Colorful and Courageous—our 2025 season’s theme speaks to the courage it takes to stand in values and the vibrancy of our community, all made possible by the humanness of our ethos and the shared connection between everyone involved, like you! Thank you for being an essential part—everyone who attended an open rehearsal, bought a ticket, volunteered, hosted musicians, donated—all engagement amplifies our artistic experience.
This season brought to life the music of over 25 colorful composers. Most of whom joined us in Santa Cruz; few places in the world enjoy so many incredible composers together in one place at one time! Our composers themselves say it best:
Cabrillo is the place where many pieces come into this world for the first time…that’s huge. It is also a place where music from different aesthetics is allowed to blossom into extraordinary performances. It is truly a garden where every person involved in performances, composer, conductor, administrators, musicians, and audience members, makes for lifelong memories.
– Jennifer Higdon
We cultivate verdant possibilities and sow creative seeds with limitless potential. By inviting all composers to be in residence, training young musicians, opening rehearsals to the public, collaborating with community partners, and more—we forge meaningful connections between audiences and contemporary composers, conductors, and musicians—from early-career to the most established voices of our time. Composer Aleksandra Vrebalov remarks on this cross-pollination of ideas and people:
Cabrillo Festival fosters genuine artistic exchange with an ethos rooted in collaboration and approachability; composers and conductors work closely (and with student participants) in a supportive, process-oriented environment. Programming embraces diversity and urgent social themes. One of the rare places where risk-taking and excellence create an exciting, creative, and intellectual environment, creating and building on a legacy of new American repertoire for orchestra.
– Aleksandra Vrebalov
As a Cabrillo Composers Workshop alumna, Aleksandra is embodied proof of our impact over time. We lay the groundwork for the career trajectories of composers, conductors, and performers, helping artists and the artform itself blossom. Preparing this creative ground takes care, planning, and significant resources, so thank you to all those who support us!
Donations fuel fees for our faculty, commissions, music rentals, Composers in Residence, musician travel & per diems, production & stage crew, venue, staff, and so much more! Our staff works with our Music Director Cristian Măcelaru, board, and community year-round, so that before the first note is played, we have created a safe space for artists and audiences. As we look forward to next year, will you help us prepare this sacred ground, to invite back artists to experience our beautiful coastal community?
The Cabrillo Festival is a magical destination by the sea, where new music is celebrated and performed at the highest level. There is a joyful community spirit of sharing, connecting, and listening—and a palpable appetite for fresh musical perspectives. The orchestra is comprised of top-notch professionals who relish the challenges of new works. They are led by Cristian Măcelaru, one of the world’s finest conductors and an inspiring force of nature. It’s a composer’s dream to be here!
– Jake Heggie
In times of uncertainty, dreaming is an act of courage, resistance, and even power. At a time when many arts organizations and our society at large see dark clouds gather on the horizon, we are unwavering in our resolve that orchestral music has a key role to play in moving artists and audiences to a greater connection and a more empathetic understanding of the world around them.
We must dare to envision the future and must be bold and optimistic in our vision to protect and expand creative expression and artistic innovation. But it takes community action and direct support to translate that dream into reality, so I invite you to donate and dream with us.
With longtime grantmakers moving away from orchestral music, the end of federal funding, and attacks on free speech and the cultural sector expected to increase, we anticipate the future to be anything but certain. But we are certain in our commitment to our values of inclusion and equity, and are unwavering in our support of our composers, musicians, and everyone in our creative community.
Your generosity has such a significant and direct impact on our ability to envision a vibrant creative future. When hundreds of people share a vision, contributing at whatever level they are able—as Jake said the “magic” of this place is possible. Please make a gift to support our creative community and another year of courageous, colorful, and uncompromising music.
Thank you for being a beautiful note in our colorful score, and I look forward to seeing you at another concert soon!
Cheers,
D. Riley Nicholson, Executive Director
P.S. Next season promises to be extraordinary! We can’t wait to share the 4 Festival commissions/ world premieres, plus at least two 2 additional West Coast premieres. Your contribution ensures that our community continues to be at the forefront of new music, where composers share their most important work. Your gift now crucially empowers our artistic vision for 2026!