Music at Grace Farms | Aoife O’Donovan
with Eric & Colin Jacobsen
Sunday, April 11, 2027, 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Aoife O’Donovan, vocals, acoustic guitar
Eric Jacobsen, cello
Colin Jacobsen, violin
Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Aoife O’Donovan brings her singular voice to an intimate afternoon that moves freely between solitude and conversation — between the quiet power of a single voice and the warmth of strings intertwined.
Born from an Irish-American musical sensibility that stretches from the hills of Appalachia to the Celtic songs of her summers in Ireland, O’Donovan has earned her place as one of the most captivating storytellers in American folk music. Drawing from her celebrated catalog — including her acclaimed albums Age of Apathy, In the Magic Hour, and All My Friends — she performs a set of songs that are tender, searching, and quietly enchanting.
A natural collaborator — founding member of the beloved string band Crooked Still and one-third of the Grammy-winning folk trio I’m With Her alongside Sara Watkins and Sarah Jarosz — O’Donovan has earned ten Grammy nominations across a career built not on going it alone, but on the alchemy that happens when kindred musical spirits find each other.
Joining her are two of contemporary classical music’s most imaginative voices: cellist Eric Jacobsen and violinist Colin Jacobsen, brothers whose careers have been defined by a restless curiosity that carries them far beyond genre. Co-founders of the groundbreaking string quartet Brooklyn Rider and the chamber orchestra The Knights, the Jacobsens bring with them a rare combination of classical rigor and an adventurer’s ear — qualities that make them natural companions for O’Donovan’s own genre-defying art.
The afternoon unfolds in two registers: solo moments where O’Donovan stands alone with nothing but her voice and guitar, raw and unhurried — and collaborative passages where cello and violin surround her melodies in constant conversation. Expect a performance of profound musicianship, unexpected beauty, and the rare feeling that something unrepeatable is happening right in front of you.
On-site parking and off-site parking with shuttle service are available for purchase here. Ride sharing is encouraged as a convenient option, with several services available locally
Registration is now open for Grace Farms Members
General Registration opens at 10 am on Monday, May 18, 2026
Music at Grace Farms
This distinctive concert series invites audiences into the Sanctuary, a glass-enclosed amphitheater, to experience a one-of-a-kind acoustic music performance timed with the sunset. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning firm, SANAA, the Sanctuary’s glass walls offer 360-degree views of 80 acres of natural landscapes, while the room’s exceptional acoustics enhance the musical performances happening within. This unique setting provides an immersion into a singular moment where music intertwines with nature and elevates a collective sense of hope and possibility. Past performers include Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Joshua Bell, Mon Rovîa, jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, and Grace Farms Artist-in-Residence cellist Arlen Hlusko.
About Aoife O’Donovan
Aoife O’Donovan is a Grammy-award winning singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose music radiates with a timeless charm and contemporary allure beyond genre. Deemed “a vocalist of unerring instinct” by The New York Times, O’Donovan has released four critically-acclaimed solo albums including 2022’s Age of Apathy and 2024’s All My Friends, which earned a collective 5 Grammy nominations. O’Donovan is a founding member and lead vocalist of the progressive folk band Crooked Still, and one-third of the folk trio I’m With Her, alongside bandmates Sara Watkins and Sarah Jarosz. She is the featured vocalist on The Goat Rodeo Sessions (whose members include Yo-Yo Ma), performed with over a dozen symphonies including the National Symphony Orchestra, and spent a decade as a regular contributor to the radio variety shows “Live From Here” and “A Prairie Home Companion”.
About Eric Jacobsen
Already well-established as one of classical music’s most exciting and innovative young conductors, Eric Jacobsen combines fresh interpretations of the traditional canon with cutting-edge collaborations across musical genres. Hailed by the New York Times as “an interpretive dynamo,” Eric, as both a conductor and a cellist, has built a reputation for engaging audiences with innovative and collaborative programming. Eric is Music Director at both the Virginia Symphony orchestra and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, where he continues to pioneer programming and community engagement in new and exciting directions. Eric was also recently named the Principal Guest Conductor of the Classical Tahoe Musical Festival. Eric is also artistic director and co-founder of The Knights, the uniquely adventurous NYC-based chamber orchestra. The ensemble, founded with his brother, violinist Colin Jacobsen, grew out of late-night music reading parties with friends, good food and drink, and conversation. Current endeavors include a residency at Carnegie Hall, and an extensive recording collection, including albums with longtime collaborators Yo-Yo Ma, Gil Shaham, Aaron Diehl, Gabe Kahane, and Anna Clyne. Eric brings joy, storytelling, and a touch of humor to what he describes as “musical conversations” that delight audiences around the world, including those who do not traditionally attend classical music concerts.
About Colin Jacobsen
Violinist and composer Colin Jacobsen is “one of the most interesting figures on the classical music scene” (Washington Post). Since the early 2000’s, Jacobsen has forged an intriguing path in the cultural landscape of our time, collaborating with an astonishingly wide range of artists across diverse traditions and disciplines while constantly looking for news to connect with audiences. For his work as a founding member of two game-changing, audience-expanding ensembles – the string quartet Brooklyn Rider and orchestra The Knights – Jacobsen was selected from among the nation’s top visual, performing, media, and literary artists to receive a prestigious and substantial United States Artists Fellowship. He is also active as an Avery Fisher Career Grant-winning soloist and has toured with Silkroad since its founding by cellist Yo-Yo Ma in 2000 at Tanglewood. Starting in the 2022/23 season, Jacobsen assumes the position of Artistic Director of Santa Fe Pro Musica, an organization with which he has had a fruitful long-term association as a guest soloist and leader.
2026-2027 season
The 2026/2027 season deepens our ongoing exploration of the programmatic theme, We all build, through a new slate of one-of-a-kind experiences rooted in our mission to foster more grace and peace locally and globally. Join us for unforgettable musical performances, stirring dialogue from today’s leading thinkers, and community moments — each held in an immersive setting where boundaries between people, architecture, and landscape dissolve. Visit us throughout the seasons to sit at this unique intersection and explore topics that aim to inspire both introspection and joy. From there, we hope you connect with our theme that encourages all to build a more graceful and peaceful world, every day.
thank you to our 2026-2027 season sponsor
