Music at the Palace – The Innsbruck Promenade Concerts

The 'Innsbrucker Promenaden Konzerte' (promenade concerts) are an Innsbruck summer tradition in which the inner courtyard of the Hofburg Palace is the venue for a series of concerts aiming to 'bridge the gap between classical and contemporary music'. I stumbled across it when I first moved to Innsbruck several years ago and was enraptured. I've since been back several times to enjoy the unique combination of historical location and world class (mainly orchestral) music. It's now in it's thirtieth year and to celebrate the occasion, I recently chatted to managing director Maria Barwick, who (full disclosure) also happens to be my sister in law(!)

What is it you enjoy about working at the Promenade concerts?

MB: What I really like is the location. It's a really, really special location. And it's the mix between the old 'castle'-like place, the classical music and the jazz music and older and younger people coming together. The mix of ages, genres, the location. The parade outside, the classical music inside.

I talk to so many different people; the musicians, the caterers, the stagehands.. I'm kind of the person in the middle bringing it all together and I really like talking to different people every day. Also, a different concert every single day. I love not doing the same thing every day.

The location is great. I often get a little shiver when I walk through the Hofburg courtyard....

MB: Maria Theresa rebuilt it in the 18th century. The acoustics are great. Wherever you stand in the courtyard you have the same quality of sound and that's why we don't need amplification. The sound quality is very special.

So what's happening this year?

MB: The first concert is on Friday July 4th but that's like a soft opening. The opening concert and opening ceremony is on Saturday 5th July with the Tirolean Symphony Orchestra, which is traditional. Then we'll have a little 30th birthday party afterwards. With drinks and cake! Which will be nice. The opening weekend will be really intense because we have six concerts in three days.

It goes through all of July until the 30th, but with a break of three days because of the Bridge Beat Festival, from the 17th to the 19th July.

Altogether, we have thirty concerts in twenty four days including weekend matinees.

The upper Austrian and Tirolean Clarinet orchestras are the Opening acts on Friday evening.

Is anyone new playing this year?

MB: Loads! My colleague Bernhard told me he has a list of over 350 orchestras who want to play. He's already planning 2027, 2026 is already booked! Every year he gets hundreds of applications but he does a really good job of choosing, picking a mix of Austrian and international acts. Around half are from outside of Austria.

As for highlights, Thomas Gansch and Blasmusik Supergroup on July 16th is one I'm really looking forward to. And Sächsische Bläserphilhamonie, they've played several times before.

But I can't really choose! It really depends on what you want to hear. For example, this year is Johann Strauss' 200th birthday and on July 22nd we have the Johann Strauss Ensemble playing. Strauss fans will love that. But then, the next day we have the Royal Band of the Belgian Navy which will be very different. And that's the essence of the event really.

Sounds great. Good luck!

MB: Thanks! Just really hoping for good weather but having said that, people are very loyal. I've seen people in ponchos and umbrellas enjoying the concerts in the pouring rain.

Tickets here 

Header Photo: Innsbruck Tourismus/Emanuel Kaser

Other photos, if not stated otherwise: Amir Kaufmann, Innsbrucker Promenadenkonzerte