At the foot of the Alps, in the town of Saalfelden—home to 20,000 people—the big names of the international jazz scene are coming together once again this year. The Sheen Trio, Thousand Leaves, the Henriette Eilertsen Trio, and Delphine Joussein’s “Calamity” are just a few of the remarkable acts set to liven up the atmosphere at the Steinernes Meer.

Music and people are also guided into the fantastic natural setting. “We Hike Jazz” hikes through the alpine region and the “Almkonzerte” (mountain pasture concerts) combine the sublime view of the mountains with the echoes of refined musical artistry. Equally remarkable is the “WAS___” project. A 66-meter-long musical score forms the basis of a sound performance that engages the audience and is intended to bring the written notes to life, as it were. In this way, the 46th edition of the Saalfelden Jazz Festival demonstrates how to experimentally develop music while simultaneously celebrating the encounter between people and nature.