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LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY

40 SUMMERFEST TH

A N N i v e r s a ry

2 Gil Shaham and the SummerFest Chamber Orchestra, 2001

COVER : Randall Goosby, Elli Choi, Inon Barnatan, Dimitri Murrath, Sterling Elliott, Yoonah Kim, Rose Lombardo, 2026 © Ken Jacques

TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome

In the Beginning

The Early Years

The Jimmy Lin Era

Introducing The Conrad

A New Era Begins

Music Directors

Commissioned Works

Learning & Engagement

Celebrating SummerFest

Board of Directors

Desmond Hoebig and the SummerFest Orchestra, 2012

Kasia Johnson, Lois Kohn, Cynthia Rushing, Marie Olesen, Brenda Baker, Joan Jordan Bernstein

Brenda Baker, Ewa Robinson

Paul Meyer, Bill Purves, Cynthia Rushing. Seated from left: Maggie Meyer, Brenda Baker, Peggy Preuss

Welcome to the 40th Anniversary of La Jolla Music Society’s SummerFest! Four decades ago, this festival began as a visionary dream to bring world-class chamber music to our coastal community. Today, thanks to the enduring passion and support of our artists, patrons, and staff, SummerFest stands as an internationally renowned celebration of artistry, collaboration, and innovation. This commemorative booklet offers a look back at the extraordinary milestone moments, legendary artists, and transformative performances that have shaped our history. From our intimate beginnings to our vibrant home at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, our mission has remained unchanged: to inspire, bring people together, and elevate the human spirit through the power of music. As we celebrate this remarkable 40-year journey, we extend our deepest gratitude to our artists, donors, audiences, and volunteers. You are the heartbeat of SummerFest, and you make this music possible. Thank you for being an essential part of our history, our present, and our bright musical future. Enjoy the festival!

Todd R. Schultz

Leah Rosenthal

Inon Barnatan

President & CEO

Artistic Director

SummerFest Music Director

Todd R. Schultz, Leah Rosenthal, Inon Barnatan

Bert Cornelison Chair, Board of Directors

Bert and Julie Cornelison

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An early Musical Arts Society of La Jolla performance

Mabel Bittman, Augustine “Didi” Muus, Ellen Virignia Clark Revelle

Milton Katims

IN THE BEGINNING Nikolai Sokoloff

Henry Hadley Medal awarded to Nikolai Sokoloff in 1939

La Jolla Music Society started life as the Musical Arts Society of La Jolla, founded in 1941 by Nikolai Sokoloff, former conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra. Together with other musically minded La Jolla residents, including Ellen and Roger Revelle, Sokoloff and the Music Society commissioned twenty new works between 1949 and 1968, with concerts being presented in the auditorium of La Jolla High School. In 1968, the La Jolla Chamber Players was formally incorporated by a small group of local musicians with John Garvey conducting, and later with conductor Milton Katims. They presented a total of six concerts and recitals each year and ticket prices ranged from $5.50 to $7.00 per concert. Within three years, the group expanded into a six-concert series and formally changed its name to the La Jolla Chamber Orchestra. Peter Erős assumed conducting duties at this time, and in 1976 the group’s name was officially changed to La Jolla Chamber Music Society.

Musical Arts Society of La Jolla Concert Program, 1942

Virginia Katims

Philadelphia Quartet, 1965

Beginning in 1980, the company began transitioning from a performing orchestra to a presenting organization, and the idea of a summer festival was first floated. The Board invited Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival to La Jolla from 1982 to 1984 to duplicate their program in La Jolla at the conclusion of the festival in New Mexico. The company then committed to producing its own festival. Under the direction of Board Chair Dr. Joy Frieman, Music Director Heiichiro Ohyama, and Festival Chair Brenda Baker, 1985 was spent raising the money and planning, and SummerFest successfully launched in 1986. Ohyama was then principal viola of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conductor of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, giving him extensive contacts within the classical music community.

News clipping 1958

The first festival, presented over two weekends, featured internationally renowned musicians, including Miriam Fried, David Golub, Jeffrey Kahane, Ralph Kirshbaum, Anton Kuerti and David Shifrin. SummerFest was born.

A recording of Sinfonietta La Jolla played by the Orchestra of the Musical Arts Society of La Jolla

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SummerFest Piano Quartet, 1991

SummerFest Chamber Orchestra, 1991

THE EARLY YEARS Heiichiro Ohyama, violist and frequent performer during the festival, assembled a series of ten concerts in 1986, presented in Sherwood Auditorium at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. For the first eight seasons, SummerFest programs featured cover art by Gail Ohyama. The tradition of Heiichiro Ohyama creating festival posters with beautiful, original designs began with Santa Fe’s posters featuring art by Georgia O’Keeffe.

