You’re invited to meet violinist Geneva Lewis in performance and in conversation with Artistic and Executive Director Ara Guzelimian. They’ll chat about her artistic journey, her 2026 Festival debut performing a U.S. premiere by Esa-Pekka Salonen, and preview the Festival. A post-event reception on
The event is free, but space is limited. RSVP to ensure your attendance.
New Zealand-born violinist Geneva Lewis has forged a reputation as a musician of consummate artistry whose performances speak from and to the heart. Lauded for “remarkable mastery of her instrument” (CVNC) and hailed as “clearly one to watch” (Musical America).
Deeply passionate about chamber music, Geneva has had the pleasure of collaborating with prominent musicians such as Jonathan Biss, Glenn Dicterow, Miriam Fried, Kim Kashkashian, Gidon Kremer, András Schiff, and Mitsuko Uchida. Geneva has performed in venues and festivals such as London’s Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Marlboro Music Festival, Kronberg Festival, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Ravinia and Chamberfest Cleveland.
John Bauer first dreamed of the Festival and shared with a small group of Ojai patrons in 1947—it was to be a place for experimentation and artistic freedom. Fast forward to now, and the Ojai Festival remains an open welcoming space for today and tomorrow’s gifted musicians, composers, and musical thinkers in the company of an equally open-minded audience. We’ve enjoyed collecting favorite moments and inspiring music as we celebrate yesterday and look forward to what’s next…
“Ojai is very different, of course. It’s really predicated upon the notion of a very intelligent, musically aware audience that is interested in hearing unusual works.”
– John Adams, Music Director (1984, 2021)
Program Archives
Dive into more Festival history through hand-selected notes from the eight decades by Lawrence Morton and other Festival writers.
“I also remember… the US premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s Six Japanese Gardens. Kaija’s musical rain drops… were echoed by real drops from the massive oaks surrounding the Libbey Bowl in an unusual and beautiful foggy night.”
– Steven Schick, Music Director (2015)
Memories & Moments
“That’s so Ojai” is something we hear often from artists and audiences. Take a look at some favorite stories and photos.
“There is a very special spirit of collaboration here, fostered in part by the gorgeous natural setting and also by the friendly engagement of everyone involved. ”
– Dawn Upshaw, Music Director (2001)
Festival patrons enjoying an outdoor concert at the old Libbey Bowl in Ojai, California
Since the Ojai Music Festival’s founding in 1947, volunteers have ensured the enduring success of the organization, from our renowned four-day Festival and our acclaimed BRAVO music education program.
Volunteer opportunities range from ushering, administrative office work, concessions to housing Festival artists and production team. The Festival is fortunate to have a large community of volunteers.
Besides receiving benefits to volunteer that include lawn tickets, a festival commemorative t-shirt and invitations to events, volunteers get to enjoy the camaraderie of working together and meeting interesting music enthusiasts like Jodine Hammerand!
JODINE HAMMERAND: A Return to Ojai and the Music Festival!
What brought you to Ojai? My family was living in Los Angeles when my parents took my siblings and I to Ojai for the week of Spring Break. We all fell in love with Ojai and our family moved here in 1972.
L-R: Wendy Gray and Jodine Hammerand at the Festival’s volunteer event in March, 2024
When did you start your involvement in the Music Festival? I started at Nordhoff High School as a freshman. It was probably my junior year when I started volunteering for the Ojai Music Festival as an usher. I will never forget watching a run-through with the LA Philharmonic that was being conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas!
When did you make your way back to Ojai? After retiring from Alaska Airlines, I ultimately chose to move back to Ojai right at the height of the pandemic. I was interested in volunteering again and finally was able to usher for the 2022 Ojai Music Festival, then again in 2023. It felt like a happy reunion!
What is a recent fond memory of the Festival? I am a lover of all music genres, especially the Blues. I really enjoyed Rhiannon Giddens being the music director in 2023 with her banjo playing. She also introduced the pipa and the kora, two great instruments rooted deep in history. ‘The roots of the present are deep in the past’ my high school history teacher used to always say! I attended the performance of Ghost Opera and enjoyed listening to the pipa with all the instruments. I ushered at the performance of Omar’s Journey and heard the kora played by Seckou Keita. I arrived before the concert as ushers do to prepare the Libbey Bowl. I was walking down the center aisle of seats when I saw Seckou practicing on stage. When he was finished, he looked my way, and I gave him a thumbs up indicating how beautiful he played. He smiled his big smile and that made me very happy, and I will never forget it.
