Crested Butte Music Festival

The 17th annual Crested Butte Music Festival (CBMF) promises to be a festival for all the senses, delivering several once-in-a-lifetime chances to enjoy more than 40 world-class performances in intimate venues and a beautiful mountain setting from June 30 – Aug. 11.

“More than 160 musicians from around the world will fill the Gunnison Valley with music for six weeks. Audiences will be transfixed with award-winning artists in every genre including bluegrass, opera, chamber, symphony and jazz,” says Festival Director Alexander Scheirle.

Key Highlights
Marcello Giordani, one of the best-known tenors in the world, will perform on July 29. Giordani began his affiliation with the festival in early 2011 when its Opera Young Artists Program was renamed the Marcello Giordani Young Artists Program, which has grown to more than 400 applicants for 14 coveted spaces. While in Crested Butte, he also will mentor MGYAP participants in a masterclass on July 26.

The Takács Quartet, resident string quartet of Carnegie Hall in New York City and Wigmore Hall in London, will perform at a Home Soirée on Aug. 2. Playing with a unique blend of drama, warmth and humor, the Takács Quartet combines four distinct musical personalities. On Aug. 6, the last Home Soirée of the season features jazz legend Junior Mance and his trio, which includes Hide’ Tanaka on bass and Michi Fuji on violin. Born in Chicago in 1928 and now a resident of Manhattan, Mance is a jazz pianist, composer, author and recording artist of more than 40 albums. Home Soirées are performances for small audiences in beautiful mountain homes and include wine and appetizers.

Introduced in 2005, Have A Beer With Beethoven was an instant success, combining an Oktoberfest-style setting with a Beethoven symphony. This year marks this final installment of Have A Beer With Beethoven with CBMF’s Festival Symphony Orchestra performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 outdoors at the covered Big Mine Ice Rink on July 11.

At CBMF’s annual Celebration fundraiser on July 20, the rink will be transformed into an aerial stage by Eight Count Entertainment. The breathtaking flying acts and mesmerizing feats with aerial hoops of these former Cirque du Soleil athletes will be accompanied by the Festival Symphony Orchestra. Signature cocktails, gourmet dinner service and live and silent auctions are part of this Symphony in Flight evening.

For the past three years, the bluegrass portion of CBMF wraps up with a performance by The Paradise All-Star Band led by newgrass great and festival host Drew Emmitt and comprised of musicians from featured bands. This year, Emmitt will be joined by Sam Bush, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge and many more. See what happens when bluegrass stars jam together in a never-to-be-repeated combination.

Three Mini-Festivals
The schedule of 47 events includes three mini-festivals within the larger festival: Bluegrass In Paradise, Opera In Paradise and Gypsy Jazz In Paradise.

To learn more or to view the complete schedule of events, visit the CBMF website.