Cross Over to the Fringe Side of Music at 47th Festival Mozaic in San Luis Obispo

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA, February 27, 2017 (Newswire.com) - Each summer since its beginnings in 1971, FESTIVAL MOZAIC transforms the Central Coast of California into a hotbed of classical and fringe music culture. July 19-30, 2017, Music Director Scott Yoo will lead a group of more than 50 visiting artists gathered from top orchestras, ensembles and groups from around the world in performances in scenic venues all over picturesque San Luis Obispo County (or SLO, as the locals call it). 

The Festival Mozaic Fringe Series features three distinctly different kinds of crossover classical music acts. The wildly popular string trio Simply Three is a YouTube sensation, with a fresh take on classics and jazz, performing arrangements of today’s dance hits and ballads with elements of hip hop – genres from Puccini and Gershwin to Adele, Coldplay and Michael Jackson. Fire & Grace, a folk and classical duo, will charm you with classical masterpieces and Irish folk songs in the gorgeous garden setting of See Canyon Fruit Ranch. And finally, Stephen Prutsman leads a rollicking evening of jazz music and silent films from the jazz age at the historic Fremont Theatre.

At Fringe events, you’ll sip wine, laugh at performers’ stories and experience architecture and movies from a bygone era. All in addition to incredible music in funky and charming locations! At these events, your seat may be on a picnic blanket or in an art-deco movie theater. The musicians talk to you from the stage, telling jokes and sharing big ideas. They dance, they move. They play music you know, and melodies flit from sounding like a symphony hall to sounding like a top-40 radio station. A violinist tells you what was happening in the composer's world, and she tells you stories from her own life about the pieces she plays.

See Simply Three Friday evening, July 21 at the Clark Center in Arroyo Grande; Fire & Grace Sunday afternoon, July 23 at See Canyon Fruit Ranch in Avila Beach; and Stephen Prutsman, co-commissioned with the Spoleto Festival and the Schubert Club, Friday evening, July 28 at the Fremont Theatre in downtown SLO. Tickets go on sale April 1 on Festival’s web site.

Halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco on historic Highway 1, SLO was named “Happiest City in North America” by National Geographic and Oprah Winfrey and Wine Enthusiast Magazine named neighboring Paso Robles “2013 Wine Region of the Year.” 

With 28 events in 16 different venues, Festival Mozaic offers something for every kind of music lover and provides a welcoming and authentic SLO experience offering the best in culinary, coastal and cultural life. SLO boasts year-round sun, a warm Mediterranean marine climate, a world-class wine region and thousands of acres of protected open space. Its award-winning downtown is filled with charming shops, restaurants and hotels tucked into turn-of-the-century mercantile buildings, and a burgeoning night life and cultural scene. On Thursday nights, experience the second-largest farmers’ market in the western United States, featuring six blocks of fresh produce for tasting, the hottest barbecue, and engaging entertainment.

Visitors can head out along the gorgeous country roads to sip their way through the vineyards, and then return to town to savor everything from Santa Maria barbecue to Italian fritti. The welcoming paradise of Avila Beach is a breath of fresh salt air, with amenity-laden hotels, charming oceanfront restaurants, magnificent local wines, and shopping and activities for all. There’s also plentiful hiking on the rolling hills, where you can view sweeping vistas from vineyard to ocean.

Festival Mozaic also features orchestral works, chamber music, notable encounters and midday mini-concerts. The music of Mozart, Bach and Beethoven will be played alongside Vivaldi, Mendelssohn, Richard Strauss, and many more. Listeners can also enjoy Britten, Harbison, Piazzolla, and a host of other musical masters in charismatic venues such as Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, Serra Chapel in wine country, and the state-of-the-art Cuesta College Cultural and Performing Arts Center. 

Festival Mozaic embraces the power of world-class music to bring people together; classical music lovers and novices come together to enjoy the music and be inspired. The Festival aims to build a relationship between audiences and art form. It enriches concert presentations with events that provide an in-depth look at the social and cultural context for the music, as well as behind-the-scenes glimpses into what it takes to make truly great music.

About Festival Mozaic
From Bach and beyond to Mozart and more, Festival Mozaic presents nationally and internationally renowned musicians in beautiful venues all over San Luis Obispo County. Founded in 1971 as the San Luis Obispo Mozart Festival, Festival Mozaic is one of the oldest and most respected classical music festivals in the West. Taking place in July, with additional concerts throughout the year, the Festival offers more than 30 events in San Luis Obispo County’s most charismatic spaces. Be a part of a large, diverse and loyal audience base that includes locals and visitors who travel from many surrounding areas to attend.

Contact:  Bettina Swigger   |   (805) 781-3009   |   bettina@festivalmozaic.com

Source: Festival Mozaic in San Luis Obispo

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