Besançon Franche-Comté International Music Festival
International classical and symphonic music festival
2026
About Besançon Music Festival
Established in 1948, the Festival International de Musique de Besançon Franche-Comté is one of France's oldest classical music festivals. Every September, it brings together symphony orchestras, soloists, and conductors at the Kursaal, the Théâtre Ledoux, and various other venues across Besançon and the surrounding region. It also hosts the International Competition for Young Conductors, founded in 1951 and held biennially. The 79th edition, running from September 11 to 20, 2026, features over 30 concerts and 584 artists, spanning everything from baroque to jazz.
Besançon Music Festival — edition 2026
The 79th edition of the Besançon Franche-Comté International Music Festival takes place from September 11 to 20, 2026. More than 30 concerts and 584 artists will perform across the Grand Kursaal, Théâtre Ledoux, Saint-Jean Cathedral, the Cité des Arts auditorium, and the squares of La Révolution and Granvelle, as well as in Baume-les-Dames, Luxeuil-les-Bains, Dole, and Montbéliard. Le Concert Spirituel opens the festival outdoors, and the Victor Hugo Orchestra closes it at the Théâtre Ledoux. Thirteen concerts are free, compared to five or six in previous years.
79th Edition, September 11–20, 2026
Ten days, over 30 concerts, 584 artists: the 79th edition of the Besançon Franche-Comté International Music Festival features symphonic, chamber, vocal, contemporary, world, and jazz music, ranging from Handel at Place de la Révolution to the jazz aperitifs at Place Granvelle.
Guest Orchestras
Four international or national orchestras are on the program: the Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia with François-Frédéric Guy on September 12, the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Rémy Ballot on the 13th, the Saarland National Orchestra with Sébastien Rouland and Suzana Bartal on the 15th for their first appearance, and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra with Leif Ove Andsnes and Dima Slobodeniouk on the 18th. They are joined by the Basel Chamber Orchestra for Mozart's Great Mass in C Minor on the 16th, and the Victor Hugo Orchestra, the festival's partner ensemble, which performs in Montbéliard on the 19th and closes the festival on September 20.
Régis Campo, Final Year of Residency
Composer Régis Campo concludes his residency at the festival. His works will be featured throughout the ten days: Lumen by the Stuttgart Philharmonic, Zoo Circus by the Ars Nova ensemble, Street Art by Les Apaches!, two pieces rearranged for the Romain Leleu Sextet, and above all, the premiere of My Beautiful Time, his eighth string quartet co-commissioned by the festival and performed by the Zaïde Quartet in Baume-les-Dames and then in Besançon. A public meeting with the composer is scheduled for September 13 at 3:00 PM in the Salle Proudhon.
Thirteen Free Concerts
The festival announces thirteen free concerts in 2026, up from five or six in previous editions: the opening at Place de la Révolution, the Music Salon at the Préfecture, the Kiosk Getaway at Micaud Park, Tantz! by the Sirba Octet, Zapp’art at the Cité des Arts, Soft Brass in the courtyard of the Musée du Temps, and the four jazz aperitifs at Place Granvelle. The Sirba Octet replaces the group Söndörgő, who cancelled their appearance. Both sessions of the Music Salon are sold out.
Ticketing
Online ticketing has been open since June 19, 2026, on the festival platform. The Kursaal ticket office (Salle Proudhon) opens on September 4, Monday to Saturday from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Tickets for regional concerts are also sold at the tourist offices in Baume-les-Dames and Dole, the Pôle culturel in Luxeuil-les-Bains, the Dole Theater, and MA scène nationale in Montbéliard.
