Colorado Music Festival
2026 Season
Stars align this year as we celebrate the Festival’s 50th and the Center’s 30th anniversaries.
Himari, Yuja Wang & more!
Musicians you adore return, along with many thrilling Festival debuts.
Go Behind the Music
We are excited to present a wide array of educational programs.
Free Family Day - July 12
A full day of free family activities, including a performance of Peter and the Wolf.
World-Class Music, Quintessential Boulder
July 9–August 9, 2026
Join us this summer to celebrate Colorado Music Festival’s 50th Anniversary Season, as Colorado turns 150 and America marks 250 years.
This summer’s festival, led by Music Director Peter Oundjian, features world-class artists — pianists Yuja Wang, Michelle Cann, Tony Siqi Yun and Nobuyuki Tsujii; violinists Himari and Njioma Grievous; clarinetist Ricardo Morales; guest conductors Leonard Slatkin, Jeffrey Kahane and Gemma New; the Canadian Brass; and the Danish String Quartet — beloved masterworks with the Festival Orchestra and four world premieres. Concerts are on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays, offering an unforgettable summer experience on the iconic historic stage at Chautauqua. Tickets on sale now!
Himari Plays Sibelius + Tchaikovsky 5
Himari Plays Sibelius + Tchaikovsky 5
Himari Plays Sibelius + Tchaikovsky 5
Himari Plays Sibelius + Tchaikovsky 5
Stories & News
Stay Up to Date with Festival News
CMF named a “Top 25” Classical Music Festival by BBC Music Magazine
Colorado Music Festival was recognized by BBC Music Magazine as one of the 25 best classical music festivals in the US & Canada in 2026. "The stars are aligning, insists Colorado, as its half-century edition coincides with the Center for the Musical Arts’ 30th...
“It’s So Special to Be Together” — Meet Stella, Festival Volunteer
Volunteering as an usher means more to Stella than simply something to fill her summer nights; she feels that music — and live performances in particular — are important to share as a family.
Dover Quartet Settles into Chamber Music’s Top Tier
Interview by Kyle Macmillan After its sweep of all the prizes at the 2013 Banff International String Quartet Competition, critics regularly applauded the Dover Quartet as an emerging ensemble with abundant talent and huge potential. But what once was potential has...
Hayoung Choi: Competition Winner On Road to Success
Interview by Kyle Macmillan One often-followed path to classical-music success is the field’s network of high-profile and high-pressure international competitions, which can bring instant recognition to the winners and quickly ignite a professional career. South...
Joan Tower and the Colorado Music Festival: Making New Music Together
Interview by Kyle Macmillan Veteran American composer Joan Tower and the Colorado Music Festival are becoming quite the pair. In 2021, in what is a rare event for a living composer, the summer Festival presented a program totally devoted to her music, including the...
Around the World on Guitar: Chinese-born Xuefei Yang Takes on Famed Spanish Concerto
Interview by Kyle Macmillan The guitar is one of the newest Western instruments to arrive in China. Xuefei Yang believes it entered the country only about 100 years ago, and it took decades more for it to gain a foothold among audiences and players. “But just as...