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The following is an incomplete list of classical music festivals – music festivals focused on classical music. Classical music is art music produced or rooted in the traditions of Western music (both liturgical and secular), and has long been played at festival-like settings. It encompasses a broad span of time from roughly the 11th century to the present day.[1] The major time divisions of classical music are as follows: the early music period, which includes the Medieval (500–1400) and the Renaissance (1400–1600) era, played at early music festivals; the common practice period, which includes the Baroque (1600–1750), Classical (1750–1830), and Romantic eras (1804–1910), which included opera festivals and choral festivals; and the 20th century (1901–2000) which includes the modern (1890–1930) that overlaps from the late 19th-century, the high modern (mid 20th-century), and contemporary classical music festivals or postmodern (1975–2000) eras, the last of which overlaps into the 21st-century. The term "classical music" did not appear until the early 19th century, in an attempt to distinctly canonize the period from Johann Sebastian Bach to Beethoven as a golden age.[2]
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Festivals
editAfrica
edit| Festival name | Location | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Festival international de musique symphonique d'El Jem | Tunisia; El Djem | 1985–present | Held every summer |
| Greyton Genadendal Classics for All[3] | South Africa | 2003–present | Held third weekend in May each year |
| Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival[4] | South Africa | 2003–present | Held in July each year |
| Nosy Be Symphonies – Festival de Musique Classique de l'Océan Indien[5] | Madagascar | 2014–present | Held end of August each year |
| Klein Karoo Klassique[6] | South Africa | 2009–present | Held beginning of August each year |
Asia
edit| Festival name | Location | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kuthiramalika Festival | India; Thiruvananthapuram | ?–present | At shrine built by Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma |
| Sarvani Sangeetha Sabha | India; Chennai | 1986–present | Encouraging young talents |
| Parampara Series – Andhri | India; Hyderabad | 1997–present | Asian classical music |
| Swathi Sangeethotsavam | India; Trivandrum | 2000–present | Asian classical music |
| The Hindu Friday Review Music Festival | India; Chennai | 2005–present | Asian classical music |
| All Pakistan Music Conference | Pakistan; Lahore | 1959–present | Qawaali, classical, pop, rock, hamd, ghazel |
| Israel Festival | Israel; Jerusalem | 1961–present | Arts festival with classical focus |
| Istanbul International Music Festival | Turkey; Istanbul | 1973–present | Classical music, ballet, opera, traditional music |
| Mersin International Music Festival | Turkey; Mersin | 2002–present | Classical, jazz, pop |
| Gümüşlük International Classical Music Festival | Turkey; Gümüşlük | 2004–present | And Eklisia summer school |
| Tokyo Summer Festival | Japan; Tokyo | 1985–present | Mixed genres |
| Pacific Music Festival | Japan; Sapporo | 1990–present | Performers from major orchestras serve as faculty. |
| Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival | Japan; Matsumoto | 1992–present | Held in August and September |
| Beijing Music Festival | China; Beijing | 1998–present | Founded by the Chinese government |
| Great Wall International Music Academy | China; Beijing | 2005–present | Month-long classical music institute |
| Tongyeong International Music Festival | South Korea; Tongyeong | 2002–present | Large event with multiple genres |
| Isang Yun Competition | South Korea; Tongyeong | 2003–present | Classical competition |
| Daegu International Opera Festival | South Korea; Daegu | 2003–present | Multiple features beyond main opera |
| Music in PyeongChang | South Korea; PyeongChang | 2004–present | Chamber music festival |
| Beigang International Music Festival | Taiwan; Beigang | 2006–present | Beigang Philharmonic Association |
| Bengal Classical Music Festival | Bangladesh; Dhaka | 2012–present | South Asian classical music |
