Hero’s Journey

CELEBRATE THE HERO'S JOURNEY WITH WORKS BY HARVEY AND BEETHOVEN

Our Hero's Journey concerts on Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2 will be spectacular! Featuring the West Coast premiere of Seven Decisions of Gandhi by composer and violinist William Harvey, followed by Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 in E♭major (Eroica), this program showcases the juxtaposition of heroic journeys by Gandhi and Beethoven, symbolizing their evolution and triumph of free will against fate.

William Harvey is an exceptional violinist, composer, teacher, and conductor. Inspired by his classical training and his study of Eastern music, Harvey has created a unique work that combines Western and Eastern musical traditions. Seven Decisions of Gandhi articulates the decisions Gandhi made during his life that became crucial steps toward Indian independence.

One of Beethoven's most profoundly influential works, the Symphony No. 3 in E♭ major (Eroica) is a large-scale composition that broke boundaries in symphonic form, length, and harmony, as well as in emotional and cultural content. Considered by many to describe the composer's own efforts to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, the Eroica is now one of the most written about and analyzed works in music history.

Together, these masterworks describe and commemorate the milestones on the often tumultuous journey of the hero. We hope you'll join us for these epic performances!

 

COME HEAR NIGEL & FRIENDS THIS SUNDAY!

COME HEAR NIGEL & FRIENDS THIS SUNDAY!

On Sunday, March 5, Santa Cruz Symphony will present Santa Cruz Symphony Concertmaster Nigel Armstrong with guest artists Audrey Vardanega on piano and Peter Myers on cello for an inspiring afternoon of music at Cabrillo College's Samper Recital Hall. The recital will feature solo violin works by William Grant Still, a piano trio by Antonín Dvořák, and the world premiere of a cello piece by Peter Myers specially commissioned by Musaics of the Bay.

If you've attended our recitals before, you know what a memorable experience it is to hear and see outstanding performers in this intimate and acoustically-rich setting. If you haven't been to a recital yet, don't miss this opportunity!

Nigel Armstrong has emerged as a dynamic, creative artist both within and beyond the realm of classical music. From his musical beginnings as a member of "The Little Fiddlers" in Sonoma, CA to collaborations with tango musicians in Argentina, he's enjoyed using the violin in a versatile manner throughout his life. A graduate of the Colburn School and the Curtis Institute of Music, Nigel's teachers have included Arnold Steinhardt, Robert Lipsett, Zaven Melikian, and Donald Weilerstein, among others.

Nigel's recitals are always unique and unforgettable.

Seating is limited, so get your tickets now!

WHEN: Sunday, March 5 at 2 PM

WHERE: Samper Hall at Cabrillo College

TICKETS: call Cabrillo Box Office at 831-479-6154

Tickets are also available at the door

IMPORTANT NOTE!

Cabrillo Box Office is currently experiencing technical issues with their online ticket ordering platform and is working to resolve them as soon as possible. Please call 831-479-6154 to purchase tickets in the meantime.

Peter & The Wolf

FOR THE PRICE OF A TRIP TO THE MOVIES, THE ENTIRE FAMILY CAN ENJOY THE SANTA CRUZ SYMPHONY!

Next Sunday, come join Maestro Daniel Stewart, beloved Master of Ceremonies Omari Tau, Santa Cruz Symphony, Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony, Cabrillo Youth Chorus, Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre and Esperanza del Valle Folklórico for our annual Family Concert! This is the perfect way to introduce the whole family to a wonderful performance by the acclaimed Santa Cruz Symphony, as we present Prokofiev's famed Peter and the Wolf alongside these community partners.

Our Family Concert is the finale of weeks of incredible educational experiences. Santa Cruz Symphony is a partner orchestra with Carnegie Hall for its Link Up Program, in which students grades 3–5 learn to sing and play an instrument in the classroom and then perform with a professional orchestra from their seats at a culminating concert. During the week before the Family Concert, students from dozens of schools will be bringing their instruments and voices to play along with Santa Cruz Symphony at our Youth Concerts. For many students, this is their first time experiencing live orchestral music and classical ballet!

At the Family Concert on Sunday, YOU get to see and hear The Orchestra Sings – the highly participatory Link Up program these students have been practicing and performing – followed by the timeless classic Peter and the Wolf. With something for everyone in the family, the Family Concert is a vibrant musical experience that you won't want to miss!

WHEN: Sunday, February 26 at 2 PM

WHERE: Civic Auditorium in Santa Cruz

TICKETS: 831-420-5260 or visit santacruztickets.com

Be our valentine!

Love is a beautiful thing! Your Symphony loves you enough to bring the world’s greatest music into our community. Can you reciprocate that sentiment by helping to support us? Every donation is a Valentine that nurtures our shared affection.

You can also gift your own Valentine a Valentine's Day Special: Tickets to three of the remaining concerts this season, available at the same reduced price subscribers pay. Imagine a special Date Night (or Date Afternoon) where you enjoy a lovely dinner and a concert. You’ll truly melt your Valentine’s heart. And you'll get all the benefits that come from being a Symphony subscriber!

In our 65th year, Santa Cruz Symphony is still recovering from the financial effects of the Covid pandemic. Your kind donations and concert attendance will help to keep our heart beating.

The Valentine's Day Special is available from now until March 1. Act now to receive this sweet discount!

VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL

Here's what you have to look forward to for the rest of our 65th year:

Audiences say our Translations concerts were stunning!

Santa Cruz Symphony dazzled concertgoers with the breathtaking world premiere of a new piano concerto by Turkish composer and pianist Hakan Ali Toker, commissioned specifically for the Santa Cruz Symphony, in a program also featuring vivid translations of Point Reyes wildlife by Northern California native Gabriella Smith, and Ravel’s homage to the Parisian Baroque à la François Couperin. Under the direction of Maestro Daniel Stewart, the orchestra and composer/featured soloist Hakan Ali Toker gave an unforgettable show of virtuosity and creativity!

If you missed the concert or want to hear it again, you can tune in on Sunday February 12 at 4 pm for a full concert rebroadcast on KAZU.org (website and HD radio only). Find out how to listen here.

Many accolades for our Translations concerts have been coming in from folks who attended, and we want to share some of them with you:

 

"Groundbreaking mix of genres that showed the unity of ALL music. Art has no borders!"

 

"Outstanding performance and composition of Civilization. Truly a creation of genius and so thrilling to have the composer perform. Very meaningful content."

 

"A fabulous amalgam of fascinating pieces, beginning with Don Adkins' very important pre-lecture that explained the complexity of the pieces, Gabriella Smith's intriguing sea phenomenon, the soothing movements of Ravel, and the extraordinary blend of world music and mixed genres by Hakan, demonstrating his impressive virtuosity, with incredible reciprocity of our symphony, with Danny at the head of it all. ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTFUL CONCERT!!"

 

"Over the top! Experience of a lifetime! Took a whole day to be with the effects in my body and soul!"

 

"I loved the bold fearlessness of this program! Truly a breath of fresh air on so many levels!"

 

"One of the most significant musical experiences I’ve ever had!"

 

From reviewer and composer Josef Sekon: "Maestro Stewart guided the orchestra with an acute sense of direction and goal, cuing interesting, important moments with keen awareness and skillful representation...In one way or another, this concert was a Tour de Force!" (Read Josef Sekon's full review here.)

 

Intrigued? There's still time to enjoy a Santa Cruz Symphony performance. Mark your calendar for our next concert weekend on April 1-2, 2023!

 

Photos by Kevin Monahan and Rebecca Barnes