Members of the public are welcome to sit in on a free music master class, hosted by acclaimed violinist and Festival Mozaic Music Director Scott Yoo, at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria on Feb. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon.
The following day, Yoo will take part in a special Chamber Concert with Festival Mozaic at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo. Tickets to the Feb. 25 concert—which starts at 2 p.m., after a free pre-concert lecture at 1 p.m. with speaker Alyson McLamore—start at $32.
During Yoo’s master class at Hancock, the conductor will work with students Olga Autyunyan, Amelie Loya, Jorge Arturo Perez, Daniel Moreno, and Andrew Genge.
In press materials, Nichole Dechaine, a music professor at Hancock, described the master class as a chance for participating music students to “perform and receive instant feedback from a professional musician on their performance.”
“The students will have access to a professional musician with whom they might not regularly have the opportunity to study under,” Dechaine said, “and the audience can learn as much as the performers.”
Hancock’s music program is designed to prepare students for employment in the areas of music, music teaching, music performance, music merchandising, music recording, church music positions, and other fields of the music industry.
Through master class programs and other live performance experiences, music students can “gain essential stage presence that allows them to build confidence and grow in any career they may pursue,” Yoo said in press materials.
“Teaching master classes to young musicians is crucial,” Yoo said. “It’s not just about skills, but also about instilling passion and a love for classical music.”
Locally known for his work with Festival Mozaic, Yoo is also the chief conductor and artistic director of the Mexico City Philharmonic, and the host and executive producer of the PBS show Now Hear This, a miniseries focused on classical music.
Admission to sit in on Yoo’s upcoming master class—sponsored by the Allan Hancock College Foundation—is free, but space is limited. Hopeful attendees can reserve their spots online in advance at festivalmozaic.org, where tickets to Yoo’s upcoming Cuesta College concert are also available for purchase.
Festival Mozaic is a local nonprofit dedicated to hosting live music performances year round in unique Central Coast venues, including historic and outdoor settings, as well as contemporary concert halls.
For more info on Hancock’s music offerings and degree and certificate programs, visit hancockcollege.edu/pathways.
This article appears in Feb 15-25, 2024.