[1] The Festival was founded in 1974 by Melvin Kaplan, oboist and teacher at Juilliard, in collaboration with conductor William Metcalfe and the University of Vermont.

The first season featured all-Mozart performances at the UVM Show Barn, Shelburne Farms, Royall Tyler Theatre, Robert Hull Fleming Museum, St. Paul's Cathedral, and aboard the S.S. Champlain.

The Festival was incorporated as a non-profit organization in late 1976; the first full board of directors was assembled in early 1977.

Following a successful fundraising campaign, the Festival achieved national recognition when CBS Sunday Morning filmed a week of concerts on location.

In 1983, the complete Winter Series was recorded by National Public Radio and aired on Performance Today.