I look forward to volunteering for the Ojai Music Festival. It is a joy every year, no matter the style of music. In addition, I enjoy every year when the staff and volunteers gather together before the Festival, to listen to Ara Guzelimian with his knowledge of the musicians. He is an asset as artistic and executive director.
Esa-Pekka Salonen is renowned as both a composer and conductor. He was recently named Creative Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, effective 2026–27, and Creativity and Innovation Chair of the Philharmonie de Paris and Principal Conductor of the Orchestre de Paris, effective 2027–28. He is the Conductor Laureate of the Philharmonia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and formerly served as Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony. He is a faculty member at Los Angeles’s Colburn School, where he founded and directs the Negaunee Conducting Program. Salonen co-founded, and until 2018 served as the Artistic Director of, the annual Baltic Sea Festival.
The Grammy Award-winning Attacca Quartet is recognized as one of today’s most versatile and forward-thinking ensembles. From classical masterworks to contemporary collaborations, they redefine what a string quartet can be. [Read more on Attacca Quartet’s Website]
COLBURN ORCHESTRA
Now in its 22nd season, the Colburn Orchestra is the flagship ensemble of the Colburn Conservatory of Music. Under the direction of Music Director Yehuda Gilad, the Colburn Orchestra performs across Southern California. Dedicated to serving the greater Los Angeles community, the Colburn Orchestra performs for schools in neighboring communities every year, giving five concerts in a one-week period to school children of all ages. [Learn more at Colburn’s Website]
L.A. DANCE PROJECT
L.A. Dance Project is a non-profit dance company under the Artistic Direction of Benjamin Millepied. Founded in 2012, they opened the doors to their studio and performance space in Los Angeles’ downtown arts district in 2017. Their mission is to explore the boundaries of movement, creativity, and expression. [Visit the L.A. Dance Project Website]
LA PHIL NEW MUSIC GROUP
The idea for a new music ensemble dedicated to introducing Los Angeles audiences to rising composers was a dream of Ernest Fleischmann’s. Since the first concert in 1981, the LA Phil New Music Group has performed works by some of the sharpest minds in composition. [Visit LA Phil’s Website]
JAY CAMPBELL, CELLO
Jay Campbell is a cellist actively exploring a wide range of creative music. He has been recognized for approaching both old and new music with the same curiosity and commitment, and his performances have been called “electrifying” by The New York Times and “gentle, poignant, and deeply moving” by the Washington Post. [Read more on Jay Campbell’s Website]
CONOR HANICK, PIANO
Pianist Conor Hanick is regarded as one of his generation’s most inquisitive interpreters of music new and old whose “technical refinement, color, crispness and wondrous variety of articulation benefit works by any master,” (The New York Times). [Read more on Conor Hanick’s Website]
JONATHAN HEPFER, PERCUSSION
Jonathan Hepfer is a percussionist, conductor, and concert curator. He began playing classical music at age seventeen after discovering the work of John Cage while studying at SUNY Buffalo. Subsequently, Jonathan attended Oberlin Conservatory, UC San Diego and the Musikhochschule Freiburg (on a DAAD fellowship) where he studied with Michael Rosen, Steven Schick and Bernhard Wulff. [Read more on Jonathan Hepfer’s Website]
LEILA JOSEFOWICZ, VIOLIN
Leila Josefowicz’s passionate advocacy of contemporary music for the violin is reflected in her diverse programs and enthusiasm for performing new works. A favorite of living composers, Josefowicz has premiered many concertos, including those by Colin Matthews, Luca Francesconi, John Adams, and Esa-Pekka Salonen, all written especially for her. [Read more on Leila Josefowicz’s Website]
GENEVA LEWIS, VIOLIN
New Zealand-born violinist Geneva Lewis has forged a reputation as a musician of consummate artistry whose performances speak from and to the heart. Lauded for “remarkable mastery of her instrument” (CVNC) and hailed as “clearly one to watch” (Musical America). [Read more on Geneva Lewis’ Website]
ROSE LOMBARDO, FLUTE
Rose Lombardo was appointed Principal Flute of the San Diego Symphony in 2011 at the age of 23. At the time, she was in her second year of graduate studies with Jim Walker at the Colburn School Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles and graduated with a Professional Studies Certificate. Previously, Ms. Lombardo earned a Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School where she studied with Jeffrey Khaner. [Read more on the San Diego Symphony Website]