SummerFest was an immediate success and continued to grow in stature during its first ten years. Musicians of note during this period included Andres Cardenes, Cynthia Phelps, Yefim Bronfman, Carter Brey, Andre-Michel Schub, and conductor Kent Nagano. Composer, conductor, and pianist André Previn was an Artist-in-Residence for several seasons. Maestro Previn’s jazz ensemble, the André Previn Trio, performed a benefit concert in 1991 dedicated to the memory of Dr. Roger Revelle, who had passed away earlier in the year. For many years, thanks to the generosity of major donors, the festival kicked off with popular outdoor concerts in Ellen Browning Scripps Park.

SummerFest Program Book Covers

1986

1988

1989

1990

1991

André Previn Trio, 1992

The Ice Cream Social

Pre-concert lectures by Alan Chapman, Lunchtime Encounters at St. James by-the-Sea, and Children’s Concerts—including an Ice Cream Fest—became popular additions to SummerFest. Post-concert parties in private homes also became an important part of the programming, introducing the vibrant social scene which has come to be associated with SummerFest.

1992

1993

The 1996 festival included an all-Previn program and marked the end of André Previn’s residency at SummerFest. Ohyama concluded his tenure as Music Director in 1997. Cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han succeeded him, leading SummerFest for the next three seasons and guiding the festival into the new century. During their tenure, Osvaldo Golijov, Bruce Adolphe, and Joan Tower served as Composers-inResidence, while distinguished artists including Janos Starker, Gary Graffman, the Orion String Quartet, and Esa-Pekka Salonen performed at the festival.

1994

1995

1996

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THE JIMMY LIN ERA In 2001, Cho-Liang (Jimmy) Lin began what would become an 18-year tenure as SummerFest’s Music Director. Lin continued to enhance the musical stature of SummerFest with many renowned artists, including Leila Josefowicz, Cho-Liang Lin Leon Fleisher, Lalo Schifrin, and Yo-Yo Ma. Also included in Lin’s repertoire were a number of works, adding a new dimension to the SummerFest programming. Compositions by Tan Dun, Chen Yi, Bright Sheng, and Chinary Ung were presented. The 20th anniversary of SummerFest was celebrated in 2006 with a performance of Bohuslav Martinů’s Sinfonietta La Jolla, which had been commissioned in 1950 by the Musical Arts Society. Special concerts during this time

included John Williams’ Quartet La Jolla, written specially for Jimmy Lin; a celebration of Leon Fleischer’s 80th birthday, a commissioned work by Kaija Saariaho, an evening with Menachem Pressler, and a presentation of Richard Strauss’ Enoch Arden, based on the Tennyson poem and narrated by Michael York. In 2012, it was learned that the Society’s longtime residency at Sherwood Auditorium would end in 2016 when the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego would raze the auditorium to build additional gallery space for its expanding collection. A committee was formed, led by President and Artistic Director Christopher Beach, to explore the possibility of creating a new performing arts center in downtown La Jolla. SummerFest 2016 marked the final concerts at Sherwood Auditorium. The Zukerman Trio, Gil Shaham, and Maestro James Conlon were featured performers that year. For the following two seasons, SummerFest would move among various temporary locations, including UC

Jimmy Lin and SummerFest Chamber Orchestra, Finale 2014

San Diego, St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, St. James by-the-Sea, and other venues. Lin’s final SummerFest, in 2018, included appearances by Leonard Slatkin, the Emerson String Quartet, and a special concert featuring works by Leonard Bernstein hosted by his daughter, Nina Bernstein Simmons.

Yo-Yo Ma

Joseph Kalichstein

The Music of the Law In 2004, a special SummerFest event was presented at the USD School of Law in conjunction with the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. A musical prelude of Schubert songs and the Trout Quintet was performed by SummerFest artists. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was the featured speaker. A cocktail reception followed her remarks, and the event was chaired by Brenda Baker, Steve Baum, and Javade Chaudhri.

SummerFest Under the Stars

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The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center

INTRODUCING THE CONRAD

When La Jolla Music Society leadership learned in 2012 that they would soon need to find a new home, they were presented with a challenge that offered both great risk and enormous potential reward. It was an opportunity to consolidate artistic and administrative functions under one roof, allowing the expansion of future programming. Multiple performance spaces with stateof-the-art technical, acoustic, and recording capability, along with office space and hospitality rooms, would provide flexible performing areas as well as the Brenda Baker, Peggy Preuss, Karen Brailean, Leigh Ryan possibility for rentals and artistic partnerships. Clifford Schireson, Martha Dennis, Katherine Chapin President and Artistic Director Christopher Beach championed the project from the outset, working closely with architects and contractors, raising funds and overseeing all aspects of construction, technical installation and interior design. Steve Baum and Peter Wagener were on site almost daily involved in all aspects of the design and construction of The Conrad.

The Baker-Baum Concert Hall under construction

Brenda Baker, John and Raffaella Belanich,

Christopher Beach,

Former President & Artistic Director

Rintaro Kikuno, Itsuki Yamamoto, Erin Keefe, Blake Pouliot, Oliver Herbert, Timothy Cobb, Anton Rist, and Rose Lombardo

The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center— named in honor of its largest donor—opened its doors on April 5, 2019. It includes The Baker-Baum Concert Hall, a 481-seat main auditorium; the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Hall (The JAI), a flexible cabaretstyle space; the Raffaella and John Belanich Terrace, and the Wu Tsai QRT.yrd, an outdoor Christopher Beach, Steve Baum, area for events and entertaining. The Conrad Peter Wagener was designed by Epstein Joslin Architects with theatre consultants Theatre Consultants Collaborative and acoustical consultant Nagata Acoustics; San Diego firm JWDA was the Architect of Record. The new facility became a permanent home for SummerFest, and a base for expansion of La Jolla Music Society’s programming into the community and throughout the region.

Debbie Turner, Steve Baum, Ferdinand Gasang

Emmet Cohen Trio

Christopher Beach was President and Artistic Director of LJMS from December 2005 until 2016. Under his direction, SummerFest artistic offerings expanded, with jazz and dance integrated into the festival’s scheduling. He also launched the SummerFest Under the Stars concerts at Scripps Park, which for nearly ten years brought the best of SummerFest to the La Jolla community and seasonal visitors in a free outdoor venue. When the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) reclaimed Sherwood Hall—LJMS’s primary concert home at the time—to expand its gallery spaces, Beach launched an ambitious capital campaign to construct a permanent venue: The Conrad. Although Beach stepped down as President of LJMS in 2016, he continued to guide the fundraising efforts—which ultimately reached an $82 million completion total—and directly collaborated on the facility’s building design and construction. The state-of-the-art center, featuring The Baker-Baum Concert Hall, opened in 2019 and was designed specifically with the acoustic and intimate needs of SummerFest in mind.

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Noah Bendix-Balgley, Stefan Jackiw, Inon Barnatan, Alisa Weilerstein, and Teng Li

A NEW ERA BEGINS Internationally acclaimed concert pianist Inon Barnatan, a frequent guest artist in past seasons, was named SummerFest Music Director in 2019. Under his direction, SummerFest has presented a wide range of new and returning artists, including Anthony McGill, Alisa Weilerstein, Thomas Adès, and Stefan Jackiw. Barnatan, in partnership with Clara Wu Tsai, developed the Synergy Initiative, which invites top creators of Inon Barnatan music, dance, spoken word, and visual arts to collaborate across a range of art forms to produce unexpected and inspiring performances. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic halted live attendance in all performance venues and the newly opened Conrad was temporarily shuttered. SummerFest that year was re-imagined as 100% virtual, streaming live performances free of charge to a wide audience.

Anthony McGill

Leah Rosenthal, Artistic Director

Tessa Lark

The Conrad reopened in 2021 with a performance of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. Composer Caroline Shaw was in residence, joined by a host of noted performers, including Jeremy Denk, Tessa Lark, and Clive Greensmith. The festival’s first opera, A Song of Mahler by Mark Neikrug, was presented this year.

In 2024, a partnership was initiated with Medici.tv, the world’s largest online library of streaming classical performance. To date, over 130,000 viewers from 124 countries and territories have watched LJMS online programs, adding to SummerFest’s international reach. As the Festival enters its fifth decade, a tradition of celebration, conviviality, and stellar performances continues.

Thomas Adès

Since joining La Jolla Music Society in 2008, Artistic Director Leah Rosenthal has been part of transforming San Diego into a premier destination for world-class performing arts. In 2020, she made history as the Society’s first stand-alone Artistic Director. During SummerFest, Rosenthal works closely with Music Director Inon Barnatan to keep intimate chamber music at the festival’s core. Rosenthal’s exceptional leadership has grown the Society’s programming from 25 to more than 70 events annually at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, adding series including Global Roots, Speaker, and ConRAD Kids. Her creative community initiatives, such as the Resident Companies @ The Conrad program, have united local performing groups and allowed artistic collaboration to truly flourish at The Conrad. Recognized nationally by Musical America as one of the Top 30 Professionals of the Year, Rosenthal continues to elevate our musical community by shaping the brilliant legacy of SummerFest.

SUMMERFEST MUSIC DIRECTORS Heiichiro Ohyama, viola

An accomplished conductor and violist, Ohyama was the Founding Artistic Director of SummerFest. Appointed to the position in 1986, Ohyama led the annual festival for over a decade until 1997. Under his tenure, SummerFest transformed from a fledgling local event into a world-renowned performing arts festival. He brought artistic credibility to La Jolla, drawing top-tier international musicians and securing financial stability. Conductor and composer André Previn praised Ohyama’s unique combination of performing excellence and meticulous organization. Beyond his 11-year impact at LJMS, Ohyama maintained an extensive international footprint. He served simultaneously as Assistant Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Artistic Director of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. Later in his career, he directed major orchestras in Japan, including the Kyushu and Osaka Symphony Orchestras. He also dedicated 30 years to educating future musicians as a Professor of Music for the University of California system.

