Camerata Pacifica is a classical music ensemble based in Santa Barbara, California. The ensemble was founded in 1990 by Adrian Spence, a British flutist who had recently moved to the United States. Spence had previously played with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, but he was eager to start his own ensemble that would focus on chamber music. Spence's vision for Camerata Pacifica was to create a flexible ensemble that could perform a wide range of repertoire, from Baroque to contemporary music. He wanted the ensemble to be small enough to allow for intimate performances in smaller venues, but also large enough to tackle more complex works. To achieve this, Spence assembled a group of musicians who were not only talented performers, but also versatile and adaptable. The founding members of Camerata Pacifica included Spence on flute, Catherine Leonard on violin, Richard Yongjae O'Neill on viola, Ani Aznavoorian on cello, and Warren Jones on piano. Over the years, the ensemble has had a rotating cast of musicians, but Spence has remained the artistic director and principal flutist. One of the highlights of Camerata Pacifica's early years was a performance at the Ojai Music Festival in 1992. The festival, which takes place annually in Ojai, California, is known for its adventurous programming and has featured many of the world's leading musicians and composers. Camerata Pacifica's performance at the festival was well-received and helped to establish the ensemble's reputation as a rising star in the classical music world. In the years that followed, Camerata Pacifica continued to perform at festivals and concert series throughout California and the United States. The ensemble also began to record its performances, releasing its first CD in 1996. The CD, which featured works by Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert, received critical acclaim and helped to further raise the ensemble's profile. One of the defining features of Camerata Pacifica's performances is the ensemble's commitment to exploring lesser-known works and composers. In addition to performing works by the likes of Mozart and Beethoven, the ensemble has also championed the music of contemporary composers such as John Harbison, Kaija Saariaho, and Thomas Adès. This dedication to new and unusual repertoire has earned the ensemble a reputation for being innovative and forward-thinking. Camerata Pacifica has also been recognized for its exceptional musicianship and has received numerous awards and accolades over the years. In 2007, the ensemble was awarded the ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, which recognizes ensembles that take risks and push the boundaries of classical music. The ensemble has also been praised for its recordings, with its 2010 CD of works by Saariaho being named one of the best classical recordings of the year by The New York Times. In addition to its regular concert series in Santa Barbara, Camerata Pacifica has also performed at some of the world's most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Wigmore Hall in London. The ensemble has also collaborated with a number of renowned musicians, including pianist Jeremy Denk and violinist Joshua Bell. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Camerata Pacifica has continued to perform and innovate.

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