About
Bowdoin International Music Festival
The Bowdoin International Music Festival is one of the world’s premier music institutes. Founded in 1964, the Festival engages exceptional students and enthusiastic audiences through world-class education and performances. Each summer, 250 students from more than 20 countries and nearly every state attend the Festival to study with distinguished faculty and guest artists. Community members attend memorable guest artist and faculty performances as well as 175 free events including student performances, composer lectures, masterclasses, community concerts, and family events. The Festival is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Our Mission
The mission of the Bowdoin International Music Festival is to provide gifted young musicians from around the globe with an opportunity to study with world-class artists and to provide audiences with classical music performed to the highest artistic standards.
Artistic Leadership
David Ying and Phillip Ying
Year Established
1964
Faculty
Festival faculty come from leading conservatories including Curtis, Cincinnati Conservatory, Cleveland Institute of Music, Eastman, Indiana, Oberlin, Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes, New England Conservatory, Peabody, Rice, Royal College of Music, and University of Southern California, among others.
Board of Trustees
Members of the Board include arts, business, and social leaders from Maine and across the United States.
Music Institute
The Bowdoin International Music Festival is one of the world’s premier music institutes, providing an intensive and in-depth exploration of chamber and solo music.
The Summer Festival
From late June to early August audiences totaling over 30,000 fill halls, museums, classrooms, breweries, churches, libraries, care centers, coastal resorts, and baseball fields at more than 200 concerts and events each season. 175 of these events are free to the public.
Concerts
Concerts feature chamber music to concertos with orchestra performed by world-class musicians, exceptional guest artists, Festival students, and ensembles joined by faculty in special guest appearances.
Studzinski Recital Hall
Studzinski Hall, a state-of-the-art music performance and practice facility that includes the stunning Kanbar Auditorium. The facility also satisfies students’ expectations for practice space with nine individual practice rooms, a rehearsal room, green room, lobby areas, and a state-of-the-art recording studio.
Live Streaming
The Festival live streams performances and events to anyone with an internet connection. Local and global audiences can access exceptional performances and events on any internet-connected device at no cost.
Support
Benefactors strengthen the Festival’s capacity to present inspiring performances and meaningful education. Their financial partnerships support student scholarships, faculty and guest artist fees, concert production, facility rentals, endowment, and operational facilities.
Strategic Plan (2023-2028)
We identified three strategic opportunities to better serve our mission and pursue our vision:
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- Ensure that all admitted students, regardless of financial need, can enroll in the Festival program
- Retain and recruit exceptional faculty
- Increase our audience
Annual Budget
2.5 Million