2023-24 Season

EMERALD EXTRAVAGANZA

Saturday, October 14, 2023, 7:30 pm
Chee-Yun, violin
Dave Brubeck/Paul Desmond: Time Out Suite, arr. Chris Brubeck
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto
Respighi: Feste romane (Roman Festivals)

Violinist Chee-Yun’s flawlessly compelling technique, tone, and artistry has enraptured audiences on five continents. Charming, charismatic, and deeply passionate about her art, Chee-Yun continues to carve a unique place for herself in the ever-evolving world of classical music.

A winner of the Young Concert Artists International Auditions and a recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant, Chee-Yun has performed with many of the world’s foremost orchestras and conductors. She has appeared with the San Francisco, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Atlanta, and National symphony orchestras, as well as with the Saint Paul and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestras. Her storied career includes performances at the White House, United Nations and Carnegie Hall. Her violin was made by Francesco Ruggieri in 1669 and is rumored to have been buried with a previous owner for 200 years.

 “Chee-Yun met all the technical demands of this music and then some. At once playful and passionate, her bow was consistently precise even at NASCAR speed. Her tremolos shimmered and tender lyricism pervaded slow movements while she moved seamlessly between rapid-fire shifts as soloist or member of the full orchestra.”

                                                                                                              The Washington Post

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Saturday, December 9, 2023, 7:30 pm
Sunday, December 10,2023, 2:00 pm
Roberto Perlas Gomez, baritone
Northern California Children’s Chorus

A brilliant baritone and adorable young talents join the festivities for a program packed with goodies – It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, The Night Before Christmas, Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire, O Holy Night, Nutcracker excerpts, and many more!

Known for his deep rich voice, baritone Roberto Perlas Gomez has performed with the Los Angeles Opera, Michigan Opera, Philippine National Opera, San Francisco Opera,and Shanghai Opera, among others. His 2022 debut at the Folsom Lake Symphony’s “Opera Meets Broadway” concerts continues to be the talk of the town.

THAT’S AMORE!

Saturday, February 10, 2024, 7:30pm
Pasquale Esposito, tenor

Hot off the trail from international touring and PBS specials, a charismatic guest artist returns! You and your Valentine will bask in a stellar evening including That’s Amore, Besame mucho, Be My Love, and many other romantic Italian and Latin favorites.

We are happy to welcome internationally acclaimed tenor, Pasquale Esposito back to our stage. Since his last appearance he has filmed two TV Specials at the historic Teatro Politeama in Naples, Italy. In addition to touring extensively, he has recorded nine albums and two PBS specials. In 2015 he made his San Francisco Opera debut and has been described by the San Francisco Chronicle as “a charismatic and dulcet-toned singer.”

TITAN

Saturday, April 20, 2024, 7:30pm
Jon Nakamatsu, piano
Jaffe: Symphonic Birthday
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
Mahler: Symphony No. 1, “Titan”

Now in his third decade of touring worldwide, American pianist Jon Nakamatsu continues to draw critic and public acclaim for his intensity, elegance and electrifying solo, concerto and chamber music performances. Catapulted to international attention in 1997 as the Gold Medalist of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition—the only American to achieve this distinction since 1981—Mr. Nakamatsu subsequently developed a multi-faceted career that encompasses recording, education, arts administration and public speaking in addition to his vast concert schedule. He is making his third appearance with the symphony after his spectacular performances of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2.

He has been the guest artist with over 150 orchestras worldwide including those of Baltimore, Berlin, Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, Florence, Los Angeles, Milan, San Francisco, Tokyo, and Vancouver. He has performed at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.

As a recitalist, Mr. Nakamatsu has appeared in New York City’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, Washington DC’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Musée d’Orsay and the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and in major centers such as Boston, Chicago, Houston, London, Milan, Munich, Prague, Singapore, Warsaw and Zurich. In Beijing he has been heard at the Theater of the Forbidden City, the Great Hall of the People, China Conservatory, and the National Centre for the Performing Arts.

In addition to performing worldwide, he serves on the piano faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

CARMINA BURANA

Saturday, June 8, 2024, 7:30 pm
Sunday, June 9, 2024, 2:00 pm
Carrie Hennessey, soprano
Daniel Ebbers, tenor
Ralph Cato, baritone
Music in the Mountains Chorus
Sacramento Master Singers
Northern California Children’s Chorus
David Brunner:        Yo le canto todo el dia
Jake Runestad:       A Silence Haunts Me
David Brunner:        I Am in Need of Music
Orff:                        Carmina Burana

With Carmina Burana’s huge performing forces, scenes from spring, a tavern, a court of love, and the iconic O fortuna chorus that bookends the work, this blockbuster has become wildly popular ever since its premiere. With a combined chorus of 120 members, this is an experience not to be missed!

Soprano Carrie Hennessey is known for her soaring voice and richly nuanced characters on stage. Her performances include opera, theater, and appearances with symphonies around the world. She has performed with the Pacific, Duluth, and Houston Symphonies, among others.

Operatic tenor Daniel Ebbers has performed extensively throughout the US and Israel. He has appeared with many of the leading symphonies and opera companies, and has performed at Carnegie Hall and the Avery Fisher Hall. In addition to his performing schedule, he is a professor of voice at University of the Pacific.

Baritone Ralph Cato, esteemed for his warm, rich voice, travels the world telling stories in song. Whether he’s performing oratorio, opera, or show tunes, his performances are consistently memorable. Since his premiere Carmina Burana performance with the Estonia National Symphony, he has sung it numerous times to critical acclaim.

Ryan Murray, Artistic Director and Conductor, Music in the Mountains Chorus.

Mr. Murray has found steady acclaim as a compelling, dynamic and unflappable presence on the podium. Besides his work with Music in the Mountains, he is currently Principal Pops Conductor for the Modesto Symphony, Music Director of the Auburn Symphony, and Director of Symphony Orchestra & Opera at California State University, Sacramento. 

Dr. Ralph E. Hughes, Artistic Director and Conductor, Sacramento Master Singers. Under his leadership since 1986, Dr. Hughes has generated increased recognition for the group’s high performance standards, innovative programming and interest in serving the community.

He received his Bachelor’s Degree, teaching credential Master’s Degree in Choral Conducting from CSUS, and his Doctoral Degree in Conducting from the University of South Carolina.

Judy Britts, Founder and Artistic Director, Northern California Children’s Chorus. Judy Britts is a music teacher, vocal coach, educator, encourager, conductor, and performance trainer simply translated to, “I teach children to sing”.  As founder of the Northern California Children’s Chorus, her goal in creating the chorus was to give Sacramento-area children and youth an excellent choral experience.