Artistic Director of Vail Music Festival Resigning

Anne-Marie McDermott, the artistic director of Bravo! Vail Music Festival, will be concluding her tenure at the end of 2026 after 15 seasons with the festival. Founded in 1987, Bravo! Vail Music Festival is known for bringing world-renowned musicians together for performances spanning six weeks. The festival’s 37th season is set to take place from June 20 to August 1, 2024.

During McDermott’s time as artistic director, Bravo! Vail has grown into a celebrated destination for classical music. Under her leadership, the festival launched an international chamber orchestra residency, increased the number of performances, created the Piano Fellows Program, and staged its first opera in 2019. McDermott, who is also a concert pianist, has been a member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 1995 and serves as the artistic director of two chamber music festivals in Oklahoma and Florida.

McDermott’s upcoming projects include performing an expanded version of a piano concerto by Chris Rogerson in April 2024, a piece she premiered at Bravo! Vail in celebration of her 10th anniversary with the festival. Bravo! Vail has now initiated an internal search for its next artistic director, with more details set to be announced in the coming months.

Reflecting on her time with the festival, McDermott expressed gratitude for the support of the Bravo! Vail community and excitement for the future. Bravo! Vail’s executive Caitlin Murray praised McDermott’s leadership and artistic contributions, emphasizing the impact she has had on the organization. Board chair Hank Gutman echoed these sentiments, attributing much of Bravo! Vail’s success to McDermott’s vision and dedication to music and the community.

The upcoming season will feature performances by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra with Fabio Luisi, the Philadelphia Orchestra with Yannick Nezét-Séguin, and the New York Philharmonic with Jaap van Zweden. The Sinfónica de Minería from Mexico, led by Carlos Miguel Prieto, will make its debut as the first Latin-American guest orchestra at the festival. Additionally, the festival’s Symphonic Commissioning Project will showcase three Colorado premieres by Anna Clyne, Jeff Tyzik, and Joel Thompson.