Grammy-nominated composer-pianist Vijay Iyer (pronounced “VID-jay EYE-yer”) was described by Pitchfork as “one of the most interesting and vital young pianists in jazz today,” by the Los Angeles Weekly as “a boundless and deeply important young star,” and by Minnesota Public Radio as “an American treasure.” He has been voted DownBeat Magazine‘s Artist of the Year three times – in 2016, 2015 and 2012. Iyer was named Downbeat’s 2014 Pianist of the Year, a 2013 MacArthur Fellow, and a 2012 Doris Duke Performing Artist. In 2014 he began a permanent appointment as the Franklin D. and Florence Rosenblatt Professor of the Arts in the Department of Music at Harvard University.
The New York Times observes, “There’s probably no frame wide enough to encompass the creative output of the pianist Vijay Iyer.” Iyer has released twenty albums covering remarkably diverse terrain, most recently for the ECM label. The latest include A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke (2016), a collaboration with Iyer’s “hero, friend and teacher,” Wadada Leo Smith, which the Los Angeles Times calls “haunting, meditative and transportive”; Break Stuff (2015), with a coveted five-star rating in DownBeat Magazine, featuring the Vijay Iyer Trio, hailed by PopMatters as “the best band in jazz”; Mutations (2014), featuring Iyer’s music for piano, string quartet and electronics, which “extends and deepens his range… showing a delicate, shimmering, translucent side of his playing” (Chicago Tribune); and Radhe Radhe: Rites of Holi (2014), “his most challenging and impressive work, the scintillating score to a compelling film by Prashant Bhargava” (DownBeat), performed by International Contemporary Ensemble and released on DVD and BluRay.
Known for using fresh and local ingredients, Ojai’s many restaurants offer visitors a unique taste of the central coast. No trip to Ojai is complete without a delicious meal – use our quick restaurant guide to help you plan your culinary adventure!
Agave Maria’sRestaurant and Cantina
10:30 am – 9:00 pm
106 S. Montgomery St. | 805 646 6353
Mexican food with a fresh twist, featuring several organic and healthy options. Restaurant has a large outdoor patio and a wide selection of drinks. Located downtown. Reservations are recommended.
Bonnie Lu’s Country Cafe
7:00 am – 2:30 pm, closed Wednesday
328 E. Ojai Ave | 805 646 0207
Homestyle breakfast and lunch diner. Features a wide range of traditional American entrees – a local favorite for breakfast. Make sure to arrive early to get a table.
Ca’ Marco Italian Restaurant 11:00 am – 3:00 pm & 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
1002 E. Ojai Avenue | 805 640 1048
Delicious and inventive Italian favorites.
Reservations recommended.
Deer Lodge
Mon – Thurs: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm (2:00 am Fridays)
Sat & Sun: 10:30 am – 10:00 pm (BBQ 12:00 pm – 4:30 pm)
2261 Maricopa Way | 805 646 4256
Legendary Ojai restaurant featuring farm to table dining in a welcoming lodge environment. Reservations recommended.
Farmer and the Cook
11:00 am – 8:00 pm
339 W. El Roblar Ave. | 805 640 9608
Natural grocery with a restaurant featuring locally sourced and organic meals. Their weekly menu always includes tasty vegan and gluten-free options. Check their website for the menu of the week.
Feast Bistro
Tues – Sat: 11:30 am – close (lunch) | 5:30 pm – close (dinner)
Closed Sundays, except for special events
254 E. Ojai Ave. | 805 640 9260
New American bistro-style restaurant with seasonal daily specials and fresh desserts featuring locally grown ingredients. Special seasonal menu items and deals featured on their website. Reservations strongly recommended.
Los Caporales Restaurant
307 E. Ojai Ave. | 805 646 5452
Located right next to Libbey Park, Los Corporales features traditional Mexican food in a comfortable and cozy setting. The bar has several unique specialty drinks. Reservations recommended.
NoSo Vita
205 N. Signal St. | 805 646 1540
7:00am – 5:00pm (Espresso Bar)
7:00am – 3:00pm (Breakfast & Lunch, no kitchen on Tuesdays)
See website for detailed hours
Coffeehouse and bistro featuring fresh-brewed coffee, espresso, cold craft coffee on tap, and a fresh, vibrant locally-sourced menu.
Ojai Beverage Company
Mon: 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm , Tues & Wed: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm, Thurs – Sat: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm, Sun: 11:30 am – 9:00 pm
655 E. Ojai Ave | 805 646 1700
The Ojai Beverage Company serves upscale bar food at its restaurant and is a premier destination for fine wine, craft beer and unique spirits. Has an extensive tasting menu and shop. Take away is available. Reservations are recommended for dining in.
Ojai Cafe Emporium
7:00am – 3:00pm
Dinner: Wed-Thurs, 3:00 – 8:00pm
Longtime favorite Ojai Cafe Emporium serves up soups, sandwiches, quiches – and now dinner – alongside their famous baked goods.
Ojai Coffee Roasting Co.
5:30 am – 6:00 pm
337 E. Ojai Ave. | 805 646 4478
A local institution and favorite, the Roasting Co. serves coffee, tea, and pastries, as well as a variety of sandwiches and salads. Food can be called in ahead to be picked up.
Osteria Monte Grappa
Sun – Thurs: 11:30 am – 8:30 pm, Friday – Sat: 11:30 am – 9:30 pm
Closed Sunday dinner
242 E. Ojai Ave. | 805 640 6767
Authentic Italian cuisine offered at the heart of downtown Ojai. A wide range of pastas, entrees, and pizzas made fresh from local ingredients. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Rainbow Bridge
8:00 am – 9:00 pm
211 E. Matilija St. | 805 646 6623
Rainbow Bridge’s hot deli offers a wide variety of dishes as part of their rotating menu, as well as sandwiches, soups, and smoothies. The grocery has all the ingredients to perfect your picnic.
Suzanne’s Cuisine
Wed – Mon: 11:30 am – 2:30 pm (lunch), 5:30 pm – close (dinner)
502 W. Ojai Ave. | 805 640 1961
Suzanne’s is a favorite destination for locals and visitors alike. New American cuisine is served in a relaxing atmosphere featuring a beautiful outdoor patio. Reservations are strongly recommended.
The Ojai Vineyard
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm (Sun – Thurs), 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm (Fri – Sat)
109 S. Montgomery St. | 805 798 3947
Owned by Adam and Helen Tolmach, the Ojai Vineyard produces artisan wines using local Ojai and Central Coast grapes. Located a block from Libbey Bowl, their cozy tasting room is a great place to unwind between concerts.
The Ranch House
5:00 pm – 10:00pm
102 Besant Rd. | 805 646 2360
Famed for its original award-winning cuisine, the Ranch House’s menu and beautiful garden setting have long made it a destination of choice for Ojai visitors. Reservations are strongly recommended.
