ABOUT
The first annual Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival was hosted by VIA MUSICA (Vienna International Association for Music and Culture Exchange) in July 2007. Already during its first year, Vienna's new global festival realized its two main objectives: to provide a unique platform for the world's most talented youth choirs, bands and orchestras to perform in Vienna's magnificent Musikverein and to set new standards in the festival arena.
Much has happened since and not a year has passed, in which the SCL Festival has not undergone changes in an ongoing effort to meet the high standards of the organizational committee, the jury, and, most importantly, of the festival participants.
Although the SCL Festival takes place on only 4 days of the year, it is a continuous project, that aims at providing unique experiences every year. For this reason, the artistic program is adapted annually – be it due to anniversaries of famous composers or to put the focus on other musical themes.
New and exciting festival venues are constantly added in and around Vienna and, in the effort to expand to our Eastern European neighbours, to the countries bordering on Austria.
The SCL Festival has gained the broad support of the Austrian public and of many national and international decision makers in the field of politics and culture. Close ties have also been established to foreign embassies and international organizations. This allows us to present our participants with a truly international atmosphere.
Ultimately, this is the true focus of the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival: to create an environment where young musicians from all over the world can interact on an international level and build bridges amongst themselves.
