Summer Music Festivals
Strategize where to spend the summer. In addition to helping you hone your craft and work with experts, festivals can help you develop a specialty (new music, baroque, chamber, etc), build musical networks, and open up new markets (abroad and within the US).
So, make a career coaching appointment to articulate your foals, and then use the resources at your fingertips – faculty knowledge, fellow colleagues, and resources such as the follow links – to find the right experience for you.
Festivals
Classical
| Festival Name | Program Type | Apply Date |
| American Bach Soloists Academy | Early Music | February 28 |
| Amherst Early Music Festival | Early Music, Dance | May 15 |
| AIMS-Graz (Austria) | Vocal, Orchestral, Piano | Rolling Acceptance September 15 to March 10, Instrumental
Rolling Acceptance November 1 to March 15, Piano Rolling Acceptance September 15 to April 15, Voice |
| Aria International Summer Academy | Violin, Cello, Flute, Clarinet | April 2 |
| Aspen Music Festival and School | Opera, Orchestral, Collaborative Piano, Conducting, Contemporary Music | September 1, Opera
November 15, Conducting January 5, Contemporary Ensemble January 5, Solo Piano |
| Atlantic Music Festival Institute | Instrumental, Vocal, Chamber, Conducting, Composition | 2027 Season- Applications open on September 15, 2026 |
| Bang On A Can Summer Festival | New Music | January 11 |
| Banff Center for the Arts and Creativity (Canada) | Opera, Chamber, Composition, Individual Project Sessions (Seasonal) |
November 15, Chamber Music
November 19, Fuse: Music Residency November 19, Opera |
| Blossom Music Festival | Instrumental, Chamber, Piano | February 1 |
| Bowdoin International Music Festival | Instrumental, Composition, Piano, Chamber | All Applications (Fellowship, Instrumental, Composition) Open November 15, 2025 |
| Brevard Music Center Summer Institute & Festival | Opera, Orchestral, Instrumental, Composition, Collaborative Piano | January 20, Opera February 15, Orchestral, Composition, March 15, Solo and Collaborative Piano, Jazz, Classical Guitar March 15, Saxophone, Low Brass Seminar, Flute Seminar |
| Britten-Pears Arts Aldeburgh Festival (England) | Instrumental, Voice | Rolling |
| Centrum Summer Festival | Chamber Music, Voice | Applications Open October 1, 2025, Chamber
Registration Opens January 2, 2026, Voice |
| Chautauqua Institution & Festival | Opera, Orchestral, Piano, Conducting, Chamber Music | Feb 1, Instrumental Feb 15, Piano, Conducting Nov 1, Opera |
| Clazz International Music Festival (Italy) | Crossover Classical and Jazz | February 15 |
| Colorado College Summer Music Festival | Orchestral, Chamber Music | February 15 |
| Cortona Sessions for New Music (Italy) | Composition, Instrumental | February 1 |
| Credo National Festival | Orchestral, String Quartet | February 15 |
| Domaine Forget International Music and Dance Academy (Quebec, Canada) | Instrumental, Chamber Music | February 6, Woodwind, Brass, Strings, Timpani, Voice, Piano, Harpsichord, Chamber Music, Chamber Orchestra, Conducting, Acoustic Ecology
February 7, Saxophone April 1, Choir, Guitar & Lute |
| Hot Springs Music Festival | Orchestral | 2026 Info TBA |
| Madeline Island Chamber Music | Chamber Music (Strings), Collaborative Piano | February 15, Piano
February 16, Strings |
| Marrowstone Music Festival | Orchestral | Application opens November 24, 2025 |
| Meadowmount School of Music | Strings | January 14 |
| Monteux School & Music Festival | Orchestral, Conducting | January 15 |
| Mostly Modern Festival | Instrumental, Conducting, Piano, Composition | January 15, Composition March 15, Instrumental, Conducting, Piano |
