The annual recital by the enormously talented young string players from the festival’s Emerging Artists Program is anticipated by all who love chamber music. BUY TICKETS
Featured wines at this performanceSweet Honey is a well-known Grammy Award-winning (and many times nominated) a cappella ensemble that expresses their history as African American women through song, dance, and sign language. Rooted in the hymns, gospel music, and spirituals, the troupe seeks to preserve and extend the traditions of African American vocal music while ...
Bay Area vocal band Business Casual explores a wide range of genres including pop, jazz, soul, folk and swing to produce fresh a cappella versions of vintage chart toppers, today's top 40 hits, and award-winning original songs. In 2018, Business Casual was named National Champion at the Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival and their first ...
As a soloist or collaborator, Daniel Lockert is equally versatile on the piano, organ and harpsichord. A native of San Diego, CA, he began formal piano studies at the age of five. Throughout high school, he exclusively studied the organ. After getting his Bachelor’s in Piano Performance and a minor in organ from Loma Linda ...
Featured wines at this performance.Festival Orchestra and Chorus The season finale will feature Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major; Brahms’ orchestrally-accompanied choral work, Schicksalslied Op. 54; and Beethoven’s great choral Symphony No. 9 in D minor Op. 125, with soloists Shawnette Sulker, Betany Coffland, Christòpheren Nomura, and Alex Boyer. Ticket price includes pre-concert ...
September 9, 11:00 AM-1:30 PM and 6:00-8:00 PM. The Mendocino Music Festival Chorale is looking for singers for its small auditioned ensemble. Particularly seeking tenors, and potentially other voice types, for two concerts per year plus possible involvement in the Festival Opera. Rehearsals are Sundays 6:00-8:00 PM. Please prepare a song (accompanist will be provided) ...
Festival Christmas Concert and Celebration Saturday, December 7, 2:30-5:00 Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, and Larson Hall $50 per person, to benefit the Mendocino Music Festival adult education department. CLICK TO RESERVE NOW Join us in the warm redwood embrace of the lovely 1904 sanctuary for the first half of the concert, in ...
Composer, musicologist and pianist Kayleen Asbo, the acclaimed cultural historian for the Santa Rosa Symphony, will introduce us through lecture and performance to four of the most fascinating women from music history. Meet Hildegard von Bingen, a Benedictine abbess of the 12th century whose art, music and writings about nature contain revelations of wonder for ...
Mondays, 10:00 AM-11:30 AM, January 20-March 9 (eight weeks). Join a small group of singers who want to hone their skills and become better at their craft. If you sing in a local chorus, at church, at events, or even privately, this class will help you find better vocal technique and artistry, and help you refine your voice and performance skills. Best for singers who have taken the beginning voice class, Finding Your True Voice, or who have had some private training.
Mondays, 12:00 PM-1:00 PM, January 20-March 9 (eight weeks). Enjoy singing with others but get lost in a big group? Let us introduce you to the small ensemble repertoire. You will be partnered with another singer(s) and learn the skill of singing and holding your part.
Mondays, 5:30-7:00 PM, January 20-March 9 (eight weeks). Emerge from just singing in the car, the shower, or even in a group, to become a more confident solo singer. Students will learn better vocal techniques as well as interpretive skills to unleash the solo singer buried deep inside, all in a safe and supportive environment to become brave and confident.
Mondays, 7:15-8:30, January 20-March 9 (eight weeks). For those who attended Sight Singing I . Daniel Lockert will continue with the book Successful Sight Singing as well as enhance the class with the tricks and hacks to make sight singing easier.
Join the Festival Chamber Chorale in a concert featuring the music of some of America’s greatest composers. Included in the concert are the haunting melodies of Samuel Barber, the edgy harmonies of Norman Dello Joio, choral super-star Eric Whitacre, as well as glimpses into the Mendocino Music Festival’s final concert with foot-stomping selections by Aaron Copland. The featured work will be Randall Thompson's great choral cycle Frostiana. Spend the afternoon basking in our rich American musical heritage.