ANTHONY MCGILL, CLARINET
Clarinetist Anthony McGill, praised for his “trademark brilliance, penetrating sound and rich character” (The New York Times), is one of classical music’s most recognizable and multifaceted figures. He serves as Principal Clarinet of the New York Philharmonic—the first African-American principal in the orchestra’s history—and enjoys a dynamic solo and chamber music career. [Read more on Anthony McGill’s Website]
TODD MOELLENBERG, PIANO
Todd Moellenberg is a pianist and multidisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles. Notable performances include the work of Julius Eastman and Pierre Boulez with Monday Evening Concerts, a solo recital as Emerging Artist with Piano Spheres, Ligeti’s Piano Concerto with the Palimpsest Ensemble, Grisey’s Vortex Temporum with the What’s Next? Ensemble, and as keyboardist in Charles Ives’ Symphony No. 4 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel. [Read more on the M.E.C. Website]
A focus on Esa-Pekka Salonen as a composer including the U.S. premiere of his new work for violin and cello and the first complete performance of his Six Preludes for piano, alongside music by his teachers Franco Donatoni, Niccolò Castiglioni, and Vinko Globokar, as well as by friends and colleagues Steven Stucky, Witold Lutosławski, Magnus Lindberg, Oliver Knussen, Kaija Saariaho, and John Adams, whose quartet Iron Jig will receive its world premiere
Additional featured works by Salonen include his Arabesques for Olly, Homunculus, kínēma, Lachen verlernt, and Fog; Salonen conducts the Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening concerts
The Ojai Festival acknowledges defining musical figures of Ojai’s first 80 years, including Igor Stravinsky and Olivier Messiaen, giants of 20th century music Luciano Berio, George Crumb, Morton Feldman, György Ligeti, Arnold Schoenberg, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Iannis Xenakis, featuring their music throughout the Festival alongside works by Shye Ben Tzur, Bryce Dessner, Reena Esmail, Brian Ferneyhough, Jonny Greenwood, Michael Ippolito, David Lang, Alvin Lucier, Jessie Montgomery, Radiohead, Rajasthan Express, Gabriella Smith, and Anna Thorvaldsdóttir
The 2026 Ojai Festival features the Southern California new music scene and Salonen’s close associations, including LA Phil New Music Group, Colburn Orchestra, and L.A. Dance Project, and welcomes Attacca Quartet; clarinetist Anthony McGill; violinists Leila Josefowicz and Geneva Lewis; cellist Jay Campbell; conductors Aleksandra Melaniuk and Mert Yalniz; pianists Conor Hanick, John Novacek, Todd Moellenberg, and Aron Kallay; vocalists Bridget Esler and Eric Finbarr Carey; flutist Rose Lombardo; percussionist Jonathan Hepfer; and accordionist Hanzhi Wang
“The tradition of the Ojai Music Festival is that there is no tradition other than that people can do things that they wouldn’t be able to do elsewhere. Ojai invites us to dream, and it’s a place where dreams can become reality.” – Esa-Pekka Salonen
(Ojai CA – March 24, 2026) – Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen and Artistic and Executive Director Ara Guzelimian announce programming and artistic collaborators for the 80th Ojai Music Festival, June 11 to 14, 2026. The upcoming Festival focuses on many dimensions of Salonen’s artistic life.
“Esa-Pekka Salonen is one of the most vibrant and adventurous creative forces in our musical world,” said Ara Guzelimian. “It has been an absolute joy to dream up programs together that focus on numerous personal dimensions—his work as composer and conductor, his rich associations with and remarkable history in Los Angeles, the formative influence of his teachers and the giant musical figures of 20th century music, his deep friendships with many peer composers, and his championing of a new generation of composers. Our work together dates back to his earliest days at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and it’s deeply meaningful to me that I conclude my own tenure at Ojai with such a happy reunion!”
Central to his musical life, the 2026 Ojai Music Festival will feature works by Salonen including the U.S. premiere of his new work for violin and cello with Geneva Lewis and Conor Hanick and the first complete performance of his Six Preludes for piano with Conor Hanick. Salonen’s works stand alongside those of his teachers Franco Donatoni, Niccolò Castiglioni, and Vinko Globokar, as well as those by friends and colleagues Steven Stucky, Witold Lutosławski, Magnus Lindberg, Oliver Knussen, Kaija Saariaho, and John Adams, whose Iron Jig will receive its world premiere by the Attacca Quartet. Additional featured works by Salonen will include his Arabesques for Olly, Homunculus, kínēma, Lachen verlernt, and Fog. Salonen will conduct three evening weekend concerts in Libbey Bowl.
