Music Academy of the West’s 2015 Summer Festival Opens This Week; June Highlights Include Takács String Quartet, Mosher Guest Artist Anthony Dean Griffey, Marilyn Horne and Jeremy Denk
The Music Academy of the West, described as “a beacon of light in our American musical life” by composer John Williams, kicks off its 2015 season on June 15. From then until its closing concert on August 8, it will present 200 events in Santa Barbara, more than 80 of them free of charge. Its first month is packed with inspirational classes and thrilling concerts from some of the world’s finest musicians, in keeping with its mission of “advancing the development of the next generation of great classical musicians and cultivating discerning, appreciative, and adventurous audiences.” In this spirit the Grammy-winning Takács String Quartet leads the Academy’s innovative String Quartet Seminar, as well as performing the first concert of the season on June 16. Mosher Guest Artist tenor Anthony Dean Griffey, also a Grammy Award winner, performs a recital on June 25 and gives a masterclass on June 26. The Academy Festival Orchestra under Larry Rachleff performs two exciting programs on June 20 and June 27, with audiences invited to watch their open rehearsal on June 24 as part of a special Academy Open House. Masterclasses include those by pianist and MacArthur Foundation Grant recipient Jeremy Denk on June 29 and by celebrated mezzo-soprano and Voice Program Director Marilyn Horne on June 17.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2015, the Takács String Quartet is the one of the most respected quartets of our time, the only string quartet to be inducted to the Gramophone Hall of Fame. This year it will once again oversee the Academy’s innovative String Quartet Seminar, which provides 16 string fellows with intensive ensemble coaching over the course of seven days. The seminar concludes with a public recital by participating fellows at Hahn Hall on June 19 – the season’s first Picnic Concert. Audiences will also have a chance to hear the group itself perform, presenting the first concert of the season on June 16.
The Music Academy is given generous support by the Samuel B. and Margaret C. Mosher Foundation through the Mosher Guest Artist program. In addition to Anthony Dean Griffey, this year’s artists are cellist Alban Gerhardt, pianist Leon Fleisher, and the JACK Quartet. Griffey is the first to arrive for his residency in Santa Barbara, June 22–27, and he performs a recital with pianist John Churchwell on June 25, followed by a public Vocal Masterclass on June 26.
Marilyn Horne’s Vocal Masterclass on June 17 serves as an introduction to Voice Program Fellows, and Jeremy Denk presents a Solo Piano Masterclass on June 29. Many other masterclasses will also run throughout June, given by faculty members that include flutists Timothy Day and Jim Walker; horn player Julie Landsman; pianists Jonathan Feldman and Jerome Lowenthal; violinists Kathleen Winkler, Peter Salaff, Jorja Fleezanis and Glenn Dicterow; violists Karen Dreyfus, Donald McInnes, Cynthia Phelps, and Richard O’Neill; and cellists David Geber and Alan Stepansky. Indeed, masterclasses lie at the heart of the Academy’s educational mission and all fellows participate in the extensive program, which is designed to complement individual private instruction. Over eight weeks, more than 100 public masterclasses will be presented by faculty and guest artists.
The Academy Festival Orchestra, made up of fellows, performs twice in June under the baton of Larry Rachleff, music director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic and Rice University’s Shepherd School orchestras. On June 20 they present Beethoven’s powerful Symphony No. 9 with the Santa Barbara Choral Society, alongside Mason Bates’s Ode, which is inspired by the historical and emotional context of Beethoven’s work. On June 27 the orchestra performs Berlioz’s Overture to Béatrice et Bénédict, Ravel’s Boléro and Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances. Before that, on June 24, the public will be offered insight into the working process of conductor and orchestra, with an open rehearsal as part of the Academy Open House, an initiative designed to build new audiences for the festival by offering free access.
About the Music Academy of the West
The Music Academy of the West is among the nation’s preeminent summer schools and festivals for gifted young classical musicians. At its ocean-side campus in Santa Barbara, the Academy provides these musicians with the opportunity for advanced study and performance under the guidance of internationally renowned faculty artists, guest conductors, and soloists. Admission to the Academy is strictly based on merit, and fellows receive full scholarships (tuition, room, and board). The Academy’s distinguished faculty roster has included famed soprano Lotte Lehmann, composers Darius Milhaud and Arnold Schoenberg, cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, and current Voice Program Director Marilyn Horne. Academy alumni are members of major symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras, ensembles, opera companies, and university and conservatory faculties throughout the world. Many enjoy careers as prominent solo artists. In 2014 the Music Academy entered into a four-year partnership with the New York Philharmonic, resulting in unprecedented training and performance opportunities for Academy fellows, and Summer Festival residencies for Philharmonic musicians.
