Mainly Mozart
is based in San Diego, California, and is an internationally renowned presenter of world-class musicians from some of the nation’s most celebrated orchestras.
Maestro David Atherton along with Executive Director Nancy Laturno created Mainly Mozart in 1988 to give the people of Southern California and Baja California an opportunity to experience the finest classical music performed live by principal orchestral musicians in the summer. Players have come from such ensembles as the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
The focus was placed on Mozart because he is considered one of the world's greatest composers, and because of the breadth of masterful works that he composed specifically for chamber orchestra. Since its inception, Mainly Mozart has added the works of other composers with an emphasis on those of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Using the common language of music, Mainly Mozart has served as a regional resource by connecting communities in Southern California and Baja California to Mainly Mozart musicians, classical music, and stories behind the music.
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MAINLY MOZART FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA TICKETS
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From the Old Globe to the Balboa
The first Mainly Mozart Festival in June 1989 – a series of nine concerts -- was performed on the outdoor stage of the
Old Globe Theatre in
Balboa Park. Over the ensuing years, Mainly Mozart has increased its overall annual concert performances staged at various venues. In June 2008, and just in time for the 20th anniversary of the Mainly Mozart Festival, Mainly Mozart will become the primary tenant of the restored 83-year-old, 1,300-seat
Balboa Theatre in downtown San Diego. A $26-million renovation of the “jewel box” theatre has maintained its blend of
Mediterranean,
Moorish and
Spanish Revival architectural styles. Since 1992, the
Balboa Theatre has been on the
National Register of Historic Places. San Diego’s Centre City Development Corporation funded the restoration.
Spotlight Series
In 1996, Mainly Mozart began producing the Spotlight Series featuring chamber music concerts during the winter and spring. The principal home of the series is The
Neurosciences Institute in
La Jolla, but facilities in the north
San Diego County coastal community of
Carlsbad, and the inland community of
Rancho Santa Fe are also used.
Mainly Mozart Staff
Nancy Laturno Bojanic,
Executive Director
Robert Fishman,
Director of Administration
Marjy Taylor,
Director of Marketing
Steven Warner,
Production Manager
Veronica Baker,
Director of Development
Sarah Goering,
Bookkeeper
Preston Turegano,
Public Relations Manager
Allie Alesi,
Box Office Representative
Vikki Indermuehle,
Events Manager
Sylvia Thompson,
Civic Engagement Coordinator
Festival Production
Drew Cady,
Festival Concerts Manager
Keoni Ayers,
Festival Production Manager
Binacional & Educational Outreach
In 1992 the Mainly Mozart Orchestra was invited to participate in the first Festival Internacional de Mozart in
Baja California (now Mozart Binacional). This was also the year that Mainly Mozart established an educational component to bring music to students in low income or at risk neighborhoods in both San Diego County and Baja California. These programs are continually expanding and now reach over 60,000 students in both countries.
The lives and music of
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and
Ludwig van Beethoven are brought to school children through the Living Composers Series. These informative and entertaining half-hour assemblies engage students in interactive mini-plays set to the music of these master composers. Question and answer session rounds out the teaching session, and in-school materials are provided for both the pre- and post- performance educational activities.
Mainly Mozart also has been working to enrich the lives of economically disadvantaged families in
Southeast San Diego through a partnership with the Jackie Robinson Family
YMCA. Mainly Mozart's free ticket program has allowed hundreds of children to enjoy their very first concert experience at
Copley Symphony Hall (home of the
San Diego Symphony). In another outreach program, Mainly Mozart offers high school and college music students discounted concert tickets.
Other endeavors
Mainly Mozart commissioned “The Amadeus Suite” in 1999. It was created by British jazz trumpeter
Guy Barker, who based his composition on characters from Mozart operas. In 2006, the suite was expanded by Barker and was performed in San Diego during the Mainly Mozart-led year-long San Diego County-wide celebration of Mozart's 250th birthday (
January 27,
1756). The celebration was coordinated with cultural officials in
Austria.
Club Amadeus
To show its appreciation of its patron/donors, Mainly Mozart has presented a smaller, more intimate concert series known as Club Amadeus. The supporters hear chamber music in elegant private residences and other special venues throughout San Diego.
Other annual funding for Mainly Mozart is provided, in part, by the
City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture; the County of San Diego Community Enhancement program; the
California Arts Council; the
National Endowment for the Arts; and contributions from local businesses and foundations.
References