The 2006 festival will mark violist Paul Neubauer's first season as music director of OK Mozart's orchestra and chamber music series. The season will also mark the first year the festival has hosted a resident composer: Joan Tower, several of whose works will be performed at the festival.

Mozart's birthday will be celebrated with a free outdoor party with fireworks on June 9. Other highlights include Gilbert and Sullivan's The Sorcerer, the Wizard of Love; musicians from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center performing at ChamberFest concerts; and Andr_ Watts performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 with OK Mozart's resident orchestra.

Flutist Ransom Wilson founded OK Mozart in 1985, two years after he and his ensemble Solisti New York visited the Community Center while on tour and were impressed with its acoustics. Originally a weekend-long event, the festival now includes 170 performances, tours, talks, culinary events, and workshops over nine days.