guest artists, 3 recitals by Festival Academy students and the 5-lecture U of O School of Music Seminar series. Join us as Alsop and her 1995 Festival Orchestra take classical needle and country thread in hand to stitch a sampler of music, song and story from America’s rich country roots that you won’t soon forget!