David Finckel, cello & Wu Han, piano

Classical music “power couple” David Finckel and Wu Han served as the joint Music Directors of SummerFest from 1999 to 2001. As a cello and

piano duo, they have performed together for over 40 years. Raised in New Jersey, David Finckel was the first American student of cello legend Mstislav Rostropovich. He spent 34 seasons as the cellist for the GRAMMY®-winning Emerson String Quartet. Wu Han was born in Taiwan and moved to the U.S. as a graduate student. She was mentored by piano legends Rudolf Serkin and Menahem Pressler before winning the prestigious Andrew Wolf Award. Although Finckel and Han’s tenure at SummerFest was brief, it was highly influential. They brought their signature high-energy leadership and a commitment to growing the festival’s community footprint. They established a culture of collaboration, bringing together top-tier global talent to perform intimate chamber works in Southern California. After La Jolla, the duo became the long-serving Artistic Directors of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York City, and in 2003, they founded Music@Menlo in Silicon Valley.

Cho-Liang Lin, violin

Born in Taiwan, Cho-Liang “Jimmy” Lin fell in love with the violin as a child after watching a neighbor practice. His talent took him to Australia, then to New York to study under the legendary teacher Dorothy DeLay at The Juilliard School. In 1980, his concert career officially launched with a sensational debut playing the Mendelssohn Concerto with the New York Philharmonic. When Lin took the reins of SummerFest in 2001, the festival focused almost entirely on traditional chamber music. Lin transformed it into a vibrant, multi-genre celebration, introducing

jazz, dance, and multicultural programming to the festival. During his time in La Jolla, Lin commissioned and premiered 54 new works. He famously pushed boundaries by mixing classic masterpieces with new compositions from a diverse range of creators. Lin also invited a stellar list of composers to write music for the festival. This included Hollywood legend John Williams, avant-garde giant Tan Dun, and jazz icon Chick Corea. One of his most beloved achievements was commissioning John Williams to write Quartet La Jolla specifically for SummerFest. Lin has served on the faculties of Juilliard and Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. He also founded the Taipei Music Academy & Festival to mentor elite young students from around the world. Today, he returns to play at SummerFest’s 40th anniversary celebration to perform the very piece he helped bring to life.

Inon Barnatan, piano In SummerFest’s 40th anniversary year, the Music Director is internationally acclaimed concert pianist Inon Barnatan, returning for his eighth year in that role. His versatile career spans roles as a world-class soloist, a passionate chamber musician, and an innovative curator. He has performed on the world’s greatest stages alongside the finest orchestras, leaving a lasting impression with his creative approach to classical music. Barnatan has performed as a soloist with top-tier groups, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.

Barnatan collaborates with philanthropist Clara Wu Tsai to create the Synergy Initiative, whose programming has included a unique dance performance of The Planets, a spokenword and dance version of Carnival of the Animals, and “Tasting Notes,” a concert that blended the culinary world with live music. Barnatan also frequently invites legendary musical friends to take over the stage, including opera superstar Renée Fleming, avant-garde composer Thomas Adès, and jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant. Barnatan regularly commissions new music and gives voice to contemporary masterworks. As a recording artist, his albums have earned universal praise. The New York Times named his solo album Darknesse Visible as one of the best classical recordings of the year. He also

frequently records with the PENTATONE label, including a complete cycle of Beethoven’s piano concertos and his highly praised album, Rachmaninoff Reflections. La Jolla Music Society recently renewed his contract, keeping him at the helm of SummerFest to help shape its future.

COMMISSIONED WORKS THOMAS ADÈS Concerto Conciso (rev. 2026) Thomas Adès, piano; John Bruce Yeh, clarinet; Steven Banks, baritone saxophone; Brandon Ridenour, trumpet; Eric Starr, trombone; Aaron McCalla, tuba; Sidney Hopson, percussion; Simone Porter, Njioma Chinyere Grevious, Anthony Chan*, violins; Mark Dresser, bass; Stephanie Childress, conductor

BRUCE ADOLPHE Couple (1999) David Finckel, cello; Wu Han, piano

Oceanophony (2003) Bruce Adolphe, conductor; Marisela Sager, flute; Frank Renk, clarinet; Ryan Simmons, bassoon; Aiyun Huang, percussion; Marija Stroke, piano; Tereza Stanislav, violin; Richard Belcher, cello; Allan Rickmeier, bass

