It was in 1979 that a classical music festival was created for the first time in Colmar under the artistic direction of German conductor Karl Munchinger. At the time, Munchinger was Principal Conductor of the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, and his role in German musical life in the 1970s was comparable to that of Herbert von Karajan. "Why did I want to hold a music festival in Colmar? For ten years or so, concerts were held mainly in the church and cloister of the Dominicans, and the festival's ambition was to become "one of the leading centres for dialogue between French and German music".

In 1989, the festival opened a new chapter in its history, becoming an international festival, with the arrival of the world-renowned Russian violinist and conductor Vladimir Spivakov as artistic director. Under his direction, 32 prestigious editions and more than 700 concerts were held, each of them a tribute to a great musician. Maestro Spivakov has invited the greatest soloists and orchestras to perform at the Festival, which has since moved on to other major heritage sites in Colmar: the Koïfhus, the church of Saint-Matthieu and the chapel of Saint Pierre, as well as the Parc des Expositions. In July 2010, Valdimir Spivakov, accompanied by soloists from the Russian National Philharmonic Orchestra and soprano Anastasia Belukova, performed at the Musée Unterlinden in the very heart of the chapel, in front of the Issenheim Altarpiece. From Jessy Norman to Mistislav Rostropovitch; from Yehudi Menuin to Martha Argerich, the list of great performers who have accepted the invitation to Colmar is objectively impressive. Vladimir Spivakov, a great humanist and talent scout, also opens the doors of the Festival to future great names in classical music: Evgeny Kissin, Edgar Moreau, Maria Dueñas... to name but a few. The event has become a must-see in the European festival season for classical music lovers.

In 2023, after an absence of three years, the Colmar International Festival continues its great and beautiful history by starting a new collaboration with the French conductor, also world-renowned, Alain Altinoglu.

Artistic rigour is the link between these different pages.