CEO and Artistic Director Dietlinde Turban Maazel, Director of the Castleton Artists Training Seminar Stanford Olsen, and the board of directors of the Castleton Festival announce a temporary hiatus for the summer of 2016. Castleton’s leadership team will use this interim time to build a solid financial foundation for the Festival for continued growth in future years. The monthly “Castleton in Performance” events will continue throughout the summer, as will Educational Outreach programming that will further Castleton’s mission of nurturing the arts in the lives of children through in-school programs.

This decision follows an extremely well received 2015 season, which celebrated the life of its founder and largest supporter Maestro Lorin Maazel. From the highly successful Castleton Artists Training Seminar, to the inspiring young orchestra under the baton of Principal Conductor Rafael Payare, to world premieres, board leadership and new partnerships, all aspects of Castleton pulled together to further the Maestro’s legacy going forward. As word of this success spread, Castleton’s live-streamed performances reached over 1,000,000 viewers in over 100 countries around the world.

From its beginnings as a first-rate music festival and unique integrative personalized mentoring program under its founder Lorin Maazel, Castleton has evolved into a premiere performing arts education institution with a celebrated music and arts festival in a spectacular setting. Many of Castleton’s CATS alumni can count themselves among major international stars today.

“In view of our financial challenges we have come to realize that it is the right moment to regroup and work toward a stable future while adapting our offerings for this season,” said Dietlinde Turban Maazel. “As we plan for the 2017 season and beyond, we are revisiting our roots and renewing our emphasis on the original mission of nurturing young talents and fostering the arts through integrative mentoring, world-class performances and the building of communities. And as we continue to refine that mission, it is clear that we need time to take stock, strategize and ensure the ongoing evolution and growth of the festival so that Lorin Maazel’s vision doesn’t merely survive, but has the roots and strength to blossom for many years to come.”

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Press contact: Jessica Mitchell

540.937.3858 jessicam@castletonfestival.org