About

The Festival Maribor is a unique festival platform in Slovenia which uses a curatorial approach to re-examine old concert forms, eliminate prejudices surrounding classical music, and connect music and musicians who are otherwise separated by the formal dividing lines of musical genres. It realizes these goals through its own productions and co-productions, collaborating with renowned soloists, ensembles and institutions from Slovenia and abroad.

Each festival has a thematic focus that aims to challenge traditional perceptions of what a music festival can be. Our events are intended to appeal to the broadest possible audience – that is, anyone who wishes to experience exciting classical music in transcendent interpretations. At the same time, the Festival Maribor offers events that explore unexpected connections to reveal new musical and artistic worlds, attracting both curious guests as well as those listeners who may have reservations about classical music and who do not normally go to such concerts but who are nevertheless interested in art or cultural activities generally. We are dedicated to audience development, including younger potential listeners, and offer freely accessible interactive events that are tailored especially for children or families with children, enabling them to experience high-quality music and performances in a relaxed environment. Another important aspect of the Festival Maribor is the variety of exceptional concert venues around the city which, thanks to thoughtful programming, allow musical and spatial elements of an event to continuously nourish and enrich each other, providing patrons with a moving concert experience and a unique acoustic, visual or even museum-like or tourist experience.

The Festival Maribor has earned a reputation for presenting memorable events that feature first-class performances and thought-provoking programming, highlighting music either drawn from the classical music canon or meant to challenge and build upon it. The festival’s bold marketing, including accessible promotional texts and a daring and vibrant graphic identity, echo this modern concept and bolster the festival’s image as a vital modern descendant of a tradition boasting strong and deep roots. Combined with the numerous media reviews praising our events, our promotional activities aim to increase visibility among local audiences while arousing the interest of foreign visitors. As a result, the Festival Maribor is one of the city’s top cultural assets, appreciated for its uniqueness and complimenting the city’s own urban charm and modern audacity.

The program of the festival is co-curated by its diverse range of international guest artists and ensembles. Festival Maribor concerts present not only classical artists, but also exceptional and open-minded musicians from other genres.Alongside the internationally celebrated guest artists, renowned local musicians form the core of our productions, and the Festival Maribor frequently collaborates with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, the SNG Maribor Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber String Orchestra of the Slovenian Philharmonic and many outstanding local soloists.

A consistent feature of our programming philosophy is the presentation and promotion of talented young Slovenian artists. For them, performing alongside titans of classical music is an invaluable experience and provides them with nourishment for their career path.

Concerts take place in concert halls and other smaller venues full of history and charm around Maribor, such as the venerable Secession-era building Union Hall (known for its excellent acoustics), General Maister Hall in the Cultural Centre Narodni dom Maribor, Knight’s Hall and the arcades of the Regional Museum Maribor, the Great Hall and Casino Hall of SNG (Slovenian National Theatre) Maribor, as well as in the interior and exterior of Vetrinjski dvor. Guest artists have also been known to delight random passers-by with spontaneous outdoor performances!