Europe
edit| Festival name | Location | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nordic Music Days | (several) | 1888–present | Held in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Norway |
| Grafenegg Festival | Austria | 2007–present | |
| KlangBogen Wien | Austria | 1995–2006 | |
| Salzburg Festival | Austria | 1920–present | |
| Salzburg Easter Festival | Austria | 1967–present | |
| Salzburg Whitsun Festival | Austria | 1973–present | |
| Mozart Week | Austria | 1956–present | |
| Styriarte | Austria | 1985–present | International festival, held in Graz and Styria |
| Vienna Spring Festival | Austria | 1992–present | |
| Summa Cum Laude Festival | Austria | 2007–present | |
| Gabala International Music Festival | Azerbaijan | 2009–present | |
| Mstislav Rostropovich Baku International Festival | Azerbaijan | 2007–present | |
| Uzeyir Hajibeyov International Music Festival | Azerbaijan | 2009–present | |
| XXIV International Society for Contemporary Music Festival | Belgium | 1950 | |
| Bachfestival Antwerpen | Belgium | 2021-present | |
| Laus Polyphoniae | Belgium | 1994-present | |
| International Chamber Music Festival Plovdiv | Bulgaria | 1964–present | |
| March Music Days | Bulgaria | –present | |
| Music Biennale Zagreb | Croatia | 1961–present | |
| The International Music Festival of F. L. Vek | Czech Republic | –present | |
| Janáček Music Festival | Czech Republic | 1976–present | |
| Prague Autumn International Music Festival | Czech Republic | 1991–2008 | |
| Prague Spring International Music Festival | Czech Republic | 1946–present | |
| Aldeburgh Festival | England | ||
| Bampton Classical Opera | England | ||
| Bath International Music Festival | England | ||
| Birmingham Triennial Music Festival | England | 1784–1912 | |
| Brighton Early Music Festival | England | ||
| Dartington International Summer School | England | ||
| English Music Festival | England | ||
| Harrogate International Festivals | England | ||
| Hastings Musical Festival | England | ||
| Henley Festival | England | ||
| Hoffnung Music Festival | England | ||
| Investec International Music Festival[7] | England | 2010–present | |
| Leeds Festival | England | ||
| Leeds Lieder | England | ||
| Oundle International Festival | England | ||
| Oxford International Piano Festival | England | ||
| Oxford Lieder Festival | England | ||
| Prom on The Close | England | ||
| The Proms | England | 1895– | |
| Southern Cathedrals Festival | England | 1904– | |
| Spitalfields Music | England | ||
| St Albans International Organ Festival | England | ||
| Swaledale Festival | England | ||
| Three Choirs Festival | England | 1719– | |
| Tilford Bach Festival | England | ||
| Two Moors Festival | England | ||
| York Early Music Festival | England | ||
| Aix-en-Provence Festival | France | 1948–present | |
| Besançon International Music Festival | France | 1948–present | |
| Festival International de Musique Saint-Georges | France | 2018-present | Held in Guadeloupe |
| Festival des Nuits Romantiques | France | ||
| Forest Festival | France | ||
| La Folle Journée | France | ||
| Musica | France | ||
| Musique-Cordiale | France | 2005-present | |
| Opéra de Baugé | France | ||
| Strasbourg Music Festival | France | ||
| Bachfest Leipzig | Germany | 1904–present | Early Bach festival |
| Bachwoche Ansbach | Germany | 1947–present | Bonn |
| Bayreuth Festival | Germany | 1876–present | Wagner opera festival |
| Bayreuther Osterfestival | Germany | 1994–present | Easter festival |
| Beethovenfest | Germany | 1845–present | Beethoven festival |
| Braunschweig Classix Festival | Germany | 1988–present | |
| Dresden Music Festival | Germany | 1978–present | |
| Göttingen International Handel Festival | Germany | 1919–present | Devoted to Handel |
| Heidelberger Frühling | Germany | 1997-present | International festival |
| InterHarmony International Music Festival | Germany | 1997–present | International festival |
| Internationale Maifestspiele Wiesbaden | Germany | 1896–present | International theatre festival |
| Kissinger Sommer | Germany | 1986–present | |
| Klavier-Festival Ruhr | Germany | 1988–present | Piano festival; classical music and jazz; lasts more than three months |
