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CHAMBER
POTENT SCRIABIN INTERPRETATIONS AT SPRING LAKE VILLAGE RECITAL
by Terry McNeill
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
 PIANIST DMITRY RACHMANOV |
Returning to Santa Rosa Aug. 16 after seven years, Los Angeles-based pianist Dmitry Rachmanov performed an eclectic program before a full-house of residents in the Spring Lake Village retirement home’s concert series.
The opening three works, two of Beethoven’s late Bagatelles (Op. 126, G Major and...
SYMPHONY
ODYSSEY IN THE SEARCH FOR YUNCHAN AT HOLLYWOOD BOWL
by Abby Wasserman
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
 Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 3 Aug. 1 in Hollywood |
The GPS at 6 p.m. August 1 predicted a half-hour to get to the Hollywood Bowl from Westwood, so we left the Japanese restaurant on Westwood Drive at 7:10 with a parking pass and e-tickets ready for the concert featuring conductor Shi-yeong Sung and soloist Yunchan Lim with the L.A. Philharmonic, som...
CHAMBER
VOM FESTIVAL'S CLOSING CONCERT A CELEBRATION FOR STRINGS
by Terry McNeill
Sunday, July 30, 2023
 Tchaikovsky Sextet Performers July 30 |
At the closing concert of most music festivals there is a tinge is sadness, with attendees knowing it will be a whole year before again the delights of semi-alfresco music and social camaraderie highlight the summer. It was that way with the last Valley of the Moon Music Festival July 30 at Sonoma ...
CHAMBER
RITE OF SPRING FOR 88 KEYS AT VOM FESTIVAL
by Pamela Hick Gailey
Saturday, July 29, 2023
 Soprano Pauline Viardot |
A fan of Stravinsky’s epic symphonic ballet The Rite of Spring (1913) since childhood via Disney’s classic 1940 film Fantasia, I was eagerly anticipating hearing July 29 the four-hands version for the first time. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon at the Hanna Center, warm but not too hot.
The ...
CHORAL AND VOCAL
A POET'S LOVE SONG CYCLE AT VOM FESTIVAL JULY 27
by Elly Lichenstein
Thursday, July 27, 2023
 Tenor Kyle Stegall |
The tagline for the Valley of the Moon Music Festival's ninth season - "transformations: grand works on an intimate scale" - rang especially true for its eighth concert July 27. Intended to evoke the song evenings (liederabends) of Schumann's time, the evening was touted as an intimate salon present...
OTHER
CHARMING "BARBER" A MENDO FESTIVAL TRIUMPH
by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Friday, July 21, 2023
 Conductor Ryan Murray |
The joyously effervescent Mendocino Music Festival, celebrating its 37th year, is unique for several reasons. First, it is pretty far from anywhere, so the audience it draws are either town and county local music lovers, Mendocino tourists looking for something different to do besides take in the go...
RECITAL
RARE RAVEL IN MENDO FESTIVAL'S PRESTON HALL
by Terry McNeill
Thursday, July 20, 2023
 J. LaDeur and K. Scharich |
Mendocino’s Music Festival has always featured an eclectic menu through 37 seasons – jazz, pop, country, big band, blues, soul, classical. This year the center of classical music was Ravel with lectures and concerts.
The great French composer was most of the July 20 program in the Preston Recital ...
SCHUMANN QUINTET PERFORMANCE RESCUES VOM FESTIVAL'S SECOND CONCERT
by Terry McNeill
Sunday, July 16, 2023
 July 16 Schumann Quintet Performers |
Concerts at the Valley of the Moon Music Festival, now in the ninth season, are frequently a mix of performances with professional-level interest and polish, and ones that never catch fire. It was that way July 16 in a Hanna Auditorium performance that was billed “the Piano as Orchestra.” No, no Wa...
CHAMBER
VOM PLAYERS STRIP DOWN A SYMPHONY
by Abby Wasserman
Saturday, July 15, 2023
 l to r: A. Vardanega E. Reed R. Lipchik E. Blumenstock |
From its beginning nine years ago, Valley of the Moon Music Festival has presented treasures from the Classical to early Romantic periods to educate and delight their audiences. Every year they bring together seasoned professionals and five talented apprentices specializing in performance on origina...
OPERA
CINNABAR HITS IT OUT OF THE PARK WITH A GRAND TOSCA
by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Sunday, June 18, 2023
 Spencer Dodd and Michelle Drever |
Petaluma’s Cinnabar Theater has successfully mounted another seemingly impossible opera for its beloved tiny venue, Puccini’s Tosca. A co-production with San Francisco’s venerable Pocket Opera company, featuring late founder Donald Pippin’s fine English translation, it will run for three performance...
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 D Sadava (l) and J. Seiberlich Sept. 17 |
SADAVA CONDUCTS ELEGANT SO CO PHIL INAUGURAL CONCERT
by Terry McNeill
Sunday, September 17, 2023
Sonoma County’s Philharmonic opened its 24th season Sept. 17 in the Jackson Theater with a program that looked pretty conventional – a Beethoven Symphony, Debussy’s popular Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun and, wait, ooops, a Tuba Concerto.
