Music Academy of the West announces
2026 Summer Music Festival & School
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American Mosaic: The 79th annual Summer Music Festival celebrates American voices, June 17–August 8 in Santa Barbara
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Subscriptions on sale April 9
Individual tickets on sale April 30
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 16, 2026 (Santa Barbara, CA) — The Music Academy of the West, now in its 79th season, announces its 2026 Summer Music Festival & School, an eight-week celebration of world-class performance and musical discovery themed “American Mosaic.”From orchestral powerhouses to intimate chamber music, bold new works to family-friendly community activities, the Festival includes more than 100 events, featuring 150 brilliant fellows, 60 distinguished teaching and guest artists, and 80 talented students within the Music Academy’s new High School Intensive program.
Spanning June 17–August 8 across the Music Academy’s Montecito campus and historic venues throughout Santa Barbara, the 2026 Festival invites audiences to celebrate the many artists, stories, and traditions that shape American classical music today. Season highlights include tributes to Samuel Barber, Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, and Charles Ives; featured appearances by Jeremy Denk, the legendary Takács Quartet, and genre-defying electroacoustic duo ARKAI; Mosher Guest Artist performances by Stephanie Blythe, Zlatomir Fung, Jeffrey Kahane, and Jennifer Koh; and multiple premieres and celebrations of works by living American composers, highlighting guest composers Jasmine Arielle Barnes, Christopher Cerrone, Kevin Puts, and Mosher Guest Artist Missy Mazzoli.
“We look forward to welcoming our community for a summer of extraordinary music-making,” said Music Academy President & CEO Shauna Quill. “As always, the Summer Music Festival and School reaffirms our commitment to transformative music education and creating shared moments of discovery that bring people together through music. The ability for our audiences to engage fully with the artists who come to Santa Barbara each summer makes this a unique and meaningful experience for all.”
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2026 Summer Music Festival Season Highlights
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- American Guest Composers — The next chapter of American music with Missy Mazzoli (July 10), Jasmine Arielle Barnes (July 18), Kevin Puts (July 24 & 26), and Christopher Cerrone (July 31 & August 1).
- A bold American portrait, live — Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, conducted by Gemma New with narration by Academy Award-nominated actor Josh Brolin, also featuring Jasmine Arielle Barnes’ American Lament performed by mezzo-soprano and Lehrer Vocal Institute Co-Director Sasha Cooke (July 18).
- The Operatic Event of the summer — Kevin Puts’ Elizabeth Cree, this summer’s “Gothic thriller” set in Victorian era London (July 24 & 26). Directed by Luisa Muller and conducted by Benjamin Manis.
- A cosmic spectacular with NASA footage — Gustav Holst’s The Planets, An HD Odyssey, led by Xian Zhang featuring the Academy Festival Orchestra, pairing orchestral fireworks with stunning NASA film footage (July 11).
- A powerful American story in song — Alan Louis Smith’s Vignettes: Ellis Island, with mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe and Academy fellows (August 4).
- Teaching Artist Showcases — Influential Academy teaching artists perform chamber music in concert (June 17 & 23, July 2, August 6).
- Mosher Guest Artists Stephanie Blythe (August 4), Zlatomir Fung (June 18), Jeffrey Kahane (June 20), Jennifer Koh (July 25), and MissyMazzoli (July 10) in dazzling, star-studded recitals and collaborations.
- Takács Quartet — An All-Beethoven celebration honoring founding member and cellist András Fejér in his final performance with the quartet after 51 seasons (June 27).
- Sonata Night Series Opener — The art of collaboration is spotlighted, featuring the distinguished collaborative piano teaching artists performing tour-de-force sonatas paired with the Academy’s instrumental faculty (July 7).
- Jeremy Denk Piano Recital — The celebrated pianist returns to the Lobero Theatre bringing his signature brilliance, insight, and expressive power (July 15).
- ARKAI — GRAMMY® Award-winning electroacoustic duo reimagines the string tradition with genre-defying imagination (June 19).
- PercussionFest Family Matinee — A family-friendly performance with a hands-on exploration of the percussion instruments (July 8).
- Academy Chamber Orchestra Family Concert — The joy of orchestral storytelling for the whole family with Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra and the vaudeville-inspired troupe Really Inventive Stuff (July 25).
- Christopher Cerrone: West Coast Premiere — An immersive outdoor performance of The Only Way Is Through featuring percussion fellows and members of the Sing! children’s choir (July 31, August 1).
