76th Festival

See you from 8 to 23 September 2023
After two years of health crisis, followed by an anniversary year in 2022 which saw the return of a good part of the public to our theatres, we are full of optimism as we approach the coming year!
Our wish? To see even more of you next September!
Over 30 concerts to discover in Besançon and the surrounding area! Symphonic music, chamber music, vocal music, contemporary music, world music and jazz – the Festival offers you 16 days of music!

58th Competition
Final rounds from 18 to 23 September 2023
The Besançon Competition is open to all candidates under 35 years of age who wish to become professional conductors, whatever their background, training or experience; it is the only conducting competition in the world that does not make a selection on the basis of a file (paper or video) but during live auditions.
Candidates could apply between 18 and 31 January 2023, subject to a limit of 275 places available for the preliminaries. During this first stage, which will take place in the spring of 2023, the candidates were called upon to conduct symphonic works played by two pianists (at two pianos), in front of two members of the jury.
At the end of the preliminary rounds, twenty candidates were admitted to the final rounds with orchestra in September and in public, which will take place during the 76th Besançon International Music Festival.