"[1] Each year, a tenured orchestra gathers in Santa Cruz, California to rehearse five programs of contemporary music, often world, US, or West Coast premieres.
[3] The Festival quickly grew to prominence, thanks in part to Harrison's stature and the participation of well-known composers such as John Cage and Aaron Copland.
Since her tenure began, the Festival has promoted the careers of a number of prominent composers, performing their work and offering substantial commissions.
[5] The 2021 program included the world premier of "Contested Eden" by Gabriela Lena Frank, with recorded choreography filmed on locations of the nearby CZU Lightning Complex fires.
Other current principal players include Adam Sadberry (flute); Lillian Copeland (oboe); Bharat Chandra (clarinet); Hunter Gordon (bassoon); Federico Montes (trumpet); David Murray (trombone); Justin Benavidez (tuba); Galen Lemmon (percussion); Julie Smith Phillips (harp); Emily Wong (keyboard); Matt Albert (2nd violin); Sam Bergman (viola); Úna O'Riordan (cello); and Ryan Baird (bass).
This followed celebrations of Marin Alsop's 20th anniversary as music director in 2011, which also included a number of substantial commissions by John Corigliano, Mark Adamo, Philip Glass, and others.
The Festival has a commissioning series for young composers identified in collaboration with John Adams that has included new works by Zosha Di Castri, Dylan Mattingly, and Sean Friar.