- Brass @ the Bandshell — A free, lively outdoor concert at Santa Barbara’s historic Plaza del Mar Bandshell with food trucks, community activities, and summer fun (August 2).
- Music Note Gala — Broadway legend Audra McDonald joins the Academy to support classical music education at the gorgeous Bella Vista Estate (August 14).
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Academy Festival Orchestra Series:
Harth-Bedoya, Zhang, New, Lintu, and Danzmayr
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Each year, the Academy Festival Orchestra concerts stand out as a highlight of the Festival—bringing the next generation of artists together with today’s leading conductors in performances of both beloved and new repertoire. This summer’s orchestral series returns to The Granada Theatre with an all-star lineup, anchored by core works by Brahms, Holst, Schumann, Sibelius, and Rachmaninoff, while also looking to the future through contemporary voices and teaching artist collaborations. Complementing the series is one Academy Chamber Orchestra performance at the historic Lobero Theatre.
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- Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Distinguished Director of Orchestras and Professor of Conducting at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music and Music Director Laureate of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, kicks off the series at The Granada Theatre with Gershwin’s An American in Paris and Brahms Symphony No. 2. (July 3)
- Xian Zhang, Music Director of both the New Jersey Symphony and Seattle Symphony, leads a program highlighted by Holst’s The Planets, An HD Odyssey—a multi-media concert accompanied by high-definition NASA film footage. This work is paired with Primal Message by Nokuthula Ngwenyama and Webern’s Im Summerwind. (July 11)
- Gemma New, Principal Conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, makes her Music Academy debut leading the Academy Chamber Orchestra at the Lobero Theatre in a uniquely American program: Copland’s Lincoln Portrait with special guest narrator Josh Brolin; the world premiere of the newly orchestrated version of Jasmine Arielle Barnes’ American Lament with Lehrer Vocal Institute Co-Director Sasha Cooke as the mezzo-soprano soloist; and Schumann’s Second Symphony. (July 18)
- Hannu Lintu, Chief Conductor of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, returns to The Granada Theatre with teaching artist Conor Hanick as the piano soloist in American composer Samuel Carl Adams’ “bewitching” (San Francisco Chronicle) work No Such Spring, paired with with Sibelius’ First Symphony. (August 1)
- Oregon Symphony Music Director David Danzmayr returns for the season finale—an exuberant celebration of the Music Academy’s teaching artists and fellows. Renowned woodwind teaching artists Eugene Izotov, Richie Hawley, Judith LeClair, and Nathaniel Silberschlag are featured in Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, followed by Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2. (August 8)
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Jeffrey Kahane, Zlatomir Fung, Jennifer Koh, Missy Mazzoli, and Stephanie Blythe
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Acclaimed Mosher Guest Artists
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The Mosher Guest Artist residencies are generously supported by the Mosher Foundation.
The Music Academy partners annually with the Mosher Foundation to bring exceptional artists to our community of patrons, students, and fellows. These headline performances pair world-class artistry with deep engagement—inviting audiences into unforgettable recitals and giving rare access to the musicians shaping the field today.
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- Cellist Zlatomir Fung appears in an All-American recital with beloved collaborative piano teaching artist Jonathan Feldman—a program that celebrates American voices through the intimacy and intensity of chamber music.
- Pianist Jeffrey Kahane curates a chamber music concert with longtime collaborators, offering a masterclass in ensemble chemistry, musical conversation, and shared artistic history.
- Violinist Jennifer Koh presents her “Bach & Beyond” project in recital, pairing Bach’s partitas and solo sonatas with works by living composers—including Philip Glass—to illuminate how Bach’s legacy continues to spark new ideas.
- Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe shines in Alan Louis Smith’s Vignettes: Ellis Island—a work written for her that follows the American immigration experience in the 1930s.
- Composer Missy Mazzoli’s works are highlighted in a tribute concert opening the Picnic Concert Series, including her world premiere of Piano Etudes performed by the Music Academy’s six solo piano fellows.
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A Spotlight on Teaching Artists
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The Music Academy’s teaching artist roster is unmatched—artists who mentor at the highest level and shine in performance throughout the summer. Teaching Artist Showcases spotlight this extraordinary talent in concert, bringing our influential teaching artists to the stage in chamber music collaborations throughout the Music Academy’s vibrant Festival.
A highlight of the season is the legendary Takács Quartet, appearing at the Lobero Theatre on June 27 in a milestone performance celebrating founding cellist András Fejér in his final 51st season with the ensemble. The summer’s chamber music offerings continue with the Sonata Night Series Opener on July 7at Hahn Hall, featuring collaborative piano teaching artists in a tour-de-force evening of sonatas paired with our instrumental faculty.
