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Sunday, August 23, 2026

Music & Masters - The Past is Prologue: Our Changing Discourse Observed through Musical Preludes

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Join Ventura Music Festival Artistic Director and acclaimed violinist Nuvi Mehta, together with renowned pianist Jessie Chang, for an enchanting evening in the Timken’s James A. Lester Gallery. This program, The Past is Prologue: Our Changing Discourse Observed through Musical Preludes, charts the ways we have framed and reframed discourse across the centuries — illustrated with famous musical preludes spanning from Bach to Auerbach.

Blending captivating storytelling with exquisite live performances, the evening unfolds as an engaging journey through music, history, and the ideas that have shaped how we listen, speak, and understand one another. Rather than dividing the program into separate lecture and performance segments, Mehta weaves commentary, humor, and historical insight directly throughout the music — allowing the conversation and music to illuminate one another in real time. Mehta creates, alongside Chang, an intimate and immersive experience that invites audiences of all backgrounds to discover the beauty and emotional power of classical music.

PROGRAM

4:00 - 4:30 Wine & Charcuterie Reception

4:30-5:15 The Past is Prologue begins — Illustrated Talk & Performance by Nuvi Mehta & Jessie Chang

5:15- 5:30  Dessert Intermission 

5:30 - 6:30 The Past is Prologue continues — Illustrated Talk & Performance by Nuvi Mehta & Jessie Chang

This program features assigned seating, with priority placement reserved for Timken members.

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