On this outdoor stage in this scenic boutique amphitheater in Ojai’s Libbey Park, cellist Jay Campbell is playing a composition written by Esa-Pekka Salonen – the former Musical Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic — and he’s also taken the helm of this year’s Ojai Music festival as music director.
“What artists love about it is you can dream up anything that you would otherwise be inhibited and say, ‘oh, that’ll never work’, and try it here,” said the festival’s Artistic and Executive Director, Ara Guzelimian.
Each year the festival rotates the music director role and that’s one of the unique reasons this music festival, which is in its 80th year, is known for such adventurous programming.
“It’s created an expectation of no expectations. So it’s one of the most open audiences I’ve ever encountered anywhere after 80 years of this festival. Somebody described it as an immersion experience — you just go with what’s coming at you,” he told KCLU…