Teaching artist pianist Jeremy Denk (pictured) offers a singular solo recital on July 15 that pairs works by Unsuk Chin and Hélène de Montgeroult with Beethoven’s monumental “Hammerklavier” Sonata—widely regarded as the most technically demanding piano sonata in Beethoven’s oeuvre.
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Family & Community Events
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The Music Academy of the West offers a variety of community and family-friendly events this summer to enjoy throughout the city of Santa Barbara.
At the Lobero Theatre, Benjamin Britten’s classic The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra is presented by the Academy Chamber Orchestra with acting troupe Really Inventive Stuff. The experience is designed to be hands-on and welcoming, with an opportunity for young audience members to explore and try instruments before the performance—making the orchestra feel immediate, exciting, and accessible.
Instrument exploration stations made possible by the Santa Barbara Symphony Music Van and Latin Percussion.
PercussionFest returns with two back-to-back concerts in Hahn Hall: a matinee, family-friendly program followed by an evening full-length extravaganza concert celebrating the 90th birthday of pioneering American composer Steve Reich.
And back by popular demand, Brass @ the Bandshell returns to the newly renovated Plaza del Mar Bandshell—a free, festive community concert that brings vibrant music-making to Santa Barbara’s West Beach.
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Lehrer Vocal Institute: Opera & Special Projects
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A multimillion-dollar endowment from Shirley and Seymour Lehrer and the entire Lehrer family supports the Music Academy’s training program for voice, directing, and vocal piano.
The Lehrer Vocal Institute (LVI) enriches the Summer Music Festival with a fully-staged opera, adventurous storytelling, and performances that spotlight the artistry—and versatility—of the Academy fellows.
At the heart of this summer’s LVI is a fully-staged production of Kevin Puts’ Elizabeth Cree—a 90-minute, one-act macabre opera that unfolds as a Victorian-era Gothic thriller in 1880s London, with libretto by Mark Campbell. Cinematic, suspenseful, and unmistakably contemporary in its voice, the opera is a vivid showcase of modern American opera and the dramatic power of the next generation of singing actors. Composer Kevin Puts will participate in a special conversation with the LVI co-directors on July 15.
LVI also welcomes Mosher Guest Artist mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe for a distinctive program with fellows centered on Alan Louis Smith’s Vignettes: Ellis Island—a moving work written for her that traces the American immigration experience in the 1930s. Blythe frames the evening with music that immigrants may have heard as they arrived through Ellis Island, pairing the piece with selections from the Great American Songbook and Tin Pan Alley—a rich, time-capsule soundtrack that deepens the work’s emotional resonance.
Throughout the summer, LVI fellows expand their craft across additional vocal highlights including The Art of the Duet (opera scenes in Hahn Hall), and Oh Beautiful: Songs from Home, a song recital sharing their unique origin stories. Among the Festival’s most anticipated events is the Marilyn Horne Song Competition, a platform for Academy singers and vocal pianists to each vie for a cash prize and the coveted title.
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World Premieres & Composer Celebrations
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We celebrate the next chapter of American music with this season’s guest composers Jasmine Arielle Barnes, Christopher Cerrone, Missy Mazzoli (pictured), and Kevin Puts. Their holistic residencies spotlight their works in performances, connect them with our fellows in rehearsals and coachings, and invite the community to hear their perspectives in intimate composer chats.
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- Mosher Guest Artist composer Missy Mazzoli’s works are highlighted in a tribute concert opening the Picnic Concert Series, including the World Premiere of her Piano Etudes performed by the Music Academy’s six solo piano fellows on July 10. Her work Lies You Can Believe In will be performed by Mosher Guest Artist Jennifer Koh and fellows on July 23.
- Join Mazzoli for a composer chat with Conor Hanick on July 6.
- Jasmine Arielle Barnes’ American Lament will be performed by mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke and the Academy Chamber Orchestra led by Gemma New in its Orchestral World Premiere on July 18.
- Kevin Puts’ acclaimed new opera Elizabeth Cree — a Gothic thriller set in Victorian era London — takes place on July 24 and 26. His work And Legions Will Rise will also be performed on July 16 by percussion teaching artist Michael Werner and fellows.
- Join Puts for a chat with Sasha Cooke and John Churchwell on July 15.
