Miguel del Aguila, Music Director          

Ventura County's premier chamber choral ensemble.

A Brief History of the Ojai Camerata

The Ojai Camerata was founded in 1992 as a small chamber vocal ensemble dedicated to featuring in its performances not only works of the more widely-known masters, but more pointedly, pieces by non-Western and local composers. Program titles reflect this diversity and fresh approach to the idiom: "Hispanica Viva," "The Child Within," and "Blessed Cecilia."

Conducted by Charles McDermott for its first five seasons, the Camerata has routinely performed three programs per season at the Ojai Presbyterian Church and at other venues in Ventura County. Our last concert of our season takes place at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and is broadcast live by KUSC-FM.

The Ojai Camerata has premiered several works such as Robin Frost's 'I Am the Rose of Sharon' (1993), Alexina Louie's 'Love Songs for a Small Planet' (1995), Miguel del Aguila's 'Cuauhtemoc Choral Suite, Opus 45' (1995) and A. Jo Duell-Gonzalez's 'Salve Regina' (1996). The Ojai Camerata also commissioned and then premiered Emma Lou Diermer's 'Kyrie' and 'Gloria' in 1993 and 1996 respectively.

During our 1996-1997 season, the group worked with three conductors and in June of 1997, Miguel del Aguila was installed as the group's permanent music director. An internationally recognized composer, pianist and conductor, with a long list of recorded and published works, Miguel del Aguila is also a 1995 recipient of the Kennedy Center Friedheim Award.

Ojai Camerata, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit California corporation.

 

October 3, 1996