The Ojai Valley is home to many wonderful resorts, bed & breakfasts and motels that are happy to welcome you during your Ojai Music Festival experience. We strongly recommend securing lodging for the Festival as early as possible. For assistance, contact the box office or contact our complimentary Festival concierge, Sheila Cohn: 805 869 1154 | [email protected].
For a change in landscape, consider staying in the coastal city of Ventura, approx. 17 miles from Ojai where they have a variety of accommodations to suit your needs and budget. Visit the Ventura Visitor and Convention Bureau >>
Join us for the Holiday Market Recovery Silent Auction! This auction offers a curated collection of special items and experiences available for bidding online from December 2–15, 2025.
This mini-auction helps bridge the $25,000 shortfall due to the storm-related cancellation of the 2025 Holiday Market.
Browse, bid, and share the festive spirit while supporting the Ojai Music Festival and our free BRAVO Education and Community Programs. If you aren’t interested in bidding, but you want to keep music and education thriving in our community, donate to the Holiday Home Tour & Market Recovery Fund below.
We are deeply grateful to the friends, businesses, and community partners who contributed special items and experiences to make this auction possible.
Beato Chocolates Christopher Noxon Connie Mackinson Custom Printing The Dutchess Hotel El Roblar Laura Walter Laurel Heather Design Heart of Ojai Light and Space Mama Tree Farm Move Sanctuary Ojai Art Center Theatre Ojai Film Festival Ojai Massage Ojai Music Festival Ojai Valley Inn Old Creek Ranch Vineyard Pinhole Coffee Rubicon Theatre Shelter Social Club Sunday Hendrickson Sunrise Via Lola Turtle Conservancy
If you’re interested in donating an item or experience, please contact us at [email protected].
Our favorite pre-Festival tradition returns with our Virtual Ojai Talks where we get an inside look at the creative process with Festival composers, artists, innovators, and musical thinkers. Virtual Talks are free and open to the musically curious!
Composer/conductor John Adams WED December 10 @ 5:30PM PT on Zoom
In celebration of the Ojai Festival’s Eight Decades of Discovery, Creativity, and Community, we welcome back John Adams as our special guest for our Virtual Ojai Talks. With Ara, John will share some of his favorite Festival memories as both composer and conductor, as we look forward to hearing his music at the 2026 Festival led by their good friend Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Virtual Ojai Talks are free and open to the public.
I’m writing at the beginning of Thanksgiving week on a brisk and brilliant autumn morning, full of anticipation for the coming days. This might be my favorite holiday, a collective pause specifically to express thanks.
The epic rains of the past week in Southern California have brought much-needed replenishment to the dry landscape, so that there is uncharacteristic November green all around us. A treasured Ojai friend wrote this morning that “maybe I should stop complaining about the rain” and enclosed a photo of an exquisite double rainbow out her window. What a reminder to cherish the world around us!
I am so enormously grateful for our extended Festival community – artists, audience members, donors, board members, volunteers, staff, and neighbors. In the face of a complex and too often a deeply troubled world, it’s the simple acts of kindness, generosity, and quiet grace that linger and enrich our lives. I’m constantly reminded of the part that each of us plays in sustaining the resources and organizations that enhance the quality of life for our communities.
And, of course, there is the company we keep. In our personal lives, we embrace the expanded circles of family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and sometimes random strangers who make the everyday better.
Since we last met at Libbey Park, these past few months have been full of intertwined planning conversations with the artists and collaborating organizations for the June 2026 Festival. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting up with Esa-Pekka Salonen for extended conversations as we dream up programs and possibilities for Ojai. In case you missed it, here is a preview of what’s to come.
Esa-Pekka has been central to the musical life of California for more than 30 years, a beacon for boundless creativity and innovation in all he touches. It is so deeply rewarding to be reunited with him and so meaningful to see what Ojai represents for him – a place where an artist can dream. One of the hallmarks of our coming festival is to provide a concentrated exploration of Esa-Pekka’s own music from recent years, with premieres of two new works as well as performances of his rich output from the past few seasons.
Esa-Pekka joins a long line of great composer/conductors who have been integral to the Festival’s eight decades – Igor Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, Lukas Foss, Pierre Boulez, John Adams, George Benjamin, and Thomas Adès, among others. So, it’s particularly fitting in this anniversary year to have a focus on his own music. A few years ago, Esa-Pekka spent a year as composer-in-residence at the Berlin Philharmonic. During that time, he recorded an extended interview about his life as a composer, a conversation that is quite personal and illuminating:
The coming Festival will celebrate another facet of Esa-Pekka’s work, his role as a mentor for the next generation, particularly as a faculty member at the Colburn School – he will lead two concerts with the Colburn Orchestra. I absolutely love marking a big anniversary year at Ojai with the exuberant talents and spirits of the next generation of musicians!
In the coming months, I will write much more about all of the glorious artists who will animate the 2026 Festival – as I said, we are very lucky in the company we keep. In the meantime, here is a playlist anticipating several of the Festival artists to come – Esa-Pekka, Leila Josefowicz, Anthony McGill, the Attacca Quartet, with a tip of the hat also to John Adams – chosen to keep you company in the coming days, whether in the bustle of travel, preparations, and meals, or even in the quiet private moment of respite.
Please enjoy this gallery of the home during the 2025 Holiday Home Tour. We are deeply grateful to the generous homeowners who opened their doors this weekend, the creative genius of the Ojai designers who shared their approaches to the holiday season, the talented musicians who filled the homes with music, the dedicated volunteers who gave their time and energy, and every guest who joined us to support the Ojai Music Festival and our BRAVO Education and Community Programs. We hope you were able to enjoy each of these homes this rainy year, and we look forward to clearer skies next year.
Casa Del Sol
Designed by Lila Glasoe Francese of Ohi Home and Carolyn Bennett of CDB Design
Heritage Home
Designed by Sunday Hendrickson and Kathy Smith
Holiday Hearth
Designed by Nereyda Seymour of Grit & Grace and Stefanie Coeler
Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group | Colburn School | Leila Josefowicz, violin | Anthony McGill, clarinet | Attacca Quartet | Geneva Lewis, violin | Jay Campbell, cello | Conor Hanick, piano
“The Ojai Music Festival is eight decades young, and we mark this milestone year with looks back to our extraordinary history and leap future forward with the newest music. A stellar array of guest artists collaborates in ever-changing combinations that are, as always, unique to Ojai. You are part of our story – join us for what promises to be a singular and exuberant gathering of music and musicians.”
Ara Guzelimian, Artistic and Executive Director
Libbey Bowl Evening Concert Highlights
THU 06.11 8PM
Attacca Quartet | Geneva Lewis, violin | Anthony McGill, clarinet | Jay Campbell, cello | Conor Hanick, piano
An opening program that includes recent works of John Adams and Esa-Pekka Salonen, culminating with Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time, a deeply moving work written in the unimaginable conditions of a prison camp during World War II – a testament to faith and the human spirit, as well as to Messiaen’s profound connection to the natural world.
