San Diego Symphony Returns To Music On October 23 With A Special Program

The San Diego Symphony returns to music by presenting its first orchestral performance in nearly seven months with a special program on Friday, October 23 at 7 p.m. Music Director Rafael Payare conducts musicians of the San Diego Symphony in Beethoven's Triple Concerto, featuring solos by renowned cellist Alisa Weilerstein, pianist and music director for La Jolla Music Society SummerFest Inon Barnatan, and San Diego Symphony Concertmaster Jeff Thayer.

A Return To Music on October 23 features three pieces in addition to Beethoven's Triple Concerto, including Banner - a tribute to and a rhapsody on The Star-Spangled Banner - by Black female composer Jessie Montgomery. Montgomery was born and raised in Manhattan's Lower East Side, at the time when artists gravitated to the hotbed of artistic experimentation and community development. She draws from her experiences and participation in rallies, performances, celebrations and community movements to create powerful, "wildly colorful" compositions, placing her squarely as one of the most relevant interpreters of 21st century American sound and experience. Also featured on the program are Mozart's Divertimento in D major and George Walker's Lyric for Strings. Walker was the first Black composer to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music.

A RETURN TO MUSIC

Rafael Payare, conductor

Jeff Thayer, violin

Alisa Weilerstein, cello

Inon Barnatan, piano

JESSIE MONTGOMERY: Banner

MOZART: Divertimento in D major, K.136

George Walker: Lyric for Strings

BEETHOVEN: Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano (arr. Detlev Glanert for chamber orchestra)

Free for the community and performed at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, this event will be streamed on the San Diego Symphony's website, Facebook and YouTube channels.

This program also anticipates San Diego Symphony's appearance with the San Diego Opera, October 24-November 1 at Pechanga Arena. Launching San Diego's first ever drive-in opera with four performances of Puccini's La Bohème, Payare and San Diego Symphony Orchestra musicians look forward to performing for the community, and applaud San Diego Opera's vision of presenting live opera during this challenging time. The San Diego Symphony is thrilled to continue its longstanding relationship with the San Diego Opera.

"I would like for each and every one of our audience members to experience personally how much it means to our musicians to be together again making music. For musicians it is who they are as human beings, it is the focus of their lives, and it is what sustains them - and us. So we are thrilled that they are able to be together on stage making music which they have all been longing for," said Martha Gilmer, San Diego Symphony CEO. "Members of the orchestra are coming together to capture their live experience at The Conrad, to commemorate what would have been the opening concerts of the 20-21 San Diego Symphony season. We are committed to bring to you this performance to remind everyone of the power of live music, and to be able to have you experience it with all respect to the safety of our musicians and our audience. "

"Throughout the pandemic, we have strived to continue to be as generous a community partner as possible. In the past seven months, we've connected with our audiences through a variety of virtual and live platforms. Our musicians' foremost concern is to be a support to their community at this time, and they have volunteered their time to numerous schools and organizations, and we have responded to requests from people in our community with specific needs, ensuring we continue to serve the San Diego region and be a part of the fabric of this community," said Gilmer.

Music lovers can keep up with a full range of digital programs through Symphony Stream, www.sandiegosymphony.org/san-diego-symphony-stream, or connect on social @sandiegosymphony on Instagram and Facebook, and @sandiegosymph on Twitter.

To post a comment, you must register and login.