Bravo! Vail Music Festival has announced that Anne-Marie McDermott will step down from her tenure as the Festival’s Artistic Director at the end of the 2026 season.

McDermott is a celebrated concert pianist and artistic director and has held the role since 2011. The Festival has grown in both scope and impact as an internationally recognized destination for classical music during her tenure.

The festival also introduced an international chamber orchestra residency, doubled the number of performances offered, launched Bravo! Vail’s Symphonic Commissioning Project, established the Piano Fellows Program, created new series like Classically Uncorked and Immersive Experiences, and worked with its orchestral partners to present groundbreaking special projects, including its first opera staging in 2019.

In a statement, McDermott said, “When I look back at the last 13 seasons of the Bravo! Vail Music Festival and ahead to the incredibly exciting plans we have for the next three, I can honestly say that so many of the dreams I had for the festival upon my appointment as Artistic Director in 2011, have not only been realized but have had an impact beyond what I could have imagined. Thanks to the amazing spirit of the entire Bravo! Vail community and the outstanding generosity of its supporters, classical music is flourishing in the Rocky Mountains. I am profoundly grateful and very excited for what lies ahead.”