FRI 06.12 8PM
Colburn Orchestra | Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor | Anthony McGill, clarinet | Jay Campbell, cello
STUCKY Colburn Variations ESA-PEKKA SALONEN kinēma LUTOSŁAWSKI Grave (Metamorphoses for cello and strings) SCHOENBERG Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night)
Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the virtuoso string players of the Colburn School, where he heads the conducting program. Steven Stucky’s touching 2002 gift to the young musicians of the Colburn school serves as prologue to Salonen’s kinēma, a deeply expressive clarinet concerto with the artistry of Anthony McGill. After intermission, the quietly reflective Lutosławski Grave (Metamorphoses for cello and strings), gives way to Schoenberg’s late Romantic 1899 masterwork.
SAT 06.13 8PM
Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group | Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
A festive reunion as Esa-Pekka Salonen returns home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic in fall 2026 in the recently announced role of Creative Director. We celebrate this happy news with a characteristic program of music by Salonen himself, Gabriella Smith, Magnus Lindberg, and John Adams.
SUN 06.14 5:30PM
Colburn Orchestra | Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor | Leila Josefowicz, violin | vocal soloists to be announced
SALONEN FOG LIGETI Violin Concerto STRAVINSKY Pulcinella (complete ballet)
We go out with exuberance and dazzling virtuosity! To begin, Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Bach-inspired affectionate tribute to his great friend Frank Gehry. Ligeti’s Violin Concerto is one of the most dizzying and electrifying masterpieces of the late 20th century. And finally, we pay homage to one of the great early guiding lights of the Ojai Festival, Igor Stravinsky, with his endlessly witty and affectionate send-up of his Baroque music ancestors.
Mornings at Libbey Bowl
FRI 06.12 | SAT 06.13 | SUN 06.14 @ 10:30AM
Libbey Bowl mornings are a magical time, with soft breezes and the song of birds punctuating concerts that blend the familiar with the thrill of discovery. This year, there are several notable highlights: the world premiere of a new work by John Adams written expressly for the Attacca Quartet, the U.S. premiere of a new duo for violin and cello by Esa-Pekka Salonen played by Geneva Lewis and Jay Campbell, and the first complete performance of Salonen’s Piano Preludes with Conor Hanick, in addition to music by Olivier Messiaen and Jessie Montgomery. Complete programs will be announced in January.
Programs and artists are subject to change. Highlights as of November, 2025.
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Calling all who signed up as docents! Join us for an overview of the Home Tour docent duties and responsibilities. Get your assignments and meet your house hostesses for the 2025 Holiday Home Tour! There is still room, sign up to be a docent by clicking here.
Our biggest fundraiser of the year, this beloved tradition invites guests to tour beautifully decorated Ojai homes and shop the Holiday Marketplace in Libbey Park, featuring more than 70 vendors and festive cheer.
Soirée Parisienne
Friday, Nov 21 | 3-5PM Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts
Part of the Friends Salon Series, join us for an intimate evening featuring musicians from France performing in an intimate setting in scenic upper Ojai.
Gratitude Soup Dinner
Thursday, Dec 11 | 5-7PM Ojai Woman’s Club
Invitation TBA
Docents, volunteers, homeowners, house hostesses, staff, and anyone else who helped the HHTM happen get together and celebrate with a soup potluck.
Designed by Lila Glasoe Francese of Ohi Home and Carolyn Bennett of CDB Design
Home and garden designers and longtime friends, Carolyn Bennett and Lila Francese are local Ojai creatives, culture seekers, and devoted mahjong players.
Carolyn, a passionate gardener, is a frequent lecturer for garden clubs, plant enthusiasts, and arts organizations across the country. Lila has led her interior design firm, OHI HOME, with her husband, Dines Francese, since 2009. She also serves as President of Ojai’s public art charity, CGBF. Lila is the interior designer of Casa del Sol and has managed its renovations since 2022.
Carolyn and Lila share a deep connection to the Ojai Music Festival and a common vision for the Holiday Home Tour – crafting a design that honors the home’s authenticity while adding fresh inspiration to this year’s Thanksgiving holiday.
Kathy Smith and Sunday Hendrickson have been fast friends since Sunday arrived in Ojai, landing in a cottage just across the street from Kathy’s home. They instantly realized they shared many of the same loves-family, adorable pets, a sense of humor and, drum roll…interior design!
Kathy and her husband, Jim, have created a home where each room is filled with the quiet stories of those who came before them, strategically placing photos and family heirlooms throughout. Kathy loves to canvas yard sales and flea markets to add vintage finds to her home, complimenting the eclectic mix. She found a soulmate in her creative friend, Sunday. As a magazine art director and photo stylist, Sunday is known for her magical transformations of interiors and gardens for well-known designers, architects and their clients, including Coastal Living, Country Home, House Beautiful, and others.
It’s easy to imagine how excited they are to decorate this home together blending Kathy’s treasure trove with Sunday’s artistic vision –creating a magical Christmas Home!
Designed by Nereyda Seymore of Grit & Grace and Stefanie Coeler
Nereyda and Stefanie, both lifelong equestrians, met some 20 years ago when Stefanie became a customer at Nereyda’s Ventura Hay business, and have been friends since. They both share a passion for bringing cowgirl grit and grace to their homes, businesses and home decor.
Nereyda, with her husband, owns three thriving local stores – Ventura Hay, Pets and More, and Grit & Grace, a western apparel and home décor shop. One of her favorite pastimes is going all in decorating her stores for the holidays. Stefanie is a local artist and floral designer who finds joy in creativity and the natural world. She has volunteered as a design assistant for the Holiday Home Tour for years and is excited to step into the role of home designer this year. She also serves on the board of the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy.
With its rustic, natural finishes, furnishings, and décor, this home provided the perfect setting for Stefanie and Nereyda to design a Cowgirl Christmas with a touch of Farmhouse charm.
Kris, co-homeowner, and Lynn, local floral designer and artistic liaison for the Holiday Home Tour, recently met and instantly bonded as friends and co-designers for this year’s tour. “When I saw their home, I knew instantly—this wasn’t just a house, it’s a canvas, and the owners are the artists,” Lynn said. She was excited to weave some holiday magic into their unique palette.
Kris and her husband, Chris, love to curate local artworks during their global travels, with a focus on African art from Chris’s homeland which shapes the aesthetic for their home. Both avid gardeners, they can often be found tending to and arranging florals from their beautiful gardens. Kris is also a board member of the Ojai Valley Garden Club. Blending the homeowners’ global eye for art with Lynn’s timeless holiday sensibilities. The designers have crafted a Christmas that dances between cultures—where the warmth of African artistry meets the charm of traditional holiday fare, creating a home that feels both worldly and wonderfully festive
Casa del Sol is a stunning example of Marc Whitman’s classic architectural design, featuring hand-cut beams, hardwood floors, and distinctive Southwest-inspired details. The thoughtful remodeled interiors seamlessly blend new elements with the home’s original character, which also boasts a curated collection of artwork. The estate spans four acres offering a private vineyard, guest house, and beautiful gardens.