The 2026 Festival will acknowledge defining musical figures of its first 80 years, including Igor Stravinsky and Olivier Messiaen, both of whom took part memorably in the Festival (Stravinsky in 1955 and 1956, Messiaen in 1985). Giants of 20th century music are featured throughout the Festival, including Luciano Berio, George Crumb, Morton Feldman, György Ligeti, Arnold Schoenberg, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Iannis Xenakis. Evening concerts at the Libbey Bowl will be anchored by Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time, Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), and the Festival will conclude with Stravinsky’s Pulcinella (complete ballet). Standing alongside these seminal figures of the last century will be works by composers of today including Shye Ben Tzur, Bryce Dessner, Reena Esmail, Brian Ferneyhough, Jonny Greenwood, Michael Ippolito, David Lang, Alvin Lucier, Jessie Montgomery, Radiohead, Rajasthan Express, Gabriella Smith, and Anna Thorvaldsdóttir.
The resident ensembles will celebrate Esa-Pekka Salonen’s longstanding ties to Los Angeles, including his transformative tenure as Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. At Ojai, he will be joined by members of the LA Phil New Music Group in a unique program tailored specifically for the Ojai Festival. The ensemble last played in Ojai in September 2021, where the program curated by that year’s Music Director John Adams included Salonen’s objet trouvés.
Salonen has long had a strong creative relationship with the Colburn School, where he serves as Head of Conducting and leads the Negaunee Conducting Program. The 2026 Ojai Festival will see Salonen lead the Colburn Orchestra in two concerts, marking the ensemble’s Ojai debut. Also making their first Ojai appearance is the L.A. Dance Project (Artistic Director Benjamin Millepied) in a premiere program of dances set to Luciano Berio’s Sequenzas. The Attacca Quartet will be returning to Ojai after acclaimed visits in 2021 at the invitation of John Adams, and in 2023, collaborating with that year’s Music Director Rhiannon Giddens. Passionate advocates of contemporary repertoire, the quartet comprises violinists Amy Schroeder, Domenic Salerni, violist Nathan Schram, and cellist Andrew Yee.
Celebrated 2026 Festival artists will include Anthony McGill, principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic, where he was soloist in that orchestra’s 2023 performance of Salonen’s concerto kínēmawith the composer conducting, a partnership that will be renewed at Ojai. Violinists Leila Josefowicz and Geneva Lewis (both former Colburn School students); cellist Jay Campbell; conductors Aleksandra Melaniuk and Mert Yalniz; pianists Conor Hanick, John Novacek, Todd Moellenberg, and Aron Kallay; soprano Bridget Esler; tenor Eric Finbarr Carey; flutist Rose Lombardo; percussionist Jonathan Hepfer; and accordionist Hanzhi Wang comprise the 2026 Festival’s family of artists.
The 2026 Festival also marks the conclusion of Artistic and Executive Director Ara Guzelimian’s defining tenure. His current tenure began with the virtual 74th Festival in June 2020 with Music Director Matthias Pintscher and continued in person in September 2021 with that year’s Music Director John Adams. That was followed by Music Directors AMOC* (American Modern Opera Company), Rhiannon Giddens, Mitsuko Uchida, and Claire Chase. Guzelimian had also served as Ojai’s Artistic Director from 1992 to 1997, working closely with Festival Music Directors Pierre Boulez, John Adams, Kent Nagano, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Emanuel Ax. Conductor/composer/pianist Teddy Abrams was named Ojai’s next Artistic and Executive Director effective September 1, 2026, with his first Festival to be the 81st Festival in June 2027. He will join the ranks of such distinguished predecessors as Guzelimian, Thomas W. Morris, Ernest Fleischmann, and Lawrence Morton.
COMMUNITY OFFERINGS An integral part of the immersive Ojai Festival experience are the free community events in Libbey Park and throughout Ojai. The 2026 schedule will include two “Morning Meditations.” On Saturday, June 13 at the Ojai Meadows Preserve, in a collaboration with the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, the free event will feature bird-inspired music by Franco Donatoni and Olivier Messiaen for solo winds featuring 2026 artists. On Sunday, June 14 at Chaparral Auditorium, the Morning Meditation with Geneva Lewis (violin) and Jay Campbell (cello) will feature music of Kajia Saariaho, Ravel, and others. The annual free family concert will be led by the Ojai Festival’s BRAVO music education program and will take place on Sunday following the Libbey Bowl morning concert.
OJAI FILMS The Ojai Music Festival will welcome the return of showcasing films during the weekend at the recently remodeled state-of-the-art Ojai Playhouse. The 2026 film series will feature three films curated by Esa-Pekka Salonen.
OJAI TALKS The 2026 Festival will begin with Ojai Talks on Thursday, June 11. The talks will be in two parts: first, a panel with featured artists moderated by Ojai on the Air with WQXR/New Sounds host John Schaefer followed by a conversation between Ara Guzelimian and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Additional on-site dialogue during the Festival will include Ojai Chats, the post-concert discussions at the Libbey Park Gazebo with Festival artists.
BEYOND OJAI: DIGITAL OFFERINGS The Ojai Music Festival lives beyond the flagship four-day festival in June, allowing further engagement with audiences worldwide. Free offerings include the Festival’s state-of-the-art live streaming and archived library of concerts, Virtual Ojai Talks with featured 2026 Festival artists, and OjaiCast, the podcast series that provides insights on upcoming programming. The Festival’s digital projects are available at OjaiFestival.org.
Ojai on the Air with WQXR/New Sounds host John Schaefer continues this year. The series of programs connects audiences and artists who engage deeply with adventurous new music. Sign up for the New Sounds newsletter to stay informed about Ojai on the Air dates at NewSounds.org.
For the full and up to date 2026 Festival schedule, visit OjaiFestival.org.
ESA-PEKKA SALONEN, 2026 MUSIC DIRECTOR Esa-Pekka Salonen, who previously collaborated with the Ojai Music Festival as Music Director for the 1999 and 2001 Festivals, is renowned as both a composer and conductor. He was recently named Creative Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, effective 2026–27, and Creativity and Innovation Chair of the Philharmonie de Paris and Principal Conductor of the Orchestre de Paris, effective 2027–28. He is the Conductor Laureate of the Philharmonia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and formerly served as Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony. He is a faculty member at Los Angeles’s Colburn School, where he founded and directs the Negaunee Conducting Program. Salonen co-founded, and until 2018 served as the Artistic Director of, the annual Baltic Sea Festival.
Salonen began the current season on a tour with the Orchestre de Paris centered on the premiere of his new Horn Concerto. He later brings the piece to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Filarmonica della Scala, and Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Other conducting highlights include a pair of Pierre Boulez centennial programs at the New York Philharmonic, residencies with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Bergen International Festival, and dates with the LA Phil, Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestre de Paris. He concludes the season at the Ojai Music Festival, which he curates as the 2026 Music Director.
Salonen conducts several of his compositions this season, including Tiu and Dona Nobis Pacem with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and his Sinfonia concertante with Olivier Latry and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. His music is also programmed, with other conductors, at orchestras and ensembles around the world.
Salonen has an extensive and varied recording career, both as a conductor and composer. Recent releases include the GRAMMY® Award-winning (Best Opera Recording) world premiere recording of Kaija Saariaho’s Adriana Mater on Deutsche Grammophon, recordings of Bartók’s three piano concertos with Pierre-Laurent Aimard on Pentatone, as well as spatial audio recordings of Ligeti’s Clocks and Clouds, Lux Aeterna, and Ramifications on Apple Music Classical. His concertos for piano (composed for Yefim Bronfman), violin (for Leila Josefowicz, featured in an ad campaign for the Apple iPad), and cello (for Yo-Yo Ma) all appear on recordings conducted by Salonen himself.
ARA GUZELIMIAN, ARTISTIC AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Ara Guzelimian is Artistic and Executive Director of the Ojai Music Festival, having been appointed to that position in July 2020. The appointment culminates many years of association with the Festival, including tenures as director of the Ojai Talks at the Festival and as Artistic Director 1992-97.
Guzelimian stepped down as Provost and Dean of the Juilliard School in New York City in June 2020, having served in that position since 2007. At Juilliard, he worked closely with the president in overseeing the faculty, curriculum, and artistic planning of the distinguished performing arts conservatory in all three of its divisions – dance, drama, and music. He continues at Juilliard in the role of Special Advisor.
