Music Academy of the West has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by transforming its planned 73-year-old public Summer Festival into Music Academy Remote Learning Institute (MARLI) for this summer. Full-scholarship fellows will participate in remote training and performance for four weeks from June 14-July 10.

Fellows will be joined by Music Academy faculty artists online and make connections with the Santa Barbara community through a unique Virtual Compeer Program. Audiences from around the world will have access to recordings, livestreamed events, and masterclasses via social media and the Music Academy website.

The institute will extend for two weeks through July 25 to focus on developing career skills and producing creative content. Deferred enrollment to the 2021 Summer Festival has also been offered to every fellow to ensure they may participate in person in Santa Barbara next year.

“It is with mixed emotion that we change course from an in-person experience to a virtual one during the global crisis,” said Music Academy/president/CEO Scott Reed. “Part of our focus will be on the power of music to connect us emotionally and there are no better people to lead us in that than these talented young musicians.

“It is our responsibility to offer them a supportive community and space to continue their education and growth. Our community anticipates being moved by their creativity.”

Keynote speaker will be Beth Morrison, president and creative producer  of Beth Morrison Projects — Indie Opera and New Music, who will address the entire Music Academy community on the topic of innovation in an online convocation on Sunday, June 14.

“I’m really looking forward to inspiring everyone to radically change their thinking about how new music functions in our society and invent new ways of producing and presenting music to our changed world. I’m optimistic about the future of classical music now more than ever,” Morrison said.

MARLI is overseen by chief artistic officer Jamie Broumas; and co-director consultants Jennifer Bowman, director of music education at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Casey Molino Dunn, director of Manhattan School of Music’s Center for Music Entrepreneurship.

Curriculum has been developed in collaboration with faculty artists and input from a fellow task force of returning alumni and new fellows.

“We are going to seize this opportunity to guide fellows to use technology to continue their artistic training and explore professional opportunities,” Broumas said. “Although we can’t be together in person this summer, we can welcome the Music Academy family to unite in a virtual space that will build relationships.

“We look forward to inviting everyone back to our beautiful campus for the 2021 Summer Festival.”

Each academy fellow will receive a specialized package of technical equipment to support their musical endeavors during the festival and beyond, including a digital tablet with technical support, audio recording and editing software, microphone, headphones, filming equipment, and (if needed) enhanced internet access options.

Fellows will own the equipment following MARLI to use for their continued education and career development.

Information about how to access online events is available at musicacademy.org, and on the Music Academy Facebook page. The 2021 Summer Festival is scheduled for June 14-Aug. 7.

For more about Music Academy of the West, visit musicacademy.org.