Irena Portenko- Festival Director
Music in the Alps©
11th Summer Music Institute and International Festival
August 1st-13th, 2024
FAVORITE THINGS: we hold onto them to seek personal comfort and to share them with our loved ones. They help us through the uncertain times and enhance our celebrations in life.
In The Sound of Music, while singing “Favorite Things” to the Von Trapp children, Maria is comforting them during the thunderstorm while describing all the things that make her feel better when she feels sad. In life, thunderstorms are quite frequent guests. During these moments, thinking about our favorite things may shift our sadness, or even fear, into the direction of courage and confidence, just as the sourness of lemons becomes more tolerable and soothing as we add sweetness to it.
Fluffy green slopes, fairytale-like trails, elegant pines, majestic mountain peaks, intense power of the waterfall, and, most of all, the dear faces and warm hugs are my favorite things about Bad Gastein. My big musical family embraces new members and welcomes back everyone who chooses to come back every August for its 11th year. Whether you are a young performer, a guest, or a seasoned musician, you are warmly invited to spend time with us at “Music in the Alps”, all while adding this wonderful and inspirational experience to the list of your Favorite Things!
From Dr. Irena Portenko
Director of “Music in the Alps” International Festival and Academy
MUSIC in the ALPS is a unique multicultural, artistic, and educational experience in the hearts of the Austrian Alps.
The goal of the Music in the Alps festival is to unite international professional and talented young musicians so they can share their valuable experience in music; performing alongside each other, participating in lectures, workshops, and chamber music sessions, while enjoying their togetherness and making lifetime friendships.
Music in the Alps provides young participants not only opportunities to perform, but also opportunities to explore additional areas of their interest such as technology and recording, art management, accompanying, teaching, directing, and production.
The Music in the Alps festival has significantly broadened its horizons within a short period of time, it has grown from a modest number of students in 2013 into a burgeoning summer program, hosting thousands of participants and guests in beautiful Bad Gastein, Innsbruck, and Salzburg.
Dr. Irena Portenko, Founder and Director of Music in Alps