ACSO Annual Festivals Guide 2022: CA and NV are Alive with Summer Festivals
Music festivals are live and in-person in 2022! Artists from all over the world are coming California and Nevada to experience a unique blend of music-making, camaraderie, and fun. The Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO) is pleased to share this summer's live offerings from our festival members, highlighting a vital and vibrant way for artists and audiences alike to deeply engage in classical music in picturesque, unique communities.
No two festivals are exactly alike, yet each share one common thread: a love and respect for composers, musicians, and the communities in which they are rooted. There are many opportunities to experience world-class performances and connect with the artists who bring these great works of art to life.
The thirteen festivals below (listed in alphabetical order) showcase a rich and impressive spectrum of live music in delightful destinations. The content below has been sourced directly from information released by each organization.
Baroque Music Festival, Corona del Mar: The Baroque Festival offers five professional concerts over eight days every June. They enjoy the talents of extraordinary musicians playing Baroque instruments, and of singers who are sensitive to historical styles, performing in intimate venues in Corona del Mar and the Newport Beach area. The Festival’s mission is to present the astounding wealth and diversity of the Baroque era in a wide variety of ways. Large-scale works, with and without singers, are typically offered on Sunday concerts, while three mid-week programs give the opportunity to enjoy smaller scale vocal and chamber performances, all given by the finest musicians in the historically informed Baroque field. This year's 42nd Festival Season will take place June 19 - 26. Tickets here.
Bear Valley Music Festival: From classical to rock to folk to blues, there’s something for everyone. The orchestra is back to 58 musicians and the festival will return to the full-length format with new Music Director Alexander Mickelthwate. Highlights include the original Jefferson Starship on July 23 and a celebration of our beloved Michael Morgan on July 30. We’ll have nights dedicated to nature, to California’s groovy culture, and to Alexander’s German Roots, and will feature internationally-renowned soloists and danceable bands throughout the season. It’s going to be a ton of fun and we hope you can join us. Opening night will be Friday, July 22 and the Festival will run through Sunday, August 7. Mark your calendars and we’ll see you at the big white tent! Tickets here.
Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music: Cabrillo festival celebrates out 60th anniversary with a return to a live, in-person season with a program of timely, topical, and thought-provoking new works. Join us in Santa Cruz July 24 – August 7 for two weeks of concerts, talks, rehearsals, and more! Led by Grammy Award-winning Music Director and Conductor Cristian Măcelaru, the Cabrillo Festival is all about “music of our time, for our time.” The 60th anniversary season includes works by twelve American composers, a stunning roster of soloists, three world premiere commissions, and seven West Coast premieres. Tickets here.
Carmel Bach Festival: The Carmel Bach Festival is thrilled to present its 85th season, July 14 – 30, 2022. Join us for the full Festival experience with the Orchestra, Chorale, Chorus, and vocal soloists in concerts at the Sunset Theater, the Carmel Mission Basilica, and other venues along with pre-concert talks, the Family Concert, Tower Music, chamber music, the Young Artists’ Showcase and more. Tickets go on sale May 1.
Festival Mozaic: Festival Mozaic is an annual celebration of music that takes place on California's beautiful Central Coast in San Luis Obispo County. The Festival consists of chamber music concerts, orchestra performances, crossover and popular artists, Notable Encounter dinners and educational events, and free community events including mini-concerts, family concerts, master classes, lectures, and open rehearsals. Festival artists are the best in their field and come to San Luis Obispo from all over the world. This year's festival will take place July 23 - 30. Tickets here.
Mendocino Music Festival: The Festival is a magical blend of fine music by outstanding performers in one of the most enchanting sites in Northern California. Evenings include orchestra concerts, Big Band, chamber music ensembles, dance, blues, jazz, world, folk, bluegrass and popular contemporary music. Daytime concerts include lecture/recitals at the Piano Series, a performance by participants in the Emerging Artists Program, and small concerts in intimate venues throughout the historic town of Mendocino. From July 9-23 the Festival returns to the comfort of Cotton Auditorium in nearby Fort Bragg and Preston Hall in Mendocino. Program, on-sale date and any required health measures TBA. Tickets here.
Midsummer Mozart Festival: The Midsummer Mozart Festival is a San Francisco Bay Area music festival that exclusively performs the music of Mozart. Since 1974 the Midsummer Mozart Festival has offered audiences a variety of solo, chamber, orchestral, and operatic performances. Every July we are thrilled to share our love and passion for the music of Mozart. The Midsummer Mozart Festival is hard at work planning the 2022 festival, which will take place the week of July 11th. Please stay tuned, details will be announced soon. Tickets here.
Music@Menlo Chamber Music Festival and Institute: Music@Menlo celebrates its 20th anniversary this summer with “Haydn Connections,” honoring a seminal figure in Western classical music. The festival includes eight concert programs, three artist-curated Carte Blanche Concerts, three full evening Encounter lectures, and a host of free events including master classes and performances by the students of Music@Menlo’s Chamber Music Institute. Concerts will be presented both in person and via livestream. The extensive artist roster includes festival founders David Finckel and Wu Han, pianists Michael Brown and Gilbert Kalish, violinists Bella Hristova and Arnaud Sussmann, violists Matthew Lipman and Paul Neubauer, cellists Nicholas Canellakis and Inbal Segev, the Calidore and Orion String Quartets, soprano Sasha Cooke, and tenor Nicholas Phan. The festival will take place from July 16 to August 6. Tickets here.
Music in the Mountains SummerFest: Three weeks, seven concerts, hundreds of musicians, and transformative music experiences for the whole family!
Music in the Mountains SummerFest will take place from June 18 to July 9 and include string quartet performances, opera, traditional Scottish music, film scores, and more! Tickets here.
Nevada Chamber Music Festival (presented by the Reno Chamber Orchestra): Five concerts in four days featuring musicians and ensembles from around the world, curated by NCMF Artistic Director Clive Greensmith. Festival passes and single tickets are on sale now! The Nevada Chamber Music Festival Summerfest will take place May 26 - 29 and include performances of folk and classical music. Tickets here.
Ojai Music Festival: The 76th-anniversary season features as its music director the AMOC (American Modern Opera Company), a multi-disciplinary collective of today’s most inventive and adventurous musicians, singers, composers, choreographers, and dancers. The 2022 edition—June 9 to 12—reflects the openness and experimentation that are signature traits of Ojai, from Messiaen’s song cycle Harawi and a Bach-inspired program to Anthony Cheung’s new commission featuring works by Asian-American poets to the world premiere of Matthew Aucoin’s Family Dinner, a cycle of new mini-concertos. The enchanting setting of the Ojai Valley creates a relaxed sense of community with no great divide between playing and listening. Instead, there is an informal bond that brings kindred spirits together for exploration and adventure. Tickets here.