The Music Academy of the West has announced new members to the board. The organization revealed that Andrea Hein and Harrison M. Bains, Jr. will join the leadership of the organization. Hein is a retired entertainment industry executive who worked for 15 years with Paramount and Viacom. She was also vice president of merchandising for MGM studios and began her {…}
The Music Academy of the West has unveiled its 2024 Summer Festival, which runs from June 12 – August 13, 2024. Here is a rundown of the vocal performances on offer. First up is the Marilyn Horne Song Competition Winners Recital featuring baritone Navasard Hakobyan and pianist Brian Cho. They will perform a world premiere by Joel Thompson, among other {…}
The Music Academy of the West has announced its 2022 festival. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be solely on vocal events. There will be an opening night showcasing the members of the Vocal Institute. Performance Date: June 16, 2022 Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke will join forces with John Churchwell at Lobero Theatre for the world premiere of {…}
(Credit: Damjan Švarc) The Music Academy of the West has announced the appointment of Daniela Candillari as the new Principal Opera Conductor of the Summer Festival. Candillari has already engaged with the company by conducting the west coast premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s “Cold Mountain,” and led several works on a program of all contemporary vocal chamber music in 2021. In {…}
On September 13, 2021, Music Academy of the West released “Mirrorflores: A Cinematic Opera.” Directed by James Darrah and conducted by William Long, this video was filmed as part of the 2021 Summer School & Festival. The program features selections from composers such as Rameau, Handel, Purcell, Monteverdi, and Gluck. The filmed scenes will be performed by 2021 fellows, including {…}
(Credit: Eric Woolsey) Music Academy of the West has announced the winners of their 2021 Summer School & Festival, comprised of several competitions, masterclasses, and more, in support of young artist development. Instrumentalists of the Music Academy took part in the 2022 Keston MAX Exchange competition with the London Symphony Orchestra. Company musicians gave over 30 private lessons virtually to {…}
The Music Academy of the West has announced a residency of Beth Morrison Projects in Santa Barbara next year. From June 28 to July 25, the Academy’s students will work with BMP’s Executive Director Jecca Barry, Director of Production Brian Freeland, and President and Creative Producer Beth Morrison. Together they will produce a contemporary program of works, featuring “Vinkensport” by {…}
The Music Academy of the West announced Beth Morrison Projects (BMP) will be in residence in Santa Barbara from June 28 to July 25, 2021. Partnering with BMP, a company known as one of the most innovative in the industry advances the Academy’s commitment to growing young artists at a time when imaginative thinking is critical to long-term success. Music {…}
(Credit: Courtesy of Music Academy of the West) Back in April the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara cancelled the in-person part of its summer program. As a result, it put all of its resources into building a high-quality online program for the summer called MARLI (Music Academy Remote Learning Institute). The program provided quality technology and training {…}
The Music Academy of the West will be introducing the Music Academy Remote Learning Institute this summer, providing an opportunity for its 129 scholarship fellows an opportunity to engage with the program despite the complex circumstances. For four weeks between June 15-July 10, fellows will receive mentorship from faculty, guest artists, and industry leaders. Among the activities they will engage {…}
(Credit: Opera Philadelphia) Music Academy of the West will soon present the West Coast premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning Composer-in-Residence Jennifer Higdon’s “Cold Mountain.” Based on Charles Frazier’s novel, the opera, described in the press release as an “American odyssey of love, honor, and redemption at the close of the Civil War,” tells the story of Confederate soldier W.P. Inman’s desertion {…}