2024 Program Guide | Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music

CABRILLO FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC 22 GUEST ARTISTS BORA YOON Vocals See Bio on Page 21 Aron Altmark (he/him) is a lighting and media artist based in Santa Cruz. He utilizes light, projection, and interactive technologies to create conversations between performers and audiences, or between a viewer and digital media. Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, he first found his passion for theatre and dance lighting in Alabama School of Fine Arts before graduating from the California Institute of the Arts with a degree in Lighting Design and Digital Media. Since 2014, he has helmed Visual Endeavors, a design and creative solutions company operating across genres, from live concerts to broadcast to art installations. He spends much of his time on the Westside of Santa Cruz either at the VE creative studio, on the bike path with his two daughters, or enjoying the outdoors. GABRIEL CABEZAS Amplified Cello ARON ALTMARK Lighting Designer Cellist Gabriel Cabezas is a true 21st-century musician. Named one of “23 Composers and Performers to Watch in ’23” by the Washington Post , he is a prolific and sought-after soloist and collaborator, as comfortable interpreting new works as he is with the pillar scores of the cello repertoire. Gabriel has appeared with America’s finest symphony orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic, and has premiered dozens of new works by some of the most acclaimed composers working today. He recently released Lost Coast , a dynamic album of original music composed by Gabriella Smith inspired by her reflections on climate change, which she has seen devastate her home state of California. The album was named one of NPR Music’s “Favorite Albums Of 2021” and a “Classical Album to Hear Right Now” by The New York Times . Gabriel premiered the concerto Lost Coast, reimagined by the composer as a daring work for solo cello and orchestra, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel in May 2023. Further performances of Lost Coast in the 2024-25 season include an appearance at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music with Music Director Cristian Măcelaru, and performances with the New York Philharmonic led by John Adams. In 2016, Gabriel received the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, a career grant awarded to extraordinary classical Black and Latinx musicians, who, early in their professional career, demonstrate artistic excellence, outstanding work ethic, a spirit of determination, and ongoing commitment to leadership. Gabriel studied at the Curtis Institute of Music under Carter Brey. Sponsored in honor of Richard Fabrikant, and by Aviva Garrett, David Doshay, and Sage Doshay. Justin Bruns joined the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra in 2005 and was appointed Concertmaster in 2012 by Marin Alsop. He is Associate Concertmaster of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra where he frequently appears as soloist. Before moving to Atlanta, Bruns was Assistant Concertmaster of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and Concertmaster of the Boulder Bach Festival. Bruns has been a guest concertmaster for Arizona MusicFest, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, IRIS Chamber Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Kansas City Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, and São Paulo Symphony. An active chamber musician, Bruns has appeared with numerous ensembles, among themAtlanta, Georgian, Michigan, and Riverside Chamber Players, and at the Savannah and San Miguel Chamber Music Festivals, as well as Carnegie Hall. During summers he has appeared at the Aspen, Beijing, BRAVO, Black Hills, Lakes Area, Mainly Mozart, Music in the Mountains, NTSO (Taiwan), and Steamboat Springs Strings Festivals and as faculty of National Youth Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. This summer he performs as concertmaster at Bellingham, Cabrillo, and Lakes Area Music Festivals; and performs chamber music with Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck and Jackson Hole Chamber Music Festival. Bruns began violin studies at age three and won his first competition two years later. He made his solo debut at age nine and since then has performed throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Bruns graduated summa cum laude from the University of Michigan and was awarded the top prize upon graduation, the Stanley Medal. He received his master’s degree from Rice University. Bruns has recorded with Pearl Jam, Faith Hill, and Bruce Springsteen. Sponsored by Marcia & Fred Smith JUSTIN BRUNS Concertmaster GUEST ARTISTS