Join the SDSU Concert Band, Wind Symphony, and Chamber Orchestra for our end of the semester concert. Composer Vivian Fung will join the Chamber Orchestra for performances of her music. The bands will features standards from the concert repertoire as well as new works.

SDSU Concert Band, Wind Symphony, & Chamber Orchestra

San Diego State University

Conducted by Music Director Rafael Payare and featuring pianist Inon Barnatan, this program highlights the humorous side of classical music in works by Richard Strauss and Dmitri Shostakovich. Strauss wrote his tone poem Don Juan when he was just 24 years old. The work, inspired by the same figure of legend as Mozart’s Don Giovanni, was the young composer’s first international success, while Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streich depicts the misadventures of the German folk hero Till Eulenspiegel. Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2, written for his son Maxim’s 19th birthday (and for Maxim to play at his conservatory graduation exam), is an uncharacteristically cheerful piece. Shostakovich’s wrote his Piano Concerto No. 1 during the height of his early career for himself to play; it is sardonic and tongue-in-cheek, quoting and parodying several well-known pieces.

Two Concertos: Barnatan Plays Shostakovich

Jacobs Music Center

Join the SDSU Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Band for our final concert of the fall semester. Featuring classics from the repertoire as well as new music by living composers.

SDSU Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Band

See the Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra perform holiday favorites.

EPSG:4326

Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra Holiday Showcase

Torrey Pines High School

California-based French conductor Ludovic Morlot celebrates the music of his native land with two masterworks by his great 19th century compatriot Camille Saint-Saëns: the Third Violin Concerto, written for the great Spanish virtuoso Sarasate and brimming with sweet melodies; and the composer’s most famous symphony, known as the Organ Symphony for its sumptuous organ writing which dramatically extends and deepens the colors of the orchestra. It's the ideal music to celebrate the fabulous new sound of our own completely renovated Robert Morton pipe organ in Jacobs Music Center!

Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto and Organ Symphony

What a sumptuous feast of beautiful sounds and ravishing orchestral virtuosity! The celebrated composer Anna Clyne’s Color Field opens the concert with a delicious imagining of what mixing yellow and red would sound like.

Colors and Rhythms: Clyne, Mozart, Beethoven

One of the most compelling conductors of his generation, Daniele Rustioni makes his Symphony debut in conducting this program of Italian-themed works. The evening begins with Berlioz’s rousing Roman Carnival Overture. Ferruccio Busoni was one of the great Italian musicians of the late 19th and early 20th century. As a pianist he was world famous; as a composer he worked in almost every style, from Brahmsian romanticism to the strangest most dreamlike modernism. Making her Symphony debut, violinist Francesca Dego will perform one of her signatures: Busoni’s wonderfully dark and lyrical but dazzlingly virtuosic Violin Concerto. The second half of the program features Tchaikovsky’s symphonic fantasy based on one of the greatest and most tragic love stories ever told, the fatal affair between Francesca da Rimini and her brother-in-law Paolo and their subsequent murder by her enraged husband. It was Italy’s greatest poet Dante who immortalized their tale in his Inferno [Hell], and it was from Dante that Tchaikovsky took the motto which he wrote on the first page of his score:
There is no greater sorrow/Than a happy time remembered in a time of misery.
The concert ends with Respighi’s exuberantly dramatic Roman Festivals depicting scenes from ancient and contemporary Rome, from the gladiators and the harvest festival to celebrating the Epiphany in the Piazza Navona.

Busoni’s Violin Concerto

Rising star Alexander Malofeev (“Truly remarkable” - Boston Classical Review) takes the Jacobs Music Center stage in Prokofiev’s muscular and demanding Piano Concerto No. 3, a work originally written for the composer himself to play as part of his many tours of the USA in the 1920s and 1930s. The program begins with the World Premiere of Los Angeles-born, GRAMMY® Award-winning composer Billy Childs’ Concerto for Orchestra, and ends with Music Director Rafael Payare leading the Symphony in Beethoven’s celebrated Eroica symphony, one of the most influential symphonies in the Western musical canon. Shocking in Beethoven’s own time for the unfamiliar vastness of its dimensions and its huge orchestral sound, this symphony ends with a mighty set of variations based on music from Beethoven’s ballet The Creatures of Prometheus, which celebrate the evolution of human beings from mere unfeeling creatures made of clay to living, breathing human beings, capable of liberty, equality, fraternity and love.

Orchestral Evolution: Childs' Premiere and Beethoven’s Eroica

Experience the profound musical journey of "Legacy: On the Shoulders of Giants," presented by the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus. Under the masterful direction of conductor Sameer Patel, this concert promises to be a celebration of musical heritage and innovation. The performance will take place at the renowned Mandeville Auditorium, a venue known for its exceptional acoustics and intimate atmosphere.

"Legacy: On the Shoulders of Giants" is a tribute to the timeless contributions of past musical legends, whose works have paved the way for contemporary compositions. The program will feature a carefully curated selection of pieces that highlight the enduring influence of these giants on modern music. Audiences can expect a rich tapestry of sound, blending classical masterpieces with contemporary interpretations, all performed with the passion and precision that the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus is known for.