The Music Academy of the West cultivates discerning, appreciative, and adventurous audiences, presenting more than 200 public events annually, nearly half of them free of charge. These include performances by faculty, visiting artists, and fellows; masterclasses; orchestra and chamber music concerts; and a fully staged opera. The 2015 Summer School and Festival will take place from June 15 to August 8 at the Academy’s scenic Miraflores campus and in venues throughout Santa Barbara. For more information, visit www.musicacademy.org.
“For eight weeks each summer,” states the Santa Barbara News-Press, “the Music Academy blithely and blissfully takes over our town, presenting a thicket of classical music for our listening pleasure, spoiling us with a high caliber of music and celebrated visitors.”
High-resolution photos may be downloaded here, and a PDF of the Music Academy’s 2015 season brochure may be downloaded here.
Music Academy of the West
2015 Summer Festival: June 15–August 8
Santa Barbara, CA
June 15
Piano Masterclass: Jerome Lowenthal
Flute Masterclass: Timothy Day
Violin Masterclass: Kathleen Winkler
June 16
Trombone/Tuba Masterclass: Mark Lawrence
Percussion Masterclass: Ted Atkatz
Viola Masterclass: Heidi Castleman
Takács Quartet in concert
Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 74, No. 3
Carter Pann: String Quartet No. 2, “Operas”
Beethoven: String Quartet, Op. 59, No. 1
June 17
Oboe Masterclass: Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida
Cello Masterclass: Alan Stepansky
Double Bass Masterclass: Nico Abondolo
Bassoon Masterclass: Dennis Michel
Vocal Masterclass: Intro to Voice Program Fellows with Marilyn Horne and pianist John Churchwell
June 18
String Chamber Masterclass: Takács Quartet
Collaborative Piano Masterclass: Jonathan Feldman
June 19
Clarinet Masterclass: Richie Hawley
Trumpet Masterclass: Charlie Geyer
Horn Masterclass: Julie Landsman
Picnic Concert: Academy Fellow String Quartets
June 20
Academy Festival Orchestra, Larry Rachleff, conductor and Santa Barbara Choral Society
Mason Bates: Ode
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9
June 22
Solo Piano Masterclass: Jerome Lowenthal
Flute Masterclass: Timothy Day
Violin Masterclass: Glenn Dicterow
Masterclass Sampler with Eugene Izotov, Nico Abondolo, and Fred Carama
June 23
Trombone and Tuba Masterclass: Mark Lawrence
Percussion Masterclass: Ted Atkatz
Viola Masterclass: Heidi Castleman
Music Academy Festival Artists Series: Beloved Brahms
Anthony Plog: Octet
Reinecke: Trio
Brahms: Trio in B Major
June 24
Academy Open House: all events are free
Academy Festival Orchestra, Larry Rachleff, conductor: Open rehearsal
Ravel: Boléro
Oboe Masterclass: Eugene Izotov
Cello Masterclass: Alan Stepansky
Vocal Masterclass: Marilyn Horne
Double Bass Masterclass: Nico Abondolo
Bassoon Masterclass: Dennis Michel
String Quartet Concert with Academy Fellows
June 25
Chamber Music Masterclass: Jeremy Denk
Collaborative Piano Masterclass: Jonathan Feldman
Mosher Guest Artist Recital with Anthony Dean Griffey, tenor and John Churchwell, piano
June 26
Clarinet Masterclass: Richie Hawley
Trumpet Masterclass: Barbara Butler
Horn Masterclass: Julie Landsman
Vocal Masterclass: Mosher Guest Artist Anthony Dean Griffey
Picnic Concert: PianoFest with Academy Fellows
June 27
Academy Festival Orchestra, Larry Rachleff, conductor
Berlioz: Overture to Béatrice et Bénédict
Ravel: Boléro
Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances
June 29
Flute Masterclass: Timothy Day
Solo Piano Masterclass: Jeremy Denk
Violin Masterclass: Jorja Fleezanis
June 30
Trombone and Tuba Masterclass: Mark Lawrence