Design Team: Lila Glasoe Francese of Ohi Home and Carolyn Bennett of CDB Design
Heritage Home
Travel back in time in this lovingly restored Craftsman that captures the spirit of vintage Ojai. Curated furnishings, repurposed pieces, and nostalgic touches—from a classic car to a landmark train set—tell rich stories of the past, blending history, creativity, and charm into every corner of this timeless home.
Design Team: Sunday Hendrickson and Kathy Smith
Holiday Hearth
This inviting Craftsman-style home blends warmth and connection. Personal touches and lush landscaping create a relaxed vibe, while the outdoor kitchen and manicured yard extend living space. Inside, cozy family-focused décor and guest-friendly rooms make it perfect for gathering, entertaining, and feeling instantly at home.
Design Team: Nereyda Seymore of Grit & Grace and Stefanie Coeler
Wanderer’s Retreat
This enchanting residence begins with a vibrant wild garden and a living gallery of native plants. Inside, sunlight fills soaring spaces adorned with personal family and South African art. A wrought-iron staircase leads to welcoming bedrooms with boldly wallpapered bathrooms. Outside, a chef-worthy kitchen invites daily culinary adventures in a space made for living.
TEDDY ABRAMS NAMED ARTISTIC AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OJAI MUSIC FESTIVALEFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 2026
ARA GUZELIMIAN CONTINUES AS ARTISTIC AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THROUGH THE 2026 FESTIVAL WITH MUSIC DIRECTOR ESA-PEKKA SALONEN
(Ojai, CA – September 10, 2025) – Ojai Music Festival Board Chairman Jerry Eberhardt announced today the appointment of conductor/composer/pianist Teddy Abrams as Ojai’s next Artistic and Executive Director effective September 1, 2026, with his first Festival being the 81st Festival in June 2027. He will join the ranks of such distinguished predecessors as Ara Guzelimian, who concludes his tenure with the 2026 Festival, Thomas W. Morris, Ernest Fleischmann, and Lawrence Morton. Mr. Abrams’ collaboration with the Ojai Music Festival will be concurrent with his post as Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra.
“Teddy Abrams is one of today’s most striking ambassadors for the impact the arts can have on building community. His artistic sensibilities, collegial spirit, and boundless energy position him as the ideal leader for the Ojai Music Festival as it enters its eighth decade,” said Mr. Eberhardt. “My Board colleagues and I have complete confidence that Teddy will build on the Festival’s momentum and will continue to meet the expectations of our celebrated, supremely adventurous audiences and to provide the platform for our growing family of the world’s most inventive artists to experiment and grow. With the resounding success of Teddy’s work to increase access and build community through music, we know he will help advance the Festival’s commitment to reach across generations and to engage with the very heart of the Ojai community and throughout the region. As we anticipate the 80th anniversary of this glorious Festival, we feel boundless gratitude for Ara Guzelimian’s generous, steady leadership, and we welcome Teddy as we look toward the future.”
Teddy Abrams said, “The Ojai Music Festival is one of the brightest lights in the music world today. The Festival has always seemed like a magical and mythical beacon for me – this was where my mentor, Michael Tilson Thomas conducted in his early career (in addition to his own mentor, Ingolf Dahl); it is where Copland and Stravinsky shared their work, and it is the place that has brought to life the dreams of many of the greatest musicians of the past 80 years. The Ojai Music Festival represents creativity, adventure, and daring, all of which are the hardwired values of the Festival and its exceptionally loyal audiences; these are my deepest values too.”
“It is an overwhelming honor to join the Ojai family as Artistic and Executive Director. I believe the Festival has consistently offered the world a glimpse into the future of music, and the Festival’s programming provides music lovers an opportunity to experience what is possible when creative inspiration is met with an affirmation. So much of this is due to the brilliance of Ojai’s many extraordinary leaders, including this most recent period of growth and success with Ara at the helm. I can’t wait to continue Ojai’s legacy of dreaming big, challenging the music world to think differently, and presenting art that brings the world to Ojai and Ojai to the world,” continued Mr. Abrams.
Ara Guzelimian commented, “This was a deeply considered decision by Ojai’s wonderful Board, led by a most experienced and knowledgeable succession committee. I greatly admire what Teddy has achieved at the Louisville Orchestra and look forward to seeing and to hearing all that he will bring to this new role. I will do all I can to assure a seamless transition and wish Teddy and this singular Festival every success in the years to come.”
Now in his twelfth season as Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra, Teddy Abrams has been the galvanizing force behind the ensemble’s extraordinary artistic renewal and innovative social impact. Among his manifold achievements with the Orchestra are the Creators Corps, a trailblazing initiative that provides a fully funded residency for three composers who receive local housing, a salary, health benefits, and dedicated workspaces, the In Harmony tour, a multi-season, grand-scale community-building project funded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky that takes the Louisville Orchestra to urban and rural areas across the state, and recordings including a Grammy-Award winning album for Deutsche Grammophon featuring his own piano concerto written for Yuja Wang, one of nine works he has written for the orchestra. He was chosen as Musical America’s 2022 Conductor of the Year, and his work has been profiled by CBS Sunday Morning, PBSNewsHour, NPR, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and TheNew York Times,which hails him as a “maestro of the people” who “has embedded himself in his community, breaking the mold of modern conductors.”
Mr. Abrams is a passionate advocate for the music of today, having commissioned and/or premiered works by over 40 composers including, Caroline Shaw, Gabriel Kahane, Mason Bates, Christopher Cerrone, Andrew Norman, Angélica Negrón, Timo Andres, Julia Wolfe, Valerie Coleman, Michael Gordon, Lera Auerbach, Chris Thile, Tyshawn Sorey, and Joel Thompson. A cornerstone of his work in Kentucky is the Louisville Orchestra’s Creators Corps, which has welcomed 11 composers into the program thus far, resulting in more than 30 new works by composers Alex Berko, Lisa Bielawa, TJ Cole, Baldwin Giang, Anthony R. Green, Brittany Green, Oswald Huỳnh, Chelsea Komschlies, Kiru Okoye, Tanner Porter, and Tyler Taylor. Recognized for his commitment to making music accessible and to deepening community connections, he currently serves as the Aspen Institute Arts Program’s Harman/Eisner Artist in Residence, a platform which invites Mr. Abrams to lend his perspective in addressing major social and civic issues.
