DOWNLOAD PDF Music Academy of the West announces the launch of the ALUMNI PERFORMANCE AWARD, sponsored by the Luria/Budgor Family Foundation Open to all alumni, the annual award will support an emerging Music Academy alum in their professional pursuits as a performing artist. The inaugural recipient of the award is solo piano alum Evan Shinners (‘09), who is slated to perform in the galleries on Feb 24 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.   Santa Barbara, CA —The Music Academy, to further bolster support of its alums as they cultivate their careers, has established an annual Alumni ..read more

DOWNLOAD PDF Santa Barbara, California – Music Academy of the West is delighted to announce the appointment of Nate Bachhuber to the position of Chief Artistic Officer. Nate is recognized for his collaborative and strategic approach to artistic planning with prestigious performing arts organizations including the LA Phil, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He takes up this new post on February 26, and looks forward to engaging Santa Barbara’s vibrant communities through music and, with his colleagues, expanding the Music Academy’s future artistic impact. I a ..read more

DOWNLOAD PDF At the Music Academy of the West’s Annual Board Meeting in December 2023, three exceptional community leaders were elected to its Board of Directors: Montecito residents Susan Lichtenstein (retired, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Hill-Rom Holdings), Kelly Teich (President, The Warner Group Architects), and Santa Barbara resident Tom Orlando (industrial property manager, former manufacturing executive). It also honored the achievements of two retiring board members, Margaret Cafarelli and Tim Taylor. It is my honor to welcome t ..read more

Winners of the Music Academy’s Solo Piano, Duo, and Song Competitions return in 2024 to perform commissioned premieres in recital. The Academy sends the 12 MAX (Music Academy Exchange) fellows to London this fall to perform with the London Symphony Orchestra. Winners of Alumni Enterprise and Fast Pitch Awards are recognized for their innovative endeavors. "Music Academy makes an unparalleled investment in the creative futures of its fellows and alums through these competitions. In addition to significant financial support, awardees receive unique, educational experiences and career-advanci ..read more

DOWNLOAD PDF  The Music Academy is delighted to announce the appointment of Shauna Quill, current Executive Director of the New York Youth Symphony (NYYS), as its new President and CEO beginning November 1. Quill succeeds Scott Reed, who served in that capacity for 12 years. Quill joined NYYS as Executive Director in the fall of 2011, and leaves behind an enviable roster of accomplishments from her time with that institution. These include a GRAMMY Award for Best Orchestral Performance for the NYYS’s first professional recording; an international touring p ..read more

The Music Academy’s SING! Children’s Choir and the renowned Young People’s Chorus of New York City (YPC) are excited to announce their joint concert, taking place at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara. The much-anticipated performance will be held on Sunday, July 23 at 3 pm and promises to captivate audiences of all ages. Highlighting this exceptional collaboration is the world premiere of an original composition titled “Tides,” commissioned by YPC Founder and Artistic Director Francisco J. Núñez and created by acclaimed composer and fo ..read more

Giacomo Puccini’s timeless opera La bohème will be fully staged in a new production with principal opera conductor Daniela Candillari and director Mo Zhou  Original setting of 2011, Brooklyn, New York, during the Occupy Wall Street movement  The Music Academy, currently in week four of its 76th annual Summer Festival, presents a timeless classic opera in a brand-new setting. La bohème will be performed in the original Italian on Friday, July 14 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, July 16 at 2:30 pm at the Granada Theatre in downtown Santa Barbara. The fully staged and c ..read more

As a compass for exceptional talent, not only for musicians, but for leaders, the Music Academy announces a new Board Chair and four new members of the Board of Directors. Maurice Singer, a Founding Principal of The Evergreen Advantage, a Real Estate Investment Trust, will take on the role of Board Chair. He is currently a Board Director and served on the Board from 2010-2018. He succeeds Eileen Sheridan, who served as Board Chair from 2020-2022. The new additions to the Board are Michele Brustin, former Executive Director of the Performing Arts Association of New York State; Daniel Dokos, P ..read more

Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke and pianist and vocal coach John Churchwell have been announced as the new Co-Directors of the Lehrer Vocal Institute at the Music Academy. They will lead the long-term planning for the Institute’s curriculum, performance, and teaching roster, and have already shaped a 2023 Summer Festival that coincides with the launch of their positions. This pair of current professionals with international careers will act as a compass for exceptional talent that will propel classical music boldly forward. These historic appointments are fueled by a launch gif ..read more

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