Since 2017, Stephen McHolm has served as Director of the Verbier Festival Academy, one of the world’s most prestigious summer music academies. McHolm brought a fresh approach to the Academy upon his arrival, with a passion for working with young artists to create connections with contemporary audiences. McHolm also launched the Festival’s UNLTD division—an inventive concept that aims to disrupt norms, push boundaries, and awaken musical curiosity. UNLTD shines a spotlight on emerging talent, including Verbier Festival Academy students and recent alumni, and engaging interactive performances with cross-generational appeal. For 12 years before his arrival in Switzerland, McHolm grew the Honens International Piano Competition Foundation into one of Canada’s most respected and widest-reaching international classical music organisations—discovering, nurturing, presenting and promoting the talents of emerging concert artists. He was described as a “rebel and revolutionary” by Calgary’s Avenue Magazine—a testament to his work in building new audiences for classical music and nurturing artists ready for 21st century careers. The Honens artistic and career development programme, together with the Honens recording label, which he founded in 2008, were held up as models for the world’s leading international music competitions and artist development trusts.
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