This listing contains Music Festival announcements for 2025; however, the postings were compiled in mid-November 2024 and will inevitably include omissions. While the International Horn Society is global, the limitations of my experience have limited the scope of this listing to the United States. Inclusion does not constitute endorsement by the International Horn Society.
Aspen Music Festival
- Dates: June 25, 2025 to August 24, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: Average age of their student body is 25, and most students are enrolled in pre-college, conservatory, or graduate-level music studies. Brass are rarely accepted for their half sessions.
- Application Deadline: January 5, 2025
- Location: Aspen, Colorado
- Website Link: https://www.aspenmusicfestival.com/students-welcome/admissions/programs-of-study/
Boston Tanglewood Institute French Horn Workshop
- Dates: June 22, 2025 to July 5, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: Ages 14 to 20 in the program; only high schoolers are eligible for the orchestra.
- Application Deadline: January 17, 2025
- Location: Lenox, Massachusetts
- Website Link: https://www.bu.edu/cfa/tanglewood/program/french-horn-workshop/
Brevard College Orchestral Institute
- Dates: June 16, 2025 to August 3, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: The college division is for students ages 18 through 29 who have completed at least one year as a full-time college student. In addition to current undergraduates, many students in the program have graduated or are presently enrolled for graduate study.
- Application Deadline: February 15, 2025
- Location: Brevard, North Carolina
- Website Link: https://www.brevardmusic.org/institute/college/orchestral/
Chautauqua Institution
- Dates: June 20, 2025 to August 12, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: Our students are typically 18 to 28 and enrolled in or recently graduated from undergraduate or graduate studies.
- Application Deadline: February 1, 2025
- Location: Chautauqua, New York
- Website Link: https://www.chq.org/festival-schools/school-of-music/instrumental-program/
Colorado College Summer Music Festival
- Dates: June 7, 2025 to June 27, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: Advanced, pre-professional musicians. Applicants will range in age from 18 years old to students at the university, master’s, and doctoral levels. While most accepted students are pursuing a degree, you do not have to be currently enrolled at a school to apply.
- Application Deadline: February 15, 2025
- Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Website Link: https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/summermusicfestival/fellows/apply.html
Eastern Music Festival Young Artists Orchestra Program
- Dates: June 28, 2025 to August 2, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: Ages 14 to 23.
- Application Deadline: February 19, 2025
- Location: Greensboro, North Carolina
- Website Link: https://easternmusicfestival.org/horn/
Festival Napa Valley Blackburn Music Academy
- Dates: July 1, 2025 to July 20, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: Program is open to all instrumentalists 18 years and older.
- Application Deadline: February 15, 2025
- Location: Napa Valley, California
- Website Link: https://festivalnapavalley.org/education/academy/
Foosa Festival
- Dates: June 14, 2025 to June 30, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: Advanced musicians of graduate school, college, and high school age.
- Application Deadline: March 15, 2025
- Location: Fresno, California
- Website Link: https://www.foosamusic.org/about-foosa
Lake George Music Festival
- Dates: June 8, 2025 to June 19, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: For young professionals and internationally acclaimed guest artists ages 18 and up.
- Application Deadline: January 1, 2025
- Location: Lake George, New York
- Website Link: https://www.lakegeorgemusicfestival.com/apply
National Music Festival
- Dates: May 31, 2025 to June 15, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: All applicants must be at least 18 years of age by June 1, 2025. There is no upper age limit. The average age is 22, though some are younger and older.
- Application Deadline: February 10, 2025
- Location: Chestertown, Maryland
- Website Link: https://nationalmusic.us/
National Repertory Orchestra Summer Music Festival
- Dates: June 21, 2025 to August 9, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: Applicants must be between 18 and 29 years of age and will have completed at least one year of college, university, or conservatory by June 16, 2025.
- Application Deadline: January 24, 2025
- Location: Breckenridge, Colorado
- Website Link: https://www.nromusic.org/how-to-apply/
National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute
- Dates: June 23, 2025 to July 21, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: Students ages 15 to 20 who are seriously considering music as a career.
- Application Deadline: January 20, 2025
- Location: Washington D.C.
- Website Link: target="_blank"https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/opportunities-for-artists/pre-professional-artist-training/nso-summer-music-institute/
Round Top Music Festival
- Dates: June 2, 2025 to July 12, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: Born before December 31, 2007.
- Application Deadline: February 3, 2025
- Location: Round Top, Texas
- Website Link: https://festivalhill.org/#/summerinstitute
Sarasota Music Festival
- Dates: May 31, 2025 to June 22, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: Musicians from top music programs at colleges and conservatories are invited to audition and participate.
- Application Deadline: Not Yet Listed
- Location: Sarasota, Florida
- Website Link: target="_blank"https://www.sarasotaorchestra.org/festival
Sewanee Summer Music Festival
- Dates: June 15, 2025 to July 13, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: Includes pre-college and college students.
- Application Deadline: February 15, 2025
- Location: Sewanee, Tennessee
- Website Link: https://ssmf.sewanee.edu/experience/orchestra/
Spoleto Festival USA
- Dates: May 23, 2025 to June 8, 2025
- Notes on Applicants: An exceptionally talented group of performers is selected to perform in the ensemble.
- Application Deadline: January 1, 2025
- Location: Charleston, South Carolina
- Website Link: https://spoletousa.org/get-involved/auditions/