Highlights Besançon Music Festival 2026
- Opening with free admission at Place de la Révolution on September 11 at 7:00 PM: Handel's Water Music by Le Concert Spirituel and Hervé Niquet
- The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, and conductor Dima Slobodeniouk performing Brahms and Sibelius on September 18 at the Théâtre Ledoux
- First appearance of the Saarland National Orchestra, featuring Suzana Bartal and Sébastien Rouland in Grieg and the New World Symphony on September 15
- Mozart's Great Mass in C Minor by the Tölzer Knabenchor and the Basel Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Francesco Corti, on September 16 at the Grand Kursaal
- Nocturne II by the La Tempête ensemble and Simon-Pierre Bestion: Saint-Pierre Basilica in Luxeuil-les-Bains on the 13th, Saint-Jean Cathedral in Besançon on September 14
- Premiere of My Beautiful Time, the eighth string quartet by Régis Campo, co-commissioned by the Festival, performed by the Zaïde Quartet on September 12 and 13
- Thirteen free concerts, including the four jazz aperitifs at Place Granvelle from September 16 to 19 at 7:00 PM
Programme Besançon Music Festival 2026
Friday, September 11, 2026
- 7:00 PM — Water Music · Place de la Révolution, Besançon · Le Concert Spirituel, conducted by Hervé Niquet · Charpentier (Trumpet Marches from Te Deum), Handel (Water Music, Suites 1, 2, and 3; Music for the Royal Fireworks) · Baroque music · 1h 20m, no intermission · Free admission, outdoors, cancelled in case of bad weather
Saturday, September 12, 2026
- 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM — Music Salon · Salons de la Préfecture, Besançon · Serge Kakudji, countertenor; David Demange, guitar · Works by John Dowland, Purcell, Monteverdi, Schubert, Bellini · Vocal music · 50m · Free with reservation, both performances are sold out
- 3:00 PM and 4:30 PM — Kiosk Getaway · Micaud Park Kiosk, Besançon · Escapade Ensemble (brass and percussion), Antoine Ganaye, conductor · Works by Paul Dukas, Giovanni Gabrieli, Richard Strauss, Nicolas Matynclow, Piazzolla · 50m · Free admission, outdoors, cancelled in case of bad weather
- 7:00 PM — Tantz! · Place de la Révolution, Besançon · Sirba Octet: Adrien Boisseau (viola), Rémi Delangle (clarinet), Christophe Henry (piano), Stanislas Kuchinski (double bass), Anne-Sophie Le Rol (violin), Iurie Morar (cimbalom), Richard Schmoucler (violin and artistic director), Lisa Strauss (cello) · Traditional, klezmer, and gypsy music · 1h 20m · Free admission, outdoors · Replacing the group Söndörgő, who cancelled their appearance
- 8:30 PM — Chopin Concertos · Grand Kursaal, Besançon · Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia, François-Frédéric Guy (piano and conductor) · Chopin (Piano Concertos No. 1 Op. 11 and No. 2 Op. 21), Hélène de Montgeroult (Etudes for solo piano No. 62, 106, and 111) · 1h 45m with intermission · Tier A: €21 to €54
- 8:30 PM — Zaïde Quartet · Saint-Martin Church, Baume-les-Dames · Charlotte Maclet and Leslie Boulin Raulet (violins), Céline Tison (viola), Juliette Salmona (cello) · Schubert (Quartet No. 14 D. 810, Death and the Maiden), Régis Campo (My Beautiful Time, String Quartet No. 8, festival co-commission), Fanny Mendelssohn (String Quartet H 277) · 1h 15m, no intermission · Tier C: €13 to €30 · Tickets available at the Festival and the Baume-les-Dames tourist office
Sunday, September 13, 2026
- 11:00 AM — Zaïde Quartet · Cité des Arts Auditorium, Besançon · Same performers · Schubert (Quartet No. 14 D. 810), Régis Campo (My Beautiful Time), Dvořák (Quartet No. 12 Op. 96, American) · 1h 15m, no intermission · Tier C: €13 to €30
- 3:00 PM — Meet Régis Campo · Salle Proudhon, Kursaal, Besançon · Discussion with the composer-in-residence · 45m · Free, open entry subject to availability
- 5:00 PM — Brahms' 4th · Théâtre Ledoux, Besançon · Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra, Rémy Ballot (conductor) · Régis Campo (Lumen for orchestra), Richard Strauss (Death and Transfiguration Op. 24), Brahms (Symphony No. 4 Op. 98) · 1h 30m with intermission · Tier A: €13 to €54 · €6 tickets for Carte Avantages jeunes holders
