Download Summer Music Festivals Abound in California

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ScottSeward
DirectorofMarketingandPublicRelations,CarmelBachFestival
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831-624-1521
SummerMusicFestivalsAboundinCalifornia
WithBaroquetoContemporaryCompositionsinBeautifulSettings
FestivalsAreaUniqueWaytoExperienceClassicalMusic
March9,2016–Summer’sjustaroundthecornerandforclassicalmusicfans,thatmeansonething:it’sFestivalseason.Each
summer,artistsfromallovertheworldflocktopicturesqueCaliforniacommunitiestoexperienceauniqueblendofmusic-making,
camaraderie,andfun.Onepartartist’sretreat,onepartintensivestudy,andonepartculturaltourism,festivalsareavitaland
vibrantwayforartistsandaudiencesaliketodeeplyengageinclassicalmusic,anartformthathaslastedforcenturies.
FromJunethroughAugust,Californiacomesalivewithfestivals.Notwoareexactlyalike,yeteachsharesonecommonthread:a
loveandrespectforcomposers,musicians,andthecommunitiesinwhichtheyarerooted.IneverycorneroftheGoldenstate,there
areopportunitiestoexperienceworld-classperformancesandconnectwiththeartistswhobringthesegreatworksofarttolife.The
13festivalsbelow(listedinchronologicalorder)showcasearichandimpressivespectrumofmusic-makingindelightfuldestinations.
MainlyMozart,SanDiego(June2-18)–The2016MainlyMozartFestivalcelebrates28yearsatthehistoricBalboaTheatre.Anallstarorchestraofconcertmastersandprincipalplayersfromthenation’spremierorchestras,alongwithworld-renownedsoloists,
performunderthebatonofMusicDirectorMichaelFrancis.The2016seasonlaunchesasix-yearexplorationofMozart’slifeand
workswiththefirstchapterdedicatedto“Prodigy.”Aone-womanplaydramatizingthelifeofMozart’ssister;anearlyMozartopera;
chambermusic;lecturesonthemusic-brainconnection;MainlyMozartYouthOrchestraperformances;andafreecommunityplayalongwiththeFestivalOrchestraroundouttheFestival.www.mainlymozart.org;619-239-0100 OjaiMusicFestival,OjaiCA,(June9-12)-AppointedMusicDirectorPeter
Sellars’visionforthemilestone70thFestivalhonorsitslong-heldspiritof
challengingaudiencesmusicallyandintellectually.Highlightsinclude
AmericanpremieresbyFinnishcomposerKaijaSaariaho:LaPassionde
Simone(chamberversion)andherdramaticcreationOnlytheSound
Remains;acommissionedworkbyPulitzerPrize-winningCarolineShaw;
andtheworldpremiereofJosephineBaker:APersonalPortrait.
Consideredahighlightoftheinternationalmusicsummerseason,the
four-dayfestivalisacompleteimmersiveexperiencewithconcerts,free
communityevents,symposia,andgatheringsintheidyllicsettingofthe
OjaiValley.www.OjaiFestival.org;8056462053.
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MusicAcademyoftheWest,SantaBarbara,(June13-August6)–The69 AnnualSummerSchoolandFestivalpresentsarich
mixtureofmasterclasses,recitals,andconcertsfeaturing140talentedfellowsand60+outstandingfaculty.MosherGuestArtists
includeflutistEmmanuelPahud,baritoneThomasHampson,andpianistJean-YvesThibaudet,whowillperformGershwin’s
RhapsodyinBlueinaFestivalOrchestracommunityconcert,followedbyDvořák’sNewWorldSymphony.Theoperaeventofthe
summerwillbeabrand-newproductionofSmetana’scomedicmasterwork,TheBarteredBride,conductedby
MatthewAucoin.SpecialeventsincludeapianorecitalbyJeremyDenk,aconcertbyTakácsQuartet,Beethoven’s"Eroica"
SymphonyconductedbyNewYorkPhilharmonicMusicDirectorAlanGilbert,andmore.www.musicacademy.org;805-969-4726
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MusicintheMountains,GrassValley(June22-July3)–The35 anniversaryseasonfeaturesclassicalfavoritesandnationally
renownedartistsGrammyAward-winningsingerJudyCollinsandfolkrocksinger-songwriterDonMcLean.Fiveconductorsleadthe
FestivalOrchestraandChorus:RyanMurray,ArtisticDirectorPeteNowlen,JeffreyReed,LucindaCarver,andDavidLockington.
