The vernacular Venezuelan term, bululú, means “a gathering of people with excitement.” The San Francisco Bay Area band launched by Venezuelan-born percussionist Lali Mejia and Mexican string expert and vocalist Jose Roberto Hernandez manifests kindred cultural streams flowing together harmoniously. The nine-piece combo of veteran performers draws on folkloric styles from Venezuelan, Colombian, Chilean, Cuban ...
Created by Cara Butler and Jon and Nathan Pilatzke (longtime touring members of The Chieftains), The StepCrew combines Irish, Tap and Ottawa Valley Step dancing, music, and song. The virtuosic cast of 11 dancers and musician, made up of leading performers in today’s Celtic music scene, has appeared on the stages of Celtic festivals all ...
Debussy’s symphonic poem, Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, will take us into Debussy’s charming orchestral music. The mood will change with Mozart’s first orchestral masterpiece, Symphony No. 29. Jennifer Cho and Jonah Kim will be featured in Brahms’ last work for orchestra, the Concerto for Violin and Cello.
Back for a tenth year of sensitive and eloquent playing, the Calder Quartet will perform the Beethoven Quartet Op.18, No. 3, and the Debussy G-minor Quartet for Strings. In addition to these audience favorites we’ll hear the world premiere of Paul Wiancko’s “Climb,” written especially for Calder Quartet. The players…are particularly good at producing a ...
A Chicano band from East Los Angeles, Las Cafeteras are known for their infectious live performances and music that fuses word and folk music with traditional Son Jarocho, Afro-Mexican music, and zapateado dancing. Remixing roots music and telling modern stories, Las Cafeteras create a vibrant musical fusion with a unique East LA sound. Crossing genres ...
Jackie Gage is a jazz singer whose velvety voice, relaxed piano playing, and uplifting songwriting straddle the worlds of jazz, folk, and R&B. Born in San Jose, she relocated to New York City for a few years to immerse herself in a different music scene, and has returned to the Bay Area. A pearlescent, cool-toned ...
Featured wines at this event When there is nothing left to do besides have good food and wine with friends, L’apéro is the part of the day when the French pause and convene for a drink over small plates; after work, before a concert or whatever the evening's activity might be. For many years owners ...
Debussy was interested in writing music that evoked feelings in listeners and in himself, and these pieces showcase his ability to conjure the mysterious atmosphere of night, moonlight, and erotic love, as well as the darker emotions of war and conflict. In this elegant soiree, Susan Waterfall will play two preludes and a waltz, Carolyn ...
Summit is a group of accomplished musicians playing together for the first time to make music that includes original compositions and classic standards from the Great American Songbook. Legendary drummer Ralph Humphrey will be joined by Mitchel Forman on keyboards, Jerrold Watts Jr. on bass, and Dmitris Mahlis on guitars. Each artist has performed with ...
The Washington Post called Gloria Cheng “one of the most adventurous interpreters of contemporary music around." Among the pieces she will play this year are “32 Garlands for Steven Stucky,” tributes by a number of composers to their colleague and much-beloved professor/composer, who died unexpectedly in 2016. Stephen Andrew Taylor’s “Seven Memorials” was inspired by ...
The first part of this concert, “All Creatures Great and Small” will feature the Festival Chamber Chorale, directed by Jenny Matteucci, singing a menagerie of music from Renaissance to Contemporary, celebrating our beloved four-legged and winged friends. Includes Rutter’s “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” Tavener’s “The Lamb,” and Copland’s “I Bought Me a Cat.” After a brief ...
The annual concert by the wonderfully talented young string players from the Festival’s Emerging Artists Program is anticipated by all who love hearing accomplished musicians interpret chamber music classics. CHOOSE SEATS AND BUY
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, "Kim Nalley is a vocal powerhouse with pipes to burn and works the stage like she means it." Put her in front of the seasoned Festival Big Band musicians and you have an evening of red-hot jazz, steamy blues, and sexy swing.
Classical composers have always been inspired by animals. Think of orchestral works like Carnival of the Animals by St. Saens or Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev. In the field of vocal music, the great lieder composers found inspiration in bird flight, the galloping of horses, or the tranquility of the gazelle. The Italian madrigal, ...