- 8:00 PM — Nocturne II · Saint-Pierre Basilica, Luxeuil-les-Bains · La Tempête, vocal and instrumental ensemble; Simon-Pierre Bestion (creation, staging, conductor); Florian Delattre (lighting) · Sacred works by Frank Martin, Orlando di Lasso, Cristobal de Morales, Thomas Tallis, William Byrd, Arvo Pärt, Knut Nystedt · 1h 30m, no intermission · Tier B: €13 to €30 · Tickets available at the Festival and the Pôle culturel in Luxeuil-les-Bains
Monday, September 14, 2026
- 10:30 AM — Brahms' 4th, School Session · Théâtre Ledoux, Besançon · Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra (85 musicians), Rémy Ballot (conductor), commentary by musicologist Tristan Labourée · 1h · €6 per student, Pass Culture eligible · Reserved for school groups
- 8:00 PM — Nocturne II · Saint-Jean Cathedral, Besançon · Same performers as in Luxeuil-les-Bains · 1h 30m, no intermission · Tier B: €13 to €41 · Open seating in two zones, reduced visibility in 2nd category
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
- 6:00 PM — Zapp’art · Cité des Arts Auditorium, Besançon · Gruppe der 12 (Mainz Conservatory) and the saxophone ensemble of the Grand Besançon Métropole Conservatory · Works by Bernstein, David Salleras, Régis Campo, Telemann, Anne Kox-Schindelin, Schumann, Paul McCartney, Arnaud Meier · 1h 10m, no intermission · Free
- 8:00 PM — The New World · Théâtre Ledoux, Besançon · Saarland National Orchestra, Suzana Bartal (piano), Sébastien Rouland (conductor) · Florence Price (Andante moderato for strings), Grieg (Piano Concerto Op. 16), Dvořák (Symphony No. 9 Op. 95, From the New World) · 1h 40m with intermission · Tier A: €13 to €54
- 9:00 PM — Ehbam Quartet · Petit Kursaal, Besançon · Léna Aubert (double bass, vocals), Monika Kabasele (vocals), Lisa Murcia (violin, vocals), Elias Arapoglou (percussion) · Jazz and world music · 1h 20m, no intermission · Tier D: €13 to €25
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
- 3:00 PM — Zoo Circus · Cité des Arts Auditorium, Besançon · Ensemble Ars Nova, Gregory Vajda (conductor), Romain Dayez (narrator) · Saint-Saëns (The Carnival of the Animals), Régis Campo (Zoo Circus) · 1h 10m, no intermission · €6 to €12 · One free ticket for a child under 12 with every adult ticket purchased
- 7:00 PM — Jazz Aperitif: Hugo Diaz, Home to Home 5tet · Place Granvelle, Besançon · Hugo Diaz (soprano sax, composition), Mathilde Gardien (vocals), Nathan Mollet (piano, keyboards), Julia Richard (electric bass, vocals), Élie Martin-Charrière (drums) · Lyrical jazz · 1h 30m · Free admission, outdoors, cancelled in case of bad weather
- 7:30 PM — Great Mass in C Minor · Grand Kursaal, Besançon · Tölzer Knabenchor, Basel Chamber Orchestra, Marie Lys and Julia Lezhneva (sopranos), Matthew Newlin (tenor), Nicolas Brooymans (bass), Francesco Corti (conductor) · Mozart (Symphony No. 36 KV 425 Linz, Great Mass KV 427, Ave Verum Corpus KV 618) · 2h with intermission · Tier A: €21 to €54
Thursday, September 17, 2026
- 3:30 PM — Street Art, School Session · Théâtre de l’Espace, Besançon · Ensemble Les Apaches!, contemporary music, acrobatic dance and free running, followed by a discussion with the artists · 1h · Free with reservation · Reserved for school groups
- 7:00 PM — Jazz Aperitif: Alexandre Millet, Athome · Place Granvelle, Besançon · Alexandre Millet (piano), Émile Parisien (saxophone), Jérôme Arrighi (double bass), Édouard Coquard (drums) · Contemporary jazz · 1h 30m · Free admission, outdoors, cancelled in case of bad weather
- 8:00 PM — Street Art · Théâtre de l’Espace, Besançon · Ensemble Les Apaches!, Julien Masmondet (conductor), Andrea Catozzi (dancer and acrobat), Johan Tonnoir (free runner) · Works by Nicolas Canot, Régis Campo, Steve Reich, Pascal Zavaro, and Fabien Cali · 1h, no intermission · Tier C: €13 to €30
Friday, September 18, 2026
- 7:00 PM — Jazz Aperitif: Menalua · Place Granvelle, Besançon · Mathilde Gardien (vocals, piano, synth, composition), Romain Salmon (guitars, composition), Matis Regnault (double bass), Basile Guéguen (drums) · Modern jazz with Latin influences · 1h 30m · Free admission, outdoors, cancelled in case of bad weather