Into a Cloud (2005) Bruce Adolphe, narrator; Zheng Huang, oboe; Jun Iwasaki, violin; Erin Nolan, viola; Davin Rubicz, cello; Marija Stroke, piano

STEVEN BANKS to be free (2026)

DAVID DEL TREDICI Bullycide (2013)

PIERRE JALBERT Piano Quintet (2017)

Simone Porter, violin; Yura Lee, viola; Jay Campbell, cello; Jeremy Kurtz-Harris, bass; Rose Lombardo, flute; Steven Banks, saxophone; Jeremy Denk, piano; Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano

Orion Weiss, piano; DaXun Zhang, bass; Shanghai Quartet

Juho Pohjonen, piano Rolsoton String Quartet

DEREK BERMEL Death with Interruptions (2014)

IAIN FARRINGTON Fantasy on Scheherazade (2026)

AARON JAY KERNIS Perpetual Chaconne (2012)

Andrew Wan, Erin Keefe, violins; Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, viola; Efe Baltacigil, cello; Sam Hager, bass; Rose Lombardo, flute; Graeme Steele Johnson, clarinet; Stefan Dohr, horn; Julie Smith Phillips, harp

John Bruce Yeh, clarinet; Calder Quartet

DAVID LANG String Quartet “almost all the time” (2014)

David Schifrin, clarinet; Andre-Michel Schub, piano

GABRIELA LENA FRANK Contested Eden (2021) Canto para California in extremis

Night Thoughts (2004)

Attacca Quartet

David Chan, violin; Clive Greensmith, cello; John Novacek, piano

CHEN YI Ancient Dances (2004) I. Ox Tail Dance II. Hu Xuan Dance Catherine Ransom, flute; Keith Robinson, cello; Andre-Michel Schub, piano

STEWART COPELAND Retail Therapy (2009)

Imani Winds

Kyoko Takezawa, violin; Nico Abondolo, bass; Frank Renk, bass clarinet; Stewart Copeland, drums; Joyce Yang, piano

FRANGHIZ ALI-ZADEH Sabah (morning/tomorrow/in the future) (2003)

CHICK COREA String Quartet No. 1, The Adventures of Hippocrates (2004)

Zephyronia (2006)

Aleck Karis, piano; Cho-Liang Lin, violin; Felix Fan, cello; Wu Man, pipa

JULIAN ANDERSON String Quartet No. 2 “300 Weihnachtslieder” (2014) FLUX Quartet

CLARICE ASSAD Synchronous (2015) Liang Wang, oboe; Andrew Wan, Fabiola Kim, violins; Robert Brophy, viola; JeongHyoun “Christine” Lee, cello

SÉRGIO ASSAD Candido Scarecrow (2014) The Assad Brothers

Orion String Quartet

MARC-ANDRÉ DALBAVIE Quartet for Piano and Strings (2012) Yura Lee, violin; Paul Neubauer, viola; Felix Fan, cello; Jeremy Denk, piano

RICHARD DANIELPOUR Clarinet Quintet “The Last Jew in Hamadan” (2015) Burt Hara, clarinet; Verona Quartet

BRETT DEAN Epitaphs for String Quintet (2010) Brett Dean, viola; Orion String Quartet

Seven Signal (2019) Joseph Morris, clarinet; Qian Wu, piano; Liza Ferschtman, violin; Felix Fan, cello

MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN String Quartet (2016)

LEON KIRCHNER String Quartet No. 4 (2006) Orion String Quartet

FLUX Quartet

LEI LIANG Vis-à-vis, for Pipa and Percussion (2018)

Hai-Ye Ni, cello; Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano

Wu Man, pipa; Steven Schick, percussion

JOHN HARBISON String Quartet (2002)

MAGNUS LINDBERG Konzertstück for Cello and Piano (2006)

Orion String Quartet

Crossroads (2013)

Anssi Karttunen, cello; Magnus Lindberg, piano

Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano; Peggy Pearson, oboe; Linden String Quartet; Nico Abondolo, bass

JACQUES LOUSSIER Divertimento (2008)

STEPHEN HARTKE Sonata for Piano Four-Hands (2014) Orion Weiss, Anna Polonsky, piano

JOEL HOFFMAN of Deborah, for Deborah (2015)

Jacques Loussier Trio; SoJin Kim, Shih-Kai Lin, violins; Elzbieta Weyman, viola; Yves Dharamraj, cello; Mark Dresser, bass

JULIAN MILONE La Muerte del Angel (arr. movement from Piazzolla’s Tango Suite) (2008)

Nancy Allen, harp; Cho-Liang Lin, violin; Toby Hoffman, viola; Gary Hoffman, cello

Gil Shaham, Kyoko Takezawa, Cho-Liang Lin, Margaret Batjer, violins; Chris Hanulik, bass

HUANG RUO Real Loud (2018)

MARC NEIKRUG Ritual (2007)