HighlightsincludeaMozartmarathonfeaturingtheMozartPianoQuartetinGMinorwithpianistKonstantinSoukhovetski,Dvorak’s
SerenadeforStringsandHolst’sSt.Paul’sSuite,andaprogramofRussianfavoritesincludingthe1812Overture.
www.musicinthemountains.org;530-265-6124
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VenturaMusicFestival(July15-17andJuly22-24)-Nowinits22 year,theVMFpresentstwoweekendsoftop-rankedclassical
andcontemporaryperformers.For2016,thecontemporarycenterpieceis"SergioMendes:acelebrationof50yearsofBrasil66."In
otherconcerts,internationalCabaretstarUteLemperpresentshersingularinterpretationsofWeill,BrechtandPiaf;pianoduo
sensationsAnderson&Roedemonstratewhytheyhavecriticsandaudiencesalikeraving;andpianovirtuosoVadymKholodenko
showswhyhecapturedtheGoldinthelastCliburnInternational.AllthisplusComposers&theMovies,Tea&Trumpetsandmore..
.greatmusicinabeautifulcoastalbeachtown.NuviMehta,ArtisticDirector.www.VenturaMusicFestival.org;805-648-3146
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TheMendocinoMusicFestival,Mendocino(July9–23)-inits30 season,isheldinhistoricalMendocinoVillageoverlookingthe
Pacific.TheFestivalpresentsjazz,world,opera,chambermusicandmore,butatitsheartistheFestivalOrchestra,conductedby
ArtisticDirectorAllanPollack.ChambermusicincludesCalderQuartetandalecture/concertPianoSeriescreatedbyAssociate
ArtisticDirectorSusanWaterfall.Herfour-partBeethovenTributeculminateswithDavidMcCarrollandtheFestivalOrchestra,
performingtheBeethovenViolinConcerto.Alsoonoffer–Mozart’sAbductionfromtheSeraglio;BeethovenConcertoNo.3,with
StephenPrutsman;TchaikovskySymphonyNo.5;andtheBachBminorMass.www.mendocinomusic.org;707-937-2044
FestivalMozaic,SanLuisObispo,(July13-24)–The46 seasonpresentsorchestra,
chambermusic,crossoverfringeevents,notableencounters,lectures,master
classesandculinaryandwineeventsinavarietyofpicturesquevenuesinwinecoast
country,includinghistoricmissions,intimateconcerthallsandprivatehomes.Led
byScottYoo,MusicDirector(recentlyappointedArtisticDirectoroftheMexicoCity
Philharmonic),highlightsincludeMahler’sSymphonyNo.4featuringboysoprano
BobbyHill,MozartPianoConcertoNo.24withJohnNovacek,andaFringeseries
featuringPROJECTTrioandDuoBaldo,Italianmusicalcomedy.
