About the Festival
Festival of Winds (FOW) is a summer chamber music intensive set in the hills of Carmel Valley, California
A nearly two-week seminar, FOW focuses on developing professional collaboration and performance among America’s next generation of wind instrumental artists. Approximately 18 fellows work closely with five master teachers and performers in a series of rehearsals and concerts held at the Hidden Valley Music Seminars campus in Carmel Valley, CA.
The festival centers around the wind quintet and branches into larger ensembles for the instrumentation including octet and dectet. Studied repertoire ranges from classic standards all wind musicians should experience to new and daring modern works seeking to push the boundaries of our abilities and expectations.
Established in 2021, FOW started as a result of the reduced opportunities for wind players during the pandemic. Elaine Douvas, former principal oboist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Hidden Valley’s oboe master class teacher for over 15 years, raised the necessary funding to make the inaugural season—complete with intensive learning, rehearsal, and performance—not just a reality, but a cost-free experience for exceptionally talented upcoming wind players.
Thank you to our generous sponsors and contributors who make this program possible!
A misty morning with deer roaming the campus
Breakfast in the dining room with fellows and faculty
Warming up for the day in one of Hidden Valley’s window-filled gazebos
A morning chamber music rehearsal where everyone is encouraged to share their artistic input
Lunch sitting outside in dappled light
A varied afternoon of detailed learning through lessons and masterclasses
Perhaps some down time to recharge with yoga on the sun deck, a book underneath a tree, or a hike in the Santa Lucia range before dinner
An evening chamber rehearsal allows for further exploration of musical ideas and solidifying ensemble interpretation
The night concludes with unwinding in Waddell while hearing or even playing in an impromptu chamber reading