This event is not just a concert but a reflection on the enduring power of music to connect generations and inspire future artists. The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, with its commitment to artistic excellence and community engagement, invites you to immerse yourself in this unique musical experience.

Legacy: On the Shoulders of Giants

University of California San Diego

Richard Strauss’ Tod und Verklarung (Death and Transfiguration) is a monumental meditation on the journey of life, beginning in childhood, through the trials and joys of adulthood, and ending in the transfiguration of the spirit. Music Director Rafael Payare conducts the Symphony in Strauss’ powerful tone poem along with William Walton’s beautifully lyrical and nostalgic Viola Concerto, written when the composer was only 27 years old; the concerto was intended for the great soloist Lionel Tertis, who played an 18th century viola of enormous dimensions with a sound of extraordinary richness, almost like a cello. The result is one of the few widely played concertos for this instrument, demanding from the soloist the sweetest melodic playing with the most vigorous and athletic virtuosity. The concert ends with Brahms’ melancholy and hauntingly beautiful Second Symphony. This immortal work was written in one of Brahms’ favorite vacation retreats, in southern Austria on the beautiful lake of the Wörthersee. “Here," said Brahms, “the melodies grow so thick upon the ground that one must take care not to step on them as one walks.” In an equally humorous mood, he wrote to his publisher about his new symphony: “I have never written anything so sad, and the score must be published in mourning clothes.”

Symphonic Journeys: Strauss, Walton, Brahms

Jean Sibelius once said of a summer sailing trip in the Baltic Sea: “If only foreigners could see the granite rocks emerging from the water here, they would understand why I write for orchestra as I do!”

Vänskä Conducts Sibelius and Beethoven

A versatile musician, Paul Goussot has always tried to diversify his job as an artist by specializing at once in the organ, the harpsichord and in improvisation. Professor at the Haute Ecole de musique of Geneva in Switzerland for the continuo and the improvisation, he teaches the organ at the Rueil-Malmaison conservatory.

Paul Goussot, Organ

All Souls' Episcopal Church

An unlikely pairing of groundbreaking works from different centuries by Jean-Féry Rebel and Ludwig Van Beethoven, beginning with Rebel's shocking depiction of chaos, through Beethoven's exhilarating ride from darkness to triumphant light.

Total Sound Explosion 2!

Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church

Meet the instruments! The concert begins with a classic introduction to the instruments in Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. Then, dynamic concerto meets animated film in Mason Bates’ Philharmonia Fantastique. Guided by a magical Sprite, you’ll explore the fundamental connections between music, sound, performance, creativity and technology.

Philharmonia Fantastique

Experience the evocative power of "Transmigration," a captivating performance by the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus under the masterful direction of conductor Arian Khaefi. This concert promises to be a profound musical journey, exploring themes of transformation and renewal through a carefully curated selection of compositions. The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, known for their innovative programming and exceptional artistry, will bring these themes to life with their signature blend of passion and precision. The ensemble's commitment to musical excellence and their ability to convey deep emotional narratives through sound will ensure an unforgettable experience. Join us as we delve into the rich tapestry of human experience, expressed through the universal language of music.

Transmigration

Winner of the Sir Georg Solti International Conductors' Competition, conductor Tianyi Lu opens her concert with the self-standing first movement of Gareth Farr’s From the Depths Sound the Great Sea Gongs. Farr is one of New Zealand’s leading composers and a distinguished percussionist whose music pulsates with exultant rhythms and colors reflecting his love of the landscapes and surrounding oceans of his native islands, as well as his fascination with his country’s Māori musical and mythic traditions which go back hundreds of years before the arrival of Europeans.

From the Depths: Lu Leads Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony

Celebrate the spirit of Mardi Gras with a night of hot New Orleans jazz! The good times roll with music made famous by Fats Domino, Mahalia Jackson, Bessie Smith & Louis Armstrong. From street parades in the French Quarter to late night jams in the city’s famed clubs, this party transforms into an unforgettable Mardi Gras celebration with Byron Stripling, Sydney McSweeney and Bobby Floyd leading the parade with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra!

When the Saints Go Marching In

Experience the evocative power of music with "Echoes of Time," a captivating performance by the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus. Under the masterful direction of conductor Sameer Patel, this concert promises to be a profound auditory journey, exploring the intricate interplay between past and present through a carefully curated selection of compositions. The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, renowned for their artistic excellence and innovative programming, will bring to life a repertoire that resonates with timeless themes and contemporary relevance. Set in the acoustically rich Mandeville Auditorium, the performance will envelop the audience in a sonic tapestry that highlights the ensemble's dynamic range and expressive depth. "Echoes of Time" is an opportunity to witness the convergence of tradition and modernity, as the musicians interpret works that reflect the enduring human spirit and its myriad expressions through time.

Orchestral events in San Diego, CA

SDSU Concert Band, Wind S...

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San Diego Symphony

Vänskä Conducts Sibelius ...

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Bach Collegium San Diego

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Echoes of Time

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