The Maui Classical Music Festival traces its origins to the Kapalua Music Festival, founded in 1982 by Maui visionary Colin Cameron and his wife Margaret, with Yizhak Schotten and Katherine Collier as Music Directors. After 14 years of acclaimed performances at the Kapalua Resort, the festival was reimagined following the Camerons' passing and renamed to reflect a broader mission: to bring world-class classical music to historic venues across the island of Maui.

For over four decades, MCMF has presented an extraordinary range of repertoire—from Baroque masterpieces to 21st-century works—performed by some of the world’s most celebrated musicians. Past performers have included Grammy-winning soloists, principal players from major orchestras, and internationally renowned ensembles such as the Tokyo, Shanghai, and Jupiter String Quartets.

The festival’s vibrant history includes appearances by acclaimed pianists like Jon Kimura Parker and Wu Han; violinists such as Joshua Bell, Cho-Liang Lin, and Andrés Cárdenes; and cellists David Finckel and Steven Doane. Wind, brass, and plucked string artists have ranged from clarinetist David Shifrin to banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck. This remarkable breadth of talent has earned MCMF recognition in publications like The New York Times, Musical America, and Chamber Music America.

Held annually in May, the festival celebrates not just music, but Maui itself, offering audiences unforgettable performances in one of the world’s most beautiful and culturally rich settings.