Under Peter Oundjian’s visionary leadership, the Colorado Music Festival (CMF) has flourished, blending tradition with innovation and fostering a vibrant community of musicians and audiences alike. As CMF approaches its milestone 50th anniversary in 2026, key figures reflect on his transformative tenure and the exciting future ahead
Alberto Gutierrez:
General Manager
I’ve been with the Colorado Music Festival (CMF) since 2016, initially as a consultant. Liz McGuire, who had just joined CMF as Executive Director, was working with Jean-Marie Zetouni, the Music Director at the time. They reached out to me for artistic consulting, so I helped shape the festival’s programming. Over time, my role evolved, and when Peter Oundjian became Music Director in 2020, I joined full-time as the General Manager.
I oversee nearly every aspect of CMF’s operations, from artistic planning to library management, personnel coordination, stage crews and production. As the main point of contact with the Chautauqua Association, which manages the historic Chautauqua Auditorium—CMF’s primary venue—I ensure that our gorgeous performance space is ready for each concert. Every concert and rehearsal require my attention,
and there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work to guarantee everything runs smoothly. That might involve meeting
with composers, making sure Peter and the orchestra are on the same page and in the right place at the right time,
or handling last-minute requests from the soloists. My job
is all about putting out little fires before they become
full-blown issues!
One highlight for me was the world premiere of Gabriela Lena Frank’s Concerto Grosso with the Takács Quartet last summer. I worked closely with the composer, publisher and Peter throughout the commissioning process, from negotiating fees to coordinating rehearsals. Watching the piece come together, particularly with Gabriela attending rehearsals, was incredibly rewarding.
Peter’s tenure as Music Director has brought a fresh, vibrant energy to CMF, maintaining a high standard of music-making. At the same time, he keeps the atmosphere light—perfect for a summer festival. Peter’s incredible knowledge and connections have allowed us to bring new works and lesser-known pieces to the festival.
The 50th anniversary season in 2026 will be a huge milestone for us. We’re working on a number of projects to celebrate both the festival’s history and the state of Colorado’s 150th anniversary. Every year is its own adventure, and I feel lucky to be part of such an amazing team that’s dedicated to bringing great music to Boulder.
Elizabeth McGuire: Executive Director
As Executive Director of CMF, I serve as the link between the community, the orchestra and the artistic team. I’m constantly working to bring talented people to the table—whether that’s musicians, staff or board members—and I work to create an environment that attracts the best people and inspires them to do their best work. This includes ensuring the festival remains financially stable. My job is essentially to pave the way for the product to shine.
During the season, my job is non-stop. I oversee a talented staff that manages all aspects of the festival, while my personal time is often spent focusing on financial and personnel management, logistics, donor and artist hospitality, press interviews, public speaking, and facilitating fundraising events. On top of that, each season presents unexpected challenges. For example, one season we had to replace a violin soloist at very short notice. Thankfully, Helen Kim was in town, but she didn’t have a gown so I had to lend her my car so that she could drive to Denver to find one! That’s just one example of the behind-the-scenes adjustments when things don’t go as expected. But our job is to make sure the audience thinks things are going perfectly smoothly.
Peter Oundjian, our Music Director for the past five years, brings a unique worldliness and a rare gift for communication, making complex music approachable and engaging for everyone. Since his arrival, we’ve garnered more international attention, and the festival has grown in stature. What was once considered Boulder’s “best-kept secret” is now recognised internationally.
Another exciting part of CMF’s growth under Peter Oundjian is the push for new music, giving composers a platform and allowing the orchestra to shine with contemporary works. Joan Tower’s Concerto for Orchestra last summer was a standout moment for me, with the orchestra playing brilliantly. With Peter at the helm, artists like Joshua Bell trust us with workshopping their commissions before world premieres. Having guest artists of that stature do these projects with us has really helped bring our audience on board.
As we approach CMF’s 50th anniversary in 2026, I’m excited to continue down the path we’ve forged as an orchestra that brings a depth of world-class music to Boulder, which continues to inspire me every day.
Jean Posekany:
Double bassist
My husband and I married in June 2001 near a waterfall at Sheepeater Cliff in Yellowstone National Park, just days before our first season with the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra. Our honeymoon was playing with the Colorado Music Festival!
For 24 years as a tutti bassist at CMF, coming to Boulder each summer is more than just another gig—it’s making music with a superb ensemble in a beautiful space, alongside colleagues who’ve become family.
CMF’s season is approximately five weeks long, and the rehearsal and concert schedule are very demanding, with weekly chamber music, full orchestra and chamber orchestra concerts. Outside of rehearsals and performances, time is limited to practising, self-care and enjoying Boulder with colleagues. The schedule is mentally and physically demanding, but I look forward to CMF every summer!
As a longtime member of the CMF Orchestra, I have seen many changes. Peter Oundjian is the third CMF Music Director for me. When rumours of his interest in becoming our next Music Director circulated, I felt hopeful, knowing his reputation as a “musician’s director”. His presence on the podium feels more like a collaborator than a boss just telling the orchestra what to do. His way of communicating his musical vision is inspiring rather than dictatorial.
Peter has expanded our repertoire with new music,
mostly through commissions and premieres, attracting
high-profile soloists and composers to Boulder. Pairing traditional favourites with new works keeps our audience happy and the musicians engaged, helping us “survive” a demanding season.
I have the greatest respect for what Peter does for this festival. His lovely wife Nadine once told me, “Oh, he’s the Energiser Bunny.” Even when I feel exhausted towards the
end of the season, like most of the orchestra, I’m inspired
by Peter’s tireless energy on the podium and beyond—attending fundraisers, doing interviews, coaching the Festival Quartet Fellows, and working with the composers and artists. He always manages to do this with his endearing charm
and wit. Working with Peter, my sense of hope now has become inspiration.
Jessica Petrasek:
Assistant Principal Flute and Piccolo
Although 2024 was my first official season as Assistant Principal Flute and Piccolo with CMF, I have been involved with the festival for years, including a one-year position and guest roles. My husband, Joe Petrasek, plays Principal Percussion in CMF, which makes sharing this experience a special treat.
Many CMF musicians, including me, bring their families to Boulder for the summer, creating a close-knit community despite our busy schedules. Our children attend summer camps and play together at Sleepy Bear Playground outside of Chautauqua Auditorium during rehearsals, while we musicians socialise and share meals whenever possible.
Peter Oundjian, our Music Director and Tokyo String Quartet alumnus, fosters a spirit of camaraderie by encouraging chamber music-style communication, emphasising the importance of breathing together, eye contact and a cohesive artistic vision. Despite being apart for most of the year, the orchestra feels so familiar and easy, as if we play in the same group all the time.
Playing Mahler’s Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5 with Peter was a standout experience, showcasing his storytelling, reverence for the composer and technical clarity. In CMF rehearsals, I’m awed by the talent around me. Peter’s ability to bring out the best in us leads to rewarding risk-taking during concerts.
The roster of guest artists at CMF each year is one of the things I look forward to most. The soloists, composers and conductors tend to be not only renowned musicians but also consummate artists with integrity, professionalism and joie
de vivre.
I can’t wait to see what new adventures this summer brings, and how much more deeply we can connect with our audiences.
Peter Oundjian:
Music Director
I first came to CMF in 2017 as an interim Music Director, unaware of its existence or the stunning Chautauqua Auditorium despite my many visits to Colorado festivals. After meeting the board, some of the players, and hearing the fabulous orchestra, I was impressed enough to commit to five years as Music Director following the 2018 festival.
I’m very honoured that they’ve decided to keep me on for another five.
As Music Director, I design each festival with my wonderful colleague, Alberto Gutierrez, with the goal of creating a musical mosaic where every week is intentionally different. One programme this summer exemplifies our approach: Dances of Galánta, with its fiery Spanish passion, Concierto de Aranjuez with a phenomenal guitarist Xuefei Yang, and Schubert’s Symphony No. 5, which offers a unique journey itself filled with purity and sophistication.
I am thrilled about the new music we’ve brought to the festival and the positive response from our curious and enthusiastic audiences. Contemporary music is more approachable now than when I was a teenager, allowing us to showcase the great artistic voices of our time. One memorable concert featured Joan Tower’s music, including the world premiere of her Cello Concerto with Alisa Weilerstein. We also played Made in America and Duets, a rarely performed gem. It was pouring with rain (in fact, we had a pond forming near the stage!), and I almost wonder if people could even hear Duets. But that’s a part of the festival, we’re really out in nature!
Of course, orchestras often perform all-Beethoven or all-Mozart programmes, but few extend this approach to contemporary composers.
As we look toward our 50th anniversary in 2026–which you won’t want to miss–I’m excited to foster an even stronger sense of community, broaden our audience, secure greater funding for our musicians, and remain at the cutting edge of world-class music-making.
The Colorado Music Festival takes place from 3 July to 3 August 2025. To discover more about the festival, visit coloradomusicfestival.org