Prior to the Juilliard appointment, he was Senior Director and Artistic Advisor of Carnegie Hall from 1998 to 2006. Guzelimian serves as artistic consultant for the Marlboro Music Festival and School in Vermont. He is a member of the steering committee of the Aga Khan Music Awards, the artistic committee of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust in London, and a board member of the Amphion and Pacific Harmony Foundations.
Previously, Guzelimian held the position of Artistic Administrator of the Aspen Music Festival and School in Colorado, and he was long associated with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, first as producer for the orchestra’s national radio broadcasts, and subsequently, as artistic administrator. Guzelimian is editor of Parallels and Paradoxes: Explorations in Music and Society (Pantheon Books, 2002), a collection of dialogues between Daniel Barenboim and Edward Said. In September 2003, he was awarded the title Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government for his contributions to French music and culture.
OJAI MUSIC FESTIVAL The Ojai Music Festival represents an ideal of adventurous, open-minded, and open-hearted 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, American Modern Opera Company (AMOC*), 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 OJAI MUSIC FESTIVAL, JUNE 11 to 14, 2026 Single tickets and day passes are available and may be purchased at OjaiFestival.org or by calling (805) 646-2053. Libbey Bowl single tickets start from $60 in the reserved section. Libbey Bowl general admission for the lawn area is $25. Add-on event prices are $65. Tickets for the Ojai Films can be purchased directly at OjaiPlayhouse.com. Student discounts and group sales are available by inquiring with the Festival Box Office at boxoffice@ojaifestival.org.
Join the Ojai Music Festival Friends for a tasting flight of beers intentionally paired with bites, presented by Amber Young. The tasting will be followed by live music by Tony Ybarra. Come expand your palate and enjoy a lively dance or two!
2026 Ojai Music Festival
Thursday, June 11 to Sunday, June 14 Libbey Bowl and Various Locations throughout Ojai
Esa-Pekka Salonen, the 2026 Music Director of the Ojai Music Festival, will lead programs highlighting his strong ties to Los Angeles. He will perform with members of the LA Phil New Music Group and lead the Colburn Orchestra, marking the ensemble’s Ojai Festival debut. Various artists and ensembles slated for the 2026 Festival also include the LA Dance Project, Attacca Quartet, clarinetist Anthony McGill, violinist Leila Josefowicz, pianist Conor Hanick, and many more.
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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).
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.
“As an intern for the Ojai Music Festival, you become a messenger for the organization’s purpose: to dare the audience to be innovative listeners of new music. The office staff and other interns become your mentors and family for the duration of your internship experience. Working with like-minded people creates the perfect atmosphere for discussion and pushes you to be your best creative self.”
Emily Persinko, San Diego State University, Ojai Alum 2016-2018
“I had an incredible experience as an intern and got a first-hand look at what life as a stage manager and concert producer is like, and knew exactly what I wanted to do as a career! Shortly after the internship, using the skills I gained and my experience working with high-level artists, I secured several professional stage managing and artist liaison gigs in Santa Barbara. After graduating, I secured a position at Pacific Symphony in Irvine, CA, working as a production manager in their Youth Ensembles program. I am also grateful to have returned to Ojai every year since as a permanent member of the production team! The skills I picked up from my time at Ojai have been a huge influence on my professional career and I am forever grateful for that opportunity!”
Jonathan Bergeron, University of California Santa Barbara, Production Fellow 2021
“If you want to grow your interpersonal skills, understand the music industry, and learn more about contemporary music, this is a really great experience.”
“Traveling from the other side of the country, I had no idea what to expect when I arrived in Ojai. My expectations were far exceeded as I was welcomed by the kindest and most embracing community, one that puts music and the arts at the very center of their lives. In just two short weeks, I made friendships that I know will last a lifetime, all while growing my skills in ways that will stay with me as I begin my career. Beyond the festival, Ojai taught me so much about connection, community, and myself, and I look forward to the day I can come back.“
Christian Galoppe, Kennesaw State University, Intern Alum, 2025
“It is exciting to see modern music and a large audience interested in new things. I enjoyed hearing such versatile musicians. Nice balance of density of events. I learned so much!”