| Music Academy of the West | Instrumental, Collaborative Piano, Voice, Emerging Artist String Quartets | October 15, Voice January 15, Collaborative Piano February 5, Instrumental, Solo Piano, String Quartet |
| Music at Menlo Festival & Chamber Music Institute | Chamber Music (String & Piano) | January 5 |
| National Orchestral Institute at Kennedy Center | Orchestral | January 20 |
| National Repertory Orchestra | Orchestral, Conducting | January 25 |
| Nief-Norf Summer Festival | Instrumental, Composition | February 15 |
| Norfolk Chamber | New Music, Chamber, Voice, Conducting | January 3, New Music Workshop, Chamber Music Session
March 12, Chamber Choir & Choral Conducting Workshop
|
| NYU Summer Sessions | Various | Summer 2026 Information Coming Soon |
| Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute | Early Music | 2026 Info TBA |
| Opera in the Ozarks | Opera | January 31 |
| Oregon Bach Festival – Berwick Academy | Early Music | 2026 Info TBA |
| Pacific Music Festival (Japan) | Orchestral | January 14 |
| PRISMA (British Columbia, Canada) | Orchestral, Conducting | February 28 |
| Ravinia Steans Festival | Voice, Instrumental, Composition, Jazz | September 30, Voice
December 10, Piano & Strings: Collaborative Piano January 15, Piano, Strings, Composition, Jazz |
| Rocky Ridge Music Center | Instrumental, Chamber | Early Bird deadline: February 15
Final Deadline: March 15 |
| Round Top Festival Institute | Orchestral, Conducting | February 2 |
| San Francisco Early Music Society Summer Workshops & Classes | Early Music | Rolling |
| Sarasota Music Festival | Orchestral, Conducting | February 15 |
| Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (Germany) | Orchestral | December 14 |
| Scotia Festival of Music (Nova Scotia, Canada) | Chamber Music, Composition | February 15 |
| Sewanee Music Festival | Opera, Orchestral, Composition | February 15, Opera March 24, Instrumental, Composition |
| Talis Festival & Academy | Chamber Music, Composition | 2026 Info TBA |
| Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute | Early Music | 2026 Info TBA |
| Taneycomo Festival Orchestra | Orchestral | March 1 |
| Tanglewood Music Center | Composition, Vocal Arts, Instrumental, Conducting, Piano, Library | 2026 Applications Closed, Vocal Arts, Composition 2026 Applications Closed, Conducting 2026 TBA, Library Program January 22, Instrumental (live audition)February 3, Instrumental (video audition) Piano 2026 TBA |
| Texas Music Festival | Orchestral, Voice, Piano, Jazz | February 6, Orchestral Institute Voice, Piano 2026 TBA |
| Verbier Festival Academy | Instrumental, Conducting, Voice, Chamber | January 16, Chamber, Orchestral, Conducting |
| Yellow Barn Summer Festival | Instrumental, Chamber | January 11, Live audition January 11, Video audition |
| Youth Orchestra of the Americas | Orchestral, Conducting, Composition | Rolling for harp, clarinet, double bass, bassoon, oboe and percussion
2026 Conducting & Composition applications closed |
Festivals
Classical
| Festival Name | Program Type | Apply Date |
| American Bach Soloists Academy | Early Music | February 28 |
| Amherst Early Music Festival | Early Music, Dance | May 15 |
| AIMS-Graz (Austria) | Vocal, Orchestral, Piano | Rolling Acceptance September 15 to March 10, Instrumental
Rolling Acceptance November 1 to March 15, Piano Rolling Acceptance September 15 to April 15, Voice |
| Aria International Summer Academy | Violin, Cello, Flute, Clarinet | April 2 |
| Aspen Music Festival and School | Opera, Orchestral, Collaborative Piano, Conducting, Contemporary Music | September 1, Opera
November 15, Conducting January 5, Contemporary Ensemble January 5, Solo Piano |