The Masterclass returns with a once-a-month “open mic” concept. Class participants can bring in music to sing in front of class with a live pianist. Jenny and Daniel will provide feedback and suggestions in musicality, performance techniques, repertoire, and more. Classical, Musical Theater, and Standards are encouraged for this class. Previous masterclass students can bring ...
The Mendocino Music Festival Chorale will perform a concert celebrating American composers, including music by Aaron Copland, Norman Dello Joio, Gwyneth Walker, and the lovely Frostiana by Randall Thompson. This concert was originally scheduled for 2020 but was cancelled by the pandemic, so the Festival Chorale is particularly excited (one might even say "jubilant") to ...
In-person film premier with Susan Waterfall. You’ve heard music by Ravel and probably loved it. You’ve heard random gossip about this secretive composer. Now’s your chance to experience Ravel’s life and music in its historic context. With contemporary art and photographs, and 26 musical excerpts...
Celebration! Toast to the Tent We hope you can join us as we return to our Tent Concert Hall. It’s time to joyfully celebrate our amazing Festival community and the transformational power of live music in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Enjoy sparkling wine from Scharffenberger Cellars, and delicious hors d’oeuvres provided ...
CJ Chenier, “The Crown Prince of Zydeco,” was born into an indigenous American culture with a distinctive language and music. The Creole son of Clifton Chenier, he started playing in his father’s band shortly before Clifton died. CJ delivers soulful vocals along with masterful accordion-driven Zydeco and blues. A Grammy-nominated musician and recording artist, CJ ...
To begin the classical Festival, Maestro Allan Pollack will lead the orchestra in Shostakovich’s Festive Overture in A Major, Op. 96, an appropriately effervescent opening. Mozart’s joyful Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat Major for violin and viola will feature soloists Fellowes and Kadarauch. The partnership and equality shared by the soloists creates a searingly beautiful sound ...
From their base in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, this acoustic roots music collective has played the most prestigious festivals, listening rooms, and clubs in the world, cementing a reputation as one of the top independent bands. The Steel Wheels give folk, folk rock and Appalachian roots music a modern twist. Their records and performances are ...
Over the past 20 years, Foxglove has established itself as a Mendocino County favorite. The band’s selection of heartfelt originals and carefully curated covers have featured tight harmonies and tasty string-band instrumentation. Gwyneth Moreland, a Mendocino County native, was a teenager when the band was formed. She was immediately adored by Foxglove fans for her ...
Susan Waterfall will play Pavane pour un infante défunte, Oiseaux tristes, and Un barque sur l'ocean. She will be joined by Julian Pollack on “Mother Goose Suite.” Jenny Matteucci, soprano, accompanied by Daniel Lockert on piano, will present Cinq mélodies populaires grecques. The Piano Trio in A minor will close out the concert, with Sam ...
The Blind Boys of Alabama have the rare distinction of being recognized around the world as both living legends and modern-day innovators. They are not just gospel singers borrowing from old traditions; the group helped to define those traditions in 20th century and almost single-handedly created a new gospel sound for the 21st. Since the ...
An internationally renowned violinist and composer originally from Copenhagen, Denmark, Mads Tolling now calls San Francisco home. As a former nine-year member of both bassist Stanley Clarke’s band and the celebrated Turtle Island Quartet, Mads won two Grammy Awards, and he was nominated for a third Grammy in 2015. He was the 2016 winner of ...
Jeffrey LaDeur is known for his rare blend of insight, spontaneity, and approachable, communicative stage presence. He is the founder and artistic director of the San Francisco International Piano Festival and president of the American Liszt Society, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. Mezzo-soprano Kindra Scharich has been praised by the San Francisco Chronicle for her ...
Hailing from Boulder, Colorado, blues singer/composer Otis Taylor is a multi-instrumentalist whose talents include vocals, guitar, banjo, mandolin, and harmonic. Capable of exploring any musical mood at any given time, Taylor lets his audience experience the unexpected. While his music, an amalgamation of root styles in their rawest form, discusses heavyweight issues like murder, homelessness, ...
