We are thrilled to announce our dynamic 2025 season! the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music presents the full spectrum of orchestral possibility, illuminating vibrant hues of music today. This transformative season features over 20 composers, nine in residence, seven guest artists, and the Festival Orchestra, bringing three world premieres and four Festival commissions to life

Schedule of Events:

3:30pm - Youth Enesemble

A Unique Music Experience For Young Adults (Age 16-24)
Cabrillo Festival’s Youth Ensemble (Previously Student Staff Program) Provides Young Adults Age 16-24 With Invaluable Experience In Concert Planning, Preparation, And Performance, And Unmatched Access To World-Class Contemporary Music Artists. Led By Two Peer Youth Ensemble Co-Directors, Students Can Engage In Many Ways– By Curating, Composing, And Performing A Chamber Concert Of Their Own Works On The Venerated Stage Of The Cabrillo Festival– America’s First And Preeminent Festival Dedicated To New Orchestral Music.

Available To All Backgrounds And Levels, Participants Get Wide Access To The Festival Experience Including Front-Of-House Experience– Ushering At All Concerts, Access To All Open Rehearsals Including An “Inside-The-Orchestra” Experience, Coaching By Select Festival Artists, And More.

7pm - Becoming

Lou Harrison: Concerto For Violin With Percussion Orchestra (Justin Bruns, Violin)
Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Catamorphosis (West Coast Premiere)
Darian Donovan Thomas:  Creative Lab (World Premiere | Festival Commission)

The Second Weekend Of The Cabrillo Festival Welcomes The Return Of Maestro Măcelaru With A Program Featuring The Cabrillo Festival’s Second Creative Lab With A World Premiere By Darian Donovan Thomas, A Tribute To The Enduring Legacy Of Festival Co-Founder Lou Harrison, And A Powerful Work By Anna Thorvaldsdottir.

A Celebration Of Pride Would Not Be Complete Without Festival Co-Founder, Lou Harrison. His Concerto For Violin With Percussion Orchestra Stands As One Of The Most Memorable Concerti Ever Composed By An American. Lou’s Spirit Of Bold Activism, Innovation, And His Courage To Live Authentically Is A Legacy We Will Honor In This Season And Every Season Of Our Festival. This Vibrant Masterpiece For Violin And Five Percussionists Will Feature Festival Concertmaster, Justin Bruns.

The Core Inspiration Behind Anna Thorvaldsdottir‘S Catamorphosis Is Our Fragile Relationship With Our Planet. The Aura Of The Piece Is Characterized By An Orbiting Vortex Of Emotions And The Intensity That Comes With The Realization That If Things Do Not Change, We Risk Utter Destruction–Catastrophe. The Work Is Driven By The Tension Between Various Polar Forces–Power And Fragility, Hope And Despair, Preservation And Destruction.

The Cabrillo Festival Brings Back The Creative Lab For A Second Year, A Project That Gives Curatorial Control To The Composer, Empowering Them To Reimagine The Orchestral Experience. Măcelaru Leads The Festival Orchestra World Premiere By Genre-Exploding, Multi-Instrumentalist Darian Donovan Thomas. This Rapidly Ascending Composer Has Been Given Wide Latitude Through The Creative Lab To Collaborate With The Orchestra And Utilize The Venue And Production Team To Create An Entire Experience. The Work Is Dedicated To The 50th Anniversary Of Santa Cruz Lgbtqia Pride And Will Explore The Process Of Coming Out–Discovering Self, Love, And Community.