The Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra is returning to Blair Square this month with a patriotic performance celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary, bringing professional musicians together for an evening of iconic music in one of the community’s most beloved outdoor gathering spaces.

The free, family-friendly performance will feature a stirring program of American classics, including Lincoln Portrait, An American Salute, John Williams’ Midway March, and other patriotic favorites. Organizers say the concert is designed to honor the nation’s history while bringing residents of all ages together through live music.

“We’re doing a sort of Americana program,” says Paul Surapine, Founder and Executive and Artistic Director of Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, noting the concert will feature “some large pieces, serious wind ensemble windature from American composers like Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland and medlies, like ‘Chicago’ or ‘Jersey Boys.’ We kind of weave a theme of rekindling people with the sense of what a great country and what a great people we are.” One Copland arrangement in particlur, he says, will weave music in with segments of Abraham Lincoln speeches.

Last year’s Summer Winds concert at Blair Square drew one of the largest and most enthusiastic audiences of the season, with families, longtime residents, and first-time concertgoers filling the park to enjoy an evening of live symphonic music. The event showcased the community’s appreciation for free outdoor cultural programming, as audience members shared their excitement for future concerts in the days that followed. 

The strong attendance and overwhelmingly positive response reinforced Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra’s growing connection with Holliston. Since the orchestra began performing in Holliston in 2024, attendance by local residents at its concerts has steadily increased, reflecting growing community interest in live orchestral music.

“We’ve been performing in Holliston now every summer. I think this will be our third performance,” says Surapine, “It’s a great venue, we get this huge crowd there, and they’re really enthusiastic. It was funny, because none of them seemed to be aware of us as a professional regional symphony orchestra that performs on the same level as any major urban center in New England, and now, Holliston has become one of our biggest concerts in the symphony season. Once they were exposed to this, they became really great Claflin Hill fans and supporters.”

In fact, a few months ago, Surapine gave a talk at the Holliston Library, and he’ll be back to speak at a meeting of the Dull Men’s Group at the library on Friday, August 7, at 10 a.m.

This year’s performance is part of the Holliston Celebrates America 250 series of events, organized by community groups such as Celebrate Holliston, Holliston Newcomers & Neighbors, the American Legion and the VFW. The performance has been funded, in part, by a grant from the Holliston Cultural Council. 

As communities across the country commemorate the nation’s semiquincentennial, organizers hope the Blair Square performance will provide an opportunity for neighbors to gather, celebrate American musical traditions, and share in a celebration of community, heritage, and civic pride. 

Now celebrating its 26th season, the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra has become a regional cultural institution, presenting more than two dozen concerts each year, including symphony, chamber, jazz, and summer park performances. More than half of its annual concerts are offered free to the public, making professional orchestral music accessible throughout the region.

Founded in 1997, the orchestra employs more than 200 professional musicians from across New England each season. All hold degrees in music performance, with nearly four out of five earning master’s degrees or higher. Many have remained with the organization for decades while also teaching thousands of students each week in schools and private studios throughout the region.

Beyond entertainment, Claflin Hill points to growing research that demonstrates the value of live arts experiences. Studies from the World Health Organization and Harvard University’s Music and Health Initiative have found that attending live performances can reduce stress, improve mental well-being, strengthen social connections, and encourage civic engagement.

Claflin Hill works to extend those benefits by keeping concerts affordable and accessible through Pay What You Can pricing, partnerships with local charities, complimentary ticket donations and free outdoor performances, including the one at Blair Square. 

The Holliston Celebrates America 250 concert will take place at 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 15 in Blair Square. It is free of charge and open to all. 

For more information and performance dates visit www.claflinhill.org. 

Audience members enjoy a performance from Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra. Photo courtesy of Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra