Events Archive - Rancho La Puerta
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In Wellness, Progress Over Perfection with Sohailla Digsby

How Calories and Fat Work
What’s more important, calories, macros, or the nutrient profile of foods? Can you make any impact on where fat tissue is lost from? Is weight maintenance really a numbers game, or is there more to it? Are some people just unable to manage their weight? Find out in this session!

How to Eat Sugar
Should you avoid sugar like it’s the devil, or eat as much of it as you want, with plans to just “work it off?” How much is a reasonable amount to allow? What are the consequences if you have too much? Is it possible to eat it strategically, so that it doesn’t control you?

Abs are Made in the Kitchen
What can you do for 10 minutes a day (or an hour each weekend) that would impact what you end up putting in your mouth? Learn from an RD, Cookbook author, and mom of 3 that it doesn’t have to be so hard: streamline your meal prep, grocery time, and kitchen-set up!

Progress over Perfection
Do you ever find yourself waiting for the perfect time to move forward in your wellness? Perhaps you are letting perfect be the enemy of progress. Knowledge is not (enough) power to make an impact. Learn out-of-the-box approaches to making daily progress that leads to lasting change, vitality and wellness – both inside and out.

 

Sohailla Digsby is a registered dietitian, author, and international speaker. She has been a group exercise instructor since she was a teenager. She is a voice of reason – bringing clarity amidst all the nutrition fads and confusing misinformation that abound in the health and fitness space. She partners with fitness professionals to help them launch 8-week challenges that help their clients get the results that workouts alone won’t deliver. Sohailla is the recipient of several awards, including the 2018 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year for Augusta University’s Dietetic Internship, 2016 SCW Presenter of the Year Award and the Georgia Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Media Award in 2014. She’s a mom of two boys, now 17 and 20, and a 14-year-old diva she adopted from China. She married the fella that asked her to the Senior Prom: though she said no to Prom, they’ve been married for over 25 years.

The Importance of a Ritual for Your Well-Being with Beth Ricanati

Braided: A Journey of a Thousand Challahs
Dr. Beth Ricanati shares her journey from a stressed physician to making challah, writing a book and now sharing the Challah Practice™ with others.

Challah Practice™ Workshop
Dr. Beth Ricanati will lead us in two Challah Practice workshops where we will not only learn to make this beautiful bread together but also she will simultaneously share the important lessons of the Challah Practice that can help us reinforce healthy living behaviors. These lessons are based on her award-winning book, Braided: A Journey of a Thousand Challahs. The first workshop will be a dough-making workshop; the second workshop will be a braiding workshop and we will serve the finished challahs at dinner on Friday night for the whole community.

 

Beth Ricanati, MD, has spent her career focused on improving the well-being of her patient’s lives, in traditional medical clinics, wellness programs, and now as an author/speaker.  She has worked at the Center for Women’s Health Center at NY Presbyterian/Columbia Medical Center and at the Cleveland Clinic’s Women’s Health Center and in the Clinic’s Wellness Institute as Medical Director for a lifestyle modification program. Today she volunteers weekly at the Venice Family Clinic in Los Angeles, the largest clinic in the country for the underserved. For the last several years, she has been speaking (both live and digitally) around the country, based on the premise of her award-winning book, Braided: A Journey of a Thousand Challahs. Dr. Ricanati lives and works in Southern California.

www.BethRicanatiMD.com

@BethRicanatiMD

Song Circle of Freedom and Spirit with Bethany Yarrow

Come sing songs of freedom and spirit with Bethany Yarrow, who will teach traditional invocations that call on the forces of nature: the water, mountains, forests, wind and fire. Open your voice, move your body, and free your spirit in a joyful circle of song that honors our own life force and dancing energies as we celebrate the spring equinox and the healing balance it brings.

Bethany Yarrow carries a legacy of folk music passed down through her family. For over two decades, she has been on a journey exploring the roots of American spiritual music, performing with musicians from all over the world, including Haiti, Niger, and Brazil. Over the last five years, Bethany has translated more than 150 traditional songs for the Orixás, the great pantheon of Afro-Brazilian deities expressed in the forces of nature who are at the center of her own devotional practice.

Songs from Broadway Shows with Liz Callaway

Tony and Grammy-nominated and Emmy-winning Broadway star and recording artist Liz Callaway showcases her historic career with songs from Broadway shows she has starred in, including her Tony-nominated turn in Baby, and her long run belting “Memory” in Cats, alongside songs from the silver screen — including her Oscar-nominated hit from Anastasia — as well as songs from her recording career,

 

Liz Callaway is a Tony and Grammy nominee and Emmy Award-winning actress, singer and recording artist. Her Broadway credits include Merrily We Roll Along, Baby, Miss Saigon, and Cats. She has also provided the singing voice for numerous animated movies, including the Oscar-nominated Anastasia. Her latest album, To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim was nominated for a GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

Beyond Kegels: A Lifetime of Pelvic Health with Kathe Wallace and Dawn Sandalcidi

How Fit is Your Pelvic Floor? Let’s Explore!
Learn how the pelvic floor (Kegel) muscles control urine leakage, urges and frequency as well as bowel control and sexual appreciation. Topics covered include functions and anatomy of the muscles of the pelvic floor and its relationship to pelvic health and core control. You will leave being available to help identify any areas of potential issues.

