Why this year’s Ojai Music Festival was one of the best

In Ojai, it’s impossible to avoid the embrace of nature. This year, as the Music Director of the Ojai Music Festival, flutist Claire Chase – frequently referred to as a natural force – found herself perfectly at home. (First person: I can’t escape the allure of nature in Ojai. This year, serving as the Music Director for the Ojai Music Festival, flutist Claire Chase, who is often called a force of nature, felt right at home.)

As a cinema enthusiast, let me tell you, I’ve never seen a more captivating flutist than Chase. She exudes expressiveness in every note she plays, be it the delicate trills of a piccolo or the resonant tones of a 6-foot contrabass flute. Her posture is regal, as if her instrument were a magical wand, summoning the highest and deepest notes from within her.

Chase’s activism isn’t just symbolic; it’s also about joy, innovation, and entrepreneurship. As a renowned music activist, MacArthur “genius,” educator, and founder of the International Contemporary Ensemble in New York, she’s also the driving force behind the exciting new flute repertory in her Density 2036 project. Much of the current resurgence in interest around Pauline Oliveros can be attributed to Chase’s efforts.

Chase gathered worried composers with a passion for eco-sonics, a unique blend of music and environmental sounds, in Ojai. Over four days, they performed concerts primarily at the picturesque Libbey Bowl, many piece titles hinting at their purpose. The goal was to evoke the joy of nature and, in doing so, preserve our mental wellbeing.

1. “The Divine Ascent” (for “The Holy Liftoff”)

2. “Cloudballad of the Steed” (for “Horse Sings From Cloud”)

3. “Mental Musings of the Woods” (for “How Forests Think”)

4. “Soul Collectors” (for “Spirit Catchers”)

5. “A Single Grain’s Stride Across a Weathered Portrait, on the Surface of a Flooded Painting” (for “A Grain of Sand Walked Across a Face, on the Skin of a Washed Picture”)

A highlight (lasting exactly 30 minutes) during the festival was the West Coast debut of Susie Ibarra’s “Sky Islands.” This performance concluded a vibrant Sunday morning program, which Chase referred to as both “multi-spiritual” and “multi-species.” As the sun filtered through the foliage, the composer and percussionist Levy Lorenzo positioned themselves in front of the stage, initiating the performance with a solemn ritual involving bamboo poles.

Sky Islands” conjures up the mystical high rainforests of the Philippines, where sounds resonate in a rarefied atmosphere that amplifies the grandeur of gongs, home to creatures capable of great elevation, and a place that stimulates enlightenment. Ibarra composed this score for her Talking Gong Trio (consisting of Chase, pianist Alex Peh, and additional percussion), along with a string quartet, here performed by the Jack Quartet.

To the bewilderment of the music industry that had previously overlooked him, “Sky Islands” by Ibarra was awarded the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Music. Originating from Anaheim but now residing in New York, Ibarra is a percussionist renowned for his work in experimental jazz and new music. His passion extends to environmental sound installations and Indigenous music, making him a unique figure in the industry.

In Ojai, the puzzling moment passed. Across her three pieces within the performance lineup, Ibarra demonstrated an expansive, visionary approach to sonics. Her ability to mimic the auditory world of nature – the sounds of wildlife, rivers, wind through trees, rocks tumbling down slopes – is exceptional. She evokes spirits with the barely perceptible swooshes created by drum brushes in mid-air. As a gong master, she resonates deeply with the earth. I pause regularly to enjoy whatever scents are present. She’s often quite amusing. (First person: In this setting, my confusion subsided. Through her three pieces within the lineup, Ibarra showcased an expansive, visionary sonic approach. Her ability to mimic nature’s auditory world – wildlife, rivers, wind in trees, rocks rolling down slopes – is remarkable. She stirs spirits with the barely audible swooshes created by drum brushes in the air. As a gong master, she resonates deeply with the earth. I take time to appreciate whatever scents are present. She’s often quite funny.)

