In one historic moment, Bach set the stage for the harpsichord to claim its place as a concerto soloist. The instrument's meteoric evolution from a harmony-playing member of the Basso continuo team to an elevated solo instrument worthy of concertos occurred when Bach composed a frenzied cadenza for the harpsichord in his Fifth Brandenburg Concerto. That work alone employs the harpsichord in three roles, to add harmonic texture, to share the spotlight with flute and violin as a melodic chamber instrument, and ultimately to completely take over the proceedings with a dramatic stepping out, front and center.

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Bach's Harpsichord

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church

Saint Mark's Episcopal Church

Davis Community Church

St. Mark's Lutheran Church, San Francisco

Pergolesi's incomparable setting of the Stabat Mater rose to great fame immediately following the composer's untimely death at the age of 26. Known for its beautiful arias and duets for soprano and alto, the writer and composer Jean-Jacques Rousseau praised the opening movement as "the most perfect and touching duet to come from the pen of any composer." The uniquely captivating music of Pergolesi's setting attracted Johann Sebastian Bach about a decade later, inspiring him to compose an arrangement of the instrumental parts that included a very elaborate part for the violas. After all, Bach was a fine violist himself, and he must have yearned for the opportunity to contribute to Pergolesi's beautiful music in a way that would flatter its composer.

The Harmonic Labyrinth

The "Grand Tour" was a traditional trip through Europe taken by young members of primarily British 18th-century gentry. Just as Rome had been the destination of pilgrims for centuries, it was the usual final stop of these rites of passage, typically those that marked when young persons of sufficient rank and means arrived at their "coming of age" in society. Accompanied by a tutor or older family member, the journey was meant to be as educational as it was enjoyable. While the primary value was found in experiencing firsthand the cultural legacy of classical antiquity and the Renaissance, it was also an opportunity to experience great art in contemporaneous cultures. While Paris and Rome were the most visited, stopovers throughout Europe were certainly a part of the travels, and for those interested in music, we imagine that Leipzig — the home of the great Johann Sebastian Bach — and Venice — a focal point of Italian music — were high on the list of hotspots.

A Grand Tour

Formed by Sir Neville Marriner in 1958 the orchestra, now led by Joshua Bell, has gained an enviable international reputation for its distinctive, polished and refined sound. This program features Mendelssohn’s violin concerto, a true romantic masterpiece, and Brahms’s uplifting second symphony.

Academy of St Martin in the Fields with Joshua Bell

Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFe6mW6x9pc

The Artelize Podcast: 'Amplifying What Makes Us Human'. A conversation with Zuly E. Inirio

Podcast link: https://youtu.be/4hagYvrYbuM

The Artelize Podcast and Kasper Holten - Pedefining Opera for the modern world

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d36M5Hi6O80

The Artelize Podcast - A legacy of innovation in Opera: Celebrating Marc A. Scorca

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59E40S_EQSY

The Artelize Podcast: A love letter that was never sent

On a commission from the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra, Miro Johnson is writing a new work to be premiered on this concert. She approaches music composition from an interdisciplinary space, and in her words, “without restraint, and often concerning unanswerable questions about the human condition and its biological systems.”

Uc Davis Symphony Orchestra: “new Frontiers”

This program features Philip Glass’s popular first concerto for violin, with his iconic sound: open, full of motion, and yet without a lot of tonal changes. The soloist is Chase Spruill, who is a champion of Glass’s violin music. This contrasts with Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony: regal and full of dueling themes, and which also features one of his best waltzes.

Fate and Alter Ego

Mother’s Day Season Finale: Ode to Joy

All three composers whose works are featured on this program bravely incorporated new aspects of music to the concert hall: George Gershwin brought jazz, Alberto Nepomuceno brought the beauty of the Portuguese language, and Nepomuceno’s student Heitor Villa-Lobos brought Brazilian ‘choro’ music into the fold. This concert features Sacramento’s own Natsuki Fukasawa as the Gershwin piano soloist and is guest conducted by the Brazilian Evandro Matté.

Brazil & Jazz

In its first reunion with alumni chorus members since 2018, the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra and University Chorus join together to perform Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony, a long-form symphony imbued with a deep reverence for Heaven and the journey to it from our mortal world. Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony is clearly a Beethoven’s-Ninth kind of work, albeit written sixty plus years later, and written after decades of further symphonic development by not only Beethoven, but Berlioz, Brahms, and others.

 with the University and the Alumni Chorus: “Resurrection”

The UC Davis Concert Band presents thoughtful works written especially for concert band, and sometimes for film (“My Neighbor Totoro” and “The Polar Express” to name a couple). Constituting members of the UC Davis community from students to graduate students to faculty, the band is proud to represent more than thirty areas of study in its members.

