With support from the California Arts Council, the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra will use this grant to support our musicians and staff, offering masterclasses and side-by-side performance opportunities for high school and middle students in Santa Monica and surrounding areas as part of the 2026 Santa Monica Music Festival.
Founded in 2014, Kaleidoscope has performed over 300 concerts throughout Southern California from venues ranging from Walt Disney Concert Hall to homeless shelters on Skid Row. Kaleidoscope has been especially known for their commitment to diversity and new music, with premieres of over 100 works, substantial programming of music by women and people of color, performances of large orchestral works like Mahler and Shostakovich Symphonies without a conductor, and frequent performances at schools, hospitals, homeless shelters, and other community organizations. To address income inequality and help build new audiences for classical music, most of Kaleidoscope’s public concerts are free admission with a suggested donation.

