2024 Summer Festival Announcement

The Music Academy of the West, now in its 77th season, inspires artists and concert-goers alike with the 2024 Summer Music Festival themed “The Magic of Music.” The Festival showcases talented young musicians and outstanding teaching and guest artists in a wide array of one-of-a-kind performances, chamber concerts, public masterclasses, and competitions under the new leadership of President & CEO Shauna Quill. The 2024 Summer Music Festival, which runs from June 12 through August 3 at the Music Academy’s idyllic campus — and throughout the stunning setting of the American Riviera in Santa Barbara, California — features nearly 130 live events including special performances by Joshua Bell, Lawrence Brownlee, Sasha Cooke, Jeremy Denk, Steven Isserlis, Leila Josefowicz, Richard O’Neill, and the Takács Quartet. This season’s Academy Festival Orchestra concerts are led by Minnesota Orchestra Conductor Laureate Osmo Vänskä, Music Director of the San Bernardino Symphony and famed film score conductor Anthony Parnther, New Jersey Symphony Music Director Xian Zhang (making her Music Academy debut), former Music Director of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra David Robertson, and Finnish National Opera and Ballet Chief Conductor Hannu Lintu, who for the second consecutive summer leads fellows in the final performance of the Festival. The Academy’s Principal Opera Conductor, Daniela Candillari, takes the podium for a fully staged production of Bizet’s Carmen, directed by Ken Cazan, and Mary Birnbaum directs Ravel’s one-act opera L’enfant et les sortilèges. Special events include a lecture and performance of Charles Ives’ “Concord” Piano Sonata with Jeremy Denk in honor of the composer’s 150^th birthday anniversary; a duo recital by Joshua Bell and Jeremy Denk at Santa Barbara’s historic Granada Theatre; an homage to the music of Gabriel Fauré performed by Joshua Bell, Jeremy Denk, Steven Isserlis, Richard O’Neill, and a Music Academy violin fellow; a rare performance by Conor Hanick, Timo Andres, and the Academy’s solo piano fellows of Philip Glass’ Complete Piano Études; solo recitals by Mosher guest artists Steven Isserlis and Lawrence Brownlee; and a program of uplifting songs and spirituals performed by the Lehrer Vocal Institute fellows, coached by Lawrence Brownlee, and inspired by his acclaimed album Rising. Additionally, the season kicks off on June 1 with an inspiring Summer Gala to benefit the Academy’s Sing! Children’s Chorus and the Music Academy fellows’ full scholarship program. Themed “Magic of the Music Academy: A New Era,” the gala features a performance by cellist, curator, composer, and Music Academy alumnus Joshua Roman.