How Do I Kegel? Let Me Count the Ways!
Are you up to date on current pelvic floor (Kegel) exercise techniques? This presentation teaches proper pelvic floor activation and release. It will cover the importance of breathing and positioning to pelvic health and pelvic floor exercises. You will learn to self-assess your pelvic floor muscles and where to start or progress with an exercise program.

Simple Self-Care for Bowel and Bladder Control and Exercise
Have you, a family member or friend been offered medication or surgery for bladder/bowel problems? Time to debunk bladder and bowel myths and learn simple self-care techniques to maintain and improve your bladder and bowel control. Additionally, in this presentation you will learn how to use your pelvic floor with your daily exercise and movement routines.

Beyond Kegels: Sexuality and the Pelvic Floor
This stimulating presentation reviews the pelvic floor as it relates to sexual functions and dysfunctions through the lifespan. Learn specific exercises, breathing and release techniques to optimize your pelvic sexual health. You will learn new ways to use the pelvic floor.

Kathe Wallace, PT, is an internationally recognized pioneer pelvic health clinician, educator and author in pelvic health and pelvic floor dysfunction. She is the author of Reviving Your Sex Life after Childbirth and multiple educational handouts to restore the pelvic floor. She has focused on pelvic health since 1988. She currently serves as a Clinical Instructor, Division of Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, at the University of Washington in Seattle. Kathe has been honored to receive both the Washington State Physical Therapy Association Clinical Excellence Award and the American Physical Therapy Association Academy of Pelvic Health, Elizabeth Noble Award for providing extraordinary and exemplary service to the field of pelvic health physical therapy.

Dawn Sandalcidi, PT, RCMT, BCB-PMD specializes in pelvic muscle dysfunction and orthopedic manual therapy. She has trained medical professionals in manual therapy both nationally and internationally since 1992. Dawn is also Board-Certified Biofeedback in Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction (BCB-PMD). Dawn has actively been treating patients since 1982 at Physical Therapy Specialists in Centennial, Colorado. In 2018, Dawn was awarded the Elizabeth Noble Award by the American Physical Therapy Association Section on Women’s Health for providing extraordinary and exemplary service to the field of physical therapy for men, women and children.

Beyond Kegels: A Lifetime of Pelvic Health with Kathe Wallace and Dawn Sandalcidi

How Fit is Your Pelvic Floor? Let’s Explore!
Learn how the pelvic floor (Kegel) muscles control urine leakage, urges and frequency as well as bowel control and sexual appreciation. Topics covered include functions and anatomy of the muscles of the pelvic floor and its relationship to pelvic health and core control. You will leave being available to help identify any areas of potential issues.

How Do I Kegel? Let Me Count the Ways!
Are you up to date on current pelvic floor (Kegel) exercise techniques? This presentation teaches proper pelvic floor activation and release. It will cover the importance of breathing and positioning to pelvic health and pelvic floor exercises. You will learn to self-assess your pelvic floor muscles and where to start or progress with an exercise program.

Simple Self-Care for Bowel and Bladder Control and Exercise
Have you, a family member or friend been offered medication or surgery for bladder/bowel problems? Time to debunk bladder and bowel myths and learn simple self-care techniques to maintain and improve your bladder and bowel control. Additionally, in this presentation you will learn how to use your pelvic floor with your daily exercise and movement routines.

Beyond Kegels: Sexuality and the Pelvic Floor
This stimulating presentation reviews the pelvic floor as it relates to sexual functions and dysfunctions through the lifespan. Learn specific exercises, breathing and release techniques to optimize your pelvic sexual health. You will learn new ways to use the pelvic floor.

Kathe Wallace, PT, is an internationally recognized pioneer pelvic health clinician, educator and author in pelvic health and pelvic floor dysfunction. She is the author of Reviving Your Sex Life after Childbirth and multiple educational handouts to restore the pelvic floor. She has focused on pelvic health since 1988. She currently serves as a Clinical Instructor, Division of Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, at the University of Washington in Seattle. Kathe has been honored to receive both the Washington State Physical Therapy Association Clinical Excellence Award and the American Physical Therapy Association Academy of Pelvic Health, Elizabeth Noble Award for providing extraordinary and exemplary service to the field of pelvic health physical therapy.

Dawn Sandalcidi, PT, RCMT, BCB-PMD specializes in pelvic muscle dysfunction and orthopedic manual therapy. She has trained medical professionals in manual therapy both nationally and internationally since 1992. Dawn is also Board-Certified Biofeedback in Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction (BCB-PMD). Dawn has actively been treating patients since 1982 at Physical Therapy Specialists in Centennial, Colorado. In 2018, Dawn was awarded the Elizabeth Noble Award by the American Physical Therapy Association Section on Women’s Health for providing extraordinary and exemplary service to the field of physical therapy for men, women and children.

