August 15, 2019 :: Ludwig van Beethoven – Overture to The Creatures of Prometheus (1801) We tend not to think of Beethoven as a theatrical composer. We think symphonies, we think sonatas, we think string quartets and piano trios and concertos. After all, he wrote only one opera (Fidelio) plus a smattering of incidental music. And there’s a...
July 16, 2019 :: Class 3: “You mean there’s more to classical…?” Now that you’ve made it through the first two sessions of Fresh Look, we treat you to Beethoven. Here are samples of what you’ll hear in Class 3: “You mean there’s more to classical…?” BEETHOVEN – PIANO CONCERTO NO.3, II The second movement of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto...
July 11, 2019 :: Class 4: The Wrap Party It’s time to reap the rewards of your hard work and commitment these last four weeks. In the last class, you’ll be treated to a private performance by California Symphony musicians. Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll hear in Class 4: The Wrap Party. BRAHMS – SYMPHONY NO. 1 Brahms’...
July 10, 2019 :: Class 2: “So, when you say ‘classical’ you mean…?” In Class 1 you learned the basics, and in Class 2 you’ll continue building upon the basics to discover different styles of orchestra music, how to tell them apart, and why it even matters. Here’s a sneak peek at the music you will hear during Class...
July 2, 2019 :: Summer adult education class Fresh Look: The Symphony Exposed takes place at Walnut Creek Library starting July 9. Instructor Scott Foglesong (Chair of Musicianship and Music Theory at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music) leads the class. First stop in Fresh Look is an introduction to the orchestra. In this class you’ll meet the key players and...
March 26, 2019 :: “Invaluable” is how former intern, Jonathan Spangler, summed up his time with the California Symphony as the Arts Administration Intern. A year on, we caught up with him to see what he thought about his experience. 1. What was your favorite part of the internship? My favorite part of the internship involved the...
February 27, 2019 :: Harry Potter? Han Solo? Elliot from E.T? Or even E.T. himself..? With music from beloved movies like Star Wars, Harry Potter, Superman and E.T. on the program, the costume possibilities are endless for those who really want to get into the spirit of things at the upcoming ALL JOHN WILLIAMS concerts—Mar. 16 & 17 at...
February 7, 2019 :: PROGRAM: ALL JOHN WILLIAMS with the Blackhawk Chorus Saturday, March 16 at 8PM and Sunday, March 17 at 4PM, at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek Olympic Fanfare and Theme Superman March from Superman Harry’s Wondrous World from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Theme from Schindler’s List Adventure’s on Earth from E.T.: The...
February 6, 2019 :: The California Symphony presents ALL JOHN WILLIAMS at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek on Saturday, Mar. 16 at 8pm and Sunday, Mar. 17 at 4pm, featuring: Olympic Fanfare and Theme Superman March from Superman Harry’s Wondrous World from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Theme from Schindler’s List Adventure’s on Earth...
February 1, 2019 :: Chances are when you see this image, you may have Darth Vader’s signature tune or leitmotif going through your head. If not it sounds like this. So What Exactly is a Leitmotif? A leitmotif (or leitmotiv) is a short musical phrase that is paired with a specific character, location or thematic...