- Christopher Cerrone: West Coast Premiere — An immersive outdoor performance of The Only Way Is Through featuring percussion fellows and members of the Sing! children’s choir performed in both an idyllic garden on July 31 (Anne’s Garden at the Music Academy) and an urban environment on August 1 (Santa Barbara Public Library). His work Uncanny Valleys will also be performed on July 23, and Why Was I Born Between Mirrors? on July 30.
- Join Cerrone for a composer chat with Conor Hanick on July 27.
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More new works & composers to celebrate:
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- For the July 10 Missy Mazzoli concert, the Music Academy presents a world premiere by high school composer and Luna Composition Lab alum Mia Turakhia, who studied with Mazzoli; the commission marks the Lab’s 10th anniversary.
- 2026 GRAMMY Award winners ARKAI (pictured), featuring violinist Jonathan Miron and Music Academy cello alum (2017) Philip Sheegog, offer an exciting program that bridges the classical and the contemporary — from originals to covers and acoustic to electric, including songs from their Grammy-winning album Brightside.
- Mosher Guest Artist cellist Zlatomir Fung’s recital will feature his own work Eulogy and the world premiere of an arrangement of Borodin’s Petite Suite by Marshall Estrin.
- Other living composers’ works are performed throughout the Festival, including Samuel Carl Adams, John Adams, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Edgar Meyer (June 17), Timo Andres and Jeffrey Kahane (June 20), Jeff Scott (June 23), Aliayta Foon-Dancoes, Mary Ellen Childs, Gene Koshinski, and Mansoor Hosseini (July 8), Valerie Coleman (July 9), Meredith Jane Monk (July 10), Nokuthula Ngwenyama (July 11), Ian Venables and Joel Thompson (July 30), and Bramwell Tovey (August 6).
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Chamber Music & Masterclasses
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Festival programming offers not only a wide array of chamber music performances but also deep, hands-on training that brings fellows and teaching artists together in a true summer laboratory—where repertoire is explored, new ideas are tested, and ensembles take shape in real time.
String Quartet-in-Residence: The Takács Quartet
The Takács Quartet (pictured) has shaped the chamber music program at the Music Academy as its string quartet-in-residence for two decades, leading the String Quartet Seminar and Emerging Artists String Quartet fellowship programs as well as performing for sold-out houses in annual Summer Music Festival concerts. This season marks founding cellist András Fejér’s 51st—and final—season with the ensemble, and he’s going out with a bang. His final quartet performance at the Music Academy will be an all-Beethoven program, followed by an encore of sorts: Mendelssohn’s Octet, performed with the Emerging Artists String Quartet fellows for a thrilling, next-generation sendoff.
x2 Series
A signature Festival favorite, the x2 Series pairs fellows with teaching artists for side-by-side performances that mix beloved chamber gems with fresh discoveries and new works. Expect bold programming, unbeatable artistry, and the kind of up-close music-making that reminds you why chamber music is the most intimate conversation on stage.
Salon Series
Enjoy a pre-concert wine reception, then bring your beverage into historic Lehmann Hall for an evening of core chamber music by Beethoven, Elgar, Schumann, and more, —sparked by curiosity, fueled by collaboration, and shaped by the connections fellows make throughout the summer.
Picnic Concert Series returns!
Settle into the gardens for a pre-concert picnic, then join us in celebrating the fellows as they perform chamber works they’ve selected—forming ensembles of their own choosing for a fun, potpourri-style evening that’s equal parts relaxed and virtuosic. The series opener is a special tribute to Mosher Guest Artist Missy Mazzoli and will feature a world premiere work written by her for our solo piano fellows.
Masterclasses
What truly sets the Music Academy fellows apart from any other Festival is the opportunity to observe fellows work one-on-one with their mentors. Masterclasses for a public audience are a cornerstone of the Music Academy experience. All fellows perform in masterclasses, which complements each fellow’s private instruction. Throughout the Festival, teaching artists in voice, piano, and orchestral instruments will teach 63 masterclasses. These classes are open to the public, offering a rare look at classical musical instruction.
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New! High School Intensive: June 18-25
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80 talented students ages 14-18 will participate in the Music Academy’s Summer Music Festival & School for the first time as part of its inaugural High School Intensive program over two weeks, from June 18 to 25. These exceptional young musicians from across the country will refine their craft by working with the renowned Music Academy teaching artists in private lessons, studio classes and masterclasses, workshops, and performances. Audiences are invited to celebrate these remarkable artists in several appearances:
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- Masterclasses with Mosher Guest Artists pianist Jeffrey Kahane (June 18) and cellist Zlatomir Fung (June 19) and a Chamber Music Masterclass led by collaborative piano teaching artist Jonathan Feldman (June 22).
