CAMA Announces Lineup for 108th Concert Season ‘Virtuosti’ — Live Performances in Santa Barbara 

The Community Arts Music Association (CAMA) is returning for its 108th season. Celebrating talented musicians, conductors and composers, or who the organization calls “virtuosi,” the season will offer unforgettable performances from world-renowned orchestras in the heart of Santa Barbara. These musicians represent 14 distinct cultural backgrounds. 

The season features two series: the International Series and Masterseries. The International Series features five orchestras at The Granada Theatre and the Masterseries features four orchestras at the Lobero Theatre. 

International Series 

The 2026 season opens on Wednesday, November 11, at 7:30 p.m. with a performance from the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, a New York–based ensemble that famously plays without a conductor. British pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason stars as a soloist. Calling themselves a “radical experiment in music democracy,” this ensemble promises that their kickoff performance is not one to miss. 

On Sunday, February 7, 2027, is the Minnesota Orchestra, led by conductor Thomas Søndergård, the orchestra’s 11th music director. The program will explore drama and unity and play “with a conviction and intensity that could put many a more heralded ensemble to shame,” according to The New York Times. 

Third on this year’s lineup is Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, performing on March 14, 2027. Formed in 1959, the academy partners with pianist/composer Conrad Tao, who brings his own distinct style to the show. 

The San Francisco Symphony brings conductor Sir Donald Runnicles to the podium on April 17, 2027. Runnicles has previously worked with the Deutsche Opera Berlin and can “be counted on to bring color and coherence to every gigantic work he performs,” according to the San Francisco Chronicle. 

Finally, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra closes out the International Series on April 30, 2027, in a performance directed by Estonian composer Paarvo Järvi, who is widely regarded as one of the world’s most renowned conductors. Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang will also perform, with her technique portraying “thrilling authority and confidence,” according to The Guardian.

Masterseries 

Julliard’s String Quartet kicks off the Masterseries lineup for the season on November 21. Areta Zhulla (violin), Leonard Fu (violin), Molly Carr (viola), and Astrid Schween (cello), accompanied by Simone Dinnerstein on piano, will make for an unforgettable performance by what the Boston Globe calls “the most important American quartet in history.”

Hélène Grimaud, French pianist and conservationist, performs at the Lobero on December 14. Grimaud will play works from Beethoven and Schubert, playing their “last sonatas.” 

Third on the docket is pianist Nikolai Lugansky on January 21, 2027. “Lugansky is not simply the most wonderful Russian pianist of modern times; he is one of the most outstanding artists of our epoch,” French newspaper Le Monde said. 

Last for the Masterseries is violinist James Ehnes performing with pianist Orion Weiss on May 21, 2027. The program is yet to be announced. Ehnes is a two-time Grammy Award winner and is “a violinist in a class of his own,” writes The New York Times. 

Series subscriptions are now available online, by emailing tickets@camasb.org, or by calling (805) 966‑4324. Single tickets go on sale September 10.