Folk The
Alaska Folk Festival, held in early April in
Juneau is among the state's most well-attended music festivals. The Fairbanks Folk Fest annual "Summer and Winter Music Fests" and the Anchorage Folk Festival are also well known in their areas. The
Athabascan Old-Time Fiddling Festival, also held in
Fairbanks (since 1983) is described "a testament to the far-reaching appeal of traditional music" in the ''Country Music Lover's Guide to the U.S.A.''; the festival features
Athabascan and
Inuit fiddlers.
Classical The most prominent
symphony orchestra in Alaska is the
Anchorage Symphony Orchestra. The
Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra has served the Interior since 1958, and its traveling arm, the
Arctic Chamber Orchestra, regularly tours rural Alaska, as well as occasional international trips. The
Juneau Symphony is another notable institution which was founded in 1962. Youth orchestras include the
Anchorage Youth Symphony. Alaska also is home to a notable chamber music festivals, including the
Sitka Music Festival Alaska's premier chamber music presenter who has presented in over 42 Alaskan communities with the mission of providing the finest classical Music experience in Alaska through performance and education. The festival is led by Grammy-winning cellist, Zuill Bailey and presents over 30 of the world's leading classical musicians in Alaska each year. Alaska is also home to the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, and the Anchorage Chamber Music Festival. The Juneau Jazz & Classics Festival is a 10-day annual event, offering both formal and informal concerts in classical, jazz and blues music, including workshops for musicians of all ages, youth concerts, outreach activities, and community interaction with the featured artists.
Opera The
Anchorage Opera is currently the state's only professional opera company, however there are several volunteer and semi-professional organizations in the state as well. The Juneau Lyric Opera, a volunteer company, was founded in 1974 and presents concerts, choral workshops, and fully staged opera in
Juneau and
Southeast Alaska.
Country Country music in Alaska is very popular, in part due to the influx of oilfield employment from the southern US. Popular local groups include the Ken Peltier Band.
Rap Alaska began to see a flourishing scene of underground rappers in the late 1990s and early 2000s as the state's black population began to grow steadily. Despite the increase in crime and the presence of drug trafficking, numerous artists began to see their music flourish in both Black and Pacific Islander communities as Alaska became a melting pot of urban culture from the influx of residents from the continental United States.
Rock The
Anchorage community organizes several festival shows each summer, usually at Cuddy Family Park's small
amphitheater. The festivals typically feature performances by local punk, rock, and metal bands, although groups specializing in other genres such as
rockabilly and noise have also made appearances. The shows are loosely organized and community driven. Non-musical attractions have included circus acts, auctions, barbecues, and
bike sports. Festivals are typically given a unique nickname, rather than sharing a common title (e.g. "Anchorage Festival of Unpopular Music" or "Bunk Rock Picnic"). ==Notes==