February 26, 2015
Heggie Premiere with Berkeley Symphony
The unsettling power of imagination
The stars were in alignment last Thursday at Zellerbach Hall, when the Berkeley Symphony performed the World...
music
February 22, 2015
Horszowski Trio at Kohl Mansion
Of dotted notes and civilized despair…
Last Sunday the Horszowski Trio made their first appearance at Kohl Mansion, and judging by the response, they would be warmly welcomed back. These three musicians have a long and slightly tangled history, and two of them have already appeared at Kohl Mansion with other top groups.
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February 20, 2015
Oakland Symphony and Mads Tolling
Variety and spice at the Paramount.
A varied and satisfying program held something for everyone last Friday evening at Oakland’s Paramount Theater, where Michael Morgan guided the Oakland East Bay Symphony through both a brand new frolic and a stern mass.
But first, Assistant Conductor Bryan Nies led a performance of Samuel Barber’s complex Symphony No. 1. An early twentieth century American visionary, Barber was just 25 years old in...
January 23, 2015
Oakland Symphony pulls off two tough works
Ambitious program at the Paramount
Two difficult and seldom-performed works made for an exciting program at Oakland’s Paramount Theater last Friday, Jan. 23, where Michael Morgan led the Oakland East Bay Symphony in George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F Major and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 8. These two works are so different that it would be surprising to find any points of parallel, but the two worked marvelously...
January 15, 2015
Adès and Tchaikovsky at Zellerbach
Of cowbells and onion domes – Carneiro leads Berkeley Symphony in “Sanctuary”
A program of colors and contrasts showcased the skill and unity of the Berkeley Symphony last Thursday at Zellerbach Hall. As always, conductor Joana Carneiro delivered insight, exactitude and heart, drawing the audience firmly into the music along with her musicians.
Titled “Sanctuary,” the program painted two very different musical portraits....
December 29, 2014
2014 Year in Review
Looking back, a whimsical list…
After years of belt-tightening, the Bay Area’s classical music scene is standing as a vibrant example of hard work and clever programming. Despite facing under-funded public arts organizations and former donors struggling to pay their rising housing costs, most groups have squeaked through another year. And surprisingly, they did it with artistic integrity and creativity.
In no particular order, here is a list...