In May 2025, Mr. Guzelimian announced his intention to step away from Ojai, which allowed for an extensive national search for his successor. Prior to this most recent six-year collaboration with the Festival (2020 – 2026), with Music Directors John Adams, AMOC (American Modern Opera Company), Rhiannon Giddens, Mitsuko Uchida, Claire Chase, and Esa-Pekka Salonen, he was Ojai’s Artistic Director from 1992 to 1997, working closely with Music Directors Pierre Boulez, John Adams, Kent Nagano, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Emanuel Ax. All told, Mr. Guzelimian will have shaped Ojai’s artistic direction for 12 years when he concludes his tenure from the Festival following the 80th Festival in June 2026.
The Ojai Music Festival and Ara Guzelimian will share details for the upcoming 2026 Festival (June 11-14, 2026) with Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen in the fall of 2025. Teddy Abrams The winner of a Grammy Award and Musical America’s 2022 Conductor of the Year, Teddy Abrams has been the galvanizing force behind the Louisville Orchestra’s extraordinary artistic renewal and innovative social impact since his appointment as Music Director in September 2014. His Kentucky achievements include acclaimed programs such as the Louisville Orchestra Creators Corps and the In Harmony Tour, and adventurous collaborations with artists including Jim James, Jack Harlow, Storm Large, and Jecorey “1200” Arthur, with whom Mr. Abrams founded the Louisville Orchestra Rap School. He collaborates regularly in Louisville and elsewhere with the leading artists of our time including Yo-Yo Ma, Yuja Wang, and Chris Thile.
Mr. Abrams’ guest conducting activities take him across the country, with regular appearances with the Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Cincinnati, National, Houston, Indianapolis, Milwaukee Symphonies, the Buffalo and Los Angeles Philharmonics; the Minnesota Orchestra; and at the Ravinia and Aspen Music Festivals. He was Music Director and Conductor of the Britt Festival Orchestra from 2013 to 2023. In Europe, he has conducted the Helsinki and Luxembourg Philharmonics and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He makes debuts with the Atlanta Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Ottawa’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, and London’s BBC Symphony Orchestra in the 2025-26 season.
Teddy Abrams is an award-winning composer, whose recent compositions for the Louisville Orchestra include a piano concerto for Yuja Wang, which they recorded for Deutsche Grammophon’s The American Project, winning the pianist and himself a Grammy Award; Mammoth, premiered with Yo-Yo Ma and Davóne Tines at Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave National Park; and his rap opera, The Greatest: Muhammad Ali. His recording of his piano collection Preludes was released on New Amsterdam Records in 2025. He is now at work on a Broadway musical, ALI, and an orchestral history of the state of Kentucky. For additional bio information, visit OjaiFestival.org/Teddy-Abrams-Bio.
Ojai Music Festival The Ojai Music Festival represents an ideal of adventurous, open-minded, and openhearted programming in the most beautiful and welcoming settings, with audiences and artists to match its aspirations. Now in its 80th year, the Festival remains a creative laboratory for thought-provoking musical experiences, bringing together innovative artists and curious audiences in an intimate, idyllic outdoor setting. Each Festival’s narrative is guided by a different Music Director, whose distinctive perspectives shape programming — ensuring energized festivals year after year.
Throughout each year, the Ojai Music Festival contributes to Southern California’s cultural landscape with in-person and online programming as well as robust educational offerings that serve thousands of public-school students and seniors. The organization’s apex is the world-renowned Festival, which takes place over four days in Ojai, a breathtaking valley 75 miles from Los Angeles, which is a perennial platform for the fresh and unexpected. During the immersive experience, a mingling of the most curious take part in concerts, symposia, free community events, and social gatherings. The intimate Festival weekend, considered a highlight of the international summer music season, welcomes up to 5,000 patrons and reaches exponentially more audiences worldwide through streaming and broadcasts of concerts and discussions throughout the year.
Since its founding in 1947, the Ojai Music Festival has presented expansive programming in unusual ways with an eclectic mix of new and rarely performed music, as well as refreshing juxtapositions of musical styles. Through its signature structure of the Artistic Director appointing a different Music Director each year, Ojai has presented a “who’s who” of music including Mitsuko Uchida, Rhiannon Giddens, AMOC (American Modern Opera Company), Vijay Iyer, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, and Barbara Hannigan in recent years; throughout its history, featured artists have included Aaron Copland, Igor Stravinsky, Michael Tilson Thomas, Kent Nagano, Pierre Boulez, John Adams, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Robert Spano, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, David Robertson, Eighth Blackbird, George Benjamin, Dawn Upshaw, Leif Ove Andsnes, Mark Morris, Jeremy Denk, Steven Schick, Matthias Pintscher, and Peter Sellars.
80th Festival: June 11 – 14, 2026 Composer/Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen returns to the Ojai Music Festival to serve as Music Director for the 80th Festival, June 11 to 14, 2026. Joining him as featured artists will be clarinetist Anthony McGill, Attacca Quartet, the Colburn Orchestra, and LA Phil New Music Group. Esa-Pekka Salonen is one of the most inventive, adventurous thinkers of 21st-century musical life. The unique format of the Ojai Music Festival will give him an unusually free creative hand as both composer and conductor.
Grammy Award-winning conductor-composer Teddy Abrams is set to embark on his twelfth season as Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra (LO), where he has been the galvanizing force behind the ensemble’s extraordinary artistic renewal and innovative social impact. He was chosen as Musical America’s 2022 Conductor of the Year, and his work has been profiled by CBS Sunday Morning, PBS NewsHour, NPR, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times, which hails him as a “maestro of the people” who “has embedded himself in his community, breaking the mold of modern conductors.”
Beyond Louisville, Abrams has conducted the Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Houston, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Vancouver, and Phoenix Symphonies; the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra; the Buffalo and Los Angeles Philharmonics; Carnegie Hall’s NYO2; and the Minnesota, Florida, and Sarasota Orchestras, all in North America, as well as the Helsinki and Luxembourg Philharmonics and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in Europe. He returns to the Minnesota Orchestra and makes debuts with the Atlanta Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Ottawa’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, and London’s BBC Symphony Orchestra in the 2025-26 season.
As Musical America observes, “Abrams has put Louisville firmly on the musical map.” Among his manifold achievements in Kentucky are the Louisville Orchestra Creators Corps, a trailblazing initiative that provides a fully funded residency for three composers who receive local housing, a salary, health benefits, and dedicated workspaces, and the In Harmony Tour, a multi-season, grand-scale community-building project funded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Taking the orchestra to all corners of the state for concerts and special community events, this statewide tour has featured performances with Grammy winners Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, violinist Tessa Lark, and mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile. Highlights of the coming season include the world premiere of Lisa Bielawa’s Violin Concerto, a new LO commission; an all-Hungarian program showcasing Yuja Wangin Ligeti’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra; a gala concert featuring Itzhak Perlman; new music from the Creators Corps’ fourth season; the continuation of the In Harmony Tour; and performances of Mahler’s epic Ninth Symphony.