Happy Hour for Hormones with Nancy Cetel

Hormones Through the Ages
This comfortable, warm and welcoming discussion will involve the women’s health journey through the ages and the relationship of our hormonal balance to mood, energy levels, mental health, sexual health and more. We will share our concerns and interests in this open forum on a variety of hormonal issues for all ages. The topics can range from egg freezing in our thirties, to reigniting libido in our peri-menopause/menopause years and beyond.

Our Hormones and our Overall Health and Wellness
We will share and explore how lifestyle, nutrition, stress, self-awareness, friendships and more impact our health and hormonal well-being. For example, are we aware of what we eat or drink on a daily basis and how that contributes to our personal state of health? What role do hormones play for our heart health and brain health? Why is sleep so critical?  What role does alcohol play in our overall physical and mental status and how is that a factor in breast health? Are there supplements that are important for different hormonal stages of life? More topics of interest will be addressed and discussed.

 

Nancy Cetel, MD, is an engaging and passionate physician, author and professional speaker. Following her graduation from the New York University School of Medicine, she obtained her postgraduate training in Reproductive Endocrinology at the University of California, San Diego, and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Southern California. Her pioneering research in hormonal issues led to numerous publications and awards. Dr. Cetel is often referenced in books and journals, and is a frequently invited lecturer nationally and internationally.  Live appearances and interviews have brought her acclaim as an accomplished communicator and advocate for an informed public. She is the author of Double Menopause: What to Do When Both You and Your Mate Go through Hormonal Changes Together. Her passions include her family, vegetarian cooking, dancing, and the joys of being a grandparent.

Happy Hour for Hormones with Nancy Cetel

Hormones Through the Ages
This comfortable, warm and welcoming discussion will involve the women’s health journey through the ages and the relationship of our hormonal balance to mood, energy levels, mental health, sexual health and more. We will share our concerns and interests in this open forum on a variety of hormonal issues for all ages. The topics can range from egg freezing in our thirties, to reigniting libido in our peri-menopause/menopause years and beyond.

Our Hormones and our Overall Health and Wellness
We will share and explore how lifestyle, nutrition, stress, self-awareness, friendships and more impact our health and hormonal well-being. For example, are we aware of what we eat or drink on a daily basis and how that contributes to our personal state of health? What role do hormones play for our heart health and brain health? Why is sleep so critical?  What role does alcohol play in our overall physical and mental status and how is that a factor in breast health? Are there supplements that are important for different hormonal stages of life? More topics of interest will be addressed and discussed.

 

Nancy Cetel, MD, is an engaging and passionate physician, author and professional speaker. Following her graduation from the New York University School of Medicine, she obtained her postgraduate training in Reproductive Endocrinology at the University of California, San Diego, and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Southern California. Her pioneering research in hormonal issues led to numerous publications and awards. Dr. Cetel is often referenced in books and journals, and is a frequently invited lecturer nationally and internationally.  Live appearances and interviews have brought her acclaim as an accomplished communicator and advocate for an informed public. She is the author of Double Menopause: What to Do When Both You and Your Mate Go through Hormonal Changes Together. Her passions include her family, vegetarian cooking, dancing, and the joys of being a grandparent.

Happy Hour for Hormones with Nancy Cetel

Hormones Through the Ages
This comfortable, warm and welcoming discussion will involve the women’s health journey through the ages and the relationship of our hormonal balance to mood, energy levels, mental health, sexual health and more. We will share our concerns and interests in this open forum on a variety of hormonal issues for all ages. The topics can range from egg freezing in our thirties, to reigniting libido in our peri-menopause/menopause years and beyond.

Our Hormones and our Overall Health and Wellness
We will share and explore how lifestyle, nutrition, stress, self-awareness, friendships and more impact our health and hormonal well-being. For example, are we aware of what we eat or drink on a daily basis and how that contributes to our personal state of health? What role do hormones play for our heart health and brain health? Why is sleep so critical?  What role does alcohol play in our overall physical and mental status and how is that a factor in breast health? Are there supplements that are important for different hormonal stages of life? More topics of interest will be addressed and discussed.

 

Nancy Cetel, MD, is an engaging and passionate physician, author and professional speaker. Following her graduation from the New York University School of Medicine, she obtained her postgraduate training in Reproductive Endocrinology at the University of California, San Diego, and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Southern California. Her pioneering research in hormonal issues led to numerous publications and awards. Dr. Cetel is often referenced in books and journals, and is a frequently invited lecturer nationally and internationally.  Live appearances and interviews have brought her acclaim as an accomplished communicator and advocate for an informed public. She is the author of Double Menopause: What to Do When Both You and Your Mate Go through Hormonal Changes Together. Her passions include her family, vegetarian cooking, dancing, and the joys of being a grandparent.

