Global Festivals

International Festivals as a Foundation for Music & Arts Study Abroad

For students pursuing music and the performing arts internationally, global summer festivals and short-term residency programs are not simply enrichment experiences. When approached thoughtfully, they play a critical role in long-term academic and artistic development.

At Brandnew Group, we help families understand when, why, and how international festivals fit into a broader study abroad pathway — and how to engage with them strategically.

Why Global Festivals Matter

International festivals and summer programs offer young musicians and performers early exposure to global artistic environments, pedagogical styles, and professional standards.

When aligned with a student’s stage of development, these experiences can:

Provide early interaction and networking with overseas faculty and institutions
Offer valuable performance and training opportunities in international settings
Generate meaningful feedback, references, and artistic benchmarks
Help students test readiness before committing to long-term overseas study
Strengthen future portfolios, CVs, and university applications

Importantly, these opportunities are most effective when they are part of a longer-term plan, rather than isolated experiences.

Who These Opportunities Are For

Global festivals are typically suitable for:

Students seriously engaged in music or the performing arts
Families thinking ahead towards international education pathways
Students who are not yet applying to universities, but are building foundations
Those seeking structured exposure rather than casual travel experiences
Students who are preparing for their university applications and are seeking to gain practical and valuable hands-on experience to support their applications

Not every student benefits from international exposure at an early stage. Determining readiness, suitability, and timing is essential. Speak with a clinician today to see if global festivals are the right choice for you or your child.

How Brandnew Helps

At Brandnew Group, our team supports families by:

Assessing a student’s artistic level, maturity, and readiness
Identifying and evaluating appropriate international festivals and programs
Helping students prepare artistically for auditions
Providing application strategy and submission guidance
Offering contextual advice on how these experiences fit into future study abroad plans

We work closely with families to ensure that international exposure is pursoseful, proportionate, and aligned with long-term goals.

Global Festivals Within the Study Abroad Pathway

International festivals are best understood as one stage within a larger journey:

Foundational training and development
Targeted international exposure through festivals and summer programs
Readiness assessment and portfolio building
Formal applications to global conservatories or universities
Long-term international study

When approached thoughtfully and with guided planning, early global exposure can clarify direction, reduce risk, and strengthen future outcomes.

Participation in global festivals should never be approached generically. For families considering international exposure as part of a long-term music or performing arts pathway, Brandnew offers individual consultations to assess suitability and discuss appropriate next steps. Find out if global festivals are the right option for you or your child.

What Parents Say

“Before working with Brandnew, we thought international festivals were mainly about ‘exposure’. Through their consultation, we realised that timing and suitability mattered far more than we had assumed. The team helped us evaluate which festivals actually aligned with our daughter’s level and long-term goals, and guided her preparation so that the experience was meaningful rather than overwhelming. It gave us clarity and confidence in planning her next steps.”

“Brandnew didn’t just suggest programs — they helped my son understand what overseas faculty would be listening for and how to prepare accordingly. The clinicians worked closely with him on repertoire selection and audition strategy, which made a big difference in how confidently he approached the festival. The experience helped him mature artistically and gave him valuable feedback that later informed his study abroad planning.”

“What we appreciated most was Brandnew’s long-term perspective. They were very clear that global festivals should support, not replace, a broader education plan. The team helped us position the summer experience properly — before, during, and after — so that it became a meaningful part of our child’s CV and future applications. It felt thoughtful, structured, and appropriate for where our child was at.”