Led by Grammy Award-winning Music Director and Conductor Cristian Măcelaru, the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music is all about “music of our time, for our time.” The 60th anniversary season includes works by twelve American composers, a stunning roster of soloists, three world premiere commissions, and seven West Coast premieres. This interview features the Festival’s long-time Executive Direction, Ellen Primack, and two composers whose works will have their West Coast premieres with the 2022 season: Ivan Enrique Rodriquez and Stacy Garrop
Ivan Rodríguez’s music is inspired by the human experience, strong emotions, social justice, and activism while always highlighting his Puerto Rican musical heritage. His most recent orchestral piece, A Metaphor for Power, takes as its central thesis the current Latinx experience as well as the ongoing equality issues in the United States. In 2019, A Metaphor for Power was selected by the Edward T. Cone Composition Institute to be premiered by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Cristian Măcelaru. Rodríguez’s commitment to human rights, equality, and justice has also led him to collaborate with Vision Collective on their first German tour through Nigerian, Iraqi, Georgian, Syrian, and Turkish refugee camps.
Dr. Stacy Garrop is an award-winning, nationally recognized freelance American composer and lecturer whose music is centered on dramatic and lyrical storytelling. Her catalog covers a wide range of genres, with works for orchestra, opera, oratorio, wind ensemble, choir, art song, and various sized chamber ensembles. The Battle for the Ballot was commissioned by the Cabrillo Festival in 2020 to commemorate the centenary of women’s suffrage in America and incorporates the words of seven prominent Black and white suffragists, read by narrator Valerie Joi. It receives its West Coast premiere performance tonight, after a spectacular virtual premiere in 2020.
For tickets and more information: Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music
Ivan Enrinque Rodriguez Dr. Stacy Garrop
On Talk of the Bay we have featured the Cabrillo Festival for three Mondays in July. Don’t miss the behind the scenes inspiring conversations with The Festival’s Executive Director, Ellen Primach and many of the amazing artists whose works will be featured at the Festival this season:
Young Composers are “In the Works”
Cabrillo Festival’s 60th Anniversary Season with Scott Ordway and Gabriela Lena Frank
