Camarada’s Co-Artistic Directors Beth Ross Buckley and Dana Burnett will be century-jumping — musically speaking — at their next concert, “Creativity & Madness.” It will take place on Saturday at La Jolla’s Baker-Baum Concert Hall.
In curating the program, pianist Burnett knew she wanted to play Haydn’s Concerto in F and flutist Ross Buckley had “Les Folies de’Espagne” by France’s Marin Marais running in her head.
They added other works that were also circa the 1700s. In each half of the concert, there is a piece from 2009 and 2026, respectively. For a Camarada world-premiere commission, Del Mar’s Jordan Kuspa wrote “Breath of the Ocean,” which celebrates San Diego’s biodiversity.
“We wanted to have early music with modern music,” said Ross Buckley, speaking from her home office in Alvarado Estates near San Diego State University. “Our aim is to find music that isn’t played that often or, if it is, we do an unusual pairing.”
For this concert, Camarada recruited its Vice President, Robert John Hughes, to guide the audience through the time shifts. A former radio-station owner, on-air host and dedicated arts advocate, Hughes has often contributed his writing and speaking skills to Camarada events.
“We needed a skilled narrator who brings it all together,” the flutist Ross Buckley said. “Bob is such a clever writer. People just love him. He just knows how to find the most interesting information about each piece.”
As it did last January, Camarada has offered 100 free tickets for Saturday’s concert to a few San Diego schools.
Burnett and Ross Buckley founded the chamber music collective here in 1994 and have since played chamber masterworks, commissioned new works and collaborated across genres. The group is a resident artist at La Jolla Music Society and at the Mingei International Museum.
Del Mar-based composer Jordan Kuspa will have his new piece “Breath of the Ocean” premiere on Saturday at Camarada’s “Creativity & Madness” concert in La Jolla. (Johnny Vo)
‘Lovely surprise’
Among the longtime musicians in the collective are violinist David Buckley (Beth’s husband) and violist Travis Maril. This year’s newcomers to the evolving cadre of Camarada artists include percussionist Wesley Fowler and composer Kuspa.
“The strength of Camarada is its flexibility,” said Kuspa, founding director of the Del Mar International Composers Symposium. “With their different musicians, they play all kinds of genres. When I was composing, I thought: ‘This ensemble has a lot of possibilities.’”
Last February, Camarada performed Kuspa’s “Fire Flowers,” an older piece of his, featuring his friend, soprano Tasha Hokuao Koontz, pianist Burnett and violinist Buckley.
“After that concert, Beth called me and said: ‘I loved your piece, but I was jealous there wasn’t a flute part for me.’” he recalled with a laugh. “Camarada asking me to write something new was very flattering and a lovely surprise.”
At first, Kuspa and Buckley talked about the ocean as a theme. A California native who grew up in Del Mar, Kuspa narrowed the focus to the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. The instrumentation for “Breath of the Ocean” is violin, viola, cello, piano and, of course, flute.
“I live close to Torrey Pines and love it,” the cellist and composer Kuspa said. “The trees survive there because the fog comes keeps them alive. It’s specifically the right place for them. The cliffs jut out and the lagoon funnels the fog to the trees.
“These elements come together in this special place. I wanted the piece to be evocative of the peaceful feeling I and many people have at Torrey Pines.”
Robert John Hughes, vice president of Camarada, will serve as the narrator for the music ensemble’s “Creativity & Madness” concert on Saturday in La Jolla. (Camarada)
‘Nothing but music’
Camarada’s commissions are made possible through its Composers Circle, whose members donate a certain amount to help with commission selections. This year three composers were commissioned — Kuspa, pianist Aaron Alter and singer-trumpeter Oliviana Marie — along with Tijuana-born visual artist Hugo Crosthwaite.
While Camarada has commissioned work since its inception, the group has prioritized the writing of new music since the pandemic shutdown. The first commission during that time went to acclaimed double bassist Andrés Martín, who is now Camarada’s composer in residence.
“It’s so fulfilling to commission a work, come to the concert and know you were a part of this world premiere,” explained Ross Buckley, who invites the composers to the concerts in which their new pieces are showcased. “It’s very exciting, and it keeps chamber music alive.
“All these composers need support and it’s good for the audiences, too. It makes composing real — here is a human, and I see her, and she, in her imagination, came up with all of this new music.”
Kuspa, whose Del Mar International Composers Symposium will have its sixth gathering in August, emphasizes the support he and his colleagues need.
“Making music is a very hard professional choice,” he said. “Most of us do other things (on top of) composing or performing. I have a day job in the wine industry. We would all love to be doing nothing but music.”
The last two concerts of Camarada’s season contrast starkly.
In April, also at the Baker-Baum, the Tango Quartet will invite Grammy-nominated bandoneon virtuoso Pablo Jaurena and tango dancers Carolina Jaurena and Anton Domansky to perform masterworks and a world premiere by Martín. The quartet is planning its fourth tour of Argentina in the fall.
Camarada will close the season on a jazzy note in a tribute to the legendary Brazilian composer Antônio Carlos Jobim. Peter Sprague, one of San Diego’s most popular and accomplished guitarists, will lead a talented group of musicians, including Beth Ross Buckley.
In the meantime, Ross Buckley is concentrating on Saturday’s concert, which will conclude with GF Telemann’s Concerto in E minor for Flute and Violin.
She feels the concerto’s melancholy and dramatic tone fits the program perfectly. Featuring her on flute and her husband on violin, the piece promises to be a special treat for the audience.
“The concerto is a dialog between me and Dave,” she said. “It’s a good time for us to chat. Dave and I have been playing music together for 45 years. There’s a language that we have because we have performed so much together. It’s a fun way to end the concert.”
Camarada: Creativity & Madness
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Baker-Baum Concert Hall, Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla.
Tickets: $28-$98
Phone: 858-459-3728
Online: camarada.org