Happy Hour for Hormones with Nancy Cetel

Hormones Through the Ages
This comfortable, warm and welcoming discussion will involve the women’s health journey through the ages and the relationship of our hormonal balance to mood, energy levels, mental health, sexual health and more. We will share our concerns and interests in this open forum on a variety of hormonal issues for all ages. The topics can range from egg freezing in our thirties, to reigniting libido in our peri-menopause/menopause years and beyond.

Our Hormones and our Overall Health and Wellness
We will share and explore how lifestyle, nutrition, stress, self-awareness, friendships and more impact our health and hormonal well-being. For example, are we aware of what we eat or drink on a daily basis and how that contributes to our personal state of health? What role do hormones play for our heart health and brain health? Why is sleep so critical?  What role does alcohol play in our overall physical and mental status and how is that a factor in breast health? Are there supplements that are important for different hormonal stages of life? More topics of interest will be addressed and discussed.

 

Nancy Cetel, MD, is an engaging and passionate physician, author and professional speaker. Following her graduation from the New York University School of Medicine, she obtained her postgraduate training in Reproductive Endocrinology at the University of California, San Diego, and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Southern California. Her pioneering research in hormonal issues led to numerous publications and awards. Dr. Cetel is often referenced in books and journals, and is a frequently invited lecturer nationally and internationally.  Live appearances and interviews have brought her acclaim as an accomplished communicator and advocate for an informed public. She is the author of Double Menopause: What to Do When Both You and Your Mate Go through Hormonal Changes Together. Her passions include her family, vegetarian cooking, dancing, and the joys of being a grandparent.

Dawn Saldancidi

Dawn Sandalcidi, PT, RCMT, BCB-PMD specializes in pelvic muscle dysfunction and orthopedic manual therapy. She has trained medical professionals in manual therapy both nationally and internationally since 1992. Dawn is also Board-Certified Biofeedback in Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction (BCB-PMD). Dawn has actively been treating patients since 1982 at Physical Therapy Specialists in Centennial, Colorado. In 2018, Dawn was awarded the Elizabeth Noble Award by the American Physical Therapy Association Section on Women’s Health for providing extraordinary and exemplary service to the field of physical therapy for men, women and children.

Winemaker Kristin Magnussen Shute

Kristin Magnussen Shute is the award-winning winemaker for Valle de Guadalupe winery Vinos Lechuza. Started by her father Ray Magnussen as a hobby in 2010, Lechuza has grown into one of the most popular wineries in the region because of their dedication to the craft and the merging of old world and new world styles. Lechuza is known for their sophisticated but approachable wines that have won over sommeliers and chefs around the world and have landed them accolades that include a coveted place on the wine list at The French Laundry in Napa, California (3 Michelin Stars). Kristin is proud of her family’s commitment to working “without borders” as ambassadors to Mexico’s modern wine movement around the world.

 

Check out all the chefs for 2025 Culinary Week

Cooking Class with Claudia Sandoval

Chef Claudia Sandoval was born and raised in sunny San Diego, California, to a family originally from Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Chef Claudia grew up with her mother and grandmother, who taught her how to cook from a young age. In 2015 she went on to become the the winner of the sixth season of MasterChef U.S. with Gordon Ramsay.

After winning the coveted title of MasterChef, she began a successful culinary consulting and catering company under the name “Claudia’s Cocina,” in addition to working with important brands like Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s, Nestlé, Disney, T-Mobile, and Tajín; Chef Claudia published her bestselling cookbook “Claudia’s Cocina: A Taste of Mexico”.

Chef Claudia has moved on from contestant to Judge on various shows like, Chopped, Chopped Jr., MasterChef Latino, on Telemundo, and is now Judge on MasterChef Latinos on Estrella TV. Most recently Chef Claudia released a new food travel show called “Taste of the Border” on Discovery+.

Chef Claudia never stops, most recently launched her own line of Celebrity Chef Meal Delivery through a partnership with Home Bistro, ensuring that people all over the US can have a taste of what Chef Claudia is cooking.

 

Check out all the chefs for 2025 Culinary Week

Cooking Class with Claudette Zepeda

Claudette Zepeda is an award-winning, San Diego-based celebrity chef and culinary entrepreneur known for her fearless style and bold approach to regional Mexican cuisine. A celebrated culinary anthropologist, Zepeda draws upon 20+ years of experience working in restaurant kitchens, as well as her extensive travels around the world and throughout Mexico. Zepeda’s multi-faceted expertise is showcased in her role overseeing the creative vision as Founder of Chispa Hospitality with projects in Australia and México. VAGA restaurant in San Diego’s North County is where she authors a love letter to her hometown with a menu that celebrates local flavors and immigrant influences. Seen on 2022 Netflix’s edition of Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend, winning her challenge & on Iron Chef México where she successfully won her challenge and tied in the finale. Also in the fall of 2022, she showcased her talents by beating Bobby Flay’s Titans on Bobby’s Triple Threat and winning the cash prize.