| Atlantic Music Festival Institute | Instrumental, Vocal, Chamber, Conducting, Composition | 2027 Season- Applications open on September 15, 2026 |
| Bang On A Can Summer Festival | New Music | January 11 |
| Banff Center for the Arts and Creativity (Canada) | Opera, Chamber, Composition, Individual Project Sessions (Seasonal) |
November 15, Chamber Music
November 19, Fuse: Music Residency November 19, Opera |
| Blossom Music Festival | Instrumental, Chamber, Piano | February 1 |
| Bowdoin International Music Festival | Instrumental, Composition, Piano, Chamber | All Applications (Fellowship, Instrumental, Composition) Open November 15, 2025 |
| Brevard Music Center Summer Institute & Festival | Opera, Orchestral, Instrumental, Composition, Collaborative Piano | January 20, Opera February 15, Orchestral, Composition, March 15, Solo and Collaborative Piano, Jazz, Classical Guitar March 15, Saxophone, Low Brass Seminar, Flute Seminar |
| Britten-Pears Arts Aldeburgh Festival (England) | Instrumental, Voice | Rolling |
| Centrum Summer Festival | Chamber Music, Voice | Applications Open October 1, 2025, Chamber
Registration Opens January 2, 2026, Voice |
| Chautauqua Institution & Festival | Opera, Orchestral, Piano, Conducting, Chamber Music | Feb 1, Instrumental Feb 15, Piano, Conducting Nov 1, Opera |
| Clazz International Music Festival (Italy) | Crossover Classical and Jazz | February 15 |
| Colorado College Summer Music Festival | Orchestral, Chamber Music | February 15 |
| Cortona Sessions for New Music (Italy) | Composition, Instrumental | February 1 |
| Credo National Festival | Orchestral, String Quartet | February 15 |
| Domaine Forget International Music and Dance Academy (Quebec, Canada) | Instrumental, Chamber Music | February 6, Woodwind, Brass, Strings, Timpani, Voice, Piano, Harpsichord, Chamber Music, Chamber Orchestra, Conducting, Acoustic Ecology
February 7, Saxophone April 1, Choir, Guitar & Lute |
| Hot Springs Music Festival | Orchestral | 2026 Info TBA |
| Madeline Island Chamber Music | Chamber Music (Strings), Collaborative Piano | February 15, Piano
February 16, Strings |
| Marrowstone Music Festival | Orchestral | Application opens November 24, 2025 |
| Meadowmount School of Music | Strings | January 14 |
| Monteux School & Music Festival | Orchestral, Conducting | January 15 |
| Mostly Modern Festival | Instrumental, Conducting, Piano, Composition | January 15, Composition March 15, Instrumental, Conducting, Piano |
| Music Academy of the West | Instrumental, Collaborative Piano, Voice, Emerging Artist String Quartets | October 15, Voice January 15, Collaborative Piano February 5, Instrumental, Solo Piano, String Quartet |
| Music at Menlo Festival & Chamber Music Institute | Chamber Music (String & Piano) | January 5 |
| National Orchestral Institute at Kennedy Center | Orchestral | January 20 |
| National Repertory Orchestra | Orchestral, Conducting | January 25 |
| Nief-Norf Summer Festival | Instrumental, Composition | February 15 |
| Norfolk Chamber | New Music, Chamber, Voice, Conducting | January 3, New Music Workshop, Chamber Music Session
March 12, Chamber Choir & Choral Conducting Workshop
|
| NYU Summer Sessions | Various | Summer 2026 Information Coming Soon |
| Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute | Early Music | 2026 Info TBA |
| Opera in the Ozarks | Opera | January 31 |
| Oregon Bach Festival – Berwick Academy | Early Music | 2026 Info TBA |
| Pacific Music Festival (Japan) | Orchestral | January 14 |
| PRISMA (British Columbia, Canada) | Orchestral, Conducting | February 28 |
| Ravinia Steans Festival | Voice, Instrumental, Composition, Jazz | September 30, Voice
December 10, Piano & Strings: Collaborative Piano January 15, Piano, Strings, Composition, Jazz |
| Rocky Ridge Music Center | Instrumental, Chamber | Early Bird deadline: February 15
Final Deadline: March 15 |
| Round Top Festival Institute | Orchestral, Conducting | February 2 |
| San Francisco Early Music Society Summer Workshops & Classes | Early Music | Rolling |
| Sarasota Music Festival | Orchestral, Conducting | February 15 |
| Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (Germany) | Orchestral | December 14 |
| Scotia Festival of Music (Nova Scotia, Canada) | Chamber Music, Composition | February 15 |
| Sewanee Music Festival | Opera, Orchestral, Composition | February 15, Opera March 24, Instrumental, Composition |
| Talis Festival & Academy | Chamber Music, Composition | 2026 Info TBA |
| Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute | Early Music | 2026 Info TBA |
| Taneycomo Festival Orchestra | Orchestral | March 1 |
| Tanglewood Music Center | Composition, Vocal Arts, Instrumental, Conducting, Piano, Library | 2026 Applications Closed, Vocal Arts, Composition 2026 Applications Closed, Conducting 2026 TBA, Library Program January 22, Instrumental (live audition)February 3, Instrumental (video audition) Piano 2026 TBA |
| Texas Music Festival | Orchestral, Voice, Piano, Jazz | February 6, Orchestral Institute Voice, Piano 2026 TBA |
| Verbier Festival Academy | Instrumental, Conducting, Voice, Chamber | January 16, Chamber, Orchestral, Conducting |
| Yellow Barn Summer Festival | Instrumental, Chamber | January 11, Live audition January 11, Video audition |
| Youth Orchestra of the Americas | Orchestral, Conducting, Composition | Rolling for harp, clarinet, double bass, bassoon, oboe and percussion
2026 Conducting & Composition applications closed |
Jazz & Popular Music
| Festival Name | Program Type | Apply Date |
| The Gathering Orchestra | Two-year Fellowship | 2026 Info TBA |
| Jazz Aspen Snowmass Academy | Big Band, Afro-Cuban Big Band | 1st session, March 1
2nd session, April 1 |
| The Woodshed Network | Women in Jazz | 2026 Info TBA |
| Telluride Student All-Stars Ensembles | Flagship Educational Program | 2026 Info TBA |
| Boysie Lowery Living Jazz Residency | Two-week performance, composing, arranging, improvisation intensive residency | 2026 Info TBA |
| Keep an Eye Summer Jazz Workshop (Amsterdam, Netherlands) | International jazz workshop | 2026 Info TBA |
| Siena Jazz International Summer Workshop (Italy) | International jazz workshop | 2026 Info TBA |
| Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead at Kennedy Center | Jazz performance residency program | 2026 Info TBA |
| Stanford Jazz Institute | Jazz Mentor Fellow Program (teaching) | March 1 |
Composition, Theory, and New Music
| Festival Name | Program Type | Apply Date |
| SPLICE Institute | New Music | 2026 Info TBA |
| Cortona Sessions for New Music (Netherlands) | Composition, Instrumental, Conducting, Contemporary Chamber Music | February 1 all programs |
| European American Musical Alliance (France) | Composition Workshop & Reading Session | December 1 |
| Vienna Contemporary Composers Forum (Austria) | Composition Workshop | February 1 |
| SŌ Percussion Summer Institute | Composition, Percussion | February 15 |
| Collaborative Composition Initiative Workshop | New Music, Composition | 2026 Info TBA |
| LunART Composers Hub | Professional Development Workshop for Women Composers | December 15 |
| highSCORE New Music Festival & Master Classes (Italy) | New Music, Composition, Instrumental | March 18 |
| Akropolis Chamber Music Institute | New Music, Composition, Chamber Music, Instrumental | February 1 |