Ojai Festivals Ltd

HAILED AS A CREATIVE MUSIC LABORATORY, THE OJAI MUSIC FESTIVAL HAS NURTURED MANY OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ARTISTS AND COMPOSERS TO INTERNATIONAL PROMINENCE FOR OVER 70 YEARS.

OJAI FESTIVALS, LTD. ("FESTIVAL") IS A CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION THAT WAS INCORPORATED IN 1947. THROUGHOUT EACH YEAR, THE FESTIVAL CONTRIBUTES TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S CULTURAL LANDSCAPE WITH IN-PERSON AND ONLINE FESTIVAL-RELATED PROGRAMMING AS WELL AS FREE EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS THAT SERVE THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC-SCHOOL STUDENTS AND SENIORS IN THE OJAI VALLEY AND PARTS OF VENTURA. THE ORGANIZATION'S FOCAL POINT IS THE WORLD-RENOWNED FOUR-DAY FESTIVAL, WHICH TAKES PLACE IN OJAI AND IS A PERENNIAL PLATFORM FOR THE FRESH AND UNEXPECTED. THE FESTIVAL'S MISSION STATEMENT IS TO ENABLE ARTISTS AND INQUISITIVE AUDIENCES TO ENGAGE WITH ONE ANOTHER AROUND ADVENTUROUS PROGRAMMING IN THE INTIMATE SETTING OF OJAI AND REACH OUT BEYOND THE FESTIVAL AND THE OJAI COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO CONNECT WITH BROADER AUDIENCES.THE FESTIVAL HAS NURTURED MANY SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS AND COMPOSERS TO INTERNATIONAL PROMINENCE SINCE ITS INCEPTION. THROUGH ITS SIGNATURE STRUCTURE OF THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR APPOINTING A DIFFERENT MUSIC DIRECTOR EACH YEAR, OJAI HAS PRESENTED A "WHO'S WHO" OF MUSIC FROM PATRICIA KOPATCHINSKAJA, JOHN ADAMS, AND BARBARA HANNIGAN IN RECENT YEARS TO THE LIKES OF AARON COPLAND, IGOR STRAVINSKY, MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS, KENT NAGANO, PIERRE BOULEZ, AND ESA-PEKKA SALONEN THROUGHOUT ITS 75-YEAR HISTORY.THE OJAI MUSIC FESTIVAL BEGAN ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON WITH MUCH HOPE AND CONFIDENCE, THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF THE FESTIVAL COMMUNITY THROUGH A CHALLENGING YEAR DUE TO THE WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC.HIGHLIGHTS:THE FESTIVAL PRODUCED FREE ONLINE OJAI TALKS FOR PATRONS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THESE ENGAGING AND INSIGHTFUL SESSIONS WITH FESTIVAL ARTISTS GAVE SUPPORTERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE FESTIVAL AND ENJOY MUSIC VIA THE VIRTUAL WORLD. THE FESTIVAL'S BRAVO MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM ALSO CONTINUED TO PROVIDE FREE ONLINE MUSIC WORKSHOPS AND VIDEO PRESENTATIONS FOR OJAI PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS DURING THE PANDEMIC. DURING THE YEAR, BRAVO'S EDUCATION COORDINATOR LAURA WALTER PRODUCED 75 "SONG & PLAY" VIDEOS THAT WERE ALSO SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA WHICH HELPED BROADEN THE REACH TO FAMILIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WORLD. THE GOAL WITH THE ONLINE ADAPTATION OF THE MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM IS TO KEEP THE LEARNING EXPERIENCES SOCIAL AND FAMILY-ORIENTED, HELPING STUDENTS TO FIND INSPIRATION AND MENTAL STIMULATION TO BE THEIR BEST SELVES THROUGH MUSIC. IN MARCH 2021, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS VOTED TO MOVE THE JUNE 2021 FESTIVAL TO SEPTEMBER 