The Moab Music Festival launches its 17th season Sept. 3 with one of its iconic grotto concerts along the Colorado River.

With music by Dvorak and Schubert, the concert takes place in a natural grotto a few miles downriver from Moab.

Thursday's concert is the opening event of this year's 13-concert festival, which runs through Sept. 14. During this time, there will be two more grotto concerts, all of which are benefits for the festival.

Concerts take place in and around Moab, including the town's historical Star Hall. There are also several outdoor performances at Red Cliffs Lodge and Sorrel River Ranch.

For the more adventurous, the festival is offering for the first time a four-day musical raft trip through the Colorado River's Cataract Canyon from Sept. 14-17 that includes daily evening concerts along the way. At the end of the trip participants will be flown back to Moab.

Artists scheduled to perform this year include violinists Pamela Frank and Arnaud Sussman; fiddler Paul Woodiel; cellists Peter Sanders and Tanya Tomkins; pianist Jorge-Luis Prats; and narrator Jamie Bernstein.

Here is a schedule of events for the Moab Music Festival. Unless otherwise noted, all concerts are $25 for adults and $5 for children. For tickets and information, call the festival office at 435-259-7003 or go online at moabmusicfest.com.

Sept. 3, noon, Colorado River — Grotto Concert: Dvorak, Schubert; $300 (partially tax deductible).

Sept. 4, 7 p.m., Star Hall — Opening Night: Poulenc, Saint-Sa?s, Satie, Sellars, Chausson; $15 adults.

Sept. 5, 11 a.m., Star Hall — Open Rehearsal and Conversation; free (tickets required).

Sept. 5, 6 p.m., Red Cliffs Lodge — "Fiesta Cubana" with the Chuchito Valdes Quartet.

Sept. 6, 9:30 a.m., location TBA — Musical Walk: Mozart, Bartok, de Beriot; $50.

Sept. 6, 6 p.m., Red Cliffs Lodge — Cuban classical music.

Sept. 7, 2 p.m., Old City Park — Schubert, Dvorak, selections for solo piano; free (no tickets required).

Sept. 9, 5:30 p.m., location TBA — Ranch Concert: traditional music; $85.

Sept. 10, 12 p.m., Colorado River — Grotto Concert: Mozart, Boccherini, Ravel; $300 (partially tax deductible).

Sept. 11, 11 a.m., Star Hall — Open Rehearsal and Conversation; free (tickets required).

Sept. 11, 6 p.m., Sorrel River Ranch — Mendelssohn's 200th: Mendelssohn, Glinka.

Sept. 12, 6 p.m., Sorrel River Ranch — "Norse by Norse(West)" with Paul Woodiel.

Sept. 13, 9:30 a.m., location TBA — Musical Walk: traditional music; $50.

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Sept. 13, 5 p.m., location TBA — House Benefit Concert: Beethoven, Bowen; $200 (partially tax deductible).

Sept. 14, 12 p.m., Colorado River — Grotto Concert: Bach; $300 (partially tax deductible).

Sept. 14-17, Colorado River — Musical Raft Trip; $1,950 (partially tax deductible).

e-mail: ereichel@desnews.com

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