The evening of May 24, 2014, started out with a gathering of many of our concertgoers for a pre-concert fundraising dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen, close to the Scherr Forum Theatre. Because of you who came and dined with us, we are certain to receive a nice return from CPK for the benefit of the Orchestra.
We were then greatly rewarded by the performances of our Orchestra and guests at this last Concert of the season. The wondrous Concerto for Viola, subtitled: Equinox, a Seeker's Journey, was written by Cary Belling, a local composer and member of the SFVSO, and was played with virtuosity and soulfulness by violist Victor de Almeida.
The next selection was the Piano Concerto #1 in B-flat minor, written by our own James Domine and performed by three local high school students, Vera Weber (1st movement), Colin Muir (2nd movement), and Carmen Cabral (3rd movement), who had previously played these movements at the annual Music Teachers' Association of California competition. Thanks to the tutelage of piano teacher extraordinaire, Joanna Ezrin (and the genius of the composer), Vera, Colin, and Carmen were all winners at the competition. Needless to say, these talented young people brought down the house!
Following the intermission, Maestro Domine masterfully conducted the Orchestra in the magnificence that is the Shostakovich Symphony #5 in D minor. In this great work, the composer depicts the isolation, abandonment, and social separation endured by him throughout the dark oppression of a Stalinistic society. Finally emerging in the last movement of the Symphony is the composer's realization of an idealized artistic vision. If you missed the concert and have never heard this Symphony, purchase a CD, or listen to it on YouTube. You will be very glad that you did.
We look forward to seeing you at next season's Opening Concert on September 27th.