Viola Masterclass: Cynthia Phelps
Percussion Masterclass: Michael Werner
Music Academy Festival Artist Series: Mozart and Schumann
Mozart: Serenade No. 12
Schumann: Fairy Tales
Mozart: Quintet No. 3
July 1
Oboe Masterclass: Eugene Izotov
Cello Masterclass: Robert deMaine
Double Bass Masterclass: Nico Abondolo
Bassoon Masterclass: Dennis Michel
Vocal Masterclass: Jeremy Denk
Concerto Competition Finals: Strings
July 2
Chamber Music Masterclass: Jerome Lowenthal
Collaborative Piano Masterclass: Jonathan Feldman
Concerto Competition Finals: Winds, Brass, Percussion, Piano
July 3
MERIT concert: MERIT Fellows
Clarinet Masterclass: Richie Hawley
Trumpet Masterclass: Paul Merkelo
Horn Masterclass: Julie Landsman
Vocal Masterclass: Martin Katz
Denk Leads Mozart with Academy fellows
Mozart: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D Minor, No. 20, K. 466
July 6
Flute Masterclass: Timothy Day
Solo Piano Masterclass: Jerome Lowenthal
Violin Masterclass: Kathleen Winkler
OperaFest with John Churchwell, Christopher Ocasek, conductors; Bruce Donnell, director; Academy fellows
July 7
Trombone/Tuba Masterclass: Mark Lawrence
Viola Masterclass: Donald McInnes
Percussion Masterclass: Michael Werner
Music Academy Festival Artists Series: Sonatafest
Weiner: Sonata No. 2
Pierre Jalbert: Sonata
Kogan: Hassidic Suite
Brahms: Sonata in D Minor
July 8
Oboe Masterclass: Eugene Izotov
Cello Masterclass: Alban Gerhardt
Double Bass Masterclass: Nico Abondolo
Bassoon Masterclass: Benjamin Kamins
OperaFest with John Churchwell, Christopher Ocasek, conductors; Bruce Donnell, director; Academy fellows
July 9
Chamber Music Masterclass: Peter Salaff
Academy Fellows Chamber Concert
Collaborative Piano Masterclass: Jonathan Feldman
Mosher Guest Artist Recital with Alban Gerhardt, cello and Natasha Kislenko, piano
July 10
Clarinet Masterclass: Richie Hawley
Trumpet Masterclass: Paul Merkelo
Horn Masterclass: Julie Landsman
Vocal Masterclass: Fred Carama
Picnic Concert with Academy Fellows
July 11
Vocal Masterclass: Marilyn Horne
Academy Festival Orchestra, Osmo Vänskä, conductor
Kalevi Aho: Gejia (Chinese Images for Orchestra)
Mahler: Symphony No. 5
July 13
Flute Masterclass: Timothy Day
Solo Piano Masterclass: Leon Fleisher
Violin Masterclass: Glenn Dicterow
July 14
Trombone/Tuba Masterclass: Mark Lawrence
Viola Masterclass: Cynthia Phelps
Percussion Masterclass: Michael Werner
Music Academy Festival Artists Series: Vive la France!
Couperin: Concert Royaux No. 1
Ravel: Sonata
Pierre Boulez: Une page d’ephéméride
Fauré: Piano Quartet in C Minor
July 15
Oboe Masterclass: Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida
Cello Masterclass: Alan Stepansky
Double Bass Masterclass: Nico Abondolo
Bassoon Masterclass: Benjamin Kamins
Vocal Masterclass: Martin Katz
Mosher Guest Artist Recital with Leon Fleisher, piano and Katherine Jacobson Fleisher, piano
July 16
Chamber Music Masterclass: Philip Setzer
Academy Fellows Chamber Concert
Collaborative Piano Masterclass: Jonathan Feldman
BrassFest with Mark Lawrence, conductor; Academy fellows
July 17
Clarinet Masterclass: Richie Hawley
Trumpet Masterclass: Paul Merkelo
Horn Masterclass: Julie Landsman
Vocal Masterclass: John Churchwell
Picnic Concert with Academy Fellows
July 18
Marilyn Horne Song Competition
Concerto Celebration: Academy Festival Orchestra, Courtney Lewis, conductor
Concerto Competition Winner Performances
Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra
July 20
Solo Piano Masterclass: Thomas Adès
Flute Masterclass: Timothy Day
Violin Masterclass: Alexander Treger
Mosher Guest Artist Recital with JACK Quartet
July 21
Trombone/Tuba Masterclass: Ralph Sauer
