2026 Farfy Foundation Fellowship Artists
DECADES OF HISTORY
For more than 35 years, students from the country’s leading music programs have participated in one of SummerFest’s longest traditions—the Fellowship Artist program.
Thanks to generous support from the Farfy Foundation, this program continues to thrive. Farfy Foundation Fellowship Artists are selected by a panel of seasoned professional musicians and represent some of the most exciting talent emerging in classical music.
Many of the program’s alumni have gone on to major orchestras and prestigious international competitions and awards and often return to the SummerFest roster in subsequent years, to the delight of audiences.
We are proud to welcome eight talented emerging musicians as our SummerFest 2026 Farfy Foundation Fellowship Artists.
The Prometheus Quartet and Kairos Piano Quartet will participate in Coaching Workshops, perform in Encounters and Musical Preludes, and share the stage with other SummerFest artists during their four-week residencies in La Jolla.
Musical Preludes
In celebration of SummerFest’s 40th Anniversary, all Musical Preludes will be free and open to the public — not just to concert ticket holders. All Musical Preludes take place in the Baker-Baum Concert Hall at 6 PM. Registration required for non-ticket holders.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5
Young Concert Artist (YCA) Artist-in-Residence Radu Rățoi performs works by Rameau, Liszt, Kusyakov, and Saint-Saëns.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7
Prometheus Quartet performs Lei Liang’s Gobi Gloria with selections from Rózsa’s String Quartet No. 1, Op. 22 and Debussy’s String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
Kairos Piano Quartet performs Dohnányi’s Piano Quartet in F-sharp Minor.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14
Kairos Piano Quartet performs Walton’s Piano Quartet in D Minor.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21
Prometheus Quartet performs Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96, “American”.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28
Kairos Piano Quartet performs Mozart’s Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, K.478.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29
Prometheus Quartet performs Haydn’s String Quartet in E-flat Major, Hob.III:38 “The Joke” and Webern’s Six Bagatelles for String Quartet, Op. 9 with selections from Schubert’s String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, D.810, “Death and the Maiden” and Korngold’s String Quartet No. 2, Op. 26.
Other Events
In addition to Musical Preludes, the Prometheus Quartet and Kairos Piano Quartet will participate in Coaching Workshops and Encounters—two FREE Learning & Engagement series at SummerFest.