How a student festival that went beyond the university
The first Overtuned Fest, a festival of new and experimental music, took place in Bloomington (Indiana) from February 23 to 26, 2026, and quickly became a real event not only for students but also for the whole city. Originally conceived as a university project by students of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, the festival quickly surpassed these limits and attracted the general audience due to its unusual format and weird music.
Overtuned Fest was created by three young artists and composers — Alexey Logunov, Jee Won Kim, and Christopher Hertz — and received the support of a Community Impact Grant from the Jacobs School of Music, which allowed for four free concerts in the evenings at various Bloomington
locations in Indiana.
The festival aims to break the boundaries between musical genres by combining experimental rock, modern classical music, and multimedia art. The program included premiere performances of new works for electric guitar, percussion, chamber orchestra, as well as interpretations of classics, including a reworking of Schubert's Winterreise cycle.
The organizers paid special attention to interaction with the local community and to educational initiatives: events and workshops were held at MCCSC schools to inspire young musicians and strengthen ties between the university and the urban public.
“Overtuned Fest showed that experimental rock and contemporary classical music can not only share the same stage, but also enrich each other. This first festival proved the concept, and we’re excited to continue building on it and bring Overtuned Fest back next year. It was incredibly encouraging to see the festival come together. The dedication of all the composers, visual artists, and performers—50 extremely talented
people in total—made the first Overtuned Fest possible. It was equally rewarding to see the audience’s response. I was thrilled to share that moment with the Bloomington community and to see that some listeners returned for all four days of the festival. Overtuned Fest is more than a festival—it marked the debut of a new music ensemble, and we plan to expand its repertoire through commissioned works and future performances”. said Alexey Logunov, artistic director of Overtuned Fest.
Due to its open and inclusive concept, the festival attracted not only Jacobs School students but also Bloomington residents, an important testament to its success as a cultural event for the entire region.
Overtuned Fest demonstrated how an initiative by young artists can grow into a significant community project, and — I hope — laid the foundation for future musical experimentation and collaboration in the city.
Daryana Antipova
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I Luoghi della Musica