Real Quiet

TOSHI ICHIYANAGI String Quartet No. 5 (2008) FLUX Quartet

Real Quiet

A Song by Mahler (2018) Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano; Kelly Markgraf, bass-baritone; David Shifrin, clarinet; FLUX Quartet; Doug Fitch, director; Nicholas Houfek, lighting design

MARK O’CONNOR String Quartet No. 2 “Bluegrass” (2005) Mark O‘Connor, Cho-Liang Lin, violins; Carol Cook, viola; Natalie Haas, cello

ANDRÉ PREVIN Vocalise (1996) Ashley Putnam, soprano; David Finckel, cello

CHRISTOPHER ROUSE String Quartet No. 3 (2010) Calder Quartet

KAIJA SAARIAHO Serenatas (2008) Real Quiet

ESA-PEKKA SALONEN Lachen verlernt (Laughing Unlearnt) (2002) Cho-Liang Lin, violin

PETER SCHICKELE Spring Ahead Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet (2015) Burt Hara, clarinet; Huntington Quartet

LALO SCHIFRIN Letters from Argentina (2005) Lalo Schifrin, piano; David Schifrin, clarinet; Cho-Liang Lin, violin; Nestor Marconi, bandoneón; Pablo Aslan, bass; Satoshi Takeishi, percussion

PAUL SCHOENFIELD Sonata for Violin and Piano (2009) Cho-Liang Lin, violin; Jon Kimura Parker, piano

GUNTHER SCHULLER Quintet for Horn and Strings (2009) Julie Landsman, horn; Miro Quartet

BRIGHT SHENG Three Fantasies (2006) Cho-Liang Lin, violin; Andre-Michel Schub, piano

Northen Lights, for Violon, Cello and Piano (2010) Lynn Harrell, cello; Victor Asuncion, piano

SEAN SHEPHERD Oboe Quartet (2011)

CHINARY UNG AKASA: “Formless Spiral” (2010)

Liang Wang, oboe; Jennifer Koh, violin; Cynthia Phelps, viola; Felix Fan, cello

Real Quiet

String Quartet No. 2 (2015) FLUX Quartet

HOWARD SHORE A Palace Upon the Ruins (A Song Cycle) (2014) Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano; Catherine Ransom Karoly, flute; Coleman Itzkoff, cello; Andrew Staupe, piano; Julie Smith Phillips, harp; Dustin Donahue, percussion

JOHN WILLIAMS Quartet La Jolla (2011) Cho-Liang Lin, violin; Joshua Roman, cello; John Bruce Yeh, clarinet; Deborah Hoffman, harp

CYNTHIA LEE WONG Piano Quartet (2011) Joyce Yang, piano; Martin Beaver, violin; Kazuhide Isomura, viola; Felix Fan, cello

WAYNE SHORTER Terra Incognita (2006)

XIAOGANG YE Gardenia for String Quartet and Pipa (2017)

Imani Winds

Wu Man, pipa; Miro Quartet

STEVEN STUCKY Sonata for Violin and Piano (2013)

ELLEN TAAFFE ZWILICH Quintet for Violin, Viola, Cello, Contrabass and Piano (2011)

Cho-Liang Lin, violin; Jon Kimura Parker, piano

AUGUSTA READ THOMAS Bells Ring Summer (2000) David Finckel, cello

CONRAD TAO Movement II from “All I had forgotten or tried to” (2019) Stefan Jackiw, violin; Conrad Tao, piano

JOAN TOWER Big Sky (2000) Chee-Yun, violin; David Finckel, cello; Wu Han, piano

Trio La Jolla (2007) (Renamed Trio CAVANY)

Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio; Michael Tree, viola; Harold Robinson, bass

Pas de Trois (2016) Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio

SYNERGY COMMISSIONS & SPECIAL PROJECTS Co-produced by Clara Wu Tsai & Inon Barnatan

Anthony Roth Costanzo, countertenor; Cécile McLorin Salvant, voice; Sullivan Fortner, piano; The Knights with Special Guests; Eric Jacobsen, conductor

Carnival of the Animals (2023) Conceived and written by Marc Bamuthi Joseph Choreographed and directed by Francesca Harper Composed by Sugar Vendil Wendy Whelan, dance; Marc Bamuthi Joseph, spoken word; Joyce Yang, Inon Barnatan, pianos; Geneva Lewis, violin; Gabriel Martins, cello

Counterpoint II (2024) Conceived and choreographed by Conrad Tao and Caleb Teicher Conrad Tao, piano; Caleb Teicher, dance

TAMAR MUSKAL Facing the Automaton (2021)

Margaret Batjer, violin; Paul Neubauer, viola; Joshua Roman, cello; Andre-Michel Schub, piano

New York Counterpoint (2022)

Real Quiet

Directed by Zack Winokur

Cécile McLorin Salvant, voice; Aaron Diehl, Inon Barnatan, pianos

White Granite (2011)