| Lower Rhenish Music Festival | Germany | 1818–1958 | Early classical festival held on Pentecost |
| Magdeburger Telemann-Festtage | Germany | 1962–present | Devoted to the works of Telemann |
| Rheingau Musik Festival | Germany | 1987–present | Concerts take place at a culturally important location. |
| Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival | Germany | 1986–present | Summer festival |
| Sommerliche Musiktage Hitzacker | Germany | 1946–present | Summer chamber music festival |
| Ardee Baroque Festival | Ireland | –present | |
| Cork International Choral Festival | Ireland | –present | |
| Lismore Opera Festival | Ireland | –present | |
| New Ross Piano Festival | Ireland | –present | |
| Wexford Festival Opera | Ireland | 1951–present | |
| West Cork Chamber Music Festival | Ireland | 1995–present | Bantry |
| Altschuler Summer Music Institute | Italy | 2019–present | |
| Settimane Musicali al Teatro Olimpico di Vicenza[8] | Italy | 1992-present | |
| CIMA Festival | Italy | –present | |
| Bologna Festival[9] | Italy | 1982 –present | |
| InterHarmony International Music Festival | Italy | –present | |
| Riga Jurmala Music Festival[10] | Latvia | 2019-present | |
| Bergen International Festival | Norway | –present | |
| Chopin Festival | Poland | –present | |
| Chopin and his Europe | Poland | 2005–present | |
| Oeiras International Piano Festival | Portugal | 2018 -present | Piano summer festival |
| Cistermúsica[11] | Portugal | 1993–present | In Alcobaça |
| Organ Festival of Braga | Portugal Braga | 2014–present | |
| Madeira PianoFest | Portugal Funchal | 2015–present | |
| EUROPAfest | Romania | –present | |
| George Enescu Festival | Romania | –present | |
| Festival Vara Magica | Romania | 2011–present | |
| Radiro - International Radio Orchestras Festival | Romania | –present | |
| Toamna Muzicală Clujeană | Romania | 1965–present | |
| Edinburgh International Festival | Scotland | 1947–present | |
| Belgrade Music Festival | Serbia | 1969–present | |
| Košice Music Spring Festival | Slovakia | 1956–present | |
| Festival Castell de Peralada | Spain | 1987–present | |
| Festival de Música de Segovia | Spain | 1978–present | |
| Festival de Música Española de Cádiz | Spain | 2003–present | Devoted to Spanish music |
| Festival de Música Antigua de Aranjuez | Spain | 1993–present | Devoted to early music |
| Festival de Música Antigua de Gijón | Spain | 1998–present | Devoted to early music |
| Festival de Música Antigua de Sevilla | Spain | 1983–present | Devoted to early music |
| Festival de Música Antigua de Úbeda y Baeza | Spain | 1997–present | Devoted to early music |
| Festival de Música Renacentista y Barroca de Vélez Blanco | Spain | 2001–present | Devoted to early music |
| Festival de Pollença | Spain | 1962–present | |
| Festival de Torroella de Montgrí | Spain | 1982–present | |
| Festival En el Camino de Santiago | Spain | 1992–present | |
| Festival Ibérico de Música de Badajoz | Spain | 1984–present | |
| Festival Internacional de Música de Canarias | Spain | 1985–present | |
| Festival Internacional de Música y Danza de Granada | Spain | 1952–present | |
| Festival Internacional de Santander | Spain | 1952–present | |
| Festival Otoño Musical Soriano | Spain | 1992–present | |
| Musika-Música | Spain | 2000–present | |
| Quincena Musical de San Sebastián | Spain | 1939–present | |
| Semana de Música Religiosa de Cuenca | Spain | 1962–present | Devoted to sacred music |
| Gstaad Menuhin Festival & Academy | Switzerland | 1957–present | |
| Lucerne Festival | Switzerland | 1938–present | |
| Festival Musikdorf Ernen | Switzerland | 1974–present | |
| Nox Illuminata | Switzerland | 2004–present | |
| Verbier Festival | Switzerland | 1956–present | |
| Festival Oude Muziek | Netherlands | 1982–present | |
| Holland Festival | Netherlands | 1947–present | |
| Gümüşlük International Classical Music Festival | Turkey | –present | |
| Istanbul International Music Festival | Turkey | –present | |
| Mersin International Music Festival | Turkey | –present | |
| Kyiv Music Fest | Ukraine | –present | |
| LvivMozArt | Ukraine | 2017-present | |
| North Wales International Music Festival | Wales | 1972–present |
North America
