serves as the association's vice president. The program is mostly dedicated to classical music, but also features cabaret, jazz, readings, musical cruises, children's concerts, wine tastings and culinary events with music. It is regularly opened by a symphony concert in Eberbach Abbey, broadcast live by Hessischer Rundfunk. Anniversaries of composers are celebrated, such as Giuseppe Verdi ("Viva Verdi") in 2001, and Franz Liszt and Gustav Mahler in 2011. Every year it has a theme, such as "Heimweh" in 2011. "Treffpunkt Jugend" (meeting point youth) presents soloists still in their teens in two marathon concerts of chamber music and concertos with orchestra. Work cycles, running over several years, have included the piano sonatas of Ludwig van Beethoven, played by Rudolf Buchbinder, and the symphonies of Anton Bruckner, with the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne and Eliahu Inbal. "Rendezvous" shows artists in dialogue. In the Rheingau, a traditionally Catholic region, the feast of the Assumption is celebrated on 15 August by a Marienvesper (Vespers for the Virgin Mary). In 2011 the Concerto Romano ensemble, conducted by Alessandro Quarta, performed a medley of works by composers from Rome. On this occasion, Hermann asked for an exceptional collection to benefit his guest of honor, bishop Ambroise of the diocese of Maradi in Niger. Organ concert on the historic instruments of the region are featured regularly. "Komponistenporträt" features annually a living composer in conversation, chamber music and symphonic music. Herrmann got Anne-Sophie Mutter to perform the German premiere of Wolfgang Rihm's violin concerto Lichtes Spiel, premiered in Avery Fisher Hall in 2010. He gave Andreas Scholl, born in the Rheingau, the opportunity to perform with friends and his sister Elisabeth in several of the area's historic churches on one day. The festival usually concludes with a choral concert in Eberbach Abbey, including rarely performed works. In 2005 Frieder Bernius conducted Penderecki's Polish Requiem, Helmuth Rilling conducted Messa per Rossini in 2001 and Messiah of both Sven-David Sandström and Handel in 2009. In the 25th anniversary season, he invited several of his long-term friend, called "Wegbegleiter" ("Companions along the way"), to appear again. In 2013, 160 events were offered at 45 locations, with a budget of 7,6 million Euro. Since 2005 Herrmann has been vice president of the European Festivals Association. Since 2008 he has been director of the Pro Arte Konzertdirektion in Frankfurt. In 2019, he began a concert agency, Wiesbaden Musik for concerts in the