St. John’s to Celebrate 25th Anniversary Summer Concert on the Great Lawn

St. John’s University will celebrate a quarter-century of music under the stars when the Queens, NY, campus hosts the annual Great Lawn Summer Concert on Wednesday, August 6, from 7 to 9 p.m.

The 25th annual concert features a collection of masterpieces from the works of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky as performed by the Richmond County Orchestra (RCO). It also includes a special performance by students from the Virtuoso Suzuki Academy of Mineola, NY. 

RCO has entertained audiences in the New York metropolitan area since 1998 and has performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the St. George Theater, and the Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanic Garden. RCO made its St. John’s debut last year in a special summer performance.

The Summer Concert supports Hearts on Fire: The Campaign for St. John’s, a bold initiative to strengthen the University through student scholarships, academic excellence, and capital improvements. St. John’s alumni are invited to attend a pre-concert barbecue, featuring delicious summer food, wine, and beer.

“For 25 years, St. John’s Summer Concert has brought together alumni and the local community on our Great Lawn, together with a rich and diverse lineup of concerts and operas,” said Paul Lazauskas ’01CCPS ’08MBA, Associate Director, Office of Alumni Relations. “We are proud to celebrate this milestone with the Richmond County Orchestra. It promises to be a memorable evening of music and St. John’s spirit, all supporting our Hearts on Fire Campaign.”

The summer concert is an opportunity for St. John’s to open its doors to members of the Queens community eager to listen to classical sounds in an idyllic setting on the Great Lawn. Begun in 1998, concerts have been held annually except when shows were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guests attending this year’s performance should enter Gate 8 at Utopia Parkway and 82nd Avenue before the 7 p.m. start and bring chairs and blankets. The concert will move indoors to the University’s Little Theatre in the event of inclement weather.

Tickets for the preconcert alumni barbecue are priced at $30 per person and are free for St. John’s Loughlin and McCallen society members. Preregistration through Alumni Relations is required for the alumni barbecue.