(Photos 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 & Conductor Brett Mitchell.
The Festival includes four classical concerts, a pops concert, and a family concert, each with the full Festival Orchestra and featured soloists of great acclaim, plus a solo piano concert. The summer concert series opens August 2 at the Tower Theatre and closes August 13 at the Sunriver Resort Great Hall. Tickets at sunrivermusic.org or call 541-593-9310.
Sunriver Music Festival also presents free music education events and masterclasses during these two weeks in August. Most orchestra rehearsals are free and open to the public.
The Raise the Baton fundraising party is on June 21 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon in Bend. Help make the music happen while enjoying performances and conversations with Young Artists Scholarship recipients — some of Central Oregon’s most advanced young musicians. Hosted by Maestro Brett Mitchell and emceed by local personalities Dr. Stephen Marshall and Brett Bizik, this is sure to be a fun evening, with a silent auction, paddle raise, entertainment, and delicious dinner and drinks. Visit sunrivermusic.org today to reserve your seat. The Raise the Baton paddle raise directly funds the Young Artists Scholarships.
June 6 is the Young Artists Scholarship Concert. This free concert is an inspiring hour featuring several of this year’s impressive scholarship recipients. Free admission for all, 7 PM, Community Bible Church at Sunriver, 1 Theater Drive.
2025 Summer Festival Concert Schedule
Orchestra concerts conducted by Maestro Brett Mitchell
Opening Classical Concert: A FRENCH SOIRÉE
Saturday, August 2, 7:30pm | Tower Theatre, Bend
DUKAS Fanfare from La Péri
RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major
Stewart Goodyear, piano
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
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
WILLIAM BOLCOM Commedia for (Almost) 18th-Century Orchestra
TCHAIKOVSKY Variations on a Rococo Theme
Mark Kosower, cello
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 | Benham Hall at SHARC, Sunriver
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
SCHUMANN Manfred Overture
MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto
Yi Zhao, violin
J.S. BACH Toccata and Fugue in D minor (arr. Luke Styles)
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. Tune into the world’s pre-eminent piano competition livestream occurring right now 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
HAYDN Symphony No. 96, “Miracle“
MOZART Piano Concerto TBA
2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition medalist
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5
This Classical Era program centers around Beethoven‘s 5th (the most iconic symphony of all time), paired with the “Miracle“ Symphony by his teacher, Haydn. A Mozart piano concerto will be performed by a 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition medalist, to be announced.
Patrons who purchase the full six-concert series of classical concerts, pops and solo concert receive a 10% discount. Tickets start at $45; tickets for age 25 & under are $25; and, thanks to the Young Listeners Guild, FREE tickets are available for ages 17 & under with the purchase of any regularly-priced ticket. Details and tickets at sunrivermusic.org or 541-593-9310.
Sunriver Music Festival is a year-round nonprofit presenting world-class orchestral performances and supporting music education throughout Central Oregon. Through a commitment to excellence, collaboration and innovation, the Festival seeks to foster a lifelong love of classical music in its many diverse forms.