Kalil Wilson’s bright re-imaginings of jazz standards and originals are informed by the rich history of great jazz singing and meld with their heartfelt, eclectic stylings. An Oakland native, they are the offsping of Nigerian bassist/bandleader Babá Ken Okulolo and an American mom with a record collection of vintage jazz, African, R&B, and salsa. Mentored ...
Concert Version; Guest Conductor Ryan Murray The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution, is an opera buffa in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. Musicologists believe that the music was composed in just under three weeks, although the famous overture was actually recycled from two earlier Rossini operas. Nonetheless, The Barber has proven to be ...
The artists will play John Adams’ Hallelujah Junction for two pianos, named after a small truck stop on US 395 near the California–Nevada border. Pinkham’s Mechanical Transcendence for two pianos tells the story of an android that wishes to become human. Joep Franssens’ Old Songs, New Songs for two pianos will be followed by another ...
This year the big band musicians are going to find their groove with Maiya Sykes, a former back-up singer whose rendition of “Stay with Me” on The Voice in 2014 catapulted her to lead singer fame. Based in Los Angeles, Sykes is a classically trained musician who graduated from Yale and studied with Betty Carter ...
Hailed as “imaginative, skillful creators” by the New York Times, the Calder Quartet captivates audiences with its explorations of a broad repertoire, always striving to fulfill the composer’s vision in their performances. The group’s distinctive artistry is exemplified by the musical curiosity they bring to everything they perform. This concert will feature Ravel’s String Quartet ...
Julian Pollack, along with bassist Trey Henry and drummer Ray Brinker, will begin the evening with jazz standards beautifully and inventively performed. Tierney Sutton will join the band for the second half in a tribute to the great drummer Ralph Humphrey. A fabulous singer with a gorgeous trio—who could ask for more? Sutton is not ...
Enjoy a delightful evening of gourmet food and music at one of the area’s leading restaurants, with premium wines generously supplied by Husch Vineyards. Located seven miles south of Mendocino on the Pacific Coast Highway (CA-1) in Albion, California, its bluff-top location on the Albion headlands allows panoramic views of the Pacific and breathtaking sunsets.
Pianist, accordionist, composer, and educator from San Francisco, Reider brings together various streams of American music, from jazz and folk tunes to popular song and contemporary composition. He has appeared as a bandleader and soloist at major festivals and venues around the world, and his performances and original compositions have been featured on NPR, PBS ...
Susan Waterfall will play Sonatine. Silvie Jensen, mezzo-soprano, will be joined by Daniel Lockert on piano for Deux melodies hébraïques. Harpist Anna Maria Mendieta will be joined by a small group of string and woodwind players to perform the chamber piece, Introduction et Allegro. On Chansons Madécasses, Silvie Jensen, mezzo-soprano, will be joined by Mindy ...
Every year since 2012, banjo master Bill Evans brought together a stellar collection of banjo players from all over the world and joined them with an all-star California-based band to present his California Banjo Extravaganza. In 2021, Bill changed the format to a gathering of well-loved bluegrass musicians with strong California connections. These musicians have ...
Currently based in Germany, American pianist Rachel Breen’s performances have been described as “truly show-stopping” (Gramophone UK), having “a beautiful piano sound and original detail.” She has enjoyed an active and successful competition career and has performed and taught masterclasses world-wide. Breen will put her own stamp on Bach’s Goldberg Variations, Nicolai Medtner’s Sonata Op. ...
A flatpicking bluegrass guitar legend with an international reputation for innovation, taste and brilliance, Dan Crary is one of the founding fathers of the flatpicking and “newgrass” movements in Americana and Bluegrass music. He is joined by Bill Evans, one of the most celebrated virtuosos in the history of the banjo, and their soulful-singing partner ...
Allan Pollack will open this concert by conducting his own “Scenes from the Pandemic,” inspired by sounds he heard while sheltering in place on his farm. Stephen Prutsman will play Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16, the atmospheric tone poem for piano and orchestra. Before the magic has evaporated from that performance, Dvořàk’s ...
