About
Founded in 1981, Breckenridge Music impacts the community by improving the quality of life for Summit County residents and visitors, increasing access to the arts, fostering a deeper understanding of music for all ages and contributing to a robust Breckenridge economy. The non-profit organization serves approximately 15,000 people each year through its three core programs: Breckenridge Music Festival, Breck Music Education and Breck Music Presents.
Our Vision
A community where everyone discovers, experiences, values and is connected by the power of music.
Our Mission
To present diverse and high-quality live music performances and broad-based community music education.
Every summer mid-July through mid-August, the Festival features a resident ensemble of 45 professional musicians led by Artistic Director & Conductor Steven Schick. Performances range from traditional to contemporary classical and includes multidisciplinary arts collaborations with local and regional arts organizations. Intimate chamber music experiences are also presented in private homes and public locations throughout Summit County.
The year-round Music in the Schools program, Kid Fest, Free Family Concert, open rehearsals and other community performances aim to share music with the broadest cross-section of the community. In-school assemblies and workshops reach nearly 4,000 students at schools in Lake, Park and Summit County.
This series of performances brings some of the most popular national touring acts in jazz, rock, folk, bluegrass, and country to the Riverwalk Center in Breckenridge during the summer months. Regional talent is presented throughout Summit County during the winter.
Our History
Breckenridge Music’s story begins in the summer of 1980, when a group of full- and part-time residents put together a ten-day music festival to mark the anniversary celebration of the Town of
The Festival, chartered in 1981 as the Breckenridge Music Institute, was commissioned to produce a Festival of Classical Music and Jazz, and operated a summer music festival and a youth music camp. Under the direction of founder Dr. Kenneth Evans for its first decade, it was generally referred to as the “Bach, Beethoven & Breckenridge” music festival, a title carried on by our annual art poster series.
Starting with concerts held in the Bergenhoff Restaurant at the base of Breckenridge Ski Area’s Peak 8, the Festival grew with the improved amenities of the Town of
The original Institute mission included a strong educational component, which continues today. Additional performance series have joined the ongoing summer orchestral festival. The Champagne Series, chamber concerts in private homes around