- Recitals in Piano (June 20) and Chamber Music (June 24).
- Orchestra Finale performance of Dvo?ák’s Symphony No. 8, led by Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Distinguished Director of Orchestras and Professor of Conducting at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music and Music Director Laureate of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (June 25).
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The Sing! children’s choir is generously sponsored by Mercedes Millington and John C. Mithun, and Montecito Bank & Trust.
Sing!, the Music Academy’s free after-school children’s choir for Santa Barbara County students, representing 240 participants from over 40 area schools, features prominently in this year’s Festival. Select Sing! members will take the stage for three major performances: as the children’s chorus in Christopher Cerrone’s immersive outdoor West Coast Premiere of The Only Way Is Through on July 31 and August 1, and in the Music Academy’s Music Note Gala on August 14 with Audra McDonald.
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Broadway Legend Audra McDonald will headline the Music Academy of the West’s 2026 Music Note Gala on August 14. The Gala will celebrate the transformative power of music while raising essential support for scholarships and community access—looking ahead to the Academy’s forthcoming Music Education Center in downtown Santa Barbara. This year’s Gala features the extraordinary Audra McDonald—winner of six Tony Awards—currently starring in HBO’s The Gilded Age. Joined by her trio led by Broadway music director Andy Einhorn, McDonald will perform selections from the Great American Songbook, an influential and enduring repertoire of American popular song shaped by Broadway and Hollywood. A special collaboration with the Music Academy’s Sing! children’s choir will be a centerpiece of the evening. The evening will also honor Cheryl Goldberg, Founding Contributor to the Music Education Center and a member of the Music Academy Board of Directors, whose visionary leadership is helping shape the Center’s future home. Proceeds support full scholarships for the Summer Music Festival & School Fellowship Institute and expand the Academy’s High School Intensive and Sing!. Sponsorships and tables on sale now at musicacademy.org/gala.
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Summer Music Festival Venues
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The Music Academy’s fellows, teaching artists, students, and guest performing artists perform at its scenic ocean-side campus and in venues throughout Santa Barbara, including the historic 1,500-seat Granada Theatre, the 600-seat Lobero Theatre, and outdoors at the beachside Plaza del Mar Bandshell and downtown Santa Barbara Public Library Michael Towbes Plaza.Known as Miraflores, the Academy’s nine-acre campus was originally the estate of John Percival Jefferson. Its spectacular grounds and gardens create a serene place for visitors to stroll and relax before performances in the intimate Hahn Hall, which the Santa Barbara Independent calls an “ultra-luxurious jewel-box venue,” and the Los Angeles Times describes as the “centerpiece of the West Coast’s elite summer music academy, hidden away in a plush neighborhood of Montecito, a block from a glorious coastline. … With 350 seats, it is perfect for chamber music and recitals. The acoustics are unobtrusive; nothing gets between music and the ear.” Additional campus venues inside the Marilyn Horne Main House include Lehmann Hall, named for Music Academy founder Lotte Lehmann, and Weinman Hall, and outdoor gardens on its Miraflores grounds includes Anne’s Garden, where the west coast premiere of Christopher Cerrone’s The Only Way Is Through will take place.
The Music Academy also offers the community the environment to enjoy pre-concert picnic dinners in the Miraflores campus gardens prior to each concert. Picnic tables may be reserved online with a concert ticket purchase to a Picnic Concert Series or picnic eligible event.
World-class Music in the American Riviera Santa Barbara is an easy day trip from Los Angeles and San Francisco, and a memorable destination for travelers seeking cultural offerings in the American Riviera. For tickets and further information for all Music Academy events, call the Carsey Ticket Office at 805-969-8787, email ticketoffice@musicacademy.org, or visit online at musicacademy.org. To request a brochure, email festival@musicacademy.org or write to the Music Academy of the West, 1070 Fairway Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108.
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TICKETS
General Public
Subscriptions for the 2026 Summer Music Festival are on sale April 9 at musicacademy.org. Individual tickets are available starting April 30. Tickets and additional information are available via email ticketoffice@musicacademy.org or by calling the Ticket Office at 805-969-8787.
Community Access Tickets
The Music Academy is committed to ensuring the Santa Barbara community has access to experience the 2026 Summer Music Festival. $10 Community Access Tickets are available for the 2026 Summer Music Festival beginning on June 12 at 10 am, subject to availability. Tickets are available in person at the Music Academy Carsey Ticket Office and online. The Community Access Ticket program is made possible in the loving memory of Linda Sawyer Frank.
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