“The Ojai Music Festival was an amazing experience. I met great people, listened to fabulous music, and learned about the ins and outs of putting on a music festival. Having a team of interns to hang out with throughout the days was a bonus highlight of my experience. All of the people working with OMF were kindhearted and nice. This experience was extremely rewarding. I learned a lot while I interned at the Ojai Music Festival and can’t wait for next year!!”
Lizzy Tepaske, University of California Santa Barbara, Ojai Alum 2021
In the Fall of 2023, we rolled out a new feature for our subscribers: Patron Portal. Like many other organizations, Patron Portal gives you the ability to log into your own account with Ojai Music Festival and see a detailed history of your ticket orders, donations, membership statuses, and more, such as:
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Our favorite pre-Festival tradition returns with our Virtual Ojai Talks. At Virtual Talks, 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!
PAST TALKS
Violinist Leila Josefowicz
WED March 18 @ 5:30PM PT on Zoom
Leila Josefowicz, who makes her OMF debut this June, is celebrated for her passionate advocacy for contemporary music for the violin. Over the years, she has worked closely with many of today’s most compelling composers, including Esa-Pekka Salonen, John Adams, Oliver Knussens, helping to bring new works to audiences worldwide.
Join Artistic and Executive Director Ara Guzelimian and Leila for a conversation about what draws her to new music and the collaborative process behind it.
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.
Ojai Music Festival presents Tesserae Baroque‘s program Meera Kahe. The concert features a new work by Reena Esmail, setting the Hindi texts of 16th-century saint-poet Mirabai. The ensemble—baroque violin, flute, cello, harpsichord—joins Hindustani vocalist Saili Oak and tabla player Rohit Panchakshari.
The program also features French Baroque selections by Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre and François Couperin, plus a solo Hindustani vocal set by Saili Oak with tabla accompaniment.
We invite ticket holders to arrive at 3:30PMfor garden tours of the Krotona Institute Garden, over 100 acres of natural beauty, and light refreshments.
Described as ‘mighty yet nimble’ (San Diego Story), Tesserae Baroque is quickly emerging as one of the most exciting and versatile period instrument ensembles in the US, receiving invitations to perform across the US. Past highlights include Tesserae’s performance of Handel and Rameau under the direction of Christophe Rousset, performances of Palestrina with Folger Consort and Stile Antico at the National Cathedral, a performance of the Monteverdi Vespers under the direction of Stephen Stubbs, and a 27-person performance of works by Giovanni Gabrieli, featuring Bruce Dickey. Most recently, Tesserae joined forces with Colburn Baroque to perform music by Hasse, Zelenka and Pisendel under the direction of Rachael Podger.
Tesserae has performed for San Francisco Early Music Society, Arizona Early Music Festival, and the Corona del Mar Baroque Festival. Tesserae is the resident ensemble for Cal Poly Bach Week.
Reena Esmail’s music weaves together the traditions of Hindustani and Western classical music, drawing musicians from many perspectives into shared creative spaces.
Esmail divides her attention evenly between orchestral, chamber and choral work. She has written commissions for ensembles including the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Seattle Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony and her music has featured on multiple Grammy-nominated albums, including The Singing Guitar by Conspirare, BRUITS by Imani Winds, and Healing Modes by Brooklyn Rider. Many of her choral works are published by Oxford University Press, and her piece TaReKiTa has sold over 100,000 copies worldwide.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Holiday Market
This open-air event features a curated selection of local artisans, makers, and small businesses offering handmade goods, specialty foods, gifts, and more. Get your gift shopping done early!
Hours 10AM – 4:30PM
Location Find the Market at Libbey Park in the heart of downtown Ojai. Free street parking and free public parking lots can be found throughout town.
Tickets There are no tickets or reservations required for the Holiday Market! All ages are welcome.
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:
Returning Vendors
Access your personalized registration portal to update your info and reserve your spot.
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)
The 79th Ojai Music Festival, June 5 to 8, 2025, welcomes as Music Director acclaimed flutist Claire Chase. Seven of the more than 20 music events scheduled throughout the beautiful setting of the Ojai Valley will be available at no-cost via live streaming. Since 2012, the Ojai Music Festival has expanded its global footprint building a worldwide audience with free Live Streaming Broadcasts.
You can watch free live streams of the Libbey Bowl concerts from the Festival’s homepage which will begin Thu, June 5 at 8pm. Full concert replays and highlights will be available on our website and our YouTube channel, following the Festival. Below is the schedule of concerts to be live streamed.