Abrams is a prolific and award-winning composer, whose music embraces influences from across the stylistic spectrum. He has written numerous works for the Louisville Orchestra, including Mammoth, premiered with Yo-Yo Ma and Davóne Tines at Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave National Park; Unified Field, a ballet presented with the Louisville Ballet; a fanfare for the then-Prince Charles, to commemorate the future king’s visit to Louisville; and a piano concerto for Yuja Wang, which they recorded for The American Project, the Deutsche Grammophon album that won the pianist and himself a Grammy Award. Other recordings of Abrams’s music include his own interpretation of Preludes, his piano collection inspired by Bartók’s Mikrokosmos, which was released by New Amsterdam Records in 2025. Abrams is currently working on an orchestral representation of Kentucky’s history and culture as part of his Emerson Collective Fellowship, which recognizes his contributions to building local community through music. Intended for performance by the LO, the new work draws on the community sessions he holds across the state, for music-making, storytelling, and sharing local history with fellow Kentuckians. He is also at work on ALI, a new Broadway musical about boxing legend and activist Muhammad Ali. Abrams first began exploring Ali’s life and legacy in 2016, and the LO premiered his rap opera, The Greatest: Muhammad Ali, the following year. The all-star cast featured Rhiannon Giddens, Jubilant Sykes, and activist-musician Jecorey “1200” Arthur, now one of Louisville’s Metro councilmen, with whom Abrams went on to found the Louisville Orchestra Rap School.
The rap opera is just one of the adventurous collaborations Abrams has initiated with prominent Louisville locals. He and the LO recently joined Jack Harlow for back-to-back performances of the Billboard Music Award-winning rapper’s greatest hits. With Jim James, the vocalist and guitarist for My Morning Jacket, Abrams composed the song cycle The Order of Nature, which they premiered with the LO, reprised with the National Symphony Orchestra at Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center, and recorded for Decca Gold. Similarly, with singer-songwriter Storm Large, Abrams and the LO recorded All In, a celebration of American music by Cole Porter, Aaron Copland, and Abrams and Large themselves, also for release on Decca Gold.
In a new, season-long role as the Aspen Institute Arts Program’s 2025-26 Harman/Eisner Artist-in-Residence, Abrams will offer his artistic vision to policy programs, events, leadership activities, and more in Aspen, New York, Washington D.C., and elsewhere. In summer 2023, he concluded his decade-long tenure as Music Director and Conductor of Oregon’s Britt Festival Orchestra. As well as helming its annual three-week festival of concerts, he led the orchestra on tour in the Pacific Northwest with new works including Pulitzer Prize-winner Caroline Shaw’s experiential Brush, written for their summer 2021 performances on the Jacksonville Woodlands Trail system; and Michael Gordon’s Natural History. Their world premiere performance of Gordon’s work, presented in partnership with the National Park Service at the edge of Crater Lake National Park, was the subject of the PBS documentary Symphony for Nature. Abrams previously served as Assistant Conductor of the Detroit Symphony (2012–14), as Resident Conductor of Hungary’s MAV Symphony Orchestra (2011–12), and as Conducting Fellow and Assistant Conductor of Miami’s New World Symphony (2008–11).
Enjoy this gallery from both weeks of the 2025 BRAVO Art & Music Camp, just one of the many BRAVO Education & Community Programs that serve children and adults throughout the Ojai Valley.
Photos by Eric Andersenfrom the August session of Camp
Photos by Rosanne Forgettefrom the July session of Camp
Jamie Bennett at last year’s 2024 Festival. Photo credit: Timothy Teague
Dear Ojai Festival friends,
We began the summer with the sad news of the passing of Jamie Bennett, a key figure in the Festival’s recent history as both a Board member and, for five years, our President and CEO. Jamie was a treasured friend to many in our extended Festival community in both Los Angeles and Ojai, bringing the same immediacy and warmth to all, whether they were of long-standing history or recent acquaintance.
Jamie brought a wealth of professional expertise from his many years in media and non-profit management, working for organizations such as the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), Disney, and CBS where his time included a term as General Manager of KCBS-TV. Jamie came to the Festival first as a Board member and then took a staff leadership role as President and CEO from 2015 until 2020, helping to navigate the complicated early days of the pandemic and that year’s online Festival. Happily, for all of us, he returned to the Board after his work as CEO and remained deeply engaged in all dimensions of the Festival’s progress. He remained active until his last days, making calls, and sending helpful notes to the end.
I first met Jamie at the beginning of my return as Artistic and Executive Director in 2020. He was extremely helpful in providing grounding and much information to get me started. He was also an extraordinary ambassador to the Festival with his natural knack for putting people together. I have numerous rewarding recent friendships that began with Jamie saying, “You should meet this person, I think you would like them.” He was right in each case. His devotion to community in both his home cities of Los Angeles and Ojai led to his generous involvement in many worthy civic organizations and causes. We will miss him.
Claire Chase and Pan participants at the opening night concert. Photo Credit: Timothy Teague 2025
Savoring the Festival
I have been traveling extensively for both professional and personal reasons in the weeks following the Festival, which has given me the time, distance, and perspective to reflect on our wonderful time together in June. There are so many memories and experiences that remain in such sharp focus. We can relive the Libbey Bowl concerts by way of our treasure-trove archive of livestreams on demand:
Patrons walking in the Ojai Meadows Preserve. Photo Credit: Timothy Teague 2025
One of my favorite newer Festival traditions is that of our free Morning Meditations, which this year took place in the atmospheric Chaparral Auditorium as well as most memorably at the Ojai Meadows Preserve in an extremely happy and fruitful collaboration with the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy. My OVLC colleagues and I watched with delight as several hundred people streamed into the grove of trees with mountain panoramas as backdrop.
Joshua Rubin playing with composer Tania León listening behind him. Photo Credit: Timothy Teague 2025
The morning began with Susie Ibarra’s Sunbird, originally a multi-tracked solo flute piece for Claire Chase, here specially arranged for the occasion for four players – Claire, Joshua Rubin, Michael Matsuno, and M.A. Tiesenga.
Although the complex logistics prevent livestreams of these early morning concerts, we can find some of the works on recordings by the same artists. Here is the original flute version of Sunbird for us to savor:
The next day, the Sunday morning meditation at Chaparral ended in a mesmerizing way with Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s Sola, played by violist Leilehua Lanzilotti. Happily, Leilehua’s studio recording of the work allows all of us to hear it.
We will continue to revisit some special moments of this past June throughout the summer even as we focus work on planning the 2026 Festival with Esa-Pekka Salonen, which will be our 80th Anniversary. Because of the June timing of the Festival, our fiscal year ends on August 31. Like so many of our colleagues in arts organizations, we are facing significant financial challenges with reductions or even elimination of arts funding in our ever-changing national landscape. We hugely thank our devoted supporters and ask those have not yet done so to consider making a gift prior to August 31 to help us close out what has been a most rewarding year artistically. We need all of you!
