Cristian Măcelaru and the Cabrillo Festival reshape their 2020 season

Cristian Măcelaru rehearses with the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra (Photo credit: rr jones)

Reshaping Our 2020 Season
Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music
May 13, 2020

Dear Friends,

I hope you are well. We’re living through challenging times that call upon us to be our most resilient selves. For me, this means having the courage to be optimistic in the face of all that confronts us, and to be especially creative about how we share our art form and our artistry at a time when the world needs it the most.

On March 10, 2020, The Cabrillo Festival announced a 2020 season program that I was so excited to share, the culmination of months (and years!) of work and planning. It soon became clear to us that the pandemic was a major threat, and on March 28, 2020, we cancelled the season for the sake of everyone’s safety and wellbeing.

I was so moved by the Board and Staff’s decision to prioritize providing financial support to all of our orchestra members, guest artists and production team, many of whom are enduring unprecedented losses. And in the midst of heartbreak came so many expressions of understanding, love, gratitude, and devotion from our Cabrillo Festival family. We heard over and over from musicians and fans how important the Cabrillo Festival has been in their lives, how much they will miss us all being together this summer, and how committed they are to ensuring that we can gather again when it is safer to do so. These outpourings give us the confidence and courage to pursue strategies and bold ideas that will bridge the distance between us, and ensure the Festival’s healthy future.

We have made a commitment to all the 2020 composers and guest artists that they will be reengaged during the 2021 and 2022 seasons; and soon we will announce plans for an exciting virtual season this summer, of which I am genuinely proud. Despite our physical distance, we will make music and we will connect with you! My thoughts are so often with my Festival family these days, and I very much look forward to connecting in new and different ways this summer.

With warm regards. Stay well.

Cristian Măcelaru

Music Director and Conductor

Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music

To view Cabrillo’s messages about the 2020 season, click here.