March 2020 starts off strong, with two great events on the first day!

Build your understanding of classical music with an informative talk about to understanding compositions by composer and KUSC radio host, Alan Chapman. You can also check out a performance by organist David Higgs who is considered to be a superstar behind the keys. Higgs is one of the few organists consistently selected to christen organs all around the world. As for Alan Chapman’s talk, few classical radio hosts can speak with such clarity and insight about classical music. He will focus on what composers are doing through their work, how they are doing it and why. His talk is guaranteed to open up the world of classical music, allowing you to experience music like never before. Both events begin at 3 p.m.

Pink Martini returns to the hall on March 13-14 at 8 p.m. to perform their exciting set that delighted us all last year. Pink Martini’s 23 person band crosses multiple genres—including classical, salsa, jazz, pop and more—to create an energetic and enthusiastic concert that is truly a genre-bending experience. Seeing them perform has been described as a journey around the world—one moment you are at a samba parade on sands of Rio De Janero, the next you are in a Ventian Hall in Paris. Founding band member Thomas Lauderdale calls it “an urban music travelogue.”

On March 16 at 7 p.m., Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble (PSYWE) will perform their first concert of 2020. This special showcase concert features a unique collaboration with other talented young musicians from around the region, as well as the world premiere of composer Steven Mahpar’s work, “Simurgh,” written in celebration of Nowruz. The exciting thing about this concert is all the pieces being played are by contemporary composers, each with their unique vision of how the Classical genre is evolving.

With this year marking Beethoven’s 250 birthday, we are going all out! From March 19-21 we have a unique concert series called Beethoven’s Piano Concertos featuring a different selection of Beethoven’s work, every night. Playing the piano concertos we have the incredible pianist Alexander Romanovsky headlining each concert. The talent Romanovsky brings is almost unparalleled, evidenced when he was awarded the title of Honorary Academician by Accademica Filarmonica di Bologna, at age 15—the youngest since Rossini and Mozart. In addition to the piano concertos, we will perform different selections each day from Beethoven’s romance collection and overtures, as well as Symphony No. 8 on the last day.

If you can’t make it to all of them, Sunday, March 22 is a great day to attend (at 3 p.m.) because Romanovsky replays the most mesmerizing pieces played from the weekend: Piano Concerto No. 4 and Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor.”

Following that weekend on Monday, March 23 at 7 p.m., Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra is back in concert. They are juxtaposing two pieces, Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Symphony No. 5” and Chris Rogerson’s “Luminosity.” The two pieces not only contrast the differences in classical composition between Russia and America, but also across time; “Symphony No. 5” was composed in 1937, while “Luminosity” was composed in 2010.

Finally, on March 28, at 8 p.m., we welcomes legendary singer Shahram Nazeri and his son, composer Hafez Nazeri, for a celebration of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. Nowruz is a traditional festival that marks the beginning of spring, and celebrates the “rebirth of nature” and the washing away of the past. Join us for a concert that unites cultures through the power of music!

The vernal equinox is a time of celebration everywhere, but perhaps no one takes the arrival of spring more seriously than Persians. They have celebrated the festival of Nowruz, the Iranian new year, for thousands of years. Today, Nowruz, translated as “new day,” is observed by over 75 million people from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. It’s a holiday honoring rebirth and renewal filled with family, friends, feasting, music, poetry, and hope for a bright new year to follow.

Conductor, composer and pianist Shardad Rohani, conducted by Carl St.Clair in 2019

This year, Pacific Symphony in collaboration with the Farhang Foundation presents an intriguing concert featuring traditional Persian music and prominent Iranian performers with Music Director Carl St.Clair leading the orchestra on March 28 at 8 p.m. The concert opens with Glinka’s Overture to “Russlan and Ludmilla,” a Persian March by Johann Strauss, Jr., and selections by the contemporary Iranian composer Shardad Rohani, who also appears as piano soloist and conductor. The program’s featured artists will be the popular Iranian vocalists Shahram Nazeri and his son, Hafez Nazeri. Described as “Iran’s Pavarotti” by The Christian Science Monitor, Shahram Nazeri and his son have toured North America performing record-breaking sold-out concerts to rave reviews, holding a record for the most highly attended Persian classical music concert outside of Iran. Doors open at 7 p.m. and before the concert, the lobby will be the scene for audience members to enjoy traditional Iranian dances, along with a festive Haft-sîn table abundant with symbols of spring and renewal on display

Anoosheh and Alan Oskouian

Anoosheh Oskouian (CEO of Ship & Shore Environmental, Inc.), who serves as a trustee of the Farhang Foundation and as a board member of Pacific Symphony, commented, “This is the third time—and the second consecutive year—that Pacific Symphony is partnering with the Farhang Foundation to celebrate Nowruz, which marks the arrival of spring and rebirth of nature.” She continued, “Before the evening concert, the lobby of Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall comes alive with the colorful dancing and folk music of Iran The spirit of the season will sweep people away when they see the large-scale Haft-sîn table, which symbolizes a traditional Iranian tablescape celebrating the spring equinox.. And we all look forward to the evening concert presenting the legendary singer Shahram Nazeri and his son, composer Hafez Nazeri take the stage, transporting us to another time and place.”

