More Berkeley Symphony

I'm putting this all after the cut, because it's a lot.

1. Berkeley Symphony 2018-19 schedule, including chamber & other concerts. As usual, they've got a higher percentage of 20th and 21st c. music than other, bigger-budget orchestras we could name, and twice as many works by female composers as the one across the bay.
2. Full press release about Joana Carneiro's resignation and replacements.

BERKELEY SYMPHONY 2018-19 SEASON

 

Sunday, September 23, 2018 at 5pm

Piedmont Center for the Arts, 801 Magnolia Avenue, Piedmont

 

Berkeley Symphony Chamber Series Concert

Chamber I: Vitamin Em & Vivaldi 

Mozart: “Dissonance” Quartet

Vivaldi: “Autumn” from The Four Seasons

Handel-Halvorsen: Passacaglia

Matthew Szemela, violin

Eugenia Wie, violin

Emily Onderdonk, viola

Michael Graham, cello

 

Thursday, October 4, 2018 at 7pm – OPENING NIGHT

Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley campus, Bancroft Way at Dana Street, Berkeley

 

Berkeley Symphony Symphonic Series Concert

Symphonic I: Higdon & Ravel 

Barber: Overture to The School for Scandal

Higdon: Violin Concerto

Clyne: Night Ferry

Ravel: La Valse

Ming Luke, conductor

Benjamin Beilman, violin

Sunday, October 28, 2018 at 5pm

Piedmont Center for the Arts, 801 Magnolia Avenue, Piedmont

 

Berkeley Symphony Chamber Series Concert

Chamber II: Frank & Riley 

Harrison: "Song of Palestine" and "Estampie" from String Quartet Set

Frank: Selections from Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout and Milagros

Adams: “Toot Nipple” from Alleged Dances

Riley: The Wheel & Mythic Birds Waltz

Scodanibbio: "Bésame mucho" from Canzoniere messicano

Johnston: String Quartet No. 4, "Amazing Grace"

Del Sol String Quartet:

Rick Shinozaki, violin

Ben Kreith, violin

Charlton Lee, viola

Kathryn Bates, cello

Sunday, December 2, 2018 at 5pm

Piedmont Center for the Arts, 801 Magnolia Avenue, Piedmont

 

Berkeley Symphony Chamber Series Concert

Chamber III: Mozart & Dohnányi

Mozart: Divertimento in E-flat major

Dohnányi: Serenade in C major

Stuart Canin, violin

Dimitri Murrath, viola

Angela Lee, cello

Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 8pm

Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley campus, Bancroft Way at Dana Street, Berkeley

 

Berkeley Symphony Symphonic Series Concert

Symphonic II: Britten & Bernstein

Kendall: Disillusioned Dreamer

Britten: Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes

Bernstein: Symphony No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra, The Age of Anxiety

Jonathon Heyward, conductor

Andrew Tyson, piano

Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 5pm

Piedmont Center for the Arts, 801 Magnolia Avenue, Piedmont

 

Berkeley Symphony Chamber Series Concert

Chamber IV: Beethoven & Brahms

Beethoven: Piano Trio in D major, "Ghost"

Brahms: Piano Quintet in F minor

René Mandel, violin

Yuna Lee, violin

TBD, viola 

Sébastien Gingras, cello

Mari Kodama, piano

Sunday, March 24, 2019 at 4pm

Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley campus, Bancroft Way at Dana Street, Berkeley

 

Berkeley Symphony Symphonic Series Concert

Symphonic III: Dvořák & Ellington

Dvořák: Symphony No. 9, "From the New World"

Gubaidulina: Concerto for Two Orchestras

Ellington: Black, Brown and Beige

Christopher Rountree, conductor

with Berkeley High Jazz Ensemble & guests

Sunday, April 14, 2019 at 5pm

Piedmont Center for the Arts, 801 Magnolia Avenue, Piedmont

 

Berkeley Symphony Chamber Series Concert

Chamber V: Anna Clyne Presents

Music Alive Composer-in-Residence Anna Clyne curates a selection of chamber works to be performed by musicians and guest artists of Berkeley Symphony, musicians TBD.

Thursday, May 2, 2019 at 8pm

Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley campus, Bancroft Way at Dana Street, Berkeley

 

Berkeley Symphony Symphonic Series Concert

Symphonic IV: Clyne & Strauss

Wagner: Overture to Tannhäuser

Clyne: This Midnight Hour

Adès: Dances from Powder Her Face

Strauss: Rosenkavalier Suite

Christian Reif, conductor

with ODC/Dance

Press release, not including history of the orchestra and conductor bios.

Joana Carneiro, whose adventurous artistic vision and leadership has garnered both critical acclaim and audience praise, has announced that she will step down as Berkeley Symphony’s music director as of the end of the 2017-2018 season and after nine seasons at its artistic helm. Carneiro will stay on as Music Director Emerita.

A committee has been formed to seek the next Music Director and to determine the best approach for the future of Berkeley Symphony.

Guest conductors Ming Luke, Jonathon Heyward, Christopher Rountree, and Christian Reif have been scheduled to conduct the four symphonic concerts planned for the 2018-2019 season. Full 2018-2019 season details will be forthcoming.

Under Carneiro’s baton, Berkeley Symphony has commissioned a total of 13 new works and co-commissioned three since 2009. As part of the subscription series, Carneiro has led 14 world premieres with the Symphony, as well as one United States premiere, and 10 West Coast premieres. Through the Symphony’s Under Construction—a new music workshopping program—she has led 41 additional world premieres, solidifying hers and the Symphony’s commitment to supporting the work of living composers and broadening the symphonic repertoire.

During her tenure, Berkeley Symphony’s programmatic offerings grew to include not just mainstage performances and Under Construction—now Berkeley Sounds Composer Fellows—but the launch and growth of the Berkeley Symphony and Friends Chamber Series, and the creation of partnerships with Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) and San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM). In addition, Music in the Schools expanded both in scope and engagement under her oversight, with increases in the number of programs, number of participating schools, and number of students engaged annually.

“We are grateful to Joana for her ability to connect and establish both trust and curiosity from our musicians and our community,” said Symphony Board Chair S. Shariq Yosufzai. “As the Symphony looks ahead to its 50th anniversary season in in 2020-2021, we know that our future is bright because Joana has made an indelible mark.”

Joana Carneiro said: "I love this orchestra and the Berkeley community. I am so proud of what I have been able to accomplish together with this extraordinary organization over the past nine years and look forward to returning to Berkeley soon.”

“Joana has been an inspirational presence on the podium and off,” said Berkeley Symphony Executive Director René Mandel. “Speaking for myself and the entire Berkeley Symphony community, we will miss her dearly, but she will be back, and we so look forward to her return to Berkeley.”