ANNOUNCING OUR 2026 SEASON

Name: Kuumbwa Jazz & Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music Present: ‘A Change is Gonna Come’ feat. Palaver Strings & Nicholas Phan
Start: 2026-04-24T12:00:00-07:00
End: 2026-04-24T14:00:00-07:00
Location: Kuumbwa Jazz Center

We are thrilled to announce our 2026 season, We the Dreamers! July 26 – August 9, 2026, the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music brings together visionary composers, performers, and audiences in a bold exploration of imagination, resilience, and creative possibility. This season features a dynamic roster of composers, guest artists, and the Festival Orchestra, with world premieres, Festival commissions, and new works that reflect the urgency and expansiveness of music today.

READ OUR ANNOUNCEMENT HERE.

EVENTS

April 2026

Kuumbwa Jazz & Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music Present: ‘A Change is Gonna Come’ feat. Palaver Strings & Nicholas Phan

Kuumbwa Jazz and Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music present: A Change is Gonna Come featuring Palaver Strings and tenor Nicholas Phan in partnership with UC Santa Cruz Arts Division PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS HERE! A Change is Gonna Come celebrates the rich legacy of American protest songs, from beloved anthems to new commissions. Arrangements of 1960s classics explore […]

April 24 2026

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Kuumbwa Jazz Center

320 Cedar St. Santa Cruz

View Detail

July 2026

2026 Festival Season: WE THE DREAMERS

The Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music presents its 64th season, We the Dreamers, running July 26 through August 9, 2026. Framed by the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this transformative season asks one of the most resonant civic questions of our time: Who is the “we” of America—and who are “we” still […]

July 26 2026 - August 9 2026

7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Civic Auditorium

307 Church St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

View Detail

No event found!

About the festival

Cabrillo Festival is America’s preeminent and longest standing festival dedicated solely to new music for orchestra. As Joshua Kosman remarked, “an entire microcosm springs up around the proceedings, devoted not only to new music, but also to camaraderie and a shared sense of adventure that encompasses the musicians and the audiences alike… The festival’s welcoming warmth spills out beyond the confines of the hall.” [SF Chronicle, 2023]

LEARN MORE

Youth Ensemble

Applications are open for our 2026 Youth Ensemble Program. Learn More and APPLY TODAY!

FESTIVAL STORE

Looking for meaningful gifts for your music lover this season? From cozy hoodies to stylish tees, hats and more, the Festival store has just what they want.

Meet the composers

Check out our archive of fascinating conversations between our featured composers and music directors.