Featured wines at this event. A perfect pairing: scrumptious food from MacCallum House’s celebrated chef Alan Kantor and elegant wines from Graziano. An all-inclusive bargain at $125, the evening includes hors d'oeuvres and wine at 6:00, followed by dinner with wine at 7:00. This event has been cancelled. If you have already reserved, you will ...
Mondays, 7:15-8:30, March 23-May 11 (except 4/20). The next class for those who attended Sight Singing 1 and 2. Daniel Lockert will continue with the book Successful Sight Singing as well as enhance the class with the tricks and hacks to make sight singing easier. The Old American Songs by Aaron Copland score will be used for part of the class. A $10 score fee will be collected at the first class.
Mondays, 10:00 AM-11:30 AM, March 23-May 4 (except 4/20), plus a student public performance on Sunday, May 10 at 6PM. Come join a small group of seasoned singers who want to hone their skills and become better at their craft. If you sing in a local chorus, at church, at events, or even privately, this class will help you find better vocal technique and artistry, and will help you refine your voice and performance skills.
Mondays, 5:30-7:00 PM, March 23-May 4 (except 4/20), plus a student public performance on Sunday, May 10, at 6 PM. This class is designed for the beginning singer who is ready to spread their wings. Music will be assigned based on voice type. New genres and styles will be introduced. Singers will be scheduled to sing for the class and work on songs in a nurturing, encouraging environment. Focus will be on vocal technique and presentation, to bring the shyest of singers out of their shell.
Mondays, 11:45AM-1:00 PM, March 23-May 11 (except 4/20). This class will focus on basic vocal technique while tackling the Old American Songs of Aaron Copland.
Opening Night, on July 11: With some scenic aerial footage of the tent site and fun discussions with Festival Orchestra musicians and the makers and shakers of the July season, get yourself a glass of your favorite beverage and feel again the heartening spirit of music in Mendocino. 7:30 PM, at your house. FREE TICKET ...
Saturday-Sunday, July 11-12, 1PM-4PM both days. For ages 12-19. This two-day intensive workshop will get to the nitty-gritty of the Musical Theater world. Work on audition technique, monologues, performance etiquette, and more. Music will be hand-chosen for potential casting, and Jenny Matteucci and Daniel Lockert will help fine-tune performances. Leave with a better grasp of the tumultuous world of Musical Theater.
On July 16, spend some time with Lucia Micarelli. Audience members begged us to bring her back after her stunning concert in 2018. She is an unbelievably talented, eclectic musician whose creativity seems almost limitless. A singer, a violinist, an explorer of styles, her musical life will fascinate you. Her fresh youthfulness spills over into ...
Saturday, July 18 is Big Band night! Allan Pollack, Kim Nalley, and the Festival Big Band rhythm section will all get together to talk about Jazz, pop, and the lives that all the players have led. They have played with some famous musicians, and stories of their experiences will be something you won’t want to ...
Saturday, July 25, is Closing Night. This night has traditionally featured a large choral work, so we have asked Jenny Matteucci and Daniel Lockert to join us to talk about a singer’s life as well as what is entailed in preparing the chorus for performance. Conductor Mary Chun and Stage Director Elly Lichtenstein will also ...
Mondays, 4:00-5:30 PM, June 8-July 27. This class is designed for the beginning singer who is ready to spread their wings. Music will be assigned based on voice type. New genres and styles will be introduced. Singers will be scheduled to sing for the class and work on songs in a nurturing, encouraging environment. Focus will be on vocal technique and presentation, to bring the shyest of singers out of their shell. Register as full Participant, or choose "View-only" at a reduced fee.
Eight Wednesdays at noon, June 10-July 29. An eight-week series of weekly Wednesday noontime talks curated by Jenny Matteucci and Daniel Lockert. Topics range from the art of accompaniment to talks with composers, recitalists and more. Buy individually or as an eight-week series. Virtual; attend from anywhere. Missed the first one or two? For a limited time, buy the remaining (7 or 6) lectures at the series price ($80), still a savings.
