Camerata Pacifica Presents Flute Virtuoso Emi Ferguson And RUCKUS In All-Bach Program At Four SoCal Venues, February 28 - March 5

Camerata Pacifica, considered one of the nation's leading chamber ensembles, presents acclaimed flute virtuoso Emi Ferguson, and RUCKUS, "the world's only period-instrument rock band" (San Francisco Classical Voice), in a lively performance of a selection of Bach's transcendent Sonatas and Preludes. According Ferguson, these idiosyncratic performers reimagine Bach for the 21st-century, infusing his music "with equal parts tradition, funk, whimsy, and fun."

The all-Bach program is presented in four locations across Southern California, from the San Gabriel Valley to Santa Barbara, with performances on Tuesday, February 28, 7:30 pm, at The Huntington's Rothenberg Hall in San Marino; Thursday, March 2, 8 pm, at Zipper Hall in Downtown Los Angeles; Friday, March 3, 7:30 pm, at Santa Barbara's Music Academy of the West; and Sunday, March 5, 2023, 3 pm, at Museum of Ventura County in Ventura.

Ferguson, "a star early-music flutist" (New York Classical Review), stretches the boundaries of what is expected of modern-day musicians. Her unique approach to flute can be heard in performances that alternate between the silver flute, historical flutes and auxiliary flutes, and encompass repertoire that spans Renaissance to contemporary works. Ferguson appears in concert and at festivals around the globe. She has also appeared at several TEDX events and been featured on The Discovery Channel, Vox's "Explained" series on Netflix, and Amazon's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." She was a featured performer, alongside Yo-Yo Ma, Paul Simon, and James Taylor, at the 10th Anniversary Memorial Ceremony of 9/11 at Ground Zero, where her performance of "Amazing Grace" was televised worldwide and is now part of the permanent collection at the 911 Museum. As a historical flutist, in addition to serving as Principal Flute of the Handel and Haydn Society, Ferguson is a frequent guest artist with such period groups as Voices of Music, the American Classical Orchestra, and Trinity's Baroque Orchestra.

Ruckus is a shapeshifting, collaborative "Baroque band" with a visceral and playful approach to early music. The band's performances, hailed as "superb" (Opera News) are described as "achingly delicate one moment, incisive and punchy the next" (New York Times). Ruckus's core is a continuo group, the Baroque equivalent of a jazz rhythm section: guitars, keyboards, cello, bassoon and bass. Other members include soloists of the violin, flute and oboe. The ensemble fuses the creative spirit of early music with the grit, groove, and jangle of American roots music to create a unique sound. In 2022, Rukus served as baroque band in residence at The Ojai Festival.

For tickets ($68) and information, visit www.cameratapacific.org.

Camerata Pacifica, considered one of the nation's leading chamber ensembles, has captivated, delighted, and enthralled audiences with its adventurous music since its inception in 1990. Hailed as "innovative and intrepid" (The Daily Telegraph), "visceral and powerful" (The Economist), the collective, comprised of virtuoso musicians from around the globe, is renowned for its musical versatility and bold programming that illuminates the limitless scope of the chamber music repertoire. Camerata Pacifica presents heritage works beside less familiar music and commissioned pieces. Its considerable commissioning portfolio includes more than 20 works by such established and rising composers as John Harbison, Jake Heggie, Huang Ruo, Lera Auerbach, Bright Sheng, Ian Wilson, David Bruce, and John Luther Adams. Three new commissions for the ensemble are currently in process from Clarice Assad, Libby Larsen, and Niloufar Nourbakhsh. The chamber collective has also been lauded for its warm and engaging rapport with audiences, bringing context and immediacy to the music it performs. Based in Santa Barbara, California, the ensemble enjoys a busy performance schedule throughout Southern California and beyond. Camerata Pacifica presents a flagship series of nine programs each season, showcasing its exceptional musicians as well as a range of distinguished guest artists. Each program is structured as a week-long residency with the ensemble performing in four Southern California locales: The Huntington's Rothenberg Hall in San Marino; The Colburn School's Zipper Hall in downtown Los Angeles; the Museum of Ventura County in Ventura; and Santa Barbara's Music Academy. The chamber ensemble has previously toured to Hong Kong and appeared at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., Morgan Library & Museum in New York City, and major concert halls in London, Dublin and Belfast. Camerata Pacifica was founded by Artistic Director Adrian Spence, an acclaimed "high-flying flautist" (The Irish Times) applauded for his "unstoppable energy, his organizational genius, his taste in music and musicians" (Noozhawk). A native of Northern Ireland, Spence's keen artistic sensibilities are evident in every aspect of Camerata Pacifica, from the ensemble's stellar roster of international chamber artists and thoughtfully curated musical offerings, to its authentic connection with audiences. He also sets the tone for the deep comradery among the collective's musicians, which is evident both on and off stage.

In addition to its busy performance schedule, Camerata Pacifica is committed to serving the community. In 2021, Camerata Pacifica, in collaboration with UCLA Health, developed The Nightingale Channel, a landmark resource for hospitals providing programming drawn from the ensemble's extensive video library of its performances delivered via iPads to patient bedsides and care teams. Based on the well-documented positive effects of music in healing, The Nightingale Channel has been adopted by UCLA Health, UC Davis Health, Keck Medicine at USC, Loma Linda University Medical Center, City of Hope National Medical Center, and Augusta University Health, and is being introduced to other hospitals across the country.

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