San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Festival Napa Valley gives back to community
While Festival Napa Valley has grown substantially since its founding in 2006, this year marks an extra notable achievement. Among the dozens of events slated for the music and arts program running July 20 through July 29, this year includes 22 free concerts. That’s a dramatic increase from last year’s seven free performances.
There are also three new concert series, including the Grand Cru Piano Series which features concerts by the 2017 gold medal winners of three of the world’s most prestigious piano competitions: the Van Cliburn, Beethoven (Vienna), and Montreal International.
And there’s more. This summer, the nonprofit performing arts organization is partnering with the Boys & Girls Club of Napa Valley to offer two Arts for All Camps. The one-week-long gatherings will be held at the Boys & Girls Clubs’ Napa and American Canyon clubhouses, with each serving 300 students.
For Festival Napa Valley chief operating officer Sonia Tolbert, the new camps are particularly exciting in keeping with the festival’s commitment to making the arts part of every student’s academic experience. The program offers a low cost opportunity (scholarships are also available) for young people, six to 18 years old, to immerse themselves in the visual and performing arts while enjoying a summer camp environment.
The robust arts curriculum includes a daily interactive music experience with notable musicians, and an exclusive Concert for Kids on July 23. The private concert and bi-lingual session being held this year at the brand new American Canyon
Boys & Girls Club features Havana’s legendary Grupo Compay Segundo, which was founded by original members of the Buena Vista Social Club.
In addition, each camper receives a backpack filled with arts and music supplies to continue
Sonia Tolbert, Festival Napa Valley chief operating officer
their artistic journey throughout the summer.
“We are excited to expand our partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley to give students the opportunity to be exposed to music, digital and visual arts through the Arts for All summer camps,” Tolbert said. “We believe that providing young people the opportunity to explore, create and discover through art in all its forms helps tremendously with their emotional, academic and social development. It also happens to be a lot of fun!”
As the leading private funder of arts education in Napa County public schools, the Festival has invested more than $1 million in public school arts education.
“And our investment in community programs and concerts is
significantly more,” Tolbert said. “Proceeds from our annual Arts for All Gala alone have raised more than $8 million to date.”
Thanks to generous art supporters, Festival tickets sell quickly. All access patron passes ring in at $10,000, while single evening patron passes to events like the Arts for All Gala go for $1,000 (all patron passes come with a tax-deductible donation). But that $1,000 price brings a spectacular performance at HALL Winery in St. Helena on July 22, showcasing Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth.
Ten vocal arts students selected from Napa County public high schools will join Chenoweth in an end-of-the-program performance.
Still, enjoying the Festival doesn’t have to be expensive.
“The range of music styles, venues and price options makes it possible for everyone to enjoy Festival Napa Valley,” said Tolbert. “Besides the free performances, tickets start at $49 for world class concerts.”
For this 13th season, some favorite talents will take the stage again, too, including Grammy Award-winning American violinist/conductor Joshua Bell performing the world-premiere complete score of the Academy Award-winning film The Red Violin. For his appearance July 26, he will be accompanied by a full orchestra and a remastered showing of the movie, with the score’s composer, John Corigliano, and film’s director François Girard in attendance.
And guests can count on the return of popular Festival staples like Taste of Napa and the San Francisco Ballet. Taste, held July 21 at the new Vista Collina Resort, is a walk-around gourmet feast of some 70 wineries, restaurants and food artisans, plus a beer garden and concert by Bay Area favorite Carlos Reyes. The ballet, meanwhile, held July 27, is a dance gala presented by the troupe’s artistic director and principal choreographer Helgi Tomasson.
Even people who don’t necessarily consider themselves classical music connoisseurs will find something to appreciate, Tolbert promised. Just one eclectic example includes the Bernstein Centennial: Selections from West Side Story held June 28. This lively show will brim with music from one of the American master’s signature works: West Side Story, the 1957 musical that gave birth to such memorable songs as “Maria,” “Tonight,” and “Somewhere.” And here’s the twist: the works will be performed by two commanding singers, tenor Michael Fabiano and soprano Larisa Martínez.
The festival truly is a coming together of the community, Tolbert said. More than 200 artists, wineries, resorts, theaters, restaurants and vintners participate each year.