- 8:00 PM — Nordic Colors · Théâtre Ledoux, Besançon · Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Leif Ove Andsnes (piano), Dima Slobodeniouk (conductor) · Brahms (Piano Concerto No. 2 Op. 83), Anna Berg (Nuances of Water), Sibelius (Symphony No. 5 Op. 82) · 2h with intermission · Tier A: €13 to €54
- 9:00 PM — Les Maîtres Sonneurs · Grand Kursaal, Besançon · The Kraken Consort: Sylvain Barou (flutes, uilleann pipes, duduk), Brewen Favrau (small pipes, uilleann pipes, whistles), Robert Getchell (tenor), Chantal Santon Jeffery (soprano), Laurène Helstroffer Durantel (double bass), Bruno Helstroffer (theorbo), David Lombardi (fiddle), Ronan Pellen (cittern) · Celtic songs and music from Ireland, Scotland, and Brittany · 1h 20m, no intermission · Tier D: €13 to €25 · €6 tickets for Carte Avantages jeunes holders
Saturday, September 19, 2026
- 3:00 PM — Musical Encounter with the Goldberg Trio · MJC Palente, Besançon · 45m · Free, open entry subject to availability
- 3:30 PM and 5:00 PM — Soft Brass · Courtyard of the Musée du Temps, Besançon · No Slide Ensemble (cornets and saxhorns) · Works by Dvořák, Komitas, Sibelius, Piazzolla, Rameau, Debussy, Gounod, Satie, and a piece written in 2025 by Geoffroy Tamisier · Two different programs, 50m each · Outdoors, entrance via Place Granvelle and exit via Grande Rue, moved to Petit Kursaal in case of bad weather
- 7:00 PM — Jazz Aperitif: Pablo Murgier Pazdera Trio · Place Granvelle, Besançon · Pablo Murgier Pazdera (piano, composition), Romain Lecuyer (double bass), Miguel Couto (drums) · Modern jazz · 1h 30m · Free admission, outdoors, cancelled in case of bad weather
- 8:00 PM — 1920 in Vienna · Grand Kursaal, Besançon · Het Collectief, Katharine Dain (soprano), Gregor Mayrhofer (conductor) · Busoni (Berceuse élégiaque Op. 42), Alban Berg (Seven Early Songs), Schoenberg (Chamber Symphony Op. 9), Zemlinsky (Six Songs on poems by Maeterlinck Op. 13), Webern (Passacaglia) · 1h 40m with intermission · Tier C: €13 to €30
- 8:00 PM — Scottish Ballad · MA scène nationale, Montbéliard Theater · Victor Hugo Orchestra, Ludmila Berlinskaïa and Arthur Ancelle (pianos), Jean-François Verdier (conductor) · Poulenc (Concerto for two pianos and orchestra), Mendelssohn (Symphony No. 3, Scottish) · Short version of the closing concert · Reservations at mascenenationale.eu
- 8:30 PM — Fantastic Night · Dole Theater · Romain Leleu Sextet: Romain Leleu (trumpet), Guillaume Antonini and Élise Bertrand (violins), Alphonse Dervieux (viola), Caroline Boita (cello), Philippe Blard (double bass) · Works by Rimsky-Korsakov, Schubert, Dvořák, Darius Milhaud, Régis Campo, Bernard Herrmann, Nino Rota, Thelonious Monk, and Dizzy Gillespie · 1h 10m, no intermission · Tier C: €13 to €30 · Tickets available at the Festival, the Dole Theater, and the Dole tourist office
Sunday, September 20, 2026
- 11:00 AM — Goldberg Trio · Salle du Parlement, Besançon · Liza Kerob (violin), Federico Hood (viola), Thierry Amadi (cello) · Haydn (String Trio Op. 53 No. 1), Schubert (String Trio D. 471), Beethoven (String Trio No. 5 Op. 9 No. 3), Jean Cras (String Trio) · 1h 15m, no intermission · Tier C: €13 to €30
- 5:00 PM — Scottish Closing · Théâtre Ledoux, Besançon · Victor Hugo Orchestra, Ludmila Berlinskaïa and Arthur Ancelle (pianos), Jean-François Verdier (conductor) · Fanny Mendelssohn (Overture), Poulenc (Concerto for two pianos and orchestra), Britten (Scottish Ballad Op. 26 for two pianos and orchestra), Mendelssohn (Symphony No. 3, Scottish) · 1h 50m with intermission · Tier A: €13 to €54 · €6 tickets for Carte Avantages jeunes holders
Full schedule published by the organizer at festival-besancon.com/programme, updated August 11, 2026.
Prices Besançon Music Festival 2026
Tier B: Category 1, €41 full / €33 member / €21 reduced; Category 2, €25 / €20 / €13.
Tier C: €30 full / €24 member / €13 reduced.
Tier D: €25 full / €20 member / €13 reduced.
Tier E: €12 full / €10 member / €6 reduced.
Thirteen concerts are free, including the opening at Place de la Révolution on September 11 and the four jazz aperitifs at Place Granvelle.
Member rate: Festival association members, groups of 10+ people, Carte Avantage MGEN, Ginko subscribers.