GEORGE TSONTAKIS Stimulus Package (2009)

An Evening of Kurt Weill: Seven Deadly Spins (2022)

Intersection (2019)

Steven Schick, percussion; Joseph Morris, clarinet; Brad Balliett, bassoon; David Byrd-Marrow, horn; David Chan, Justin DeFilippis, violins; Jonathan Moreschel, viola; Joshua Roman, cello; David Grossman, bass; Chelsea de Souza, piano

Cho-Liang Lin, violin; Gary Hoffman, cello; Andre-Michel Schub, piano

clarinet; Victor Goines (Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra), clarinet; Jon Manassee (The Juilliard School), clarinet; Carol McGonnell (The Juilliard School), bass clarinet; Kristina Teuschler (Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts), clarinet; Alexander Fiterstein (Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center), clarinet; Anton Rist (The MET Orchestra), clarinet; Dean LeBlanc (The MET Orchestra), bass clarinet

Film directed by Tristan Cook Cinematography by Zac Nicholson Anthony McGill (New York Philharmonic), clarinet; On film: Alec Manassee (The Juilliard School), clarinet & bass clarinet; Ricardo Morales (Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center), clarinet; Jessica Phillips (The MET Orchestra),

Leah Rosenthal, Inon Barnatan

Balourdet Quartet

LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT Central to SummerFest are the dozens of free Learning & Engagement events that provide a myriad of opportunities for audience and community members to expand their learning and connect directly with the artists they see onstage. In addition to Coaching Workshops, Musical Preludes, and Musical Encounters, featuring the Farfy Foundation Fellowship Artists, SummerFest also includes Open Rehearsals and Encounters. Guest scholars and lecturers featured at SummerFest have included Bruce Adolphe, Eric Bromberger, Ara Guzelimian, Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, Alex Ross, and Richard Taruskin. Alex Ross, lecturer

Abeo Quartet

FARFY FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP ARTISTS The Farfy Foundation Fellowship Artist Program is a cornerstone of SummerFest, providing a seamless blend between educational and professional opportunities. Each year, eight early-career artists are chosen through a juried selection process to receive intensive Coaching Workshops with world-renowned artists; performance opportunities; access to SummerFest concerts; and individualized artistic guidance tailored to their individual career paths. The artists also receive an honorarium for their participation. Notable Fellowship Artist alumni include David Chan, Jennifer Frautschi, Michelle Kim, John Novacek, Sheryl Staples, Felix

Eric Bromberger, Program Annotator

As SummerFest celebrates its 40th anniversary, we proudly honor Eric Bromberger, the irreplaceable program annotator for La Jolla Music Society and many other top performing arts organizations. For decades, Bromberger has crafted the illuminating program notes that serve as vital guideposts for both Winter Season and SummerFest. His deeply insightful writing helps audiences understand and connect with every performance, bringing a rare, practical expertise to his craft. He holds a Ph.D. in American Literature from UCLA and played violin for 32 years in the La Jolla Symphony, enabling him to see music from the inside out. Through his dedication, Bromberger has enriched the concert experience for thousands of music lovers. As he brings his service to LJMS to a close, we thank him for being the intellectual heartbeat of our festival for so many wonderful years.

Michael Gerdes, lecturer

Fan (FLUX Quartet), John Largess (Miró Quartet), Escher String Quartet, Dover Quartet (named Old City String Quartet at the time), Rolston String Quartet, Balourdet Quartet, and Njioma Chinyere Grevious.

Serafin Paredes,

Director of the Community Music Center

COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER

For the past 27 years, the Community Music Center has provided free musical instruments and instruction to underserved students. These initiatives are made possible by the generosity of LJMS patrons through fundraising events like the SummerFest Gala.

Community Music Center students

Michelle Kim

David Chan

Njioma Chinyere Grevious

John Largess

Serafin Paredes earned a Bachelor degree from San Diego State University in Music Education, a Master of Education in Cross-Cultural Teaching, and a B-CLAD Teaching Credential from National University. Paredes has been a music educator in the San Diego Unified School District since 1998, teaching band, orchestra, and guitar at the elementary school level. He also teaches string instruments at La Jolla Music Society’s Community Music Center, where he has served as director for the past twenty-five years. Since 2012, Paredes has been mariachi director at the University of San Diego. He has transformed the lives of countless students over the course of his remarkable career in music education.

CELEBRATING SUMMERFEST Receptions & Galas

From elegant galas to intimate artist gatherings, social events have always been at the heart of SummerFest. These special occasions bring together music lovers to celebrate extraordinary performances, forge lasting connections, and share in the vibrant community that makes SummerFest unique.

