Innovative sounds

The sixth annual Laguna Beach Music Festival, Jan. 14-20, will bring new faces and new sounds to Laguna.

All of this year’s performers have never before performed in Orange County, let alone in the festival.

This year’s featured artists are the Grammy Award-winning Turtle Island String Quartet, described by Yo-Yo Ma as “a reflection of some of the most creative music-making today.”

They will be joined by young professional musicians The Enso Quartet and special guest percussionist Stefon Harris.

The festival’s goal is to present traditional and contemporary classical music in an accessible and intimate style, by offering salons, educational events and free open rehearsals in addition to its three weekend concerts.

Composer Karim Al-Zand was commissioned to do a new work for the festival, and its two string quartets will join to perform octet work — an unusual occurrence, festival organizer Lucinda Prewitt said.

“Most people don’t see two quartets playing together,” she said.

In addition, the Enso Quartet typically performs traditional classical music, while the Turtle Island Quartet breaks boundaries with its contemporary classical and jazz performances.

Prewitt said the organizers were a bit nervous last year, bringing in the all-contemporary Ahn Trio, but the festival’s success led them to be more adventurous in their 2007 selections.

“We’re doing what we did last year, only more so,” she said.

Another new element of this year’s festival include the introduction of Al-Zand as composer-in-residence; he is giving a master class at UCI and a composition class at Laguna Beach High School. Another educational event is a jam session with high school performers; this year, Harris will work with the students.

“It seems to be a great tradition,” Prewitt said. “I hope we can keep doing that.”

The Turtle Island Quartet also will perform in the high school quad during the festival.

“We’re always trying something to expose kids to new and different music,” Prewitt said.

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

January 15

 Art of Composing

Composer Karim Al-Zand and Enso Quartet and a preview of Festival-commissioned work

10 a.m. to noon at Hotel Laguna (425 S. Coast Hwy.)

 Open rehearsal from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Hotel Laguna

 Meet the Artists Salon

The Turtle Island String Quartet

6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Laguna Room in Hotel Laguna

$50 includes hors d’oeuvres and wine

Reservations due by Jan. 12

January 16

 Open rehearsal from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Hotel Laguna

 Beyond Bach — Movements in Contemporary Music symposium

Panel discussion with composer and lecturer Paul Chihara, composer Karim Al-Zand, the Enso Quartet and David Balakrishnan of the Turtle Island Quartet

6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Hotel Laguna

January 17

 Open rehearsal from 11 a.m. to noon at Hotel Laguna

January 18

 Lecture and demonstration by the Turtle Island Quartet

1 to 2 p.m. at Artists’ Theatre (625 Park Ave.)

 Opening Night Dinner

5:30 p.m. at Claes in Hotel Laguna

$175 includes gourmet dinner with wine, evening concert and complimentary shuttle. Reservations due by Jan. 14

 Performance

Turtle Island and Enso string quartets

Selections by Haydn, Milhaud, Summer, Balakrishnan and Price

8 p.m. Jan. 18 at Artists’ Theatre

$35 center orchestra and sides; $30 rear orchestra and far sides; $15 students 21 and younger

January 19

 Open rehearsal from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Artists’ Theatre

 Performance

Turtle Island Quartet with percussionist Stefon Harris

The Divine Duke: The jazz, classical and gospel music of Duke Ellington

8 p.m. at Artists’ Theatre

$35 center orchestra and sides; $30 rear orchestra and far sides; $15 students 21 and younger

January 20

 Open rehearsal from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Artists’ Theatre

 Performance

Turtle Island and Enso string quartets

Karim Al-Zand: The Art of Conversation (festival commission), featuring works by Gianstera, Coltrane and others

Performance at 3 p.m.; 2 p.m. pre-concert interview at Artists’ Theatre

$35 center orchestra and sides; $30 rear orchestra and far sides; $15 students 21 and younger

An updated schedule is at www.lagunabeachmusicfestival.com; for more information, call (949) 715-9713.