Carl St.Clair said, “Pacific Symphony values its position as a cultural resource and leader and we embrace Orange County’s rich and diverse communities through contextual programming. This is a way to connect on a more personal level and this also reflects my own wish to enrich lives through the beauty and power of music.”

Learn more about our Nowruz concert, and grab your tickets, on our website here!

Written by Jeanne Quill. This article has been reprinted with permission by KUDOS Newport Beach.

A picture of a Hydraulis, the first known version of the organ

The organ has been played over centuries for its enchanting melodies and unique tone. The first organ can be dated all the way back to the 3rd century B.C. in Greece. Originally called the Hydraulis, it was made with many pipes positioned above a compartment of air. Water pressure would then force air through the pipes, creating its unique sound. Since its creation, the organ has evolved to include many different types such as the theater organ, reed organ and electronic organs. But how does this classical instrument work in the first place?

Simply explained, the pipe organ is like a big box of whistles. Underneath each pipe sits a hollow wind chest filled with compressed air, which is provided by an air blower. There are multiple “stops” at the organ console that represent a set of pipes and there is a different pipe for every note on the keyboard. When the player pulls the stop, a slider under a specific set of pipes is activated, which allows a sound to be created when a key on the keyboard is pushed. Not only is this amazing instrument intricate in the way its played, but no two organs are alike. Each organ is unique to where it is located and what the buyer wants, which can make every experience new and different.

William J. Gillespie Concert Organ, built specifically for the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.

The pipe organ is one of the most unique and eclectic instruments in the world with its vast history and wide variety.  It can be experienced live in our organ series, including a performance by organ superstar David Higgs. On March 1st, he will be showcasing the beauty and power of the William J. Gillespie Concert Organ with the music of Duprè, Liszt, Duruflè and more. Check out our website here for tickets and details!

Courtesy of our local Voice of OC, our 2020-21 Classical Season has been released! Check it out on their website here.

For package information, see our website here.

Of the world’s most talented musicians, there are an exclusive few who play on valuable instruments loaned out from art collectors and museums. These rare instruments can be worth millions of dollars apiece.

Augustin Hadelich is one of these artists. He plays on an instrument called the 1723 ex-Kiesewetter Stradivarius, named after its original owner Christophe Gottfried Kiesewetter, who unfortunately was not an accomplished player, and died penniless. The meek origins of the instrument would seemingly disqualify it as one history’s “famous instruments,” but this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

The most important part of this instrument’s legacy is that Antonio Stradivari, the greatest luthier (violin-maker), built it during his “golden age.” With a price tag of $4 million, the 1723 Strad is safely in the top 10 most expensive violins of all time, and one of only a few remaining that can be performed safely—the rest residing in private residences and museums.

And considering the ex-Kiesewetter’s recent history, the world is lucky to still have it.

In 1910, US officials confiscated this instrument after owner Horace Havemeyer smuggled it through U.S. Customs without paying the proper import taxes. It was eventually returned to him years later, after he successfully argued that the statute of limitations laws protected him.

Another scare occurred in 2008, when Philippe Quint, the instrument’s previous owner, and former guest artist with our orchestra, left the violin in the trunk of his cab. It was missing for 6 hours before the cab driver turned it in. The cab driver received Newark, New Jersey’s highest honor and a private concert for him and his fellow cabbies.

So how does this $4 million violin play? In Hadelich’s description, there is a depth to this valuable piece that allows you to discover your musical personality. In a 2017 interview by String Magazine, Hadelich says, “You gradually discover your personal sound on that instrument and grow to sound more and more like yourself as the relationship deepens.” It allows you to find yourself in it—like an existential awakening—it is as Hadelich says, “more like a spirit than a person.”

Come out on February 27-29 at 8:00 pm to experience Augustin Hadelich and his $4 million violin in concert. He will perform Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 1—one of the toughest and most virtuosic pieces for a violinists who like a real challenge.

When you think of a classic romance, there is none more timeless than Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” Two lovers forbidden to be together put their family values aside to be with one another. Their undying love ends in the most tragic of ways, for they cannot cope with being separated from one another. As one of the most well-known love stories of all time, “Romeo and Juliet” has inspired many composers to create their own pieces of art—let’s take a look at the most famous examples.

Tchaikovsy’s “Romeo and Juliet” Overture

Inspired by the idea of his colleague Mily Balakirev, Tchaikovsky wanted to utilize his own unique musical style to explore the classic heart-wrenching story. Rather than portraying the play’s events in their occurring order, the composer decided to present each character and each mood of the play with contrasting melodies. It opens with a soft, serene clarinet and bassoon melody representing Friar Laurence, the lovers’ personal and political ally throughout the entirety of the