Tag archives: CAMA

There’s a plethora of a cappella singing groups at Yale, the Ivy League School known for theater and music as much as the liberal arts. “I think there’s 16, including four all-male,” said Jacob Wu, the current tour manager and a bass singer for Baker’s Dozen (BD), which despite its name actually boasts 16 singers. […]

Enterprising sisters, Malia Christensen and Makena McGinley, who lives in San Luis Obispo, used the enforced downtime cause by the pandemic to launch their own business, the charmingly named Petite Fleet, which consists of a converted horse trailer and two vintage mail cars. “We love events and everything they entail,” says Santa Barbara-based Malia. “Planning, […]

Meredith Cabaniss-Ventura, the Selah Dance Collective founder and artistic director, doesn’t remember where she first found the main word of her dance company other than remembering it’s featured heavily in the Bible in the Book of Psalms. But while she liked that the word isn’t directly translatable to English, one of the meanings struck her […]

Back in 1988 nobody could have predicted the success or impact of Storm Reading, a theatrical play starring and based on the life experiences of Neil Marcus, a humorist-philosopher who lives with a neurological disorder called Dystonia that dramatically impacts his ability to speak and control movement. That includes Rod Lathim, who as head of […]

On March 6, 1920, the Morning Press reported that the petroleum industry was booming in Ventura, prohibition agents were arresting bootleggers and rumrunners, and fruit vendors were setting up stands along the highways so booze-deprived drivers could quench their thirst by sucking on oranges. (I kid you not, there was an article in the newspaper!) […]

One hundred years to the very day the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Venezuelan maestro Gustavo Dudamel performed in a special CAMA – Community Arts Music Association – sold-out concert at the Granada. Both CAMA and the orchestra are celebrating centenaries this year, with the Big Orange musicians having made its Santa Barbara debut at the […]

Five of the city’s major entertainment organizations combined forces at the Granada to present a special benefit performance of Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, an enchanting tale of adventure and bravery that transfixed the sold-out young audience. Maestro Nir Kabaretti led the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony, with a narration by English UCSB professor Simon […]

The World War II years of the ‘40s was wonderfully evoked when Montecito resident Christie Jenkins organized the Mercury Ballroom Supper Club for a six-day run at the Rockwood Woman’s Club to “bring happiness to the community.” Elegantly garbed guests were welcomed with Bees Knee’s cocktails, a heady mix of gin and honey, and other […]

CAMA, now celebrating its 101st year, is having to face the music! The popular organization is justifiably renowned for bringing the world’s top orchestras as part of its International Series to the venerable Granada, with the musicians often booked more than a year in advance to ensure their availability. But sometimes even the best laid […]

Legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman, who has appeared in Santa Barbara many times over the years for CAMA and UCSB Arts & Lectures, celebrated this 75th birthday at the sold-out Granada for Stories of His Life and Career, accompanied by pianist Rohan de Silva. The charming two-hour A&L retrospective, which traced his career from a 13-year-old […]

Financial executive Christine Emmons, bank president Andy Chou, and former corporate leader Carl Perry have been elected to the board of directors for the Community Arts Music Association – CAMA – of Santa Barbara. Christine, wife of business entrepreneur Robert Emmons, was a financial consultant at Paine Webber, and went on to host the TV […]

Journal columnist Ashleigh Brilliant has published his first book in 20 years and the tenth in his series of original illustrated epigrams, known as Brilliant Thoughts based on his popular Pot-Shots newspaper series. The $25 soft cover volume, I Need More Time – And I Probably Always Will, has 400 of his epigrams in its […]

Award-winning actress and opera singer Deborah Bertling has been appointed president of the women’s board of the Community Arts Music Association. Her extensive performance history throughout California has included dozens of plays, musicals, staged readings, concerts, feature films, and several Opera Santa Barbara productions. Deborah is also president of the Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation. In […]

Veteran Montecito comedienne Carol Burnett, 86, was front and center at the fifth annual Legends gala on the stage of the venerable Granada Theatre. Carol, whose eponymous award-winning show ran on CBS from 1967 to 1978, was introduced by her good friend, fellow Montecito author and film writer Fannie Flagg, as video showed some of […]

A ten-acre Montecito estate, with seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms, has just come on the market for $17 million. The 13,932 sq. ft. property is just a tiara’s toss or two from the homes of TV talk show titans Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres. The expansive grounds include terraced gardens, a pool, spa with a […]

At the Granada it was time for the tony triumvirate of violinist Joshua Bell, cellist Steven Isserlis, and pianist Jeremy Denk to shine, part of the popular UCSB Arts & Lectures program. The talented threesome were in glorious harmony playing works by Mendelssohn, Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff and Ravel. A blockbuster show… Like Father, Like Daughter CAMA […]

Santa Barbara Quire of Voyces performs a pair of “Cathedral Classics” concerts May 18-19 at St. Anthony’s Chapel, closing out its 25th anniversary season… Earlier that same Saturday afternoon, the Santa Barbara Music Club presents the first of two free concerts featuring winners of the 2019 Scholarship Awards at First United Methodist Church, 305 East […]

A tony triumvirate of new members have joined the board of CAMA – Community Arts Music Association –, which is completing its centennial year. The trio are renowned soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian, retired internist George Messerlian, and local arts benefactor Marta Babson, who lives in Montecito and Chicago. “We’re very pleased to have these talented and […]

Multi-talented Scottish actor and performer Alan Cumming brought his highly entertaining show Legal Immigrant to the sold-out Granada, part of the popular UCSB Arts & Lectures program. The almost two-hour intermission-free performance, with a four-member backup band, was a meditation on his ten years as an American citizen and the experiences and change has witnessed […]

CAMA – Community Arts Music Association – hosted a centennial season subscriber dinner at Opal just before the last performance of this season’s international series with the debut of the 128-year-old Royal Scottish National Orchestra under Danish music director Thomas Sondergard at the Granada. Kicking off with Symphony No.7 in C major by Finnish composer […]