Colorado Music Festival celebrating 50th anniversary
As Colorado turns 150 and the United States marks its 250th, Colorado Music Festival is celebrating it's 50th year. The Festival will celebrate by doing what it does best - combining major guest artists with the Colorado Festival Orchestra to create world-class classical music.
"We're doing some of the most fantastic masterpieces ever written for symphony orchestra, Tchaikovsky symphonies, 'Sibelius,' and 'The Planets,' one of the most famous pieces ever written. So it's a really good summer for people to catch a concert," said Peter Oundjian, Music Director for the Festival.
Colorado Music Festival opens on Thursday, July 9th with guest artist HIMARI, who is a 15-year-old phenomenon. She'll be performing Sibelius' Concerto for Violin.
"She puts her bow on the violin and you think it's the wisest, most expressive, most experienced musician and yet it's just this little girl," Oundjian explained.
Throughout the Festival there will be performances by Yuja Wang, a world renowned pianist, Canadian Brass, and violinist Njioma Grevious.
"We also have an extraordinary pianist coming, also Japanese in fact. His name is Tsujii...Nobu Tsujii, and blind from birth, and plays the piano as magnificently as anyone I know. He's playing the Rachmaninoff Second Piano Concerto at the beginning of August," Oundjian said.
As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, Colorado Music Festival will be holding a free family concert on July 12th. A perfect way to introduce children ages 5 and under to classical music. The free family concert will run alongside a Colorado 150th celebration at Chautauqua Park.
The Colorado Music Festival was started in 1976 by Giora Bernstein and a small circle of dedicated music lovers who wanted to play classical music in an inspired setting. The Chautauqua Auditorium sits at the base of the Flatirons. It was built in 1898 and provides a beautiful acoustical experience.
"The idea of hearing a great orchestra in a space that is not amplified, but the sound is so rich and just fills you with joy and passion. I think people who come for the first time are always absolutely delighted," Oundjian added.
Another addition to this year's festival line-up is an opportunity to fulfill your dream of being a conductor. Maestro Leonard Slatkin, who is an internationally acclaimed conductor, will be holding a workshop on how to be a conductor.
"He's going to give a talk about what a conductor actually does, and he's going to teach people how to do the basics of conducting. He's a real personality so it's going to be great fun," Oundjian said with a smile.
LINK: For Tickets and Information about Colorado Music Festival
Colorado Music Festival runs from July 9 - August 9, 2026 at Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder.
