September 18, 2025 — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Zen Edwards, Executive Director · cell (310) 227-0539 · press@bmf-cdm.org
Baroque Music Festival, Corona del Mar, Previews Its 46th Season and Introduces First Family Concert
**NEWPORT BEACH—**The Baroque Music Festival, Corona del Mar—Newport Beach’s only professional arts organization devoted exclusively to classical music—leaps into fall with two special October events. On Sunday, October 5, at 4:00 pm, the Festival presents its annual “A Taste of the Season! The Fall Preview” at the Newport Beach Civic Center’s community room. One week later, on Sunday, October 12, at 3:00 pm, the Festival debuts its first-ever children’s program: “Coloring with Corelli” in the informal setting of Michael’s Room at St. Michael & All Angels Church, Corona del Mar. This free family event is co-presented by the Festival’s new Burton Karson Music Education Program and St. Michael and All Angels. It is made possible by the Burton Karson Music Education Fund and a grant from the Jane Deming Fund.
The Fall Preview, long a subscriber and donor tradition, became a public ticketed event in 2023 when growing attendance outpaced its former venue. Festival Executive Director Zen Edwards explains: “It’s been a joy to broaden the reach of The Fall Preview by opening this elevated mixer to the public and hosting it in the airy community room and patio space at the Civic Center. This relaxed gathering offers a chance for everyone—from the Baroque-curious to the aficionado—to discover what’s coming up at the Festival in June, connect with fellow music-lovers over fine wines and passed appetizers, and hear directly from our artistic director, Elizabeth Blumenstock, about the season ahead—complete with live musical examples and fascinating cultural insights, all shared in her uniquely creative and dynamic style.”
Last year’s Fall Preview, for the June 2025 “Vivaldi Fest,” drew more than 110 music lovers for a lively exploration of The Four Seasons, with Blumenstock linking its musical themes to Vivaldi’s original sonnets. This year’s event promises another captivating presentation, including a pop-up violin recital by Blumenstock (solo Bach and an 18th-century Parisian caprice), previewing elements of the 2026 “Musical Journey” program, and offering a rare opportunity to hear her perform solo up close. Early-bird tickets are $50 through September 28 for the October 5 event.
Internationally recognized as a Baroque violinist, concertmaster, director, and Juilliard faculty member, Elizabeth Blumenstock enters her 16th year as Festival artistic director in 2025–2026. She will curate and lead all performances in the June Festival series in 2026 as well as the Winter Musicale Gala Concert on Sunday, March 1, and the Fall Preview detailed above. Blumenstock performs on a 1660 Guarneri violin from Cremona, generously loaned by the Philharmonia Baroque Period Instrument Trust, and appears regularly as a soloist and concertmaster across the United States and in Germany. The Festival’s 46th season is scheduled for June 21–28, 2026, at venues in Corona del Mar and Newport Beach.
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The October 12 family event “Coloring with Corelli” reflects the Festival’s renewed commitment to education and community engagement. Conceived by the Baroque Music Festival’s new Education Program Director, Festival violinist/violist Dr. Lindsey Strand-Polyak, the free 50-minute event features musical storytelling, Baroque chamber music discovery, and themed coloring activities (materials provided) for children, teens, and adults. Hosted in the carpeted Michael’s Room at St. Michael & All Angels, the program offers a relaxed, sensory-friendly environment for young people of all ages and abilities to explore the music of Corelli, Vivaldi, Handel, and other Baroque masters, alongside instruments such as the theorbo, Baroque guitar, viola da gamba, and Baroque violin. Afterward, families are invited to enjoy a Baroque instrument petting zoo and refreshments on the patio. Dr. Strand-Polyak shares: “I’m thrilled to launch the Burton Karson Music Education Program with our free, informal family concert on October 12. As a lifelong music educator and early-music artistic leader, I believe that music—and the act of musicking—belongs to everyone. Creating a welcoming space to explore and interact with accessible chamber music up close is the perfect first step toward feeling at home in a formal concert setting later. Thank you to our funders and venue partner for making this event possible!”
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The Fall Preview Information and Ticket Link (early bird half-off through September 28):
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/baroquemusicfestivalcoronadelmar/1820462
Coloring with Corelli Information & Registration (note: adults must register and attend with their children):
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/baroquemusicfestivalcoronadelmar/1707202
Education Program Director, Dr. Lindsey Strand-Polyak [photo attached], is available for phone, video, and email interviews on request.
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Visit bmf-cdm.org for:
- Education Program Information & Biographies https://bmf-cdm.org/education-fund-program/
- Elizabeth Blumenstock Artistic Director, Biography https://bmf-cdm.org/artistic-director/
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The Baroque Music Festival was founded in 1981 by Dr. Burton Karson (1934-2025), then Professor of Music at CSU Fullerton. The annual season of five June concerts is a high-quality musical experience and an accessible way to discover, or rediscover, the uplifting beauty and joy of Baroque-era European music (written from around 1600 to 1750), right in the heart of the local community. Over the past four decades, the Festival has evolved as an esteemed and popular cultural institution in Orange County. Performing on period instruments in intimate settings, acclaimed instrumentalists and vocalists gather each June in Corona del Mar and Newport Beach.
Concertgoers have described the performances as “rapturous” and “riveting”; reviews from the Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register, and others have praised the Festival throughout its long and illustrious history. The Festival Board of Directors remains committed to bringing inspirational Baroque music to Newport Beach every summer.
FULL PROGRAM INFORMATION AND PERFORMER LISTS AT BMF-CDM.ORG · PROGRAM AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
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