ArtistDirect News
Aren Der Hacopian Named Executive Director of Colorado Music Festival & Center for Musical Arts
Aren Der Hacopian will assume the role of Executive Director of the Colorado Music Festival & Center for Musical Arts on September 1, 2026, following a national search that selected him to succeed Elizabeth McGuire, who has led the organization since 2016. The appointment comes ahead of the festival’s 50th‑anniversary season, slated for July 9–August 9, 2026 at Boulder’s historic Chautauqua Auditorium.
Der Hacopian brings more than twenty years of experience in the performing‑arts arena. He joined Seattle Opera in 2007 as manager of its Young Artists Program, later directing the program and serving as artistic administrator. In 2010 he advanced to a senior leadership position within the company. Prior to Seattle, he helped launch and run the Domingo Thornton Young Artists Program at Los Angeles Opera. His academic background includes studies in music at California State University and the University of California, where he earned a master’s degree in voice and opera.
The Colorado Music Festival & Center for Musical Arts is a Colorado‑based nonprofit that runs the Colorado Music Festival and a network of community music‑education programs. Founded in 1976, the festival has become a staple of the region’s cultural calendar, attracting orchestral and chamber‑music talent from across North America.
Board President Jim Heeter welcomed Der Hacopian’s appointment, noting that his experience with a leading performing‑arts organization and his passion for classical music and education would support the festival’s continued excellence.
The 50th‑anniversary season will feature the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra under Music Director Peter Oundjian. The program includes soloists Yuja Wang, Michelle Cann, Tony Siqi Yun, Nobuyuki Tsujii, VC Artist Himari and Njioma Grevious, as well as conductors Leonard Slatkin, Jeffrey Kahane, Gemma New, and the Danish String Quartet. Performances will take place in the Chautauqua Auditorium, a National Historic Landmark built in 1898 that has hosted the festival since its inception.
Oundjian expressed confidence in the new leadership, saying that Der Hacopian’s background in building relationships with musicians, donors, and community partners would strengthen the festival’s collaborative culture. Der Hacopian, in turn, highlighted the appeal of leading an organization that blends world‑class performance with robust music‑education initiatives, describing the integrated model as a way to create lasting impact.
The transition is expected to maintain the festival’s high standards while positioning CMF & CMA to expand its community outreach. With Der Hacopian’s experience in artist development and program management, the organization aims to sustain its reputation as a leading venue for classical music and to deepen its educational offerings.
As the 50th‑anniversary season approaches, CMF & CMA will continue to coordinate programming, marketing, and community partnerships under Der Hacopian’s leadership, maintaining its focus on delivering quality performances and fostering musical growth within the Colorado community.
Der Hacopian brings more than twenty years of experience in the performing‑arts arena. He joined Seattle Opera in 2007 as manager of its Young Artists Program, later directing the program and serving as artistic administrator. In 2010 he advanced to a senior leadership position within the company. Prior to Seattle, he helped launch and run the Domingo Thornton Young Artists Program at Los Angeles Opera. His academic background includes studies in music at California State University and the University of California, where he earned a master’s degree in voice and opera.
The Colorado Music Festival & Center for Musical Arts is a Colorado‑based nonprofit that runs the Colorado Music Festival and a network of community music‑education programs. Founded in 1976, the festival has become a staple of the region’s cultural calendar, attracting orchestral and chamber‑music talent from across North America.
Board President Jim Heeter welcomed Der Hacopian’s appointment, noting that his experience with a leading performing‑arts organization and his passion for classical music and education would support the festival’s continued excellence.
The 50th‑anniversary season will feature the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra under Music Director Peter Oundjian. The program includes soloists Yuja Wang, Michelle Cann, Tony Siqi Yun, Nobuyuki Tsujii, VC Artist Himari and Njioma Grevious, as well as conductors Leonard Slatkin, Jeffrey Kahane, Gemma New, and the Danish String Quartet. Performances will take place in the Chautauqua Auditorium, a National Historic Landmark built in 1898 that has hosted the festival since its inception.
Oundjian expressed confidence in the new leadership, saying that Der Hacopian’s background in building relationships with musicians, donors, and community partners would strengthen the festival’s collaborative culture. Der Hacopian, in turn, highlighted the appeal of leading an organization that blends world‑class performance with robust music‑education initiatives, describing the integrated model as a way to create lasting impact.
The transition is expected to maintain the festival’s high standards while positioning CMF & CMA to expand its community outreach. With Der Hacopian’s experience in artist development and program management, the organization aims to sustain its reputation as a leading venue for classical music and to deepen its educational offerings.
As the 50th‑anniversary season approaches, CMF & CMA will continue to coordinate programming, marketing, and community partnerships under Der Hacopian’s leadership, maintaining its focus on delivering quality performances and fostering musical growth within the Colorado community.