The festival was founded by German concert pianist Justus Franz and has become a world famous institution.

In 1987 Leonard Bernstein founded  the international Orchestral Academy of the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, which has enjoyed a superb reputation worldwide ever since.Each year, the Orchestral Academy assembles an international youth orchestra by vetting students from around the world. A jury admits approximately 120 handpicked musicians, 26 years of age and younger, to join the Orchestral Academy.

In addition, for more than 25 years the Masterclasses at the Musikhochschule Lübeck have been part of the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival’s programme.

For more detailed information, see website: https://www.shmf.de/en/home