Our friends over at Classic FM recently put together a playlist of feline-inspired classical pieces – some pleasant levity for your summer weekend! Below, we’ve included all of them as YouTube links, in case you don’t have Spotify Premium. Enjoy!

What animals have nine lives and are beloved by the internet and classical composers alike? Cats, cats, and — you guessed it — more cats. While kitties are favored in contemporary popular culture (memes, viral videos, #Instagram), they have also long dominated the hearts of humans throughout history and are reflected through past art and music.

Scarlatti: The Cat’s Fugue

Rossini: Cat’s Duet

Confrey: Kitten on the Keys

Prokofiev: The Cat (from “Peter and the Wolf”)

Fauré: Mi-A-Ou (from “Dolly”)

Anderson: The Waltzing Cat

Saint-Saëns: The Royal March of the Lion (from “Carnival of the Animals”)

Webber: Memories (from “Cats”)

Associate conductor Roger Kalia recently shared some exciting personal news, in regards to his position as Music Director at Orchestra Santa Monica. The orchestra was founded back in 2012 by Dr. Allen Robert Gross, who served as the orchestra’s Music Director for six years. After Dr. Gross’ retirement in May 2018, Roger Kalia was selected as OSM’s new Music Director.

“My first season with OSM has been a true joy,” says Kalia. “I have enjoyed making music with our dedicated musicians, and working with our fantastic board of directors. We have such a wonderful orchestra, and I am extremely grateful to the Santa Monica community for your continued love and support. We have an amazing variety of music and guest artists planned for next season, and there is a great deal to look forward to. It is an honor to be your music director.”

OSM President Cindy Bandel shares Kalia’s excitement. “Roger is a true artist and our board, musicians, and audience members are all very enthusiastic about his leadership, talent, energy, and ideas. This three-year contract provides us with a good foundation for growth, both musically and organizationally, and we are all very happy to have a bright outlook for OSM!”

If you’d like to learn more about Orchestra Santa Monica, please check out their website!