edit| Festival name | Location | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brott Music Festival | Canada | 1988–present | Multiple genres |
| Bach Music Festival of Canada | Canada | 2011–present | Bach festival |
| Domaine Forget | Canada | –present | |
| Festival 500 | Canada | –present | |
| Festival of the Sound | Canada | –present | |
| Kiwanis Music Festival | Canada | –present | |
| Mondial Choral | Canada | –present | |
| Montreal Festivals | Canada, Montreal | –present | |
| Music and Beyond | Canada | –present | |
| New Brunswick Summer Music Festival | Canada, New Brunswick | –present | |
| Ottawa Chamberfest | Canada, Ottawa | –present | |
| Quebec City Summer Festival | Canada, Quebec | –present | |
| Quebec Contemporary Music Society | Canada, Quebec | –present | |
| Stratford Summer Music Festival | Canada | –present | |
| Toronto Summer Music Festival | Canada, Toronto | –present | |
| Tuckamore Festival | Canada | –present | |
| American Festival for the Arts | United States | ||
| Annual Avant Garde Festival of New York | United States | ||
| Aspen Music Festival and School | United States | ||
| ASME@WAU Music Festival [12] | United States, Washington D.C. | -present | |
| Bard Music Festival | United States | ||
| Bellingham Festival of Music | United States | ||
| Blossom Festival | United States | ||
| Bowdoin International Music Festival | United States | ||
| Bravo! Vail | United States | ||
| Brevard Music Center | United States | ||
| Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival | United States | ||
| Caramoor Summer Music Festival | United States | ||
| Carmel Bach Festival | United States | ||
| Chamber Music Northwest | United States | ||
| Chestnut Hill Concerts | United States | ||
| Cincinnati May Festival | United States | ||
| Colorado MahlerFest | United States | ||
| Colorado Music Festival | United States | ||
| Festival Mozaic, San Luis Obispo[13] | United States, California | 1971–present | Multiple genres |
| Festival Napa Valley | United States | ||
| Festival of Neglected Romantic Music | United States | ||
| Festival of New Trumpet Music | United States | ||
| Fine Arts Summer Academy (FASA)[14] | United States | ||
| Grand Teton Music Festival | United States | ||
| Grant Park Music Festival | United States | ||
| Hot Springs Music Festival | United States | ||
| Kneisel Hall | United States | ||
| La Musica | United States | ||
| Laguna Beach Chamber Music Society | United States | ||
| Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute | United States | ||
| Mainly Mozart Festival | United States | ||
| MasterWorks Festival | United States | ||
| Mendocino Music Festival | United States | ||
| Midsummer Mozart Festival | United States | ||
| Mineral Point Chamber Music Festival[15] | United States | 2017–present | This annual June festival features advanced university-level ensembles |
| Missouri Chamber Music Festival | United States | ||
| Mostly Modern Festival[16] | United States | 2018– | The focus of the festival is "mostly modern": music by living composers from around the world, with occasional works from the standard repertoire. |
| Mostly Mozart Festival | United States | ||
| Music Academy of the West | United States | ||
| Music@Menlo | United States | ||
| Music from Angel Fire[17] | United States | 1984–present | Music from Angel Fire celebrates extraordinary chamber music in the Northern New Mexico communities of Angel Fire, Taos, Raton and Las Vegas. |
| Music House International[18] | United States | 1997–present | Study with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra |
| Music in the Mountains | United States, Colorado | ||
| Music Mountain | United States | 1930–present | June through September annually; devoted to the string quartet and other chamber music; Twilight series of jazz, swing, etc. Education programs, master classes, etc. |
| National Music Festival[19] | United States, Chestertown, Maryland | 2010–present | First two weeks of June annually |
| Newport Music Festival | United States | ||
| Norfolk Chamber Music Festival | United States | ||