For more context, tune into the Ojai Music Festival Podcast:
Claire Chase flute | Joshua Rubin clarinet | Dan Rosenboom trumpet | Mattie Barbier trombone Wu Wei sheng | Susie Ibarra, Ross Karre, Steven Schick, and Wesley Sumpter percussion Alex Peh piano | M.A. Tiesenga electronic hurdy-gurdy
Marcos BALTER Alone Annea LOCKWOOD bayou-borne Marcos BALTER Pan
FRI June 6, 2025
10:30AM
Alex Peh harpsichord and keyboard |Cory Smythe and Craig Taborn piano
Terry RILEY (arr. Alex PEH) Pulsing Lifters (World premiere of trio arrangement) Anna THORVALDSDOTTIR Impressions John COLTRANE/Cory SMYTHE Countdowns Craig TABORN and Cory SMYTHE Duo Improvisation for Ojai
8:00PM
Claire Chase flute |JACK Quartet: Christopher Otto and Austin Wulliman violin, John Pickford Richards viola, Jay Campbell cello | Leilehua Lanzilotti viola Jay Campbell, Katinka Kleijn, Seth Parker Woods cello |USC Cello Ensemble | Steven Schick conductor
Leilehua LANZILOTTI ko‘u inoa Sofia GUBAIDULINA Mirage: The Dancing Sun Julius EASTMAN The Holy Presence of Joan d’Arc Terry RILEY from The Holy Liftoff A selection of movements adapted for this performance Realization by Samuel Clay Birmaher for Density 2036 part xi (2024)
SAT June 7, 2025
10:30AM
Claire Chase flute | JACK Quartet: Christopher Otto and Austin Wulliman violin, John Pickford Richards viola, Jay Campbell cello | Katinka Kleijn, Seth Parker Woods cello Cory Smythe piano | Levy Lorenzo electronics
Marcos BALTER Chambers Leilehua LANZILOTTI ahupua‘a Anna THORVALDSDOTTIRUbique (West Coast premiere) Part of Density 2036 part x (2023)
8:00PM
Wu Wei sheng | JACK Quartet: Christopher Otto and Austin Wulliman violin, John Pickford Richards viola, Jay Campbell cello |Festival Artists |Steven Schick conductor
J.S. BACH Vor deinen Thron, BWV 668 (arr. Samuel Clay BIRMAHER) Sofia GUBAIDULINA Meditation on the Bach chorale Vor deinen Thron, BWV 668 Tania LEÓN Hechizos Liza LIM How Forests Think
SUN June 8, 2025
10:30AM
Claire Chase flute | Susie Ibarra and Levy Lorenzo percussion |Wu Wei sheng | Alex Peh piano JACK Quartet: Christopher Otto and Austin Wulliman violin, John Pickford Richards viola, Jay Campbell cello
Christopher OTTO Angelorum Psalat, after Rodericus Austin WULLIMAN Dave’s Hocket: For Guillaume and Arvo Susie IBARRA Nest Box (World premiere) Commissioned by Ojai Music Festival and Music Director Claire Chase in honor of Steven Schick’s 70th birthday Tania LEÓN Rituál Susie IBARRA Sky Islands (West Coast premiere)
5:30PM
Claire Chase flute | Festival Artists | Steven Schick conductor
Leilehua LANZILOTTI ko‘u inoa Pauline OLIVEROS The Witness Tania LEÓN Singsong (World premiere of new version for solo flute) (arr. for solo flute by Claire CHASE) Terry RILEY Pulsefield
Born and raised in Iran, Bahar Royaee is a music educator and a composer/ sound designer who works within the field of concert music and various media arts. The Boston Arts Review praised Royaee’s “haunting sound design” in her work with live theatre. Royaee’s work has been performed at prominent events such as the Time:Spans 2020 Festival and the 2020 Fromm Foundation Composer Conference, 2022 Tehran Electroacoustic Music Festival, and has won awards such as the Pnea Award, the Roger Session Memorial Composition Award, and the Korourian electroacoustic music award. She has worked with Claire Chase, Suzzane Farrin, International Contemporary Ensemble, Loadbang, Composer Conference Ensemble, Contemporary Insights of Leipzig, Ensemble der gelbe Klang, Guerrilla Opera, Longleash, Mazumal, Kimia Hesabi, Splice Ensemble, to name a few. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in music composition from City University of New York.