www.FestivalMozaic.com;805-781-3009
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FestivalNapaValley(July15-24)blendsclassical,jazz,opera,theateranddance
artistswithculinary,wineandfitnesspursuits,stagedinNapaValley’smosticonicsettings.Thefestivalnurturesyoungtalent
throughtheBouchaineYoungArtistSeries,presentsfreecommunityconcerts,andistheleadingfunderofartseducationinNapa
County.Morethan200wineries,hotels,resorts,theaters,restaurantsandvintnerstakepartintheevent.Featuredguestartistsfor
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the11 seasonincludeKristinChenoweth,SanFranciscoBallet,ChrisNoth,KathleenBattle,SergioMendes,SarahChang,Lester
Lynch,YoungPeople’sChorusofNYC,IsabelLeonard,MichaelFabiano,CarloPontiandmore.www.festivalnapavalley.org888-3376272
Music@MenloChamberMusicFestival&Institute,MenloPark,(July15–August6)
UndertheartisticdirectorshipofDavidFinckel&WuHan,Music@MenloistheSan
FranciscoBayArea’spremierchambermusicfestival,withanadjoininginstitutefor
youngmusicians.Thefourteenthseason’sthemeis‘RussianReflections,’constructed
aroundsevenmainconcertprogramsthatconnectRussianandWesternEuropean
music.Performancesandmasterclassesaregivenbysomeoftheworld’smost
celebratedchambermusicians,andaseriesofimmersiveeventssuchasCafé
Conversationscomplementthelivelyprogramming,providingopportunitiesfor
audiencestoexpandtheirinteractionwithfestivalartists.www.musicatmenlo.org;
650-331-0202
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CarmelBachFestival,Carmel-by-theSea(July16-30)-TheCarmelBachFestivalpresentsits79 season“BachInspires,”celebrating
thecentennialofCarmel-by-the-Sea.Theprogram,createdbyArtisticDirectorandPrincipalConductorPaulGoodwin,presents
morethan40events.AlsoprogrammedisMozart’sfirstgrandopera,Idomeneoinaspeciallyadapted.Newfor2016include
performancevenues,suchastheMontereyMuseumofArt,andSundayperformancetimes(4:00pm)forBach’smonumentalB
MinorMass.TheFestivalfeaturesworldrenownedmusiciansandvocalsoloists,includingThomasCooley,PeterHarvey,andClara
Rottsolkamongmanyothers.NewsoloistsincludesopranoMhairiLawsonandmezzosopranoMegBragle.www.bachfestival.org;
831-624-1521
ValleyoftheMoonMusicFestival,Sonoma(July16-31)-bringssomeoftheworld’sleadingexpertsinhistoricperformance
togetherwithemergingartiststoplaythegreatchambermusicrepertoireoftheClassicalandRomanticerasonperiodinstruments.
Thissummer’stheme,“TheVoiceinChamberMusic,”exploresthepopularityofsongandoperainthe19thCentury.Post-concert
receptionsfeaturelocalSonomawineriespouringyouacomplimentaryglasswhileyouminglewiththeartists.
www.valleyofthemoonmusicfestival.org;707-509-3713
MusicintheVineyards,NapaValley(July29-Aug21)–MusicintheVineyardsisa
nationallyacclaimedchambermusicfestivalshowcasingartists-in-residencefrom
aroundtheworld.Nowinits22 Season,the2016summerfestivalfeaturesboth
newandclassicrepertoireinintimatewineryvenueswhereaudiencescan
experiencechambermusicatitwasintended.ArtisticDirectorsMichael&Daria
Adamsblendarefreshingmixofworld-classtalentthatlikewine,bettersovertime.
Enjoycomplimentarywinetastingsatintermission,minglewithmusicians,andsavor
thevineyardviews.www.musicinthevineyards.org;707-258-5559
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CabrilloFestivalofContemporaryMusic,SantaCruz(August5-13)—America’slongest-runningfestivaldedicatedtonewmusicfor
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orchestra,theCabrilloFestivalcelebratesthefinalyear,and25 anniversaryofMusicDirectorandConductorMarinAlsop.2016
higharetheworldpremiereofanewsymphonicballetbyAnnaClyne,choreographedbyKittyMcNameeanddancedbymembers
ofHystericaDanceCompany;theworldpremiereofSpiderDancebyJohnAdams,theWestCoastpremiereofKevinPuts’TheCity;
andtheworldpremierecommissionofanewworkbyemergingcomposerMichaelKropf.The11composers-in-residenceinclude
JohnAdams,MasonBates,AnnaClyne,JohnCorigliano,andJenniferHigdon.
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