Crested Butte Music Festival: July 26 – October 3, 2020

Photos Courtesy of Crested Butte Music Festival

Originally published in the Summer 2020 issue of SPOKE+BLOSSOM

It’s a “Not Just Beethoven” season this year for the Crested Butte Music Festival (CBMF), celebrating Beethoven’s 250th birthday with the theme. The festival will run from July 26 through October 3, 2020, with additional performances planned for December.

CBMF programs will be located across the Gunnison Valley, including at the new Crested Butte Center for the Arts, featuring a 350-seat performance theater with state-of-the-art acoustics.

This festival features renowned international artists in the areas of classical, gypsy jazz and bluegrass. Highlights in 2020 will include the Ariel Quartet, composer and singer-songwriter Gabriel Kahane, Grammy-nominated indie rock band Devotchka and pianist Christopher O’Riley.

Educational opportunities will be available as well, including the Bluegrass and Beyond week-long camp and the Colorado Gypsy Jazz Camp. New this year is RISE, a three-week vocal entrepreneur program for select early-career vocalists. Additionally, a five-part, free lecture series on Beethoven will be taught by CBMF artistic director, Dr. Erik Christian Peterson. 

“We are excited to expand our programming by providing greater access to the power of music education,” shares Erica Vernon, CBMF executive director.

The festival also features Music + Mountains, where artists perform al-fresco with a backdrop of Mt. Crested Butte’s stunning mountain views. 

To view the entire schedule and purchase tickets, visit crestedbuttemusicfestival.org.