HHTM is sold out for 2025. Thank you for the support, and we look forward to seeing you next year!
The Ojai Holiday Home Tour & Market (HHTM) is a beloved seasonal celebration that blends festive charm with local creativity. Tour four beautifully decorated Ojai homes, each offering a unique take on holiday style, then head to Libbey Park** for the open-air Holiday Market—featuring handmade goods, artisan gifts, and treats from local makers, just in time for the holidays. Going on its 30th year, the HHTM serves as the Ojai Festival Women’s Committee‘s greatest annual fundraiser, which benefits the Ojai Music Festival and its BRAVO Education and Community Programs.
**WEATHER UPDATE**
Unfortunately, due to the extreme weather conditions in Ojai and the surrounding areas, we have decided to cance l Saturday’s Holiday Home Tour. We are still planning to be open on Sunday.Sadly, the Holiday Market is also canceled. We share in your disappointment. In the interest of preventing damage to the homes and keeping all guests on the tours safe, the HHTM committee and Festival staff have decided that a cancellation is what is best.
As we continue to monitor the rain and road conditions closely, it looks like tomorrow’s conditions will be an improvement, and we are full steam ahead. In the interest of giving you the most tour time possible, we have decided to add an extra hour to Sunday’s tours, now running from 10AM-5PM.
WILL CALL will consequently now be from 10AM-4PM Sunday, as well as today until 4PM. Find us at the Ojai Festival Office, located at 201 S Signal St, Ojai, CA 93023. Look for red “Will Call” signs, and enter through the door on Topa Topa Street. Street parking will be available.
Holiday Home Tour & Market is a major fundraiser for the Ojai Music Festival and its free BRAVO Education and Community Programs in local public schools, and we thank you for your support!
As per our ticket policy, in the event of cancellation, your ticket will be converted to a tax-deductible donation. Tickets to the Holiday Home Tour are not refundable. If you are unable to attend due to Saturday’s cancellation, please call our ticket return hotline at (805) 646–2192 to receive a tax letter.
Running concurrently with the Market, the Home Tour invites guests to visit four stunning homes that showcase the beauty of the Ojai Valley with a unique approach to celebrating the Holidays. Local musicians will be found performing at each home to add to the ambiance and charm.
Hours 10AM – 4PM
Location Exact locations, directions, and shuttle information (if applicable) will be shared with ticket buyers prior to the tour.
Tickets Advance tickets are $45, and go on sale in the fall of 2025. Tours are for ages 12 and up.
This open-air market features a curated selection of local artisans, makers, and small businesses offering handmade goods, specialty foods, art, gifts, and more. Moments of live music punctuate the day. Stop by between house tours and get your gift shopping done early!
Hours 10AM – 4:30PM
Location The new cozy indoor location is to be announced! Check back on this page to learn where to find us this weekend.
Tickets There are no tickets or reservations required for the Holiday Market! All ages are welcome. Open to the public.
The Ojai Festival Women’s Committee (OFWC) invites you to keep the Holiday Home Tour & Market a part of your annual holiday tradition by becoming a sponsor or a volunteer.
As one of the largest financial supporters of the Ojai Music Festival and its BRAVO Education and Community Programs, the OFWC is proud of its essential role in our community’s future through this annual staple.
Thank you for joining us at our 79th Festival, June 5-8, 2025, with Music Director Claire Chase. It was a glorious time to be in our communal festival experience to share music, conversation, and listening.
Take a look at excerpts from the press.
Like many of the pieces at Ojai this year, “Sky Islands” was an unpredictable, amorphous, kaleidoscopic soundscape, its structure intentionally loose and good-natured
You can’t escape nature in Ojai. That meant that flutist Claire Chase, this year’s Ojai Music Festival music director who is often called a force of nature, fit right in.
Presented by the Ojai Music FestivalWomen’s Committee November 15 & 16, 2025 | Libbey Park, Downtown Ojai
About the Event:
Join us for a festive weekend of art, music, and community at the annual Ojai Holiday Market! Held in Libbey Park, this open-air event features a curated selection of local artisans, makers, and small businesses offering handmade goods, specialty foods, gifts, and more — just in time for the holiday season.
The Holiday Market is the companion event to the Ojai Holiday Home Tour. Running concurrently with the Market, the Home Tour invites guests to visit four stunning homes that showcase the beauty of the Ojai Valley with a unique approach to celebrating the Holidays.
Whether you’re a returning vendor or new to our market, we’d love to have you be part of this festive weekend that brings together shoppers and supports a great cause!
Shoppers at the 2023 Holiday Marketplace
Vendor Details:
Dates: Saturday & Sunday, November 15–16, 2025
Location: Libbey Park, Ojai, CA
Hours: 10:00am – 5:00pm daily
Booth Fees: Range from $275–$450 for the full two-day event
Why Participate? Proceeds from the Market support the Ojai Music Festival’s BRAVO education and community programs, which provide free music education to students across the Ojai Valley, as well as other free programs that serve our broader community throughout the year.
Sign up now:
We are delighted to announce that we have filled every spot in the park for this year’s Market. There’s always a chance more spots will become available, so join the waitlist at the link below!
