FESTIVALS

Mainly Mozart Festival

Mainly Mozart Crystal Anniversary Festival
San Diego CA USA
Info Phone: 619-239-0100

 

Photo: Regular international virtuosi performers at the festival, pianist Hélène Grimaud and Mark Robson.

The Crystal Anniversary of the Mainly Mozart Festival sparkles with brilliant soloists, an exuberant all-star orchestra and fascinating repertoire, under the dynamic leadership of Maestro David Atherton. The Mainly Mozart Festival, known as the Festival Binacional de Mozart in Baja California, is one of the most critically acclaimed classical music festivals in the United States and Mexico. Festival Artistic Director David Atherton conducts an all-star orchestra of concertmasters and principal players from orchestras such as those of Boston, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and San Francisco, as well as internationally-known musicians from the most accomplished chamber ensembles and music institutes. The festival also features recitals and chamber music concerts.
Throughout the season, Mainly Mozart produces the Spotlight Series of world renowned chamber music ensembles, the Seaside Jazz Series, educational programs that reach over 32,000 students in the San Diego and Tijuana regions; as well as special events such as FiestaVal and an annual celebration of Mozart's birthday.

THE OJAI MUSIC FESTIVAL

With a highly sophisticated program performed in a small and rustic setting, Ojai's unique appeal lies in its seemingly incongruous qualities. In fact, though amenities are few, the festival draws some of the classical world's most adventurous performers and listeners to a setting where, strangely, a rugged, unpretentious atmosphere prevails Emphasizing discovery of new works and rediscovery of rare works by old masters, Ojai is popular with classical listeners in the know. Often inviting contemporary composers to conduct their own works, Ojai has seen world premieres by composers such as Oliver Messiaen, Lukas Foss, Gyorgy Ligeti and Pierre Boulez. A resident orchestra from as close as Los Angeles, or as far away as Lyon, France also performs at Ojai each year. The modest orchestra shell, nestled in a steep valley in the Topa Topa Mountains, shares a bowl with wooden benches and blankets sprawled across the lawn, making snobbiness seem out of place. An art show runs concurrently with the music festival. The Ojai Music Festival continues to excite adventurous music lovers who gather for an incomparable weekend each year. As it has for 57 years, the Festival weaves music of past and present to create a world-class event in a uniquely intimate, natural setting. Under the artistic direction of Ernest Fleischmann, the 57th Ojai Music Festival will feature legendary composer/conductor Pierre Boulez, pianists Hélène Grimaud and Marino Formenti, mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a program to include works by Boulez, Stravinsky, Ravel, Bartok and Mahler.