About
The Burton Karson Music Education Program offers activities such as “Coloring with Corelli,” Baroque music workshops, clinics, masterclasses, lecture-recitals, residencies, musical storytelling, themed coloring sheets, a coloring contest, a Baroque instrument petting zoo, and Baroque music discovery. The launch event “Coloring with Corelli” is described as a relaxed 50-minute “non-cert” session for young people and their accompanying parents or guardians, and has included snacks on the patio. The program also connects with dress rehearsals and concerts, as well as a Baroque 101 Symposium for educators, students, and enthusiasts.
• Ages: 0–18 years old
• Schedule: Events and sessions have included a 50-minute launch event, as well as dates such as Saturday, June 6 (3:00–4:30 PM), Saturday, June 20 (12:30–5:00 PM), and various times over June 20–28 in festival seasons.
• Price: The Baroque 101 Symposium is free for music educators and students aged 12 and above, and for 2026 Festival Subscribers; students may buy $10 rush concert tickets by arriving from 1 hour before performances at churches; donations of $1,000 or more received within six months of establishing the fund in 2024 were recognized with a “Founding Donor” acknowledgement, and checks are encouraged for gifts of $1,000 and above.
The education program is undertaken by a dedicated pool of professional Baroque-specialist teaching artists and is led by Education Program Director Dr. Lindsey Strand-Polyak, who is also a long-time Festival Orchestra violinist and has extensive leadership experience in music education. Artistic leadership for the broader festival includes artistic director Elizabeth Blumenstock, who has served as Artistic Director since 2011, and Executive Director Zen Edwards, along with the Festival Board of Directors. The program’s mission is to present the beauty and variety of Baroque music, written around 1600–1750, through professional performances with educational aspects at affordable prices.
The Burton Karson Music Education Fund was established in June 2024 and is named in honor of Dr. Burton Karson, who served as the organization’s artistic director for 30 years from the first Festival in June 1981 and later as Artistic Director Emeritus from 2011 to 2025; he passed away on March 26, 2025, at the age of 90. The Baroque Music Festival, Corona del Mar, held its inaugural season in June 1981, its 46th Annual Festival June 21–28, 2026, and has its 47th Season scheduled for June 20–27, 2027, offering five concerts over eight days in the second half of June, all given by artists specializing in historically informed Baroque performance techniques.
The education program aims to inspire musically inquisitive students at all levels from preschool to college age, encouraging a socio-historic, research-forward method of exploring classical musical interpretation, styles, and understanding through Baroque music. It aims to provide local Newport Beach and greater Orange County school- and college-age students with Baroque music workshops, clinics, and presentations on campuses during the regular school year, and in some cases can bring a program to schools fully funded. Students can attend dress rehearsals led by artistic director Elizabeth Blumenstock with Festival ensembles for free and may buy $10 rush concert tickets by arriving from 1 hour before performances at churches.
Community involvement includes collaboration with the San Diego Early Music Society for the “Coloring with Corelli” event and additional offers for partners at NMUSD and Santiago Canyon College. The program looks forward to forging strong relationships with local public and private schools, instrumental teaching studios and Saturday music schools, community colleges, and universities, and welcomes interest from potential board members and volunteers, noting that musician housing during Festival week in or near Newport Beach is especially needed. The program describes itself as a community festival, welcomes the community, and expresses gratitude to individual donors, business sponsors, advertisers, and supporters; the launch event was attended by families from across Orange County and beyond.
Founding Donors, defined as those giving $1,000 or more within six months of establishing the fund in 2024, receive recognition on the website and in printed materials relating to the program, as well as occasional email updates and meet-the-teaching-artists opportunities. Each year, a printed program booklet features ads from many local businesses, and there are opportunities to socialize with musicians over “wine and waters” following Sunday afternoon and Monday evening concerts. Published comments about the festival include a description from Westways AAA Magazine in May/June 2019 that “Musicians and venues combine to produce the perfect tribute to the 17th and 18th Centuries,” a note from the Newport Beach Independent that “Lively pre-concert brass music enjoyed al fresco and ‘wine and waters’ receptions for mixing with the musicians after each concert create a memorable experience,” and an observation from the Orange County Register that “Blumenstock, equal parts friendly and scholarly, is a celebrated Baroque violinist, much in demand.”