2025OjaiMusicFestival THU 6-5-25 8pm_musicians Steven Schick-percussion, Wu Wei-sheng, Susie Ibarra-percussion perform bayou-borne by Annea Lockwood_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_8844)
2025OjaiMusicFestival THU 6-5-25 8pm_music director Claire Chase performs Pan by Marcos Balter_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_7447)
2025OjaiMusicFestival THU 6-5-25 8pm_music director Claire Chase performs Pan by Marcos Balter_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_7482)
2025OjaiMusicFestival THU 6-5-25 8pm_music director Claire Chase performs Pan by Marcos Balter_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9008)
2025OjaiMusicFestival THU 6-5-25 8pm_music director Claire Chase performs Pan by Marcos Balter_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9181)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 1030am_musicians Alex Peh-Cory Smythe-Craig Taborn keyboards perform Pulsing Lifters (World premiere of trio arrangement) by Terry RILEY (arr. Alex PEH) _credit Timothy Teague (DSC_7677)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 1030am_Cory Smythe piano performs Countdowns by John COLTRANE-Cory SMYTHE_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9223)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 1030am_musicians Craig Taborn and Cory Smythe piano perform a Duo Improvisation for Ojai_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_7759)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 8pm_USC Cello Ensemble with conductor Steven Schick perform Mirage-The Dancing Sun by Sofia Gubaidulina_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9602)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 8pm_USC Cello Ensemble with conductor Steven Schick perform Mirage-The Dancing Sun by Sofia Gubaidulina_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9612)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 8pm_USC Cello Ensemble with conductor Steven Schick perform Mirage-The Dancing Sun by Sofia Gubaidulina_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9627)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 330pm_music director Claire Chase performs Sex Magic (West Coast Premiere) by Liza Lim_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_7856)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 330pm_music director Claire Chase performs Sex Magic (West Coast Premiere) by Liza Lim_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_7798)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SAT 6-7-25 800am_SUSIE IBARRA performs Kolubrí by SUSIE IBARRA arr. ALEKS PILMANIS_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9947)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SAT 6-7-25 800am_SUSIE IBARRA performs Kolubrí by SUSIE IBARRA arr. ALEKS PILMANIS_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9945)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SAT 6-7-25 800pm_Jack Quartet, Kathryn Schulmeister double bass and Alex Peh harpsichord perform Meditation on the Bach chorale Vor deinen Thron, BWV 668 by SOFIA GUBAIDULINA_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_8372)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SAT 6-7-25 800pm_Steven Schick conducts How Forests Think by Liza Lim_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_8540)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SAT 6-7-25 800pm_Wu Wei sheng with Steven Schick conductor accept applause after performing How Forests Think by Liza Lim_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_0461)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 1030am_Alex Peh (piano), music director Claire Chase (flute), Susie Ibarra and Levy Lorenzo (percussion) and JACK Quartet perform Sky Islands by Susie Ibarra_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_0634)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 1030am_Alex Peh (piano) performs Rituál by TANIA LEÓN_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_8675)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 1030am_Susie Ibarra (percussion) performs Sky Islands by Susie Ibarra_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_8724)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 1030am_Wu Wei (sheng) perform Nest Box by Susie Ibarra_Susie Ibarra (percussion) can be seen in the background_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_8650)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 530pm_Alex Peh (piano) and Steven Schick (percussion) perform The Witness by Pauline Oliveros_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_8992)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 530pm_music director Claire Chase (flute) and Wu Wei (sheng) along with other Festival artists perform Pulsefield by Terry Riley_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_9095)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 530pm_Susie Ibarra and Steven Schick (percussion) perform Pulsefield by Terry Riley_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_1000)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 530pm_music director Claire Chase with other Festival artists following the performance of Pulsefield by Terry Riley_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_9197)
2025OjaiMusicFestival THU 6-5-25 8pm_musicians Steven Schick-percussion, Wu Wei-sheng, Susie Ibarra-percussion perform bayou-borne by Annea Lockwood_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_8844)
2025OjaiMusicFestival THU 6-5-25 8pm_music director Claire Chase performs Pan by Marcos Balter_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_7447)
2025OjaiMusicFestival THU 6-5-25 8pm_music director Claire Chase performs Pan by Marcos Balter_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_7482)
2025OjaiMusicFestival THU 6-5-25 8pm_music director Claire Chase performs Pan by Marcos Balter_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9008)
2025OjaiMusicFestival THU 6-5-25 8pm_music director Claire Chase performs Pan by Marcos Balter_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9181)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 1030am_musicians Alex Peh-Cory Smythe-Craig Taborn keyboards perform Pulsing Lifters (World premiere of trio arrangement) by Terry RILEY (arr. Alex PEH) _credit Timothy Teague (DSC_7677)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 1030am_Cory Smythe piano performs Countdowns by John COLTRANE-Cory SMYTHE_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9223)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 1030am_musicians Craig Taborn and Cory Smythe piano perform a Duo Improvisation for Ojai_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_7759)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 8pm_USC Cello Ensemble with conductor Steven Schick perform Mirage-The Dancing Sun by Sofia Gubaidulina_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9602)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 8pm_USC Cello Ensemble with conductor Steven Schick perform Mirage-The Dancing Sun by Sofia Gubaidulina_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9612)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 8pm_USC Cello Ensemble with conductor Steven Schick perform Mirage-The Dancing Sun by Sofia Gubaidulina_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9627)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 330pm_music director Claire Chase performs Sex Magic (West Coast Premiere) by Liza Lim_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_7856)
2025OjaiMusicFestival FRI 6-6-25 330pm_music director Claire Chase performs Sex Magic (West Coast Premiere) by Liza Lim_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_7798)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SAT 6-7-25 800am_SUSIE IBARRA performs Kolubrí by SUSIE IBARRA arr. ALEKS PILMANIS_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9947)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SAT 6-7-25 800am_SUSIE IBARRA performs Kolubrí by SUSIE IBARRA arr. ALEKS PILMANIS_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_9945)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SAT 6-7-25 800pm_Jack Quartet, Kathryn Schulmeister double bass and Alex Peh harpsichord perform Meditation on the Bach chorale Vor deinen Thron, BWV 668 by SOFIA GUBAIDULINA_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_8372)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SAT 6-7-25 800pm_Steven Schick conducts How Forests Think by Liza Lim_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_8540)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SAT 6-7-25 800pm_Wu Wei sheng with Steven Schick conductor accept applause after performing How Forests Think by Liza Lim_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_0461)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 1030am_Alex Peh (piano), music director Claire Chase (flute), Susie Ibarra and Levy Lorenzo (percussion) and JACK Quartet perform Sky Islands by Susie Ibarra_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_0634)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 1030am_Alex Peh (piano) performs Rituál by TANIA LEÓN_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_8675)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 1030am_Susie Ibarra (percussion) performs Sky Islands by Susie Ibarra_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_8724)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 1030am_Wu Wei (sheng) perform Nest Box by Susie Ibarra_Susie Ibarra (percussion) can be seen in the background_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_8650)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 530pm_Alex Peh (piano) and Steven Schick (percussion) perform The Witness by Pauline Oliveros_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_8992)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 530pm_music director Claire Chase (flute) and Wu Wei (sheng) along with other Festival artists perform Pulsefield by Terry Riley_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_9095)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 530pm_Susie Ibarra and Steven Schick (percussion) perform Pulsefield by Terry Riley_credit Timothy Teague (TOT_1000)
2025OjaiMusicFestival SUN 6-8-25 530pm_music director Claire Chase with other Festival artists following the performance of Pulsefield by Terry Riley_credit Timothy Teague (DSC_9197)
Agave Maria’s Restaurant and Cantina 
Bonnie Lu’s Country Cafe
Farmer and the Cook
Feast Bistro
Los Caporales Restaurant
NoSo Vita
Ojai Beverage Company
Ojai Cafe Emporium
Ojai Coffee Roasting Co.
Osteria Monte Grappa
Rainbow Bridge
Suzanne’s Cuisine
The Ojai Vineyard 
The Ranch House
OJAI VALLEY INN & SPA | 805 646 1111
BLUE IGUANA INN | 805 646 5277
CASA OJAI | 800 255 8175
EMERALD IGUANA INN | 805 646 5277
OAKRIDGE INN | 805 649 4018
THE OAKS AT OJAI | 805 753 OAKS (6257)
SU NIDO INN | 866 646 7080
CROWNE PLAZA (Ventura) | 800 842 0800