In my memory there has not been a local performance of a large scale work for Tuba, but soloist Jonathan Seiberlich joined guest conductor Dana Sadava with the Philharmonic in a rousing 13-minute traversal of the Vaughan Williams work from 1954. It was a wonderfully effective performance with the soloist’s big sound in the forefront, ocassionally overpowering the orchestra! The music has touches of Stravinsky rhythms and a Shostakovich march but was tempered by the lovely Romanza middle movement where Ms. Sadava’s subtle phrasing and slight ritards were telling.
The finale was played fast as advertised, but never went off the rails, and Mr. Seiberlich’s scales were clean, notes never were slurred, and the trills even. He played from score and used a bass tuba in F, though a B-Flat instrument is often heard in the Concerto. His control of the powerful lowest register in the long cadenza carried perfectly through the hall, and the work received an enthusiastic ovation from the 250 attendees.
The afternoon began with the seductive reading of the famous Debussy, with flutist Emily Reynolds elegantly nailing the many exposed thematic statements, some wistful, some laconic. Many Philharmonic players had convincing solos – Chris Krive (oboe), harpist Christine Goodwin, hornist Rachel Aragaki and clarinetist Mary Kruzas' graceful parts and tonal richness. Ms. Sadava took a slower tempo that I often hear in this ariose music, and it worked well, and her conducting generated rich orchestral colors throughout. It is what makes the work wonderfully luxurious.
Following intermission Beethoven’s F Major Symphony (Pastoral) was heard, a fairly conventional transversal of the familiar score that however was splendidly played. Standing rooted to the podium (no Leonard Bernstein footwork) Ms. Sadava deftly fashioned the five-movement piece that began with a gentle awakening and evolved over 46 minutes into a cohesive whole of beauty and at times excitement. The sounds of brooks and birds were on display, and the village folk dances had a gaiety that made the succeeding Allegro thunderstorm fourth movement even more potent, with prominent percussion, piccolo and trombone playing.
Sonics throughout had more low end authority than last year, with three contrabasses and seven cellos. Sparkling duos were everywhere in this performance: oboe-bassoon (Mr. Krive, Miranda Kincaid and Steven Peterson) and flutist Debra Scheuerman with Ms. Reynolds.
It was a radiant and at times mysterious music, the bucolic ending in the conductor’s hands quietly referring to first movement’s themes. Ms. Sadava recognized many Philharmonic musicians and seemed to be delighted with the warm and loud applause.
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CHAMBER
Spring Lake Village Classical Music Series
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
7:00 PM - Santa Rosa
Lee Trio. Angela Lee, Lisa Lee, Melinda Lee Masur
Program TBA
Spring Lake Village concerts are open to SLV residents and their guests...
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CHAMBER
The 222
Friday, September 29, 2023
7:30 PM - Healdsburg
Lee Trio. Angele Lee, Lisa Lee, Melinda Lee Masur
Program TBA...
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SYMPHONY
Vallejo Symphony
Saturday, September 30, 2023
8:00 PM - Vallejo
Marc Taddei, conductor; Jeffrey LaDeur, piano
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue; Anthill: Jazz Symphony; Prokofiev: Symphony No. 7, Op. 131...
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SYMPHONY
Sonoma State University Department of Music
Saturday, September 30, 2023
7:30 PM - Rohnert Park
Alexander Kahn, conductor. Dan Nor, ensemble conductor
Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98; Bach: Prelude and Fugue, BWV 546, for brass ensemble...
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SYMPHONY
Vallejo Symphony
Sunday, October 1, 2023
3:00 PM - Vallejo
Marc Taddei, conductor; Jeffrey LaDeur, piano
Prokofiev, Symphony No. 7, Op. 131; Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue; Antheil: Jazz Symphony...
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SYMPHONY
Santa Rosa Symphony
Saturday, October 7, 2023
7:30 PM - Rohnert Park
Francesco Lecce-Chong, conductor; Olga Kern, piano
Tchaikovsky: Polonaise from the Opera "Eugene Oregon"; Grieg: Concerto in A, Op. 16; Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43...
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SYMPHONY
Santa Rosa Symphony
Sunday, October 8, 2023
3:00 PM - Rohnert Park
Francesco Lecce-Chong, conductor; Olga Kern, piano
Tchaikovsky: Polonaise from the opera "Eugene Oregon"; Grieg: Concerto in A, Op. 16; Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43...
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CHAMBER
Chamber Music Marin
Sunday, October 8, 2023
5:00 PM - Mill Valley
Ilya Yakushev, piano
Program TBA...
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CHAMBER
Gualala Arts Chamber Music Series
Sunday, October 8, 2023
4:00 PM - Gualala
Kevin Kenner, piano
Chopin: Nocturne in B major, Op. 32, No. 1; Mazurkas, Op. 41; Impromptu No. 2 in F-Sharp Major; Four Preludes from Op. 28; Three Waltzes from Op. 64; Liszt: Anmées de Pèleinage (Suisse)
Tickets at Gu...
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SYMPHONY
Santa Rosa Symphony
Monday, October 9, 2023
7:30 PM - Rohnert Park
Francesco Lecce-Chong, conductor; Olga Kern, piano
Tchaikovsky: Polonaise from the opera "Eugene Oregon"; Grieg: Concerto in A, Op. 16; Sibelius: Symphony No. 2, Op. 43, in D Major...
Details
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