Montana Music Festival Bad Hofgastein

The alpine Spa Bad Hofgastein is located in the province of Salzburg in Austria. International music groups and choirs are invited to attend a weekend of music in the stunning Gastein Valley.  Marvel at a wonderful mountain world of fresh air, crystal clear mountain streams, rustic mountain lodges, remarkable fauna and flora and not least the friendly local town people – which all contribute to the special charm of the Gastein Valley.   It is during the traditional “Bauernherbst”, the period when the harvest festival is celebrated, that international choirs and music groups meet with local music groups and sing at the various at different venues while tasting local specialties.

 

The festival is open to choirs and music groups with a secular music program. The repertoire is free for choir to choose and all music styles are permitted. Performances in traditional costumes are welcome.

 

Friday, 09 October 2020              

Arrival and festival opening

 

Attending choirs and music groups arrive in Bad Hofgastein.

Welcome by your local Montana Musica assistant. Early dinner at your hotel followed by the Official festival opening ceremony in the Alpenarena in Bad Hofgastein (in case of bad weather: Kursaal).  This includes a welcome by local representatives of the town of Bad Hofgastein and by the local wind band and a meeting with the Artistic Director of the Festival.

 

Saturday, 10 October 2020         

Performances at public squares / rehearsals and Festival Gala Concert

 

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel in the morning.

In the morning: performances at public squares in Bad Hofgastein

In the afternoon: individual and joint rehearsal of the participating groups at the Kursaal

Bad Hofgastein for the Festival Gala Concert in the evening.

Early dinner at the hotel.

In the evening Festival Concert of the International Montana:Musica Festival at the

Kursaal Bad Hofgastein. Each attending music group/choir presents itself with a program of 15 minutes.  Following the concert, the participants are presented with a certificate of participation.  The evening ends with the joint singing of the selected group song.

 

Sunday, 11 October 2020

Singing at the Schlossalm and “Bauernherbst”

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel in the morning.

Today you will glide with the new cable cars from the ground station in Bad Hofgastein to the “Schlossalm” which lies 2.066 meters above sea level. Individual “open-air”

performances of the participating choirs and music groups high up on the mountain.

In the afternoon: “Bauernherbst” meets Montana:Musica:

 

Enjoy the “Bauernherbst” – this is the period when after a busy summer the herdsmen and dairymaids return with their livestock from their alpine pastures down to the valley. This time is the “fifth season” of the year in the Gastein Valley. The harvest festival is celebrated with specialities from the farmhouse and traditional festivities in the Salzburger Land. It has always been a time of celebration in the Gastein Valley with singing, laughing and dancing at social get togethers. Choirs will get to explore one of the many inns and cafes of Bad Hofgastein. While you can sample some of the mouthwatering regional specialities, local music groups will entertain the guests and international festival-participants. In the region this sort of social get-together is called a "Hoagascht" and in the Gastein Valley you will find the “Masters of Hoagascht” dressed in their traditional lederhosen and dirndl dresses.

Evening is at leisure.   

 

Monday, 12 October 2020

 

End of the festival and departure Enjoy breakfast at the hotel in the morning. Check out at

the hotel and departure or extend your stay.

 

Please note that this is a sample timetable only.

Each choir will receive its own detailed program for performances and sightseeing.