Women’s Board

Community Arts Music Association

The CAMA Women’s Board has a rich history dating back to 1951. Our mission is to provide support to CAMA concerts, as well as to raise public awareness through a Speaker’s Bureau and by offering Pre-Concert Lectures. Additionally, we’re committed to supporting education through CAMA’s Music Matters program. And, of course, we also know how to throw a great party! Our dedicated group of volunteer board members work to ensure that we’re enhancing the concert-going experience and making a meaningful impact on our community. Join us today to become a part of something truly special.

For more information about the CAMA Women’s Board, please call the CAMA office at (805) 966‑4324. The Women’s Board meets monthly.

CAMA Women’s Board Pre-Concert Speaker Series 2026–2027 Season Free pre-concert conversations at SOhO before select CAMA performances. Explore the Schedule

An Enriching Prelude to the Performance The CAMA Women’s Board Pre-Concert Speaker Series offers an inviting way to begin the evening: thoughtful context, lively conversation, and a deeper connection to the music ahead. Free Pre-Concert Talks The speaker series is free and open to the public. The free pre-concert talk begins at 6:00 PM. At SOhO The speaker series is held at SOhO before select CAMA performances. Diners have reserved tables near the stage. Dinner & Arrival Dinner reservations are typically made in advance for arrivals between 4:45 PM and 6:00 PM. Audience Questions Talks generally conclude around 6:40–6:45 PM, including time for audience questions.

2026–2027 Speaker Schedule

Five dates. Six speakers. Free conversations before select CAMA performances.

Wednesday, November 11, 2026

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano

Veterans attending the November 11 Veterans Day event are invited to enjoy a complimentary drink at SOhO.

Courtesy of the Music Department, Westmont College

Pre-Concert Speaker Dr. Ruth Lin Music Department Chair and Director of Orchestral Activities, Westmont College Dr. Ruth Lin conducts the Westmont College Orchestra and serves as Westmont College’s Music Department Chair and Director of Orchestral Activities. An award-winning teacher and conductor, she holds bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from Northwestern University.

Sunday, February 7, 2027

Minnesota Orchestra

Thomas Søndergård, Music Director
Augustin Hadelich, violin

Photo by Isaac Hernández de Lipa / IsaacHernandez.com

Pre-Concert Speaker Dr. David Malvinni Lecturer in Ethnomusicology, UC Santa Barbara Dr. David Malvinni is an ethnomusicologist and guitarist whose research includes Roma music, popular and rock music, deconstruction, and classical guitar and violin.

Sunday, March 14, 2027

Academy of St Martin in the Fields

Conrad Tao, piano

Courtesy of the Department of Music, University of California, Santa Barbara

Pre-Concert Speaker Robert Koenig Professor of Keyboard, UC Santa Barbara Robert Koenig is a collaborative pianist whose performing career spans major concert venues in the United States, Asia, and Europe.

Saturday, April 17, 2027

San Francisco Symphony

Sir Donald Runnicles, conductor
Francesco Piemontesi, piano

Courtesy of the Department of Theater and Dance, University of California, Santa Barbara

Pre-Concert Speaker Dr. Simon Williams Professor Emeritus, Department of Theater and Dance, UC Santa Barbara Dr. Simon Williams’s scholarship includes European continental theater, the history of acting, Shakespearean performance, and operatic history.

Friday, April 30, 2027

Los Angeles Philharmonic

Paavo Järvi, conductor
Vilde Frang, violin

Courtesy of the Department of Music, University of California, Santa Barbara Pre-Concert Speaker Derek Katz Associate Professor of Musicology and Undergraduate Advisor, UC Santa Barbara Derek Katz specializes in Czech music, opera, nationalism, and modernism, and is the author of Janáček Beyond the Borders.

Photo by Isaac Hernández de Lipa / IsaacHernandez.com Pre-Concert Speaker Ben Pringle CAMA Pre-Concert Speaker Ben Pringle studied musicology at UC Santa Barbara, where he completed a Master of Arts in musicology. He has contributed pre-concert lectures and video interviews for CAMA.

Frequently Asked Questions Everything you need to know before you go. Is the Speaker Series free to attend? Yes. The pre-concert talks are free and open to the public. Do I need to dine at SOhO to attend the talk? No. Diners have reserved tables near the stage. When should I arrive? For dinner, reservations are typically made for arrivals between 4:45 PM and 6:00 PM. The talk begins at 6:00 PM. How long is the talk? Talks generally conclude around 6:40–6:45 PM, including a few audience questions.