In 2019 Zepeda Founded Viva La Vida, LLC. Through Viva La Vida, Zepeda helps Mexican women support their families without sacrificing their safety. Expanding into a 501c3 in 2023 and establishing a fund dedicated to helping Hispanic women break from generational poverty in the United States.

 

Check out all the chefs for 2025 Culinary Week

Cooking Class with Reyna Venegas

Executive Chef Reyna Venegas prepares fresh and delicious food that energizes, inspires, and nourishes guests. She fuses the culinary and cultural heritages of her own Northern Baja roots with the nutritious “spa cuisine” pioneered 80 years ago by Rancho La Puerta co-founder Deborah Szekely. At La Cocina Que Canta, “The Kitchen That Sings,” Chef Reyna teaches healthy eating as a celebration of life in farm-to-table cooking classes.

As a lifelong learner, Chef Reyna recently completed the Integrative Nutrition program at the University of California, San Diego, which focuses on how food promotes wellness. She is also a graduate of the Culinary Art School in Tijuana, and holds a Pastry Degree from the Lycée Technique et Hôtelier de Monte-Carlo and Fondation Turquois.

She and her husband Chef Marcelo Hisaki own Restaurante Amores, a hidden culinary jewel in the heart of Baja. Their cuisine is influenced by Mexican, Japanese and French cultures, using local produce with respect, love, and creativity. They have been selected by the Michelin Guide Mexico in 2024 and received the Exceptional Service Award.

Chef Reyna, as the manager of Team Mexico for the Bocuse d’Or since 2022, has been instrumental in guiding the team to compete in this prestigious culinary event. In 2023, Team Mexico was recognized with the Social Commitment Award for their impactful initiatives addressing food insecurity among migrants in Baja California. Now, they are poised to proudly represent Mexico once more at the Bocuse d’Or Americas 2024 in New Orleans, aiming to secure their spot in the Bocuse d’Or Finale 2025.

 

Check out all the chefs for 2025 Culinary Week

A week of Delicious Culinary events!

Culinary Week
July 19 – 26, 2025

Join us for a foodie adventure during Culinary Week, where we’ll celebrate the vibrant flavors of Baja California cuisine. Using the freshest organic produce, talented chefs will prepare dishes that showcase Mexico’s rich cultural heritage and traditions. From savory seafood to spicy salsas and organic produce, you can savor the bold and complex flavors that make this cuisine unique. You’ll have the chance to learn from expert chefs and explore our beautiful organic garden that produces the ingredients for our delicious meals. Join us for an unforgettable, five-star week of gastronomic excellence, fun, and community!

More About Culinary Week

Featured Chefs:
Reyna Venegas, Executive Chef, La Cocina Que Canta and Rancho La Puerta
Chef Claudette Zepeda, Entrepreneur & Iron Chef Mexico Winner 2022
Chef Claudia Sandoval, Winner of MasterChef US, Judge of MasterChef Latinos
Chef Maylin Chávez, Executive Chef & Entrepreneur Blue Evolution Seaweed and Oyster expert
Winemaker Kristin Magnussen, Vintner from Lechuza Vineyards in Valle de Guadalupe

A Folk Music Week

Rancho La Puerta Folk Festival

June 14 – 21, 2025

Embrace the power of music in an unforgettable week featuring top folk artists from across the nation at The Ranch for our second annual Folk Fest!  This week is curated for you to experience the healing power of music through daily concerts, artist talks and workshops, live recording sessions, and random acts of music. The serenity of The Ranch provides a perfect stage for some of today’s top folk touring artists to fully transform you. Join us and delight in a retreat for all the senses.

See our 2025 – Artists Bios, Playlist & Events

Amber Rubarth

“Songs so strong they sound like classics from another era.” – ACOUSTIC GUITAR MAGAZINE

“You will leave with a crush on her.” – BOSTON GLOBE

Every so often an artist arrives with a lyrical ability to convey the simplest of things. With Amber Rubarth it’s all in the detail. Refreshingly unique in her styling, Rubarth has built an eclectic collection of songs from the fun and frivolous to the raw and destructive – her voice knows no bounds where genre is concerned.  But it’s in her lyrics where the most satisfaction is found. Inspired by the works of Paul Simon and Leonard Cohen, her musings on life are delightful in their innocence and have the capacity to appeal to the most diverse audience.

Touring from South Africa to Japan and all throughout Europe and North America, her appearances have included everything from a sold-out Carnegie Hall and Glastonbury (UK) to being handpicked to open for legendary artists including Emmylou Harris, Richie Havens, Dr. Ralph Stanley and Kenny Loggins.  Grand Prize Winner of the prestigious NPR Mountain Stage contest, songwriting is always at the heart of how Rubarth navigates the world.

