McDermott says 2026 will end her tenure as Bravo! Vail Music Festival’s artistic director

Bravo! Vail Music Festival on Wednesday issued the following press release announcing Anne-Marie McDermott is concluding her tenure as the Festival’s Artistic Director at the end of the 2026 season:

Bravo! Vail Music Festival has announced that Anne-Marie McDermott has decided to conclude her tenure as the Festival’s Artistic Director at the end of the 2026 season. McDermott, a celebrated concert pianist and artistic director, has held the role since 2011. During that time, the Festival has grown in both scope and impact as an internationally recognized destination for classical music.

“When I look back at the last 13 seasons of the Bravo! Vail Music Festival and ahead to the incredibly exciting plans we have for the next three, I can honestly say that so many of the dreams I had for the festival upon my appointment as Artistic Director in 2011, have not only been realized but have had an impact beyond what I could have imagined” says McDermott. “Thanks to the amazing spirit of the entire Bravo! Vail community and the outstanding generosity of its supporters, classical music is flourishing in the Rocky Mountains. I am profoundly grateful and very excited for what lies ahead.”

Under McDermott’s artistic leadership, the Festival has prospered. It has introduced an international chamber orchestra residency, doubled the number of performances offered, launched Bravo! Vail’s Symphonic Commissioning Project, established the Piano Fellows Program, created new series like Classically Uncorked and Immersive Experiences, and worked with its orchestral partners to present groundbreaking special projects, including its first opera staging in 2019. McDermott’s vision has also led to the expansion of educational offerings into robust year-round community engagement programs.

“This is what leadership looks like,” said Caitlin Murray, who has been the executive director of Bravo! Vail since 2018. “Anne-Marie’s contributions to this great organization are incalculable. She has built a legacy through her artistry as a pianist, her vision as an artistic director, and her commitment to music and our community. And now, we have three years to celebrate her the best way we know how — by making sublime music.”

Bravo! Vail’s 37th season features a dazzling breadth of programming, ranging from opera, classical masterpieces, and new music, to pops favorites and Latin-American classical music. Four of the world’s greatest orchestras led by their respective music directors — including The Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Fabio Luisi, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Yannick Nezét-Séguin, and the New York Philharmonic and Jaap van Zweden — will make their summer home at Bravo! Vail this year. Mexico’s Sinfónica de Minería (formerly Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería) and Carlos Miguel Prieto make a historic debut as the first Latin-American guest orchestra to perform at the festival.

Also this summer, the festival’s Symphonic Commissioning Project will present three Colorado premieres of works by Anna Clyne, Jeff Tyzik, and Joel Thompson. The Philadelphia Orchestra and Yannick Nézet-Séguin will offer two staged productions of Puccini’s belove La bohème. World-renowned soloists and chamber musicians will perform a mix of repertoire classics and music by celebrated contemporary composers.

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I extend all my gratitude to Anne-Marie,” said Board Chair Hank Gutman. “It’s not an overstatement to say that Bravo! Vail would not be the organization it is today without her artistic vision. Her passion and devotion to the music, musicians, and our community has inspired us all and personified Bravo! Vail’s mission — to enrich lives through the joy and power music. As an organization, we look forward to welcoming Bravo! Vail’s next Artistic Director who will build upon Anne-Marie’s incredible legacy here.” 

An internal search committee has been formed and the Festival will announce more details in the coming months. 

Visit bravovail.org for complete season information and updates.