A one-time, free introduction to Lieder. What is German Lieder? Lieder is literally the German word for songs, though the term is usually used in reference to German songs of the Romantic Period (19th Century) written for voice and piano. What makes Lieder unique is that the piano does more than merely accompany; it has ...
Pianist Spencer Myer has wowed, inspired and touched Festival audiences many times, and is a warm-hearted and engaging conversationalist. Live from his living room in New York, he’ll give you a glimpse into his insights and process, including the nitty-gritty of practice, and he’ll be glad to answer any questions you might have. You’ll see ...
How do composers choose their texts? What draws them to a particular poem, poet, or poetic theme? Most composers of art songs have a strong love of literature and keen knowledge about what sort of texts attract them as a composer. When composers set poems to music, the words take on a level of their ...
Mondays, 10: AM-11:30 AM Pacific, September 14-November 2. Come join a small group of seasoned singers who want to hone their skills and become better at their craft. If you have sung in a local chorus, at church, at events, or even privately, this class will help you find better vocal technique and artistry, and will help you refine your voice and performance skills. (Choose AM or PM, not both.)
Mondays, 4:00 PM-5:30 PM Pacific, September 14-November 2. Come join a small group of seasoned singers who want to hone their skills and become better at their craft. If you have sung in a local chorus, at church, at events, or even privately, this class will help you find better vocal technique and artistry, and will help you refine your voice and performance skills. (Choose AM or PM, not both.)
Wednesdays, 10:00 AM-11:30 AM Pacific, September 16-November 4. A new option for Masterclass students; a course in German Lieder. Students will be assigned music by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Franz, Brahms, Wolf, Mahler and R. Strauss. The class will also cover German diction. Learn to love this beautiful art form and appreciate the marriage of poetry and masterfully composed music. Best for more advanced singers, or singers who have taken the Masterclass, and/or have had experience with the German language.
Wednesdays, 4:00-5:00 PM Pacific, September 16-November 4 (eight weeks). Unravel the mysteries of vocal technique with this course on the basics of singing. Cover everything from breathing, to resonance, to vocal health and more. Keep your voice in shape while sheltering in place, and learn some new skills to further your singing and build your voice. Good for beginners and seasoned veterans who want to brush up their skills.
Wednesdays, 4:00 PM-5:00 PM Pacific, September 16-November 4. For those who attended Beginning Sight-Singing or have some sight-singing experience. Daniel will enhance the class with tricks and hacks to make sight-singing easier. Sharpen your skills as sight readers and musicians. Class is progressive, so attendance is crucial. Don’t miss this chance to become more proficient at this basic skill. Prerequisite: Beginning Sight Singing (or permission of the teacher).
Wednesdays, 5:15 PM-6:15 PM Pacific, September 16-November 4. Can’t tell the difference between a B♭ and a flat tire? Have you sung in a choir for years and still don’t know what all the “hashtags” (#) mean? Let us unravel the not-so-secret code of good musicianship and sight-reading. We’ll help make your singing experience more enriching and fun by giving you the tools you need to not only help your whole choral experience but enlighten your musicianship skills as well. Each class will progressively cover different aspects of musicianship and sight-singing.
Treat your ears and eyes to an in-depth exploration of Debussy’s colorful and captivating Préludes for Piano, Book One, written in 1909-10. Susan Waterfall has assembled memorable historic and current performances. She’ll guide you through the visual and literary images that inspired Debussy to create sound worlds that had never before been imagined. You can ...
Hip. Imaginative. Fun. Fresh. Funky. Side Note is a group of seven twentysomethings, from wildly different musical backgrounds, who draw on their diversity to create an all-new sound. It's contemporary a cappella—pushed to the limits of pop, R&B, funk, rock, musical theater and jazz. Side Note will be giving a breakdown of how the group ...