Chamber Masterclass: JACK Quartet
Viola Masterclass: Karen Dreyfus
Percussion Masterclass: Michael Werner
Music Academy Festival Artists Series: Two, Five, and Nine
James Stephenson: Vignettes
Thomas Adès: Piano Quintet
Spohr: Nonet
July 22
Oboe Masterclass: Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida
Cello Masterclass: David Geber
Double Bass Masterclass: Nico Abondolo
Bassoon Masterclass: Benjamin Kamins
Vocal Masterclass: Rossini’s Cinderella Covers in Concert
July 23
Chamber Music Masterclass: Karen Dreyfus
Academy Fellows Chamber Concert
Collaborative Piano Masterclass: Jonathan Feldman
An Evening of Vocal Chamber Music with Academy Instrumental and Voice Fellows
July 24
Clarinet Masterclass: Richie Hawley
Trumpet Masterclass: Paul Merkelo
Horn Masterclass: Julie Landsman
Picnic Concert with Academy Fellows
July 25
Academy Festival Orchestra with Voice Program Fellows and Nicholas McGegan
Handel: Orlando (Selections)
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3, “Scottish”
July 27
Flute Masterclass: Jim Walker
Solo Piano Masterclass: Robert McDonald
Violin Masterclass: Stephen Bryant
July 28
Trombone/Tuba Masterclass: Ralph Sauer
Viola Masterclass: Richard O’Neill
Music Academy Festival Orchestra and Nicholas McGegan
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 6
July 29
Oboe Masterclass: Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida
Cello Masterclass: David Geber
Bassoon Masterclass: Benjamin Kamins
Bass Masterclass: Nico Abondolo
July 30
Chamber Music Masterclass: David Geber
Academy Fellows Chamber Concert
Collaborative Piano Masterclass: Jonathan Feldman
Rossini’s Cinderella
Academy Festival Opera Orchestra
Voice Program Fellows
Jayce Ogren, conductor
David Paul, director
Sandra Goldmark, designer
Marilyn Horne, Voice Program director
Sung in Italian with English supertitles
July 31
Clarinet Masterclass: Richie Hawley
Trumpet Masterclass: Paul Merkelo
Horn Masterclass: Julie Landsman
Picnic Concert with Academy Fellows
August 1 – 8: New York Philharmonic Visiting Faculty Residency
August 1
Rossini’s Cinderella (see July 30)
PercussionFest with Ted Atkatz and Michael Werner, faculty artists; Academy Percussion Fellows
August 3
Solo Piano Masterclass: Alan Gilbert
Flute Masterclass: Jim Walker
Violin Masterclass: Sheryl Staples
New York Philharmonic debut at the Santa Barbara Bowl
Alan Gilbert, music director
Julia Bullock, soprano
Ben Bliss, tenor
Barber: The School for Scandal Overture
Copland: Appalachian Spring Suite
Leroy Anderson: Fiddle-Faddle
Rodgers: The Carousel Waltz
Bernstein: West Side Story Suite
Gershwin: Lullaby
August 4
Trombone/Tuba Masterclass: Ralph Sauer, Alan Baer
Viola Masterclass: Cynthia Phelps
Percussion Masterclass: Daniel Druckman
Music Academy Festival Artist Series: Music Academy & New York Philharmonic Artists
Steve Reich: Quartet
Ponchielli: Il Convegno, Divertimento for two clarinets
Joseph Turrin: Fandango
Dohnányi: Serenade
August 5
Oboe Masterclass: Eugene Izotov
Cello Masterclass: Carter Brey
Double Bass Masterclass: Nico Abondolo
Bassoon Masterclass: Dennis Michel
Vocal Masterclass: Marilyn Horne
August 6
Academy Fellows Chamber Concert
Collaborative Piano Masterclass: Jonathan Feldman
Picnic Concert with Academy Fellows
August 7
Clarinet Masterclass: Richard Hawley
Trumpet Masterclass: Paul Merkelo
Horn Masterclass: Julie Landsman
Cabaret: The Music Academy’s Signature Gala
August 8
Von Dohnányi Conducts Brahms
Academy Festival Orchestra, Christoph von Dohnányi, conductor
Webern: Im Sommerwind
Ligeti: Atmosphères
Wagner: Prelude to Lohengrin (Act I)
Brahms: Symphony No. 2
Photo:© Brad Elliott