The Canary Islands International Music Festival (FIMC) begins ticket sales this Thursday, December 11, for the 61 concerts scheduled for its 42nd edition, which will take place from January 8 to February 7, 2026, featuring major international artists and some of the world's best orchestras. The more than 41,000 seats made available to the public, distributed across the eight islands, make the FIMC a unique event of its kind in the world.
Organized by the Culture Department of the Government of the Canary Islands, this edition of the festival is presented under the slogan 'Let yourself be captivated by music', and features classical music figures such as the acclaimed pianist Yuja Wang, the renowned cellist Sol Gabetta, the flamenco singer Estrella Morente, the pianist Arcadi Volodos, or conductors such as Pavo Järvi or Jakub Hrusa, who will be part of an extraordinary edition that will also feature the talent of Martin Helmchen (piano), Vadim Repin (violin) or Emmanuel Pahud (flute), among many others.
The inauguration of the 42nd edition of the FIMC will be led by the RTVE Orchestra and Choir, which will kick off the event with a tribute to Falla on the 150th anniversary of his birth, under the direction of Christoph König. It will be a powerful start, followed just two days later by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, one of the top five in the world, which is coming to the Canary Islands under the baton of a great conductor, the Estonian Paavo Järvi.
Also featured will be such distinguished ensembles as the Bamberg Symphony, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, and the SWR Stuttgart Symphony Orchestra.
And, of course, the two great host orchestras: the Gran Canaria Philharmonic, which joins the tribute to Falla alongside the celebrated flamenco singer Estrella Morente, and will also pay tribute to Ravel with his most famous works; and the Tenerife Symphony, conducted by Pablo González, which will perform with the acclaimed violinist Vadim Repin. Both ensembles have also prepared an exquisite program for the non-capital islandsBut the roster of artists goes even further. Among the great soloists, conductors, and ensembles are also the unique violinist and conductor Stefan Plewniak with his original ensemble Il Giardino d’Amore; pianist Martin Helmchen, conductors Kazuki Yamada and François-Xavier Roth, or the well-known Quiroga Quartet, among others.
Musical Creation and Local Talent
Likewise, the FIMC continues to bet on the creation of island music, the support of composers from this land, and the visibility of local talent. This edition will premiere two works by Canary Islands authors signed by Gonzalo Díaz Yerro ('Oratorium') and Cecilia Díaz Pestano ('Ángel de arena'). The first will be performed by the Orquesta Inegale and Súbito Koral; and the second by Ensemble Nexus. Added to this are the scheduled concerts by pianist Gabriel Ducatenzeiler Kapp and soprano Raquel Lojendio
Music that dialogues with other cultures
The FIMC also continues to showcase, through its En Paralelo section, other types of groups and formats that draw from diverse musical styles, from jazz to popular music, which converge with classical music and have become a successful formula for attracting new audiences to the festival.
This section features the concert by the legendary jazz bands Snarky Puppy (USA) and Metropole Orkest (Netherlands); and the concert version of the show ‘Canarii, país adentro’, co-created by Manuel González and Daniel Abreu, featuring, among others, Teddy Bautista, Olga Cerpa, and the Bulgarian Voices Choir of Vanya Moneva.
Completing this section, which opens up to other audiences and experiences, are Guiguan Project (timple, guitar, and double bass with three jazz fusion references) with German trumpeter Markus Stockhausen as a guest; the island group Just 5 Brass; and the roots music show ‘Arahal, un lugar donde descansar’ by Compañía Pieles.
All the details of these and other milestones of the 42nd FIMC are available on the Festival's website www.festivaldecanarias.com, where you can access information about each concert, profiles of the performers, and ticket purchases
