Music Connects – Ventura Music Festival

Welcome to Music Connects: a VMF Digital Concert Series!

Each week a performer shares in a personal video what they are experiencing and a personal piece of music that especially resonates for them today and tell us why. Some will be well-known artists; some, outstanding young performers from our Rising Stars and Student Jazz programs. Still others, we hope, will be talented local musicians who, until recently, have been playing in area clubs and elsewhere.

If you are a musician, we would love for you to take part in Music Connects. Submit your personal video message and music video per the guidelines below. We’ll feature entries on our website, on Vimeo and other social media channels.   VMF is a world-class, mixed-genre festival so as to music: “the best of anything goes” – classical, pop, world, soul, roots, jazz, R&B, crossover.

Musician Guidelines

MC6 – Peter Glass

From Executive Director Susan Scott

Dear Friends,

This week’s featured performer is 16-year-old pianist Peter Glass, Bach-lover and award-winning high school sophomore. Peter was set to play live in our Rising Stars Concert earlier this month – in a program that also included talented choral and jazz musicians – until that event landed on the now very large pile of Covid postponements.

Peter comes to us via wonderful teachers, including the late Edward Francis who not only taught Peter and many others, but who founded the Thousand Oaks Philharmonic (TOPS) specifically to give talented students in Ventura County the opportunity to play with a professional orchestra. TOPS was and is an extraordinary resource and opportunity, and competition for available slots is great. Peter debuted with TOPS in 2016 when he was 12, performing again in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

As to Edward Francis, he was a great friend to VMF in many ways, including identifying the classical talent for our Rising Stars concerts which are now dedicated to his memory. TOPS remains a valued partner and we have a new and cherished colleague in Ornela Ervin, who directs their “Appassionata” master classes and serves on their Board

Here’s to exceptional young talent and the parents, teachers and others who nurture it. Here’s to you, keeping us company on this digital festival ride. So very glad Music Connects.

Comments, as always, are most welcome. And – some terrific MC submissions are starting to come in from local musicians! More, please.