Last updated July 5, 2026.
• Ages: 0–18 years old
• Schedule: Events and sessions have included a 50-minute launch event, as well as dates such as Saturday, June 6 (3:00–4:30 PM), Saturday, June 20 (12:30–5:00 PM), and various times over June 20–28 in festival seasons.
• Price: The Baroque 101 Symposium is free for music educators and students aged 12 and above, and for 2026 Festival Subscribers; students may buy $10 rush concert tickets by arriving from 1 hour before performances at churches; donations of $1,000 or more received within six months of establishing the fund in 2024 were recognized with a “Founding Donor” acknowledgement, and checks are encouraged for gifts of $1,000 and above.
The education program is undertaken by a dedicated pool of professional Baroque-specialist teaching artists and is led by Education Program Director Dr. Lindsey Strand-Polyak, who is also a long-time Festival Orchestra violinist and has extensive leadership experience in music education. Artistic leadership for the broader festival includes artistic director Elizabeth Blumenstock, who has served as Artistic Director since 2011, and Executive Director Zen Edwards, along with the Festival Board of Directors. The program’s mission is to present the beauty and variety of Baroque music, written around 1600–1750, through professional performances with educational aspects at affordable prices.
The Burton Karson Music Education Fund was established in June 2024 and is named in honor of Dr. Burton Karson, who served as the organization’s artistic director for 30 years from the first Festival in June 1981 and later as Artistic Director Emeritus from 2011 to 2025; he passed away on March 26, 2025, at the age of 90. The Baroque Music Festival, Corona del Mar, held its inaugural season in June 1981, its 46th Annual Festival June 21–28, 2026, and has its 47th Season scheduled for June 20–27, 2027, offering five concerts over eight days in the second half of June, all given by artists specializing in historically informed Baroque performance techniques.
The education program aims to inspire musically inquisitive students at all levels from preschool to college age, encouraging a socio-historic, research-forward method of exploring classical musical interpretation, styles, and understanding through Baroque music. It aims to provide local Newport Beach and greater Orange County school- and college-age students with Baroque music workshops, clinics, and presentations on campuses during the regular school year, and in some cases can bring a program to schools fully funded. Students can attend dress rehearsals led by artistic director Elizabeth Blumenstock with Festival ensembles for free and may buy $10 rush concert tickets by arriving from 1 hour before performances at churches.
Community involvement includes collaboration with the San Diego Early Music Society for the “Coloring with Corelli” event and additional offers for partners at NMUSD and Santiago Canyon College. The program looks forward to forging strong relationships with local public and private schools, instrumental teaching studios and Saturday music schools, community colleges, and universities, and welcomes interest from potential board members and volunteers, noting that musician housing during Festival week in or near Newport Beach is especially needed. The program describes itself as a community festival, welcomes the community, and expresses gratitude to individual donors, business sponsors, advertisers, and supporters; the launch event was attended by families from across Orange County and beyond.
Founding Donors, defined as those giving $1,000 or more within six months of establishing the fund in 2024, receive recognition on the website and in printed materials relating to the program, as well as occasional email updates and meet-the-teaching-artists opportunities. Each year, a printed program booklet features ads from many local businesses, and there are opportunities to socialize with musicians over “wine and waters” following Sunday afternoon and Monday evening concerts. Published comments about the festival include a description from Westways AAA Magazine in May/June 2019 that “Musicians and venues combine to produce the perfect tribute to the 17th and 18th Centuries,” a note from the Newport Beach Independent that “Lively pre-concert brass music enjoyed al fresco and ‘wine and waters’ receptions for mixing with the musicians after each concert create a memorable experience,” and an observation from the Orange County Register that “Blumenstock, equal parts friendly and scholarly, is a celebrated Baroque violinist, much in demand.”
Last updated July 5, 2026.
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