16 TO 19 2021 DUE TO THE STILL UNCERTAIN TIMES OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE CONTINUED STRICT GUIDELINES OF LARGE GATHERINGS BASED ON STATE AND COUNTY POLICIES. ONCE THE DECISION WAS MADE, FESTIVAL STAFF IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED ALL SUBSCRIBERS WITH THE NEW DATES, WHICH WAS WELL RECEIVED AND APPRECIATED BY PATRONS. AS COVID RATES BEGAN TO DECREASE AND MORE COUNTY RESIDENTS BECAME VACCINATED, THE COUNTY OF VENTURA BEGAN TO ALLOW SMALLER PUBLIC GATHERINGS IN JUNE 2021. WITH THAT IN MIND AND TO HONOR THE DATES OF THE FESTIVAL (JUNE 10-13), THE FESTIVAL STAFF OFFERED FREE MUSICAL POP-UPS WITH FEATURED REGIONAL AND LOCAL ARTISTS FOR THE OJAI COMMUNITY DURING THE WEEKEND, HELD AROUND THE AREA. THESE FREE EVENTS WERE PRODUCED WITH THE HIGHEST SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR ARTISTS AND RESIDENTS. AT THE AUGUST 2021 BOARD MEETING, THE OJAI FESTIVAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONFIRMED AND ESTABLISHED THE COVID-SAFETY PROTOCOL FOR THE SEPTEMBER FESTIVAL, WHICH WAS PROOF OF VACCINATION AND MASKING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ARTISTS, PRODUCTION TEAM, STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND PATRONS. THIS WAS WELL-RECEIVED BY THE ENTIRE FESTIVAL COMMUNITY AND THE GREATER OJAI COMMUNITY.EVEN THROUGH THE CHALLENGES OF THE PANDEMIC, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CHAIR JERRY EBERHARDT, TOOK UPON THE GOAL TO CONTINUE WORKING ON A COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN TO ENSURE THE FUTURE OF THE FESTIVAL. THIS CAMPAIGN WAS SUPPORTED BY THE BOARD WITH 100% COMMITMENT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. THE THREE PILLARS OF THE CAMPAIGN ARE SUPPORTING NEW ARTISTIC PROGRAMS AND WORKS, GROWTH OF THE BRAVO EDUCATION PROGRAM, AND EXPANSION OF ONLINE INITIATIVES. AND THROUGH THE BOARD'S CONTINUED EFFORTS, THE FESTIVAL WAS ALSO ABLE TO PAY $100,000 TO HELP RETIRE THE DEBT BEFORE THE END OF AUGUST 2021. PLANNING FOR THE 75TH FESTIVAL, THAT WAS MOVED TO SEPTEMBER 2021, CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. ARTISTIC AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ARA GUZELIMIAN WORKED WITH CELEBRATED AMERICAN COMPOSER AND CONDUCTOR JOHN ADAMS AS MUSIC DIRECTOR. TO CELEBRATE THIS MILESTONE YEAR, THE FESTIVAL FOCUSED ON THE NEXT GENERATION OF COMPOSERS INCLUDING SAMUEL CARL ADAMS, TIMO ANDRES, RHIANNON GIDDENS, DYLAN MATTINGLY, GABRIELA ORTIZ, GABRIELLA SMITH, AND CARLOS SIMON. ADDITIONALLY, THE FESTIVAL INVITED SOME OF TODAY'S MOST CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE ARTISTS, WHO INCLUDED GRAMMY-AWARD WINNER ATTACCA QUARTET, VIOLINIST MIRANDA CUCKSON, PIANIST/COMPOSER TIMO ANDRES, PIANIST VIKINGUR OLAFSSON, MEMBERS OF THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC NEW MUSIC GROUP, THE LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, AND FREELANCE MUSICIANS FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. FOLLOWING THE MODEL OF PLANNING A FEW YEARS AHEAD, GUZELIMIAN ANNOUNCED THAT AFTER THE FESTIVAL IN SEPTEMBER, THE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY COLLECTIVE, AMOC (AMERICAN MODERN OPERA COMPANY) WOULD TAKE THE HELM OF THE 2022 FESTIVAL IN JUNE.