More than 70 prominent musicians will gather in La Jolla this August for the La Jolla Music Society’s annual SummerFest concert series, and each needs a place to stay. Hence, several La Jolla residents are inviting SummerFest’s ensemble and solo artists into their homes.
This year, SummerFest is bringing musicians with a range of musical talent to La Jolla, including the cellist Lynn Harrell, local cellist Felix Fan with the ensemble Real Quiet, and violinist Cho-Liang Lin, who is the music director of SummerFest. Musicians will stay with their La Jolla hosts for the week of their performances, or for the full duration of the event, which runs this year from Aug. 3 through 26.
“SummerFest is really founded and rooted in the community ” it is such a community-driven event,” said Laura McDermott, promotions manager for the La Jolla Music Society. “A lot of musicians bring their family members, and a lot of [hosts] make friends with the artists.”
A committee at the Music Society coordinates housing for each performer, depending on his or her departure and arrival schedules. Typically, artists stay with their hosts for two to four days, McDermott explained. According to Joan Snider, the volunteer director of the housing committee, the Music Society is still seeking a home for two sound engineers who will operate the microphone and acoustic system during the entire run of SummerFest.
To Snider, who has hosted artists in the past, the housing program “opens up the world” for those involved and allows hosts to meet the performers and technicians off-stage ” a unique opportunity many have found worth the temporary lack of privacy.
“Some people like to keep artists because they get to develop long-term friendships, and then have the experience of feeding [an artist] a bowl of cereal for breakfast in the morning,” and then seeing them perform onstage at night, Snider said.
Snider said her favorite experience housing an artist occurred in 2005, when she hosted Nancy Allen, the first harpist at the New York Philharmonic. Snider said she requested Allen because she herself had played as a symphony harpist and they could bond over similar experiences. Likewise, the housing committee tries to direct musicians to homes where they have instruments to practice on, or where both host and artist share an interest in one musical field, according to McDermott.
For those who cannot commit the resources to house a musician, McDermott added that SummerFest is seeking volunteers to usher and direct attendees during the many open rehearsals, coaching workshops and featured concerts.
Those interested in hosting a musician or volunteering during the SummerFest concert series should contact Emilia Keeme, housing coordinator, at the La Jolla Music Society, (858) 459-3724. For more information about SummerFest, visit http://www.la-jolla-music-society.com.