(Photo courtesy of Sunriver Music Festival)
From August 2-13, 2025, Sunriver Music Festival presents its 48th season in two spectacular, historic Central Oregon venues — the Tower Theatre in downtown Bend and the Sunriver Resort Great Hall. Performances feature world-class orchestra musicians and renowned soloists, led by Artistic Director and Conductor Brett Mitchell.
Programs include four classical concerts, a pops concert, a solo piano concert and a family concert. The Summer Concert Series opens August 2 at the Tower Theatre and closes August 13 at the Sunriver Resort Great Hall.
“I’m thrilled to share with you a season of orchestral music that celebrates 150 years of French musical life, composers from Leipzig, Germany, and iconic music related to Vienna, Austria, including Beethoven’s epic 5th Symphony, which was premiered in Vienna in 1808,” said Mitchell. “Other highlights include the appearance of a 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition medalist, a tribute to legendary scores from Broadway and film, and a fun family concert.”
The Festival season also features music education events and masterclasses. Many orchestra rehearsals are free and open to the public. More details coming soon…
Tickets for our 48th season for Conductor’s Guild members go on sale as early as April 1; ticket sales for the public open June 1. Members have first choice of the best seats, plus receive ticket discounts, gifts, invites to special events and potential tax benefits. | more info & become a member
2025 Summer Festival Concert Schedule
Led by Artistic Director & Conductor Brett Mitchell
Opening Night Classical Concert: A FRENCH SOIRÉE
Saturday, August 2 — 7:30pm
Tower Theatre, Bend
Festival Orchestra
Brett Mitchell, conductor
Stewart Goodyear, piano
DUKAS Fanfare from La Péri
RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major
FAURÉ Suite from Pelléas et Mélisande
BIZET Selections from Carmen
Opening Night celebrates several important 150th anniversaries in French musical life. The evening kicks off with the Fanfare from Dukas’ La Péri for the brass alone. Stewart Goodyear plays the Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the composer‘s birth. The second half opens with Fauré’s stunningly beautiful Suite from Pelléas et Mélisande. And the program closes with selections from Bizet’s Carmen to mark the 150th anniversary of both Bizet’s passing and Carmen‘s premiere.
Pops Concert: A Tribute to Broadway & Film Music
Sunday, August 3 — 7:30pm
Tower Theatre, Bend
Festival Orchestra
Brett Mitchell, conductor
Enjoy the Festival Orchestra in a tribute celebrating musical anniversaries from Broadway (80th anniversary of Carousel and 50th anniversaries of A Chorus Line and Chicago) and the great composer of light concert music, Leroy Anderson, who passed away 50 years ago. Many of Anderson’s works were premiered by the Boston Pops, and the orchestra will perform a selection of his greatest hits. The second half highlights great film score anniversaries from 1965 through 1995, including The Sound of Music, Jaws, Out of Africa and more.
Classical Concert II:
THE CLASSICAL TRADITION
Thursday, August 7 — 7:30pm
Tower Theatre, Bend
Festival Orchestra
Brett Mitchell, conductor
Mark Kosower, cello
WILLIAM BOLCOM Commedia for (Almost) 18th-Century Orchestra
TCHAIKOVSKY Variations on a Rococo Theme
MOZART Overture to The Marriage of Figaro
STRAVINSKY Danses Concertantes
Experience different takes on what “classical” music is, rooted in the Classical Era. The Bolcom piece is a fun take on the classical overture that audiences always love. This is followed by Mark Kosower, principal cellist of The Cleveland Orchestra, joining us for Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations, which were inspired by his role model, Mozart. The evening closes with Stravinsky’s brilliantly neoclassical Danses Concertantes.
Family Concert
Friday, August 8 — 3pm
Sunriver SHARC’s Benham Hall
Festival Orchestra
Brett Mitchell, conductor
This entertaining matinee presents orchestral music in a fun, informal setting. Bring the whole family and enjoy a one-hour concert featuring a virtuosic Young Artists Scholarship recipient with the full Festival Orchestra. An instrument petting zoo is presented prior to the concert. Maestro Brett Mitchell will introduce the various sections of the orchestra for young ears to enjoy, featuring Les Toreadors from Carmen, Leroy Anderson’s Bugler’s Holiday and more.
Classical Concert III:
THE LEIPZIG CONNECTION
Monday, August 11 — 7:30pm
Sunriver Resort Great Hall
Festival Orchestra
Brett Mitchell, conductor
Yi Zhao, violin
SCHUMANN Manfred Overture
MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto
J.S. BACH Toccata and Fugue in D minor (arr. Luke Styles)
J.S. BACH Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major
This concert features the three most central composers in the musical life of Leipzig. After Schumann’s lively Manfred Overture, Concertmaster Yi Zhao performs the ever-popular Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. The second half is all Bach, including a chamber orchestra arrangement of the Toccata and Fugue in D minor (famous from Fantasia) and Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major (featuring the famous Air on the G String).
Solo Piano Concert
Tuesday, August 12 — 7:30pm
Sunriver Resort Great Hall
The picturesque Great Hall sets the scene for a solo piano concert by a 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition medalist, to be announced. This June, tune into the world’s pre-eminent piano competition at cliburn.org to see who our soloist will be!
Season Finale Classical Concert:
VIENNA WAITS FOR YOU
Wednesday, August 13 — 7:30pm
Sunriver Resort Great Hall
Festival Orchestra
Brett Mitchell, conductor
2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition medalist
HAYDN Symphony No. 96, “Miracle”
MOZART Piano Concerto TBA
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5