performers
Festival Orchestra Napa
Festival Orchestra Napa is an all-star ensemble that brings together principal players from major international orchestras and faculty from renowned colleges and conservatories, together with participants from the Frost School at Festival Napa Valley Blackburn Music Academy.
Centered around a core of Frost School of Music faculty, the orchestra also includes hand-picked musicians from ensembles, such as the San Francisco Symphony, MET Opera Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, Houston Symphony, and Atlanta Symphony, among others.
Festival Orchestra Napa’s appearance is made possible through a generous gift from Tatiana and Gerret Copeland, proprietors of Bouchaine Vineyards.
Performances
Festival Orchestra Napa
Open to school groups only. Please contact Festival Napa Valley’s Education Department to attend. Admission-free.
Ming Luke guest conducts Festival Orchestra Napa in a fun and informative concert of favorites to showcase the full range orchestra instruments. Young audience members will be introduced to the various elements of music including dynamics, tempo, texture, and form and will experience a pre-concert Instrument Petting Zoo presented in collaboration with the Napa Valley College Music Department and Napa Valley Education Foundation's Music Connection program.
Festival Napa Valley opens its 19th season with a spectacular concert featuring Grammy-winning mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, violinist Tessa Lark performing Butterfly Lovers Concerto, and 2025 Joel Revzen Conducting Prizewinner Clelia Cafiero in her Festival debut.
La Dolce Vita!
honoring Ennio Morricone
Experience La Dolce Vita in a tribute to legendary composer Ennio Morricone at Charles Krug. This symphonic concert, featuring visuals on the Festival’s LED wall, celebrates his iconic scores, including The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Cinema Paradiso, honoring his enduring legacy in film music.
Manetti Shrem Opera Fellows
The 2025 Manetti Shrem Opera Fellows perform a showcase of beloved opera scenes and musical gems together with Festival Orchestra Napa. Selected from a competitive audition, each year's fellows represent the best and brightest of emerging opera singers. Maestro Ryan McAdams, renowned for his work in opera, symphonic music, and contemporary repertoire, conducts.
Festival Napa Valley presents Disney’s Fantasia (1940) with live orchestral accompaniment by Festival Orchestra Napa. This animated masterpiece brings classical music to life with iconic scenes like The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and The Nutcracker Suite, celebrating the magic of animation and music as Disneyland marks its 70th anniversary.
with Festival Orchestra Napa
Festival Napa Valley’s 2025 Summer Season concludes with a symphonic program led by Stéphane Denève. Festival Orchestra Napa performs Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream suite and Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet Suite, with artwork by students and seniors from the Festival’s How I See Music workshops. A grand finale celebration of music and storytelling.