For more than six decades, Eastern Music Festival has made summers in Greensboro a place of joyful music and memories for aspiring young musicians and music lovers throughout the region.  

Sadly, we inform you that the Festival will be taking the summer off in 2025. 

Eastern Music Festival was founded to provide young musicians with an immersive musical education and the camaraderie of peers. The quality of the program and student experience is our highest priority.  

We are working toward a labor agreement that rewards our faculty for the important role they play in the Festival’s success. The unforeseen length and complexity of these negotiations has extended beyond the point that makes it possible to host this year’s festival as usual and to deliver the experience our students and the community deserve.

During this year’s pause, we will be planning for the return of the Festival in 2026 with our focus remaining on educating students to the highest musical standards – and in hopes that our shared love of music brings us together again, better and stronger than ever.

Students who have submitted an application for this year’s Festival will be fully refunded their application fees. Check back here for highlights of our previous seasons and plans going forward.

For updates on contract negotiations, see Stay Informed: Latest Updates Q&A and our latest news release.