Primarily, she captivates audiences regardless of where her rhythmic offerings are presented – be it “Kolubri” or composing for other musicians in “Sunbird”. Her playful yet subtle Haydn-like humor was evident during the premiere of “Nest Box”, a duet featuring her and Wu Wei on the Chinese mouth organ, sheng, in the early morning mist at Ojai Meadows Preserve.

Based on audience feedback, “Sky Islands” stood out among over three dozen fresh or recently introduced works. This intricate composition takes listeners on a carefully paced expedition led by Chase into uncharted territories. However, the music consistently surprises with melodies that seem familiar before suddenly becoming unfamiliar.

Ibarra allows performers some flexibility, enabling them to adapt to the situations they face. For example, Chase and Ibarra might initiate a conversation that starts as casual banter with quick flute bursts followed by drum replies, which eventually escalates to wide-eyed expressions of awe. Towards the end, the musicians grab percussion instruments and exit the stage in a leisurely, meandering dance, giving the impression of venturing into the unknown.

Chase assembled composers hailing from various regions, along with exceptional musicians primarily from Los Angeles (notably members of Wild Up) and New York. The music selection was predominantly contemporary, save for a handful of smaller pieces of antiquated music, which were given a modern twist. The program encompassed both lengthy, contemplative pieces and brief, charming works that swiftly concluded but left an impression of a rich and beautiful existence, similar to that of an insect’s life.

At its core, the essence of the Ojai Festival isn’t simply defined by a catalog of composers and pieces or by personal opinions. Instead, it stands out as a uniquely musical wilderness among festivals of similar prestige. It offers attendees an immersive experience akin to a woodland hike, inviting exploration and discovery alongside the natural world.

As you turn each corner, a distinct musical melody greets your ears. Leilehua Lanzilotti, a Hawaiian composer and violist, stood out with her powerful performances. Tania León, a Cuban composer, introduced bursts of thrilling contemporary style. Anna Thorvaldsdottir, an Icelandic composer, filled expansive landscapes with her commanding compositions. Marcos Balter, a Brazilian composer, breathed life into the legendary figure Pan in a daring nine-act theatrical spectacle for Chase.

In this version, I’ve kept the original structure and meaning of the sentences but made them more conversational and easier to read by using simpler phrasing and sentence structures.

New Zealander Annea Lockwood presented an immersive, 90-minute sonic exploration along the Housatonic River, using surround sound speakers. Conversely, Australian composer Liza Lim expressed the potentially unsettling perspectives of forests, through raw, instrumental bursts.

(Note: This version maintains the original structure and meaning, but uses simpler language for easier understanding.)

Eventually, for the town of Ojai, it was Terry Riley, the renowned California minimalist composer, who became the elephant in the room, so to speak. Notably, “In C” is the only one of his works that Ojai has previously featured. As Riley prepares to celebrate his 90th birthday on June 24th, Chase recently presented three segments of an extensive series of undefinable compositions that Riley has been crafting since he moved to the Japanese mountains five years ago.

1. “Pulsing Lifters,” a composition for two pianos and harpsichord, is reminiscent of delicate dew on a morning leaf.

2. “The Holy Liftoff” by Samuel Clay Birmaher, performed with flute and string quartet, begins with Chase playing live on all five of her flutes, while the others are pre-recorded. This creates an impression of being enveloped in a lush flood of beautiful flute chords. Later, Riley gently softens the Jack Quartet with melodies reminiscent of Ravel’s compositions.

In pieces titled “Pulsefield” 1, 2, and 3, Riley revisits the modular structure of “In C,” which is now 50 years old. The repeated rhythms are layered upon each other by a vast ensemble consisting of all the festival performers, who engage in exuberant expansions.

If this exceptional and authentic Ojai festival from recent years is less about explanation and more about exploration, then seize the opportunity. The festival has been gradually developing an outdoor sound system, providing outstanding audio quality for streams of the Libbey Bowl concerts. These performances are stored and accessible on the OJai Festival’s YouTube channel.

Next year Esa-Pekka Salonen will return for the first time in a quarter century.

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2025-06-13 02:01