 

Amber Rubarth made her acting debut starring alongside Joe Purdy in the feature film AMERICAN FOLK (out now on Amazon) winning numerous festivals and awards and being called “Superb… A heartfelt homage to American folk music,” by HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, and “Two wondrous new voices steeped in the folk tradition,” by ROLLING STONE.  She has scored and composed for many films including Sundance Film Festival winner ‘Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work’ and the award-winning documentary ‘Desert Runners,’ and recently co-produced a double album of 24 artists for the documentary ‘Fantastic Fungi.’  Her latest album COVER CROP is a meditation on sustainability and interconnectivity through the lens of 15 cover songs self-produced and recorded at her cottage in the woods of the Hudson Valley, New York.

– Official website:  https://www.amberrubarth.com/
– IG: @AmberRubarth
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmberRubarthMusic/
– Youtube video: https://youtu.be/7CIeq-EK3gg?si=7UKmPDqV_08z8K4G

Jason Cupp

Jason Cupp (Guest Sound Engineer, Psychology of Creativity)

Jason Cupp brings over two decades of experience in the music industry. As a record producer, audio engineer, and tour manager, Jason has collaborated with a wide range of artists spanning multiple genres, from multi-platinum Grammy-winning pop acts to independent rock and Americana artists. With a portfolio of over 50 albums, including notable credits such as The Milk Carton Kids, Jon Brion, Tim Kasher, Ratboys, and American Football, Jason’s expertise extends beyond the studio. Recently, he has integrated his educational background in psychology to explore the intersection of creativity and group dynamics. Originally from the Arizona desert, Jason now calls the Midwest city of Saint Louis home.

 

– IG: @WorldCupp

– Facebook: @jason.k.cupp

Carissa Stolting

Carissa Stolting (Co-Producer and Host, Moderator, Founder of Unmanageable)

Carissa Stolting is an artist & event manager, and the founder of Left Bank Artists. In 2014, Stolting created Left Bank with Grammy award-winning artist and cultural ambassador, Abigail Washburn, with the intent of building an arts management company that champions artistic integrity and creativity. Left Bank has since become the management home to wildly innovative artists like Leyla McCalla, Rachel Grimes, Wu Fei, Allison Russell, and more.

Responding to the expansive creative vision of artists on the Left Bank roster, Carissa partnered with grant-writer and development strategist Celine Thackston to create Unmanageable, a 501c3 non-profit whose mission is to build power and mobilize resources for independent artists engaged in social change work. Unmanageable was founded in 2020 and has since raised over 2.6M for artists and their large-scale creative projects which aim to encourage a more compassionate and loving world.

– Official website: www.unmgmt.org

– IG: @revoltingstolting

Concert with Larissa Maestro

Larissa Maestro (Artist, Cellist, Multi-Instrumentalist)

is a composer, cellist, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and arranger, based in Nashville. Their work as an artist is broad and varied, a testament to a deep love of creation, expression, and collaboration.

Larissa was named “Instrumentalist of the Year” at the 2022 Americana Music Awards, and is the first cellist and first member of the Asian American Pacific Islander community to receive the award. Since arriving in Nashville in 2007, Larissa has co-founded a community orchestra (The Nashville Concerto Orchestra), joyfully screamed 90s covers to thousands of people with local supergroup My So-Called Band, started a Star Trek podcast (Into the Wormhole with Larissa and Lauren), created countless string arrangements for recordings and live performances, and appeared on stages big and small, in person and on network television.

The list of artists with whom they have recorded, collaborated, and/or performed is as diverse as their interests: Hozier, Allison Russell, Wendy & Lisa, Chaka Khan, Eminem, Margo Price, Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings, Mickey Guyton, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Jake Wesley Rogers, John Legend, H.E.R. & Daniel Caesar, Toni Braxton, Cam, Brandi Carlile, and more. They are currently writing and recording a solo pop/chamber music project called MZTZA.

As a composer, Larissa has used chamber music to express their rich inner world, relationship to their neurodivergence, and identity as a Filipinx-American. Their compositions have been performed by Julian Schwarz (cello), Patrick Dailey (countertenor), ALIAS Chamber Ensemble, Lockeland Strings, La Vie Quartet, The Nashville Concerto Orchestra, and members of the Nashville Symphony. They have been commissioned twice as a composer for the Nashville Ballet, and their second work for dance was featured in the ballet “Anthology” in February 2023. Recently, they provided original score and main title music for the Max docu-series “Justice USA”, which documented the stories of several people’s experience with the Nashville justice system.

