School’s In, and It Sounds Delightful

Yearning for a little Schubert under a setting sun? Pack a blanket, a picnic and a good bottle of wine, and head to Santa Barbara, where some of the most promising instrumental and vocal students from all over the world have gathered for their summer studies.

That’s right. It’s summer school for these not-quite-yet professionals at the Music Academy of the West, and we’re invited to observe as they fine-tune their musical talents.

Orchestral, chamber and vocal concerts begin June 24 and are scheduled throughout the summer, including performances by famed faculty such as mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne, and academy alum David Weiss, who is the principal oboe for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Ticket prices vary, but none will tax even a starving student’s bank account.

For an A-plus musical experience, take your seat in the classroom and watch as these students work to make the grade.

Master classes, usually held during the day, are offered in every instrument, including voice. Students perform, listen to critiques, then perform again.

“So often the audience learns that these lessons relate to their own lives,” says Diane Eagle Kataoka, the school’s director of communications. “You must sing from your heart, and don’t we need to live from our hearts as well?”

Particularly popular is the school’s Picnic Concert series, which begins July 5 and runs through Aug. 16. Before the music begins at 7:30 p.m., stake out a secluded spot on the lushly landscaped grounds overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Then enjoy your own dinner fare before entering Abravanel Hall for an evening with your favorite composer.

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usic Academy of the West, 1070 Fairway Road, Santa Barbara. (805) 969-8787, www.musicacademy.org or, tickets@ticketmaestro.org.