The Music Academy of the West lies hidden away on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Since
its inception in 1947, the Music Academy of the West has had as
its mission the preparation of talented young musicians for professional
careers. The master class, private lessons open to the public,
gives students an opportunity to perform in front of an audience.
The master classes are held for eight weeks each summer and remain
the core of the Academy's teaching.
Miraflores (Spanish for "look at the flowers"), the palatial private
residence of Mr. and Mrs. John P. Jefferson, was built in a classic
Mediterranean revival style. Originally the site of the Santa
Barbara County Club, the place was purchased by the Jeffersons
in 1915 and named Miraflores. The Jeffersons hired architect Reginald
D. Johnson to convert the clubhouse into their home. Johnson transformed
the plain, institutional building into a fine example of Spanish
architecture, including a carved stone entrance.
The landscaping was designed by Paul G. Thiene and he created
what came to be regarded as one of the showcase gardens of Montecito.
Thiene designed formal gardens that included a reflecting pond,
a rose garden (now Anne's Garden), a cutting garden, lath house,
and a greenhouse (the last three are now the sites of Abravanel
Hall and Singher and Wood Studios). Across from Abravanel Hall,
a hedged, rectangular garden with a pool has become known as The
Wedding Garden, because of the numerous weddings held there
Mr. Jefferson died in 1934. When Mrs. Jefferson died in 1950,
the property was inherited by the couple's niece, Alice Wetmore
Brann. Mrs. Jefferson?s long-time secretary and devoted friend,
Theresa Marso, was willed a large sum of money. Because Brann
did not want the estate, Brann sold it to Marso for about $100,000.
Weeks later, Marso donated 18 acres of the estate of the Music
Academy of the West, keeping five acres for herself. Marso's gift
specified that the estate had to be used for music only. She wished
Miraflores to be a lasting memorial to the Jeffersons.
Today, a walk through the lush gardens can often be accompanied
by the melodious sounds of music echoing from practice rooms.
The Music Academy of the West is truly one of Montecito's treasures.
|
