The days are getting warmer and longer, and for classical music fans that means one thing: it's festival season! From June through August, California comes alive with festivals. Each summer, artists from all over the world flock to picturesque California communities to experience a unique blend of music-making, camaraderie, and fun. ACSO is pleased to announce this summer's offerings from our festival members, highlighting a vital and vibrant way for artists and audiences alike to deeply engage in classical music.
No two are exactly alike, yet each shares one common thread: a love and respect for composers, musicians, and the communities in which they are rooted. In every corner of the Golden State, there are opportunities to experience world-class performances and connect with the artists who bring these great works of art to life. The nine festivals below (listed in alphabetical order) showcase a rich and impressive spectrum of live music in delightful destinations.
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Michael Morgan, Bear Valley Music Festival |
Bear Valley Music Festival, Bear Valley, July 14-August 4 - Maestro Michael Morgan conducts another dazzling set of concerts in the High Sierra, including Ravel's Tzigane and Florence Price's 2nd violin concerto with soloist Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Mozart's Double Piano Concerto with soloists Olga Kern and Vladislav Kern, the Pulitzer-winning musical Of Thee I Sing by George and Ira Gershwin, Beethoven's Fourth Symphony and Fourth Piano Concerto with soloist Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner, and other orchestral favorites. Non-classical concerts include tributes to Carole King and James Taylor, Dolly Parton, Neil Diamond and Billy Joel. www.bearvalleymusic.org; (209) 831-0554
Carmel Bach Festival, Carmel-by-the-Sea, July 13-27 - The 82nd season presents more than 40 events, including main concerts and recitals in venues throughout Carmel, Monterey, Seaside, and Pebble Beach. Repertoire includes Haydn's Creation, Bach's Christmas Oratorio, film music including a new work by Mark Mancina, and guest artists Jason Vieaux, guitar, and actress Francesca Faridany who will narrate Mendelssohn's music to A Midsummer Night's Dream. "The 2019 Carmel Bach Festival celebrates the spirit of creativity with two weeks of concerts centered on artistic and spiritual enrichment, creation and joy!" said Paul Goodwin, artistic director and principal conductor. www.bachfestival.org; (831) 624-1521
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Festival Mozaic |
Festival Mozaic, San Luis Obispo, July 24-August 4 - The 49th season celebrates Music of the Old World with 30 events including orchestra, chamber and "unclassical" concerts, Notable Encounters, free recitals, master classes, and culinary experiences. Events take place in 19 venues throughout San Luis Obispo wine country, including churches, historic missions, private homes, and concert halls. Led by Music Director Scott Yoo, also Artistic Director of the Mexico City Philharmonic and host/executive producer of PBS's
Now Hear This, highlights of the 49th Summer Festival include an evening of flamenco with Illeana Gomez, a family concert pairing dance with
Carnival of the Animals, and Rodrigo's guitar
Fantasia with virtuoso Robert Belinic.
www.festivalmozaic.com; (805) 781-3009
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Mainly Mozart |
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Mainly Mozart Festival, San Diego, May 30-June 23 - The Festival is highlighted by the Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra, which is made up of concertmasters and principal players from across North America - this is "an orchestra of champions!" Under the direction of Michael Francis, the orchestra performs in San Diego's historic Balboa Theatre. This year's repertoire highlights include Mozart's Davide Penitente; Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks; Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez; and Beethoven's Symphony No. 6. www.mainlymozart.org; (619) 239-0100
The Mendocino Music Festival, Mendocino, July 13-27 - Held on the headlands of Mendocino Village overlooking the Pacific, the Mendocino Music Festival presents jazz, world, opera, chamber music and more, but at its heart is the Festival Orchestra, conducted by Artistic Director Allan Pollack. Highlights include Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21, with Stephen Prutsman; Calder Quartet; Respighi's
Pines of Rome; Brahms series; Opera
L'eliser D'amore; Beethoven's Symphony No. 9.
www.mendocinomusic.org; (707) 937-2044
Midsummer Mozart Festival, Bay Area, July 11-14 - The beloved bay area festival is proud to present a wonderful array of concerts and events. On July 11 pianist Daniel Glover will perform an all Mozart program at Freight & Salvage in Berkeley. July 12 is a fascinating talk by author Stephanie Cowell, along with music by the Midsummer Mozart Chamber Players at Noe Valley Ministry in San Francisco. The MMF Orchestra, conducted by Paul Schrage and featuring guest soloist soprano Christina Major, performs on July 13 at the Trianon Theater in San Jose and July 14 at Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma. www.midsummermozart.org
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Music@Menlo |
Music@Menlo Chamber Music Festival and Institute, Menlo Park, July 13-August 4 - Music@Menlo has been described by Gramophone as "innovative, engaging, and artistically excellent." Taking place in Atherton and Menlo Park, the seventeenth season - Incredible Decades - features nearly fifty events and over forty world-renowned artists and includes a host of free afternoon and evening performances. Concert programs range from a celebration of J. S. Bach and other Baroque masters, through Beethoven and the dawn of Romanticism, to the Roaring Twenties and Music at the Millennium.
www.musicatmenlo.org; (650) 331-0202
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Music in the Vineyards |
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Music in the Vineyards, Napa Valley, July 31-August 25 - Now celebrating its 25th Anniversary season, Music in the Vineyards is a nationally-acclaimed chamber music festival held each summer in the Napa Valley. Twilight concerts showcase world-class artists performing in intimate winery settings with witty commentary, wine tasting, and breathtaking views of California's wine country. This season's lineup includes individual artists and ensembles including the Dover Quartet, the Tesla Quartet, and the Pacifica Quartet.
www.musicinthevineyards.org; (707) 258-5559
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Libbey Bowl, Ojai Music Festival |
Ojai Music Festival, Ojai, June 6-9 - The The 73rd Ojai Music Festival celebrates and explores the creative breadth of Music Director Barbara Hannigan as conductor, singer, and mentor. Joining Grammy-winning soprano Hannigan will be the US debut of her mentoring initiative for young professional artists, Equilibrium (EQ), and the US debut of the orchestral collective from Amsterdam, LUDWIG, with whom Hannigan made her Grammy Award-winning conducting debut CD "Crazy Girl Crazy" in 2017. Returning to Ojai will be 2015 Music Director Steven Schick, who will both perform and conduct, and the JACK Quartet performing works by John Zorn, Tyshawn Sorey, and Arnold Schoenberg.
www.OjaiFestival.org; (805) 646-2053