| Northern Lights Music Festival[20] | United States | 2003–present | The Northern Lights Music Festival is a three week classical music performance program and music school which is held each summer on the Minnesota Iron Range. |
| Ojai Music Festival | United States | ||
| OK Mozart Festival | United States | ||
| Olympic Music Festival | United States | ||
| Omnipresent Music Festival[21] | United States | 2021–present | Omnipresent Music Festival - BIPOC Musicians Festival. This is a music festival that showcases the historical significance of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) professional musicians and composers while entertaining communities and inspiring youth with musical performances that span all genres of music. |
| Oregon Bach Festival | United States | ||
| Other Minds Festival | United States | 1993-present | Focus on contemporary classical and experimental music |
| Park City International Music Festival | United States | ||
| Philadelphia International Music Camp & Festival[22] | United States | 1997–present | Study with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra |
| Piano Summer | United States | ||
| Portland Chamber Music Festival | United States | ||
| Rockport Music | United States | ||
| Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival | United States | ||
| Sarasota Music Festival | United States | ||
| Sitka Summer Music Festival | United States | ||
| Strings Music Festival | United States | ||
| Worcester Music Festival, Massachusetts | United States, Massachusetts | –present | |
| West Side Orchestral Concerts | United States | –present | |
| Vermont Mozart Festival | United States, Vermont | –present | |
| Tanglewood Music Center | United States | –present | |
| Classical/Pops Festival | Barbados | 2014–present | Held yearly in December |
| Casals Festival | Puerto Rico |
Oceania
edit| Festival name | Location | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intervarsity Choral Festival | Australia | 1950–present | Choral festival |
| Melbourne International Arts Festival | Australia | 1986–present | Held for 17 days each October |
| Canberra International Music Festival | Australia | 1994–present | Held at the end of April annually |
| G-TARanaki Guitar Festival | New Zealand | 2008–present | Guitar focus |
South America
edit| Festival name | Location | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semana Musical Llao Llao | Argentina | 1993–present | Held yearly in October |
| Septiembre Musical | Argentina | 1960–present | Arts festival |
| Ilumina Festival | Brazil | 2015–present | Chamber music festival |
| Festival Amazonas de Ópera | Brazil | 1997–present | Opera festival |
| Festival de Música Coral Renascentista | Brazil | 2017–present | Reinassance music festival for 3 days |
| Natal Luz | Brazil | 1986–present | Classical Christmas concert |
| Frutillar Musical Weeks | Chile | 1968–present | Between January and February, 10 days |
| Boyacá International Cultural Festival | Colombia | 1973–present | Cultural and arts festival with classical music |
| International Festival of Lyric Singing | Peru | 1996–present | International vocalists |
| International Music Festival Alfredo de Saint Malo | Panama | 2006–present | Platform for musical and cultural exchange |
References
edit- ^ "Classical", The Oxford Concise Dictionary of Music, ed. Michael Kennedy, (Oxford, 2007), Oxford Reference Online. Retrieved July 23, 2007.
- ^ Rushton, Julian, Classical Music, (London, 1994), 10
- ^ Greyton Genadendal Classics for All
- ^ Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival
- ^ Nosy Be Symphonies
- ^ Klein Karoo Klassique
- ^ Investec International Music Festival
- ^ Settimane Musicali al Teatro Olimpico di Vicenza
- ^ Bologna Festival
- ^ Riga Jurmala Music Festival
- ^ Cistermúsica - Festival de Música de Alcobaça
- ^ ASME@WAU Music Festival
- ^ Festival Mozaic, San Luis Obispo
- ^ Fine Arts Summer Academy (FASA)
- ^ Mineral Point Chamber Music Festival
- ^ Mostly Modern Festival
- ^ Music from Angel Fire
- ^ Music House International
- ^ National Music Festival, Chestertown, Maryland
- ^ Northern Lights Music Festival
- ^ Omnipresent Music Festival
- ^ Philadelphia International Music Camp & Festival
External links
edit
Media related to Classical music festivals at Wikimedia Commons
