The Music Plays On — Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges
January 19, 2023
Joseph Bologne was born in 1745 on the Caribbean island and French department, Guadeloupe.
Posts: Donato Cabrera
Meet CHOPIN IN PARIS Soloist Maria Radutu
January 5, 2023
Austrian-Romanian pianist Maria Radutu, soloist in February’s CHOPIN IN PARIS concerts, talks about moving from Romania to Vienna at age 14, and plotting a similar path to artistic freedom in later life. (And plot twist: A snoring dog disrupts an important performance.) Can you tell us a little about yourself? I was born in Bucharest, Romania, and
Mozart Movie Myths
December 4, 2022
Mozart’s true life story needs no Hollywood-style embellishments, says Music Director Donato Cabrera. Tom Hulce as Wolgang Amadeus Mozart in the 1984 hit movie “Amadeus”. By California Symphony Music Director Donato Cabrera. A murderously jealous rival. A mysterious commission from a “gray messenger.” Rumors of poisoning… If the circumstances of Mozart’s death at 35 read like
Donato Cabrera’s Ten Seasons of Joyful Learning
October 5, 2022
The 2022/23 season celebrates a number of milestones, including Music Director Donato Cabrera’s tenth season with the California Symphony. He sat down with us to share his reflections on the journey so far. Congrats on your tenth season with California Symphony! We should have got you a cake or something but all we’ve prepared are these
Behind the Scenes at TAKE FLIGHT
February 1, 2022
Against a background of programming modifications and cancellations by other Bay Area performing arts orgs, California Symphony staff and musicians worked together to give wings to January concerts, TAKE FLIGHT. When All Negatives Add Up to a Positive Over four days of rehearsals and performances and after many dozens of COVID tests, musicians, staff, and
Behind the Scenes at FOUR SEASONS
November 9, 2021
By California Symphony staff—Tuesday, November 9, 2021 You had so many great questions and comments! Here are a few things you may—or may not—have noticed as everything came together for FOUR SEASONS, the second concert set of the 2021-22 live and in-person California Symphony season. Your number one question was… What’s the thing that soloist
On Order, Balance, and Stepping Off the Podium
October 28, 2021
—By Music Director Donato Cabrera The music of the Baroque is the music of the Age of Reason and The Enlightenment. It is ordered in that the instruments used are essentially always stringed instruments with occasional winds thrown in. It is balanced in that the soloists aren’t any more prominent or important than the group,
Behind the Scenes with the Musicians on the Poetry in Motion Set
May 6, 2021
Wonderful… Soul-refreshing…”—Kathryn Juneau, Viola This article was first published in May, 2021 When 30 California Symphony musicians came together last month to record the Poetry in Motion season finale series, it was the largest gathering of California Symphony musicians in one place since the February 2020 BRAHMS FEST concerts. We asked how it felt to
Please Share Your Experience of the Special Presentation with Alexi Kenney
May 22, 2020
Thank you for attending our first ever online premiere! We hope you enjoyed the presentation and we’d love to hear your thoughts. Your answers will remain confidential and data will be shared only in aggregate form. Let us know what you think Thank you for attending our first ever online premiere! We hope you enjoyed
MusicWise with Donato Cabrera
April 13, 2020
By California Symphony Last Updated March 16, 2021 A Donato Cabrera Exclusive As part of a continued commitment to promoting engagement and connection with audiences, California Symphony Music Director Donato Cabrera has announced the launch of a new online series, MusicWise – Conversations about Art and Culture with Donato Cabrera. Cabrera will host MusicWise on select Tuesdays at 1pm PST on