I spent the beginning of the month of June at the Ojai Festival in California. This festival is one of the most amazing events that I have ever attended. Ojai is a week-long celebration of contemporary music held in the mountains north of LA. The concerts are in an outdoor amphitheater and it is a truly magical place. Everything at the festival is done right! The staff is amazing from the Directors through the Interns and the result is the perfect environment to perform and listen to music.

Great music was made too!!! eighth blackbird were the Music Directors this year and they (along with the gentle guidance of the amazing Tom Morris) put together a great crew of young musicians to come and blow the doors off the place. The programming was largely centered around “anchor” pieces like Music for 18 Musicians, Pierrot Lunaire, Music for a Summer Evening, and even the Goldberg Variations as well as some brand new works to keep things spicy. Everyone worked their faces off and gave amazing and committed performances. I left with a whole new bunch of musical crushes (only in the artistically inspired sense, of course…)!

There were great audiences for all of the shows and they were extremely enthusiastic! So fun!  Here are some of the reviews.

Here is a pic from the stage:

I was personally thrilled to be out there with so many friends. My duo partner, Todd, was out there and we were able to have the MP Duo serve as the marimbists at the epicenter of Music for 18, play some trio with Matthew Duvall, and be the percussionists who got to play Trimpin’s sculpture in Nathan Davis’ new piece. Here is a pic of the sculpture we played:

If the pic does not quite make sense, do a youtube search for Trimpin for more.

There were so many musicians there that I respect out there and I am so proud of the birds! I have know them since they were students with a dream and have watched them one of the most focused and disciplined musical organisms I have ever seen. They are currently accomplishing the impossible with their careers and that is cool! Good on them!

Twas fun to be in Ojai!