Classical Music Festivals Adapt to Please Audiences—and Attract New Ones

By Laurence Vittes | From the November/December 2024 issue of Strings

Classical music summer festivals are charting diverse courses in changing times. This summer’s observations at events in Vienna, Leipzig, Montréal, Baden-Baden, Gstaad, Herrenchiemsee, Marvão, Verbier, and Lisbon, complemented by insights from US organizers, reveal no single dominant trend. Instead, there is a spectrum of approaches: some festivals innovate boldly, others refine traditions, each responding to its unique audience and context.

At the Gstaad Menuhin Festival and Academy in the Swiss Alps, artistic director Christoph Müller observes a number of trends shaping the future of classical music festivals. One is that famous musicians are taking over artistic direction; in fact, the celebrated violinist Daniel Hope will be assuming Müller’s role beginning with the festival’s 70th edition in 2026.

Müller also points out the broadening range of artists and repertoire included on festival programs, which, at Gstaad, included Nemanja Radulović playing brilliantly outrageous arrangements of Beethoven and Rimsky-
Korsakov. Müller believes that such “entertainment-focused” events will attract new audiences and result in net gains as long as the festival keeps its “pure classical” programs—such as Julia Fischer’s noble performance of the Beethoven Concerto with Camerata Salzburg, which took place the night following Radulović’s performance—at 75 to 80 percent of overall programming.

Müller cites a recent Swiss survey showing that 38 percent of people aged 18 to 35 had engaged with classical music, often through playlists and film scores. “We have to catch that 38 percent with concerts like Radulović’s. We have to aim at younger audiences with more modern approaches to classical music.”

A canton away, the Verbier Festival turned 31 this year and was joined by former Naïve Records and medici.tv founder Hervé Boissière as co-CEO. Noting that the main challenge is to renew and extend the audience and to realize significant growth potential in the box office, he tells me that the festival saw an 11 percent increase in attendance this year over last, showing strong recovery post-Covid. “The public is back,” he says. “The need for live music has surged.” Boissière emphasizes that the festival’s responsibility is “to deliver enriching experiences in a world that is increasingly violent and stressful,” asserting that “the performing arts are crucial for bringing happiness, emotions, and new ideas to audiences.”

The push for audience renewal isn’t limited to European festivals. Across the Atlantic, American festivals are also innovating to meet changing audience demands. At the Ravinia Festival near Chicago, CEO Jeffrey Haydon says that post-Covid performance attendance “is robust, with increased classical music concerts and ticket sales since 2016, despite recent economic challenges.” Ravinia has adjusted capacity and is exploring new marketing strategies. “With audiences increasingly favoring Ravinia over downtown Chicago venues,” Haydon says that “the range of programming at the festival has been central to maintaining its appeal and continuing to attract diverse audiences.” Ravinia is planning a pavilion renovation for 2026, when Klaus Mäkelä is scheduled to make an appearance with the Chicago Symphony.

While urban festivals like Ravinia adapt their strategies, some festivals are finding success by embracing unique natural settings. The concert season at Tippet Rise in Stillwater County, Montana, prioritizes diverse programming, emerging and established talents, and commissioned works. Post-Covid, their outdoor venues, including the new Geode performance space, have operated at full capacity since 2022, offering safe, immersive experiences combining music, art, and nature.

The Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, California, which turned 60 last year, offers yet another approach to innovation in classical music presentation with the debut of its Creative Lab project featuring a world premiere by the interdisciplinary artist Bora Yoon. It’s one of the new initiatives launched during music director Cristian Măcelaru’s second season. “We had this idea of bringing a composer,” he explains, “giving them carte blanche and encouraging them to become involved in every aspect of their creative process rather than compose a piece that we would just rehearse and perform. We picked Bora because she composes, plays the violin, writes songs, mixes things.”

At another of Măcelaru’s postings, as music director of the George Enescu Festival and Competition in Bucharest, “we diversify our repertoire to appeal to a wide audience. We feature the Berlin and Vienna philharmonics and the top conductors and soloists. We also present unique experiences—like midnight Baroque operas and eclectic recitals with artists like Avi Avital and Cameron Carpenter—and encourage artists to bring their not-necessarily-classical-music side to the stage. We’re also spotlighting younger conductors and increasing ethnic and racial diversity, including a female jury president at the competition this year, pushing boundaries and advocating for change similar to what was seen in America decades ago.”

Location, Location, Location

While some festivals innovate through programming and audience engagement, others leverage stunning locations to create unforgettable experiences. A prime example is the the Herrenchiemsee Festival, set on two islands in one of the most beautiful lakes in Bavaria, surrounded by the Chiemgau Alps. Executive director Josef Kröner’s cutting-edge mainstream classical music mixes with the stunning backdrop of one of King Ludwig II’s unfinished fantasies, modeled on Versailles. This year’s theme—“I want to remain an eternal mystery”—echoed the King’s dying wish. 

The theme for the 25th anniversary year in 2025 will be Zeit der Blüte (“the time of flowering”), which was mentioned by Ludwig in one of his letters. “In the festival context,” Kröner says, “it means to perform works from the peak times of individual periods. So: Mozart’s C-minor Mass as the unfinished peak of late-Mozart style and Bach B-minor Mass as the peak of Bach’s musical heritage.” Both will be conducted by Kent Nagano and played by the festival’s own KlangVerwaltung Orchestra, cofounded by Kröner in 1997.

Moving from the grand castles of Bavaria to the ruins of a castle in a Portuguese village perched on the Spanish border, the Marvão International Music Festival, which usually features the Cologne Chamber Orchestra, celebrated its tenth anniversary with performances of Mozart’s Entführung aus dem Serail. The festival began as a small gathering of friends, both performers and listeners, brought together by Christoph Poppen, and grew “unexpectedly” over the years. In 2025, it will shift its focus exclusively to chamber music, marking the first time in a decade without an orchestra. “The plan includes unique composer-centric programs, including a Messiaen night, a Webern night, and a concert for a contemporary Portuguese composer. We want to give our festival a personal signature,” Poppen says.

Classical music festivals are evolving by embracing adaptability and innovation. They honor tradition while diversifying programming, engaging younger audiences, and exploring new concert formats. By balancing artistic excellence with accessibility, these festivals are not just preserving musical heritage but actively shaping its future, ensuring relevance for generations to come.