No. The music and artists performing do not have to be Californian. With a legacy of artistic experimentation, innovation, and diversity, we believe that California has been the center of new music for decades, and this initiative aims to showcase that fact on an international stage.

Our hope is that organizations will select a wide range of music from around the world, which will become a collective expression of our state's commitment to artistic freedom, diversity, and the advancement of our art form.

There is no lead curator. The LA Phil, San Diego Symphony, and San Francisco Symphony have created the framework for this initiative, but welcome each organization to choose a musical work or project that fits within the general framework.

Participating organizations must be non-profit performing arts organizations based in California that have live music performance or presentation at the core of their missions.
Ideal participants include (but are not limited to) orchestras, choral groups, jazz ensembles, chamber and musician-run ensembles, operas, conservatory/college ensembles, music education programs, music festivals, and presenters. Musicians can be professional, youth, student, or volunteer community members.

Participants must also:

• Present music that has been written/composed within the past five (5) years

• Perform the new music piece at a publicly accessible live concert, ensemble, or solo performance, so long as the solo performance is supported by an institution

• Hold the performance at any preferred location in California

• Present within the festival dates of November 3–19, 2023

ACSO is the largest state orchestra association in the U.S., serving 135 orchestras, ensembles, and organizations and their 2,500 team members throughout California, as well as Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Hawaii. Members include professional, university, youth, and community-based orchestras, choruses, festivals, and industry-aligned businesses.

ACSO has joined the California Festival planning efforts as an Outreach Partner, helping to spread the word about the Festival to the arts organizations within its network, informing them about the Festival, and encouraging participation.

As of the first public festival announcement on January 31, 2023, approximately half of the participating organizations are members of ACSO.

Great! We’d love to hear from you. Please email res_cafestival@laphil.org.