– Official website: http://www.larissamaestro.com/

– IG: @LarissaMaestro

– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/larissamaestro

Concert with Jake Blount

Jake Blount (Artist and multi-instrumentalist, Storyteller)

A powerfully gifted musician and a scholar of Black American music, Jake Blount speaks ardently about the African roots of the banjo and the subtle, yet profound ways African Americans have shaped and defined the amorphous categories of roots music and Americana. His 2020 album Spider Tales (named one of the year’s best albums by NPR and The New Yorker, earned a perfect 5-star review from The Guardian) highlighted the Black and Indigenous histories of popular American folk tunes, as well as revived songs unjustly forgotten in the whitewashing of the canon. Jake Blount’s new album, The New Faith, is a towering achievement of dystopian Afrofuturism and his first album for Smithsonian Folkways (released September 23, 2022). The New Faith is spiritual music, filled with hope for salvation and righteous anger in equal measure. The album manifests our worst fears on the shores of an island in Maine, where Blount enacts an imagined religious ceremony performed by Black refugees after the collapse of global civilization due to catastrophic climate change. Jake Blount’s music is rooted in care and confrontation. On stage, each song he and his band play is chosen for a reason – because it highlights important elements about the stories we tell ourselves of our shared history and our endlessly complicated present moment. The more we learn about where we’ve been, the better equipped we are to face the future.

Website: https://jakeblount.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notjacobnotblunt/

Instragram: https://www.instagram.com/jake.m.blount/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/63yfJDmaBbifNzvWUUdpv1

Video (NPR Tiny Desk Concert):

https://www.npr.org/2023/01/06/1146659751/jake-blount-tiny-desk-concert

Concert with Chris Pierce

Chris Pierce (Artist, Activist and Storyteller)

“One of America’s most talented, gifted, and affecting artists.”AMERICAN SONGWRITER

“I haven’t been so deeply, deeply moved by just a person and their guitar like this in a long time.”NPR MUSIC

In 2023, Chris Pierce was handpicked to be the special guest opener for the NEIL YOUNG Coastal Tour. Recently, he gained additional worldwide prominence with “We Can Always Come Back to This”. His hit co/write aired on 3 episodes of the NBC primetime series ‘THIS IS US,’ then went on to #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart.  Pierce has also done worldwide headlining tours and has supported: Neil Young, B.B. King, Seal, Al Green, Steve Earle, Allison Russell, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Rodrigo y Gabriella, Keb’Mo, Blind Boys of Alabama, Aaron Neville & others.

Other recent highlights include: 2 U.S. tours with ‘Our House’ (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Family & Friends), 2 solo concerts at The Kennedy Center, a ‘Playing for Change’ duet with Sara Bareilles, a sold-out Troubadour concert with Allison Russell, and performance/interviews on NPR’s WORLD CAFÉ, MOUNTAIN STAGE, AMERICAN FOLK SHOW, SoCAL SOUND, and more. Stellar performances at Newport Folk, AmericanaFest, Folk Alliance, Bottlerock, Rancho La Puerta Folk Fest, Four Corners Folk, MerleFest & NC Folk Festival led to further acclaim.

His 2021 album, ‘AMERICAN SILENCE’ garnered critical acclaim from NPR, Rolling Stone, NoDepression, SiriusXM, The Bluegrass Situation, AmericanaUK, Acoustic Guitar and others. PopMatters named ‘AMERICAN SILENCE ’THE #1 Best Folk Album of 2021 and FolkAlley named “Residential School” from AMERICAN SILENCE one of the 100 Essential Folk Songs.

His newest album ‘LET ALL WHO WILL’ was released on September 1, 2023, with critical acclaim from NPR, NoDepression, American Songwriter, Hi Times and more.  In addition to his solo career, Chris Pierce performs/records with both Americana/Folk/Soul sensation WAR & PIERCE with Sunny War, & the Americana/Roots band LEON CREEK.

Website: chrispierce.com

IG: @IAmChrisPierce

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamchrispierce/

Piano, Violin, Cello / Jon Kimura Parker, Strauss Shi, Monique Mead, Aloysia Friedmann, Amelia Zitoun

Sunrise Concert
Hike to the Organic Gardens and enjoy a sumptuous breakfast followed by a short concert with Aloysia Friedmann and Jon Kimura Parker to get your morning started on a high note.

Musical Love Triangle
A romantic program featuring classical music’s most famous love triangle, Johannes Brahms, Clara Schumann, and Robert Schumann. You’ll hear a Clara Schumann Romance, Johannes Brahms Scherzo from the F.A.E. Sonata, and Robert Schumann’s Piano Quintet performed by Jon Kimura Parker, Strauss Shi, Monique Mead, Aloysia Friedmann, and Amelia Zitoun.

“Steinway Spectacular”
The festival concludes with “Jackie” Parker in a program that spans the spectrum of pianistic expression from the lyricism of Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata, to colorful splashes of Ravel’s “Jeux d’Eau” and ending with the brilliant virtuosity of William Hirtz’s “Fantasy on the Wizard of Oz.”

A Tapestry of Music and Verse
All 12 Chamber week festival artists join forces for a jazz-inspired program of music and verse.