Martha Dennis, Dolly Woo, Margaret Stevens Grossman (background), Carolyn Yorston-Wellcome (foreground), Barbara Enberg, Maria Prokocimer, Kathleen Charla, June Furman, Raffaella Belanich, Eleanor Ellsworth, Sharon Pratt, Ioana Partovi. Seated, from left: Leigh Ryan, Carole Robin, Joan Salb, Lael Kovtun, Teddie Lewis Pincus, Joanee Udelf, Alexa Kirkwood Hirsch, Abby Silverman Weiss, Joy Frieman

Martha Dennis, Lael and Jay Kovtun, Lois Kohn

Kay Hesselink, Wu Han, Janos Starker, Peggy Preuss, Dolly Woo

Patty Rome, Bill Purves

Ellen Revelle, Joy and Ed Frieman

Andrew and Erna Viterbi, Raffaella and John Belanich

Teddie Pincus, Lael Kovtun, Joan Jacobs

Linda Goldman, Brenda Baker, James and Anne McGarry, Marie Olesen

Joan Jordan Bernstein, Audrey Geisel

Louise and Robert Hill

Alan Gary, Betty and Jim Martin

Anne Otterson, Joan Jacobs

Brenda Baker, Joanee Udelf

Iris and Matthew Strauss, Dick Atkinson, Steve Strauss

Sue Fan, Patty Clark

Alexa Kirkwood Hirsch

Dick Enberg, Alisa Weilerstein, Barbara Enberg

Maggie and Paul Meyer

Stuart and Isabel Brown

Ida Houby and Bill Miller

Irwin and Joan Jacobs

Silvija and Brian Devine, Kay and John Hesselink

Melvin Sommer, Rosalyn Hewertson, Cho-Liang Lin

Carol Lam, Steven Burnett

Michael and Brenda Goldbaum

Joyce and Ted Strauss

Lael Kovtun, Catherine Rivier

Gail Lau Kee, Teresa Fischlowitz

Jasna Belanich, Liqun Wang, David Belanich

Peter Cowhey and Margaret McKeown, Abby and Ray Weiss

Elliot and Diane Feuerstein

Michael Alpert, Lehn Alpert Goetz, Dede Alpert, Richard Goetz

Robert Dynes and Ann Parode Dynes, Lisa and David Casey, Nina and Bob Doede

Patricia Manners, Helene Kruger

Ric and Eleanor Charlton

Peter and Peggy Preuss, Jeanne Jones, Debbie Turner

Leigh Ryan, Mary Ann Beyster

Mary Ellen Clark, Inon Barnatan

Inon Barnatan, Clara Wu Tsai

Linda Howard, Barbara Enberg, Joan Jacobs, Margaret Stevens Grossman, Dolly Woo

Gary Gallagher and Marla Bingham, Renee and Jim Dunford

Joe Wong, Vivian Lim, Stacy and Don Rosenberg

Leonard Kornreich, Carol Young, Charles Lo

Peter Wagener, Blake Pouliot, Sue Wagener

Diana Lombrozo, Helen Kim

Peter Cooper, Debbie Turner, Erik Matwijkow

Richard and Susan Ulevitch

Susan Kabakoff, Sylvia Ré

Theresa Jarvis, Karen Brailean

Maureen Shiftan, Jennifer and Kurt Eve

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2026−27 Bert Cornelison - Chair Stacy Kellner Rosenberg - Vice Chair Mary Ellen Clark - Treasurer Teresa Hixson - Secretary David Belanich Marla Bingham Eleanor Y. Charlton Sharon Cohen

Ellise Coit Peter Cooper Ann Parode Dynes Jennifer Eve Debby Fishburn Stephen Gamp Lehn Goetz John Hesselink

Susan Hoehn David Kabakoff Vivian Lim Nancy Linke Patton Diana Lombrozo Sue Major Richard A. Norling Kazeem Omidiji

Arman Oruc Tom Rasmussen Sylvia Ré Leah Rosenthal Sheryl Scarano Neal Schmale Todd Schultz Maureen Shiftan

Jeanette Stevens Stephanie Stone Debbie Turner Liqun Wang Lise Wilson

HONORARY DIRECTORS Brenda Baker Stephen L. Baum Raffaella Belanich Joy Frieman, Ph.D Irwin M. Jacobs Joan Jacobs (1933—2024) Lois Kohn (1924—2010) Helene K. Kruger (1916—2019)

Conrad Prebys (1933—2016) Peggy Preuss Ellen Revelle (1910—2009) Leigh P. Ryan, Esq. Dolly Woo

CONTRIBUTORS Brenda Baker Christopher Beach Allison Boles Mary Ellen Clark Mary Cook Ferdinand Gasang Mariel Pillado Peggy Preuss Bill Purves Leah Rosenthal Stephanie Saad Todd Schultz David Silva Abby Weiss

The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center 7600 Fay Avenue, La Jolla, California 92037 · TheConrad.org · 858.459.3728 SummerFest 2025 Finale © Ken Jacques