At the Hardanger conference in Ulvik it was announced byTora Augestad that 'Hiking' will be the theme of the festival in 2019.
The main base at the Hardanger Music Festival is in Lofthus in Ullensvang, the largest venues are Fjordahallen in Kinsarvik and Kraftkatedalen in Tyssedal.
Each year a number of renowned Norwegian and international musicians play at Hardanger Music Festival.
These have included Oslo-Filharmonien, Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester, Kringkastingsorkestret, Lautten Compagney (Berlin) Forsvarets Musikkorps, TrondheimSolistene, Barratt Dues Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Allegria, Det Norske Kammerorkester, Vertavokvartetten, Cikada Strykekvartett, Den Danske strykekvartett, Engegårdkvartetten, Grieg Trio, Oslo Trio, Hot Club de Norvège, Mathias Eick Trio, Tord Gustavsen Trio, The Brazz Brothers, Trio Mediæval, Nordic Voices, Music for a While, Solveig Kringlebotn, Håkan Hagegård, Johannes Weisser, Ann-Helen Moen, Vilde Frang, Jan Garbarek, Knut Buen, Knut Hamre, Benedicte Maurseth, Åse Teigland, Unni Løvlid, Leif Ove Andsnes, Truls Mørk, Henning Kraggerud, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Christian Ihle Hadland, Simon Trpčeski, Håvard Gimse, Sveinung Bjelland, Ole Edvard Antonsen, Tine Thing Helseth, Svein Tindberg, Helge Jordal, Åse Kleveland, Gunilla Süssmann and Wolfgang Plagge.
[3] The music festival was initiated by concertmaster Stig Nilsson of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra.