Santa Cruz Symphony welcomes Nancy Zhou, our new Artist in Residence and Concertmaster

Maestro Daniel Stewart is delighted to announce that internationally acclaimed violin soloist Nancy Zhou will be joining the Santa Cruz Symphony as our new Artist in Residence and Concertmaster! This special new title reflects her stature as one of the world's foremost violin virtuosos. It also means we are looking forward to her additional creative contributions to chamber music programming and development of other special engagement projects.

Our new Concertmaster is a probing musical voice infused with searing virtuosity. The winner of the 2018 Shanghai Isaac Stern Violin Competition, Nancy Zhou’s musicianship resonates with a global audience and brings her on stage with the world’s leading orchestras.

At 13 years old, Nancy made her orchestral debut with her hometown San Antonio Symphony. She went on to collaborate with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Munich Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, and many more. She has performed with stellar conductors such as Jaap van Zweden, Sakari Oramo, Peter Oundjian, Eun Sun Kim, Christoph Poppen, and others of equal stature.

Nancy loves chamber music and guiding young musicians. She has performed at many international music festivals. In 2017, she was guest artist and faculty at Encore Chamber Music Festival. Holding masterclasses and private classes, she is a guest educator at summer festivals. She also teaches global students from an online studio.

Nancy also has explored nontraditional works. She presented Zhao Jiping's first violin concerto, and she gave the US premiere of Unsuk Chin's "Gran Cadenza" for two solo violins with Anne-Sophie Mutter. She will soon perform Chen Qigang's "La joie de la souffrance" and commission composer Vivian Fung to write a work for solo violin and electronics. The goal is to explore the intersection of Nancy’s personal family oral history, folk minority culture, and music.

Born in Texas to Chinese immigrants, Nancy learned the violin from her father. She studied with Miriam Fried at the New England Conservatory while pursuing literature at Harvard University. She is also an Associated Artist of the Queen Elisabeth Chapel, where she studied with Augustin Dumay.

A very special thanks to our former Concertmaster Nigel Armstrong for his significant talents as he prepares to move on to other career opportunities. You'll still get a chance to see Nigel perform as Concertmaster for our first concert of the season, Echos of Empire, on September 23 and 24.

This season, Nancy Zhou will perform with Santa Cruz Symphony in the following three programs. Note that she will be a featured soloist in the October concert. She will transition into a full season in 2024-25.

OCTOBER 21-22, 2023

Mozart: Overture to Le nozze di Figaro
Rossini: Overture to Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Beethoven: Leonore Overture no. 3
Verdi: Overture to La forza del destino
Bizet: Carmen suites 1 & 2
Waxman: Carmen Fantasie feat. Nancy Zhou as soloist

MARCH 23-24, 2024

Jose Granero: Matsuri Overture
Schumann: Cello Concerto
Stravinsky: Petrushka

JUNE 8, 2024

John Williams Spectacular

single tickets on sale now!

You could use a night out. With friends. Santa Cruz Symphony is here to help!

After a tough week, everyone needs a break. Why not join your friends at a concert? Classical music actually has mental health benefits, and it’s more fun than professional therapy.

You can buy an entire season’s subscription, or buy single tickets for the concerts you like best. Both subscriptions and single tickets are on sale right now. So, go for it!

Our 2023-24 season starts on September 23 and 24 with Echos of Empire, featuring the mischief of Richard Strauss’ medieval rogue Till Eulenspiegal. (It’s OK if you can’t pronounce it.) The concert also features Respighi’s vivid depictions of ancient Rome, plus a drumset concerto. (Yes, it actually works!)

Opera is simply a comedy or tragedy set to music. Our October 21 and 22 concerts bring excerpts from several operas set in Seville, including Carmen, the scandalous tale of a sexy seductress in a love triangle. Lively pieces from Mozart, Rossini, Beethoven, and Verdi will round out the performance. You’ll likely recognize many of them.

On January 20 and 21, recover from the holidays with Daphnis et Chloe, Ravel’s sensuous depiction of romance in Greece’s golden days. The Adagio from Mahler’s Tenth Symphony will transport your imagination, and you’ll hear incredible melodies from a gayageum. (We spelled that correctly. It’s a Korean type of zither.)

Even if you’re not a kid, the always popular Family Concert on February 25 will revive the fun from your youngest days. This program features Carnival of the Animals, a light-hearted musical suite from Camille Saint-Saens.  

Welcome springtime on March 23 and 24 with Festivals, featuring an homage to Japan’s Shinto celebrations. Our talented soloist will release Schumann’s Concerto for Cello from her instrument. (We promise, you’ll be amazed!) And then Stravinsky’s Petrushka tells the story of a puppet that longs to be human.

If you’re a fan of sumptuous chorale music, then Bach’s Mass in B minor is just the thing! These concerts on May 4 and 5 showcase the vocal talents of the Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus. (Our own singing is limited to the shower and the car.)

The Pops Concert on June 8 is a rousing way to wrap up the season. This time, we’re presenting a John Williams Spectacular with movie themes from all your favorites – Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, and a lot more. We even have a lively street party beforehand to get you in the mood. 

So, with all that on tap, how about buying a season subscription? You have until September 21 to do it. Benefits? Of course, there are benefits! You’ll save 15% off the price of single tickets. You'll have priority reserved seating for the entire season that you can renew year after year. And remember that mental health thing? Yes, you'll have that too.

Want to purchase tickets to individual concerts in this season? They're available starting today at https://santacruztickets.com.

We appreciate the Santa Cruz Symphony League!

The Santa Cruz Symphony League surprised us with a check for $95,000! It was one of their largest donations ever. In a time of tight budgets for arts organizations everywhere, this was a welcome surprise. Every year, the League presents a check to the Santa Cruz Symphony, the result of that year's fundraising. This year's proceeds were truly impressive!

What is the Santa Cruz Symphony League? It's a community of music-loving friends dedicated to supporting the Santa Cruz Symphony with fundraising, education, and social events. They are the largest private donor of funds to the Symphony.

This donation represents many hours of dedicated work by the League members. We are incredibly grateful for their support and their commitment to helping the Santa Cruz Symphony succeed in its mission to educate, engage, and inspire. THANK YOU, SYMPHONY LEAGUE!

 
What does the Santa Cruz Symphony League do?

Events:

• Previews before each concert, featuring Maestro Daniel Stewart and guest performers

• The Holiday Faire, an opportunity to buy beautiful gifts and luscious treats made by local artisans and League members while supporting Santa Cruz Symphony

• The Home Tour, a festive annual tradition featuring tours of amazing homes and a chance to stock up on unique gifts

• The Gala each spring, an annual fundraiser with dinner, dancing, and both live and silent auctions

• 20/20 intimate gatherings throughout the year

Musician Support:

• Provide meals for the orchestra during rehearsals

• Provide housing for visiting musicians

Education:

• Volunteer at our Youth Concerts every spring
   
  Love Santa Cruz Symphony? You too can be a part of the Symphony League!

As a Symphony League member, you will meet many others who also enjoy helping bring classical music to our community. It’s not just an organization, it’s a network of connection and a chance to have fun while supporting Your Symphony! To learn more, visit www.santacruzsymphonyleague.org. 

The Santa Cruz Symphony League Board 

Join a community of music lovers and receive the best seats, prices and personalized service when you become a Santa Cruz Symphony season subscriber! Not only will you save 15% on concert tickets when you subscribe, you’ll enjoy each concert from priority seats that you can renew season after season. Order now to get the best seats!

now enrolling new subscribers!

Patron surveys proved that the 2022-23 Santa Cruz Symphony season was our best ever. In fact, Good Times readers voted us the Best Classical Music Group for 2023! Our upcoming 2023-24 season has many surprises, talented artists, and brilliant programming.

If you aren't yet a Symphony subscriber, now is the time to join! We're currently enrolling new subscribers, and there are plenty of great seats available. You'll see some familiar faces at our concerts, including Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley!

“Having lived in Santa Cruz for so many years, I knew that we had a symphony orchestra. But I’d never attended a performance. Recently, two friends invited Barbara and me to a concert. We were surprised by everything – the fine musical selections, the orchestra’s high quality, and Maestro Danny Stewart’s impressive talent. We also knew so many people in the audience. Well, we promptly became season subscribers. Now we are eagerly looking forward to attending all the 2023-24 concerts.”

Fred Keeley

Mayor, City of Santa Cruz

Here are some of the benefits you'll get as a Symphony subscriber:

• Keep your own reserved seats at every concert.

• Save up to 15% off single ticket prices.

• Can't make it to a specific concert? Exchange your seats between the Civic and the Mello by Tuesday before the concert weekend and have your tickets waiting for you at Will Call.

• If you’re unable to make either concert in a weekend, you may donate your tickets back to the Symphony. Notify us at least 48 hours prior to the concert, and you will receive a tax-deductible donation receipt. 

• If you misplace your tickets, we can reprint them for you one time for free. 

SANTA CRUZ SYMPHONY IS A GOOD TIMES BEST OF SANTA CRUZ FIRST PLACE WINNER!

The results of the annual Good Times Reader's Poll are in, and Santa Cruz Symphony has won Best Classical Music Group! Pick up an issue near you to see all the winners. Thank you to our community of patrons, subscribers, donors, volunteers, staff, and to everyone who took the time to vote. We appreciate you!

LAST CALL FOR GUARANTEED SUBSCRIPTION RENEWALS!

July 5 is the deadline for renewing your subscription with a guarantee of keeping the same seats you had in the 2022-23 season. After July 5, your seats could be taken by subscribers who wish to change seats or by new subscribers.

If you're a Symphony subscriber who has already sent in a subscription renewal form or renewed a subscription online for the 2023-24 season, thank you! You're all set, and your tickets will be sent in early September.

If you have not yet renewed your subscription for the 2023-24 season, it's not too late! You can still renew your subscription after July 5, but your seats may be at risk; after July 5, they may be claimed by other patrons.

If you're a new subscriber, this is the time to purchase a subscription for the 2023-24 season. By purchasing a new subscription now, you can have your first choice of available seats before we open for general ticket sales. People who purchase early are first in line to make their seating choices.

Our new season has many surprises, talented artists, and brilliant programming.

Renewal forms were mailed on May 12. If you haven't received your renewal form, please email us at office@santacruzsymphony.org or call us at 831-462-0553 x10 and we'll send another. Or you can easily renew your subscription online. Click the button below to access our online store.

If you aren't a subscriber, consider becoming one and enjoy exclusive benefits:

• Keep your own reserved seats at every concert.

• Save up to 15% off single ticket prices.

• Can't make it to a specific concert? Exchange your seats between the Civic and the Mello by Tuesday before the concert weekend and have your tickets waiting for you at Will Call.

• If you’re unable to make either concert in a weekend, you may donate your tickets back to the Symphony. Notify us at least 48 hours prior to the concert, and you will receive a tax-deductible donation receipt. 

• If you misplace your tickets, we can reprint them for you one time for free.  

SANTA CRUZ SYMPHONY IS A GOOD TIMES BEST OF SANTA CRUZ FIRST PLACE WINNER!

The results of the annual Good Times Reader's Poll are in, and Santa Cruz Symphony has won Best Classical Music Group! Pick up an issue near you to see all the winners. Thank you to our community of patrons, subscribers, donors, volunteers, staff, and to everyone who took the time to vote. We appreciate you!