After 16 years, Bravo! Vail’s Anne-Marie McDermott announced in March that 2026 will be her last season as artistic director, before she moves on to focus on her solo career as a concert pianist. “I’ve always had a very active performance career,” McDermott explains. “But for the next decade or two, I’m ready to focus on me the pianist.” She’s currently recording an album with Mexico’s Sinfónica de Minería and hopes to establish a more international presence. 

McDermott is intent on leaving her mark on Bravo! Vail, while also making space for what’s to come. “I remember when I started,” she says. “One of our patrons said, ‘You have to make this place your own, wrap your arms around it, and be courageous.’” She will leave her yet-to-be-named successor a long runway and the same advice. –AMF