October 17, 2019
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Symphony No. 1 in E-flat Major, K. 16 (1764) A child prodigy of staggering talent, itty-bitty Wolfgang Mozart was trundled about Western Europe from ages 7 through 10 by his doting—and exploitative—father. The family arrived in London in April 1764, where eight-year-old Wolfgang formed a close bond with Johann Christian Bach,…
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…
April 3, 2019
Katherine Balch – Artifacts, Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (world premiere) One particularly pleasant corner of the repertory is occupied by works that composers have written for good friends, often with that friend’s input and contributions. The Brahms Violin Concerto comes first to mind: Brahms wrote it for Joseph Joachim, one of Brahms’s earliest boosters…
April 3, 2019
The California Symphony presents EPIC BRUCKNER at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek on Sunday, May 5 at 4pm, featuring: Balch – Artifacts Bruckner – Symphony No. 7 BALCH – ARTIFACTS We’ll have to wait until May 5 to hear the world premiere of Composer-in-Residence Katherine Balch’s violin concerto, Artifacts, but in…
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…
January 1, 2019
PROGRAM: A TANGO WITH MOZART Saturday, January 19 at 8PM and Sunday, January 20 at 4PM, at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek Le Tombeau de Couperin (1917) (orch. Ravel, 1919)–by Maurice Ravel (1875–1937) The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires (arr. Leonid Desyatnikov)–by Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992) Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major, K. 543 (1788)–by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart…