Concert Bands of UC Davis

Since its inception in 2010, Rising Stars of Opera has featured vocal artistry, stirring arias and a glimpse at the opera stars of tomorrow; and every ticket has been free to the public thanks to Barbara K. Jackson. Rekindling an old tradition, we relaunch Rising Stars of Opera with several singers from the acclaimed San Francisco Opera Center performing a wide range of great arias with full orchestral accompaniment from our own UC Davis Symphony Orchestra.
This is a free, ticketed event.

Barbara K. Jackson Rising Stars of Opera

The UC Davis Concert Band presents thoughtful works written especially for wind band, and sometimes for film (“My Neighbor Totoro” and “The Polar Express” to name a couple). Constituting members of the UC Davis community from students to graduate students to faculty, the band is proud to represent more than thirty areas of study in its members.

UC Davis Concert Band

George Walker: Lyric for Strings

Alejandro Civilotti: Auris Concertum U.S. PREMIERE
with Eduardo Vassallo, Principal Cello of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Igor Stravinsky: Petrushka (1947 version)

“KINETIC ENERGY”

Lyric for Strings (written 1946) is dedicated to George Walker's grandmother, whom he was very close. Walker’s grandmother escaped slavery; separated from her first husband when he was sold. She died shortly before Lyric’s completion. Listeners might find the short work reminds them of Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings (written 1936), which had an impact on Walker—after all, they shared a composition teacher at Curtis. Walker, it should be noted, was a decorated American composer, who achieved many firsts, including being the first Black American composer to win the Pulitzer Prize in Music.

UC Davis Symphony Orchestra

One of the world’s great orchestras led by celebrated conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla in a program of enduring favorites and new discoveries. From the churning impressionism of Debussy’s La Mer to soloist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, a rising star from England, shining on the Elgar Cello Concerto, this will be an evening of unforgettable music-making.

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Hector Berlioz: Harold in Italy
with Wendy Richman, viola

”ITALIAN JOURNEY”

Four emerging vocal stars from our VBA Masterclass program perform Baroque masterpieces with members of the Festival Orchestra.

The Carmel Bach Festival 36th annual Vocal Masterclass is comprised of Morgan Balfour, soprano; Kristen Dubenion-Smith, mezzo-soprano; Jacob Perry, tenor; and Ryne Cherry, baritone.

In a typical season, the VBA quartet comes to Carmel in July to train with Festival artists, and explore ways to communicate Baroque repertoire more vividly. In a light-hearted atmosphere of discovery, the VBA Master Class participants experience a wealth of vocal music and examine all aspects of style, technique, communication, language, performance skills, and artistry.

The Master Classes are held at the Carmel Presbyterian Church and are free and open to the public.


The Adams Masterclass is distinguished by the Festival’s master teachers. Conductor and harpsichordist MICHAEL BEATTIE is Masterclass Director. Sessions are also led by Festival Associate Conductor ANDREW MEGILL (Director of Choral Activities at the Univ. of Illinois) and by Festival vocal soloists from the US and UK.

Orchestral events in Davis, CA

Bach's Harpsichord

American Bach Soloists

The Harmonic Labyrinth

American Bach Soloists

A Grand Tour

American Bach Soloists

Academy of St Martin in t...

Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

The Artelize Podcast: 'Am...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast and ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast - A ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast: A l...

Artelize

Uc Davis Symphony Orchest...

UC Davis Arts

Fate and Alter Ego

UC Davis Symphony Orchestra

Mother’s Day Season Final...

The Auburn Symphony

Brazil & Jazz

UC Davis Symphony Orchestra

with the University and ...

UC Davis Symphony Orchestra

Concert Bands of UC Davis...

UC Davis Concerts

Barbara K. Jackson Rising...

Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

UC Davis Concert Band

Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

UC Davis Concert Band

UC Davis Concerts

“KINETIC ENERGY”

UC Davis Arts

UC Davis Symphony Orchest...

Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

City of Birmingham Sympho...

Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

”ITALIAN JOURNEY”

UC Davis Arts

Virginia Best Adams Showc...

Carmel Bach Festival

Concert Bands of UC Davis...

Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

UC Davis Symphony Orchest...

Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts