To misquote the Steely Dan song “Show Biz Kids,” they’ve been all around the world, they’ve been to America, too. CAMA, the indispensable classical arts presenting organization, has fulfilled its mission to bring the musical world to Santa Barbara for 105 years and running, both in its orchestral “International Series” and the younger chamber arm of its “Masterseries.”
But the “international” qualifier extends to American orchestras of worldly repute who have graced CAMA programming roster, including the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic (which has come up the coast more than 100 times).
Next Friday, March 8, at the Granada Theatre, CAMA extends its American imprimatur/map by bringing the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra to town for the first time in its history. We last heard from ASO in the 805 back in 2006, when the orchestra — led by renowned conductor Robert Spano — was a featured ensemble at the illustrious Ojai Music Festival. That festival’s highlights included a concert version of Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar, featuring soprano Dawn Upshaw.