Wien Modern 2025: The largest festival for new music is starting soon!

Wien Modern 2025: The largest festival for new music is starting soon!

An exciting event is just around the corner: the Wien Modern festival starts in Vienna on October 30th. This year's edition celebrates a special anniversary - a lot has happened since it was founded 37 years ago. How MyDistrict reports, the festival will feature a total of 115 events at 29 different venues.

In keeping with the festival's tradition, the focus is on contemporary art music. The initiative, which was launched in 1988, has now established itself as one of the largest festivals for “new music” in the world. The developments in Vienna in particular, which have developed from a city with 1.48 million inhabitants (1988) to a metropolis with over 2 million, are also reflected in the musical questions that are raised. The population has grown by a whopping 37 percent in the last 37 years.

Opening in the Vienna Konzerthaus

On the first day of the festival there will be a special opening concert in the Vienna Konzerthaus at 7:30 p.m., which will take place with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Vimbayi Kaziboni. Together with the composer George Lewis, he put together the program, which begins the evening with an introductory discussion and a reception. How Vienna Modern highlights, the festival brings particularly outstanding personalities from the music scene to Vienna, including Angélica Castello, who lives in Vienna by choice, who will perform in the Ottakringer Brewery on Saturday, November 1st and at the same time accept the Ernst Krenek Music Prize from the City of Vienna.

The festival runs until November 30th and will feature numerous premieres and premieres of modern compositions. In addition, the “Young Music” project, which brought the performance of Cornelius Cardew’s work to life, will continue. By the end of the festival, seven paragraphs of the work will be presented at various locations in the city - an innovative approach that is all about cultural diversity.

A festival of diversity

Another aspect of the festival is the promotion of social diversity and the creation of spaces for different perspectives. “Wien Modern” particularly appeals to music enthusiasts under the age of 30 who are looking for new soundscapes. The festival not only offers musical enjoyment, but also a platform for cultural exchange, which is becoming increasingly important in the growing and diverse metropolis of Vienna.

Visitors can look forward to a rich program that highlights all facets of new music. From composers such as Zara Ali, Pierluigi Billone and Jessie Cox to Chaya Czernowin, some of the most exciting names in the contemporary music scene are represented this year. The event promises to be an unforgettable experience that appeals to music lovers, cultural workers and curious explorers alike.

Tickets and further information are available online. Don't miss this musical journey!