Reduced rate: Job seekers, RSA and AAH recipients, artists/authors, students under 30, Carte Avantages jeunes, under 18s.
One free ticket for a child under 12 with every adult ticket purchased, except for flat-rate concerts.
School sessions: €6 per student for Brahms' 4th on September 14, free with reservation for Street Art on September 17. Both are eligible for the Pass Culture.
Online ticketing open since June 19, 2026. Ticket office at the Kursaal, Salle Proudhon (Place Granvelle), from September 4, Monday to Saturday, 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. On concert evenings, the box office opens 45 minutes before the start, subject to availability. Ticket mailing: €2.
Practical information — Besançon Music Festival
Practical Information
Access
By car: Besançon is accessible via the A36 motorway (Beaune – Mulhouse). Follow signs for the city center, then Place Granvelle. The Granvelle parking lot near the Théâtre Ledoux and the Kursaal is often full; the covered Mairie parking lot is less than a ten-minute walk away. Overnight parking (7 PM to 9 AM) in city center parking lots is free or costs €1.
By train: Besançon-Viotte station is connected to the Besançon Franche-Comté TGV station. The Ginko network (bus and tram) serves all concert venues, and Vélocité bike stations are located nearby. Ginko subscribers receive member rates on all concerts. The SNCF TER Bourgogne-Franche-Comté line serves Besançon and several regional locations.
Tickets
Prices range from €6 to €54 depending on the concert and seating category. Thirteen concerts are free in 2026. Member rates apply to Festival association members, groups of over ten, Carte Avantage MGEN holders, and Ginko subscribers. Reduced rates are available for job seekers, RSA and AAH recipients, freelance artists, students under 30, Carte Avantages jeunes holders, and those under 18. One free ticket is offered for a child under 12 for every adult ticket purchased, excluding concerts with a flat-rate price. Proof of eligibility must be provided at booking and presented upon collection.
Box Office
Online booking is available 24/7 at billetterie-festival-besancon.mapado.com. Reservations can also be made by mail using the booking form. Ticket counters in Besançon are located at the Kursaal, Salle Proudhon (Place Granvelle), starting September 4, Monday to Saturday from 2 PM to 6 PM. On concert nights, the box office opens 45 minutes before the start, subject to availability. Tickets can be sent by mail (€2), by email, or collected at the counter.
For regional concerts, tickets are also sold at the tourist offices in Baume-les-Dames and Dole, the Pôle culturel in Luxeuil-les-Bains, and MA scène nationale in Montbéliard.
Accessibility
All venues are wheelchair accessible with ground-floor seating; please mention this when booking. At the Théâtre Ledoux, the accessible area corresponds to 2nd category seats, and there is no elevator. A dedicated line for accessible bookings is available at 03 81 82 08 72 during box office hours.
Contact
Festival de musique, 9 rue du Palais de Justice, 25000 Besançon. Phone: 03 81 25 05 85. Email: [email protected].
The Festival International de Musique de Besançon since 1948
Founded in 1948, the Festival International de Musique de Besançon Franche-Comté is one of the oldest classical music festivals in France. In Le Figaro on September 25, 1948, Bernard Gavoty wrote: "There are places where music naturally blends into the scenery, and Besançon is one of them."
The International Competition for Young Conductors
The festival is inseparable from its International Competition for Young Conductors, created in 1951 and held every two years. Many world-renowned conductors took their first steps here, including Seiji Ozawa, Zdeněk Mácal, and Lionel Bringuier. Japanese conductor Satoshi Yoneda won the Grand Prix at the 59th edition in 2025. The 60th competition is scheduled for 2027.
A program ranging from baroque to jazz
The 79th edition, from September 11 to 20, 2026, brings together over 30 concerts and 584 artists over ten days. The program includes symphonic, chamber, vocal, and contemporary music, as well as world music and jazz. Concerts are held at the Grand Kursaal, the Théâtre Ledoux, Saint-Jean Cathedral, the Cité des Arts auditorium, the Théâtre de l’Espace, Place de la Révolution, and Place Granvelle, as well as in Baume-les-Dames, Luxeuil-les-Bains, Dole, and Montbéliard. The festival also features artist meet-and-greets, school sessions, and concerts for young audiences, and hosts a composer-in-residence: Régis Campo from 2024 to 2026.
Besançon, a city of music
As the historic capital of Franche-Comté, Besançon is a UNESCO World Heritage site thanks to its Vauban fortifications. The Kursaal, the festival's main venue, is a performance hall located on Place Granvelle, just a stone's throw from the historic center.
Where does it take place — Besançon Music Festival
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