Best Conductor

John Larry Granger, Santa Cruz County Symphony
A hard choice, but certainly deserving is John Larry Granger, music director of the Santa Cruz County Symphony, whose distinctive disciplines have lifted the orchestra to the highest artistic level possible for its budget range, according to the California Arts Council’s guidelines. In addition, Granger is a talented educator of young musicians: witness the success he enjoys with the Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony and Youth Music Monterey’s two-tier orchestra program. (SM)

Best Movie Theater Snack Bar

The Nickelodeon
Let’s start with the brewer’s-yeast–as–popcorn topping and move onto the vast selection of Odwalla in the cooler. Prefer hot tea? Would that be herbal or black? Want a brownie or a slice of coconut cake, or are we sticking with Reese’s tonight? Whatever your movie munchies craving, the Nick’s got you covered. (TH)
210 Lincoln St., Santa Cruz. 831.426.7500.

Best Music Festival

Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music
The Cabrillo Music Fest brings the world’s attention to Santa Cruz every summer. Many of today’s best composers are represented in Marin Alsop’s programming (and many show up to be seen as well as heard), and music critics and journalists from all over attend and spread the word to the other major new music centers (New York, Amsterdam and London, among them) about the latest in new classical music. (SM)

Best Small Classical Ensemble

New Music Works
Phil Collins’ New Music Works gets the nod because the core ensemble of professionals stays both dedicated to the cause (of new music) and together. As such, many of NMW’s faithful composers write to exactly the band’s resources. (The other worthies— SC Baroque, SC Chamber Players, Music in May, SC Chamber Orchestra—cycle in and out many of their personnel according to programming themes.) (SM)

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