 

Known for his passionate artistry and engaging stage presence, with multiple solo appearances at the Berlin Philharmonie, London’s South Bank, the Sydney Opera House, and the Beijing Concert Hall, Jon Kimura Parker continues to perform to great acclaim. Conductors he has recently worked with include Marin Alsop, Teddy Abrams, Claus Peter Flor, James Gaffigan, Hans Graf, Giancarlo Guerrero, Jeffrey Kahane, Andrew Litton, Tito Muñoz, Gianandrea Noseda, Larry Rachleff, Lahav Shani, Bramwell Tovey, Xu Zhong, David Zinman, and Pinchas Zukerman. A true Canadian ambassador of music, Mr. Parker has given command performances for Queen Elizabeth II, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Prime Ministers of Canada and Japan. He is an Officer of The Order of Canada, his country’s highest civilian honor. In the past two years he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto, and awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of British Columbia.

He performs as duo partner regularly with James Ehnes, Aloysia Friedmann, Lynn Harrell, Jamie Parker, Orli Shaham, and Cho-Liang Lin, with whom he has given world premieres of sonatas by Paul Schoenfield, John Harbison and Steven Stucky. He performs regularly with the Miró Quartet, and is a founding member of the Montrose Trio with violinist Martin Beaver and cellist Clive Greensmith. The Washington Post’s review of the Montrose Trio’s first tour in 2015 proclaimed them “poised to become one of the top piano trios in the world.”

As a member of the outreach project Piano Plus, Mr. Parker toured remote areas including the Canadian Arctic, performing classical music and rock’n’roll on everything from upright pianos to electronic keyboards. In commemoration of his special performances in war-torn Sarajevo in 1995, he was a featured speaker alongside humanitarians Elie Wiesel and Paul Rusesabagina at the 50th Anniversary of the relief organization AmeriCares.

www.jonkimuraparker.com

 

Founder and Artistic Director of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival (www.oicmf.org) in the Pacific Northwest, Aloysia Friedmann is firmly established as a major influence in the American chamber music scene. In recognition of this fact, Chamber Music America invited Ms. Friedmann to their national Board in 2016. In December 2018, she was named a Musical America Top Professional of the Year.

Ms. Friedmann’s broad ranging career has included national and international tours, performances with New York’s most prestigious musical ensembles including the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and a special onstage role on Broadway alongside Dustin Hoffman in The Merchant of Venice. While in New York, Ms. Friedmann worked with artists including Astor Piazzolla, Mirella Freni, Jessye Norman, Frederica von Stade, John Adams, Charles Mackerras, André Previn and Mikhail Baryshnikov, as well as Elton John and Metallica. The New York Times praised her “fiery spirit” after her Carnegie Recital Hall debut.

Aloysia Friedman has performed as guest artist in the Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival, Florida’s Amelia Island Festival, Colorado’s Strings in the Mountains Music Festival, Napa Valley’s Music in the Vineyards, the Cactus Pear Music Festival, the Seattle Chamber Music Society, the Sun Valley Summer Symphony, and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. Her chamber music colleagues have included Abbey Simon, Gervase de Peyer, Peter Schickele, Chee-Yun, Gary Hoffman, Jeffrey Kahane, William Preucil, Lucy Shelton, the Miró Quartet, Cho-Liang Lin and Lynn Harrell.

Chamber Music America recognized Aloysia Friedmann’s artistic leadership with its 2008 CMAcclaim. She also serves on the Advisory Council for Chamber Music Houston. Ms. Friedmann is featured as both performer and producer on several festival recordings, and has produced recordings for violinist Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio and pianist Jon Kimura Parker.

Aloysia Friedmann plays on a Grancino violin and the ex-Rebecca Clarke Grancino viola. Ms. Friedmann graduated from The Juilliard School and also studied at the University of Washington with Emanuel Zetlin. Aloysia is the proud daughter of violinist Martin Friedmann and oboist Laila Storch. She is married to concert pianist Jon Kimura Parker and they have a daughter, Sophie.

www.aloysiafriedmann.com

 

Amelia ZitounThe Gold Medal prize winner of the 2023 Stulberg International String Competition, Amelia Zitoun (19) is currently studying cello at the Colburn School of Music in Los Angeles. Recent performances include Haydn D Major Cello Concerto with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Ankush Kumar Bahl and an appearance with the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra in their 2024-25 season.

Most recently, Amelia won the 2023 Walgreens National Concerto Competition, performing the Barber Cello Concerto with the MYAC Orchestra. She also won First Prize at the 2023 Bolz Final Forte Competition where she appeared with the Madison Symphony, performing both the Barber Cello Concerto as well as Dvorak’s Rondo at their 2023 Gala. In 2022, Amelia was the winner of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s Stars of Tomorrow Competition and performed the Barber Cello Concerto with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Yaniv Dinur.

An active chamber musician, Ameila performs is a member of Trio Callisto.As member of the Pelios String Quartet, she won the Silver Medal at the 2023 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, and the Gold Medal and Haydn Prize at the 2023 St. Paul String Quartet Competition. The past two summers, Amelia attended the Perlman Music Program and is returning again in the summer of 2024. In the past, she has attended the Heifetz International Music Institute.

www.ameliazitoun.com