This is the second part of Susan Waterfall’s opportunity to treat your ears and eyes to an in-depth exploration of Debussy’s colorful and captivating Préludes for Piano, Book One, written in 1909-10. She has assembled memorable historic and current performances, and will guide you through the visual and literary images that inspired Debussy to create ...
Kim Nalley’s interesting view of American music and her relationship to it will be supplemented by her insights into what made some of the singers from the past so great. There will be musical examples and, hopefully, fun will abound! GET FREE TICKET (required)
Two-day workshop, Sat-Sun December 12-13, 1:00-2:30 PM PST. The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a set of symbols that linguists, singers and actors use to describe the sounds of spoken and sung languages. It will enable truer foreign language diction, as well as help with English diction. Understanding the IPA will help you learn how to pronounce with ease and understanding. Join Jenny and Daniel in a two-day workshop to enhance your singing, your foreign language accent or learn a new skill!
Two-day workshop, Sat-Sun January 16-17, 1:00-2:30 PM PST. Do you struggle with what to do with the words, your face, or your hands when you sing? Do you want to understand how to communicate better to an audience, to convey the meaning and depth or humor of your song? This two-day workshop will give you tools and help you work through your songs with deeper understanding. Bring a memorized musical theater song, aria (in any language), pop or art song to this class in acting styles for singers.
Rescheduled to January 22; originally scheduled for October 30. A discussion with baritone Christòpheren Nomura about his journey from the San Francisco Boys Choir to appearing on Broadway, and the various fascinating stops along the way. You might remember Christòpheren from his extraordinary and powerful performances at the 2018 Mendocino Music Festival, of the Brahms ...
Fridays, February 26 and March 5, 12:00-1:15 PM PST. Are you longing for world travel? Do you need a bit of Belle Époque Paris? Maybe you’re curious about musical modernism? Susan Waterfall is back, with Book Two of Debussy’s Préludes for Piano, which will provide you with all of the above. Armchair travel is a necessity during the pandemic. Historic and current performances along with fascinating art and photographs will bring to life Debussy’s final twelve preludes, written before the outbreak of World War One. Here’s another opportunity for lifelong learners to find out more about Debussy and deepen their appreciation of these gems of the piano repertoire.
Mondays, 4:00 PM-5:30 PM Pacific, January 25-March 15. Join us as we explore the great legacy of American songs spanning the 1920s through the 1960s. Singers will be assigned music that will enhance their sense of style while working on vocal and performance technique; and perform their selections in front of the class in collaboration with Daniel, creating their own unique performance.
Wednesdays, 4:00 PM-5:00 PM Pacific, January 27-March 17. Sight-Singing continues from the fall session and is designed to help you sharpen your skills as sight readers and musicians. Daniel will also enhance the class with the tricks and hacks to make sight singing easier. Two equal sessions (same level) are offered to keep the classes intimate.
Jenny Matteucci and Daniel Lockert never fail to delight viewers with their lively, informative and fun interview style; drawing out the personality of the guest artist while creating an engaging musical conversation. Hope Briggs, a native of New Jersey, drew a rave review from Opera News for her San Francisco Opera debut as the Duchess of ...
Mondays, 10:00 AM-11:30 AM Pacific, April 19-June 7. Learn to love this beautiful art form and appreciate the marriage of poetry and masterfully composed music. This session will delve deeper into the concept of the song cycle, as well as specific poets and themes.
Wednesdays, 4:00-5:30 PM Pacific, April 21-June 9. A class for those who want to learn to sight sing, or brush up their skills from previous classes. Learn the basics of sight singing and good musicianship and be ready when all our choirs and singing groups meet again. Class is progressive, so attendance is crucial.
Another of Susan Waterfall’s fascinating virtual presentations, this time about Kurt Weill. This gives you an opportunity to learn more before you attend the July 18 Weill concert in Cotton Auditorium. What happens when an impeccably trained young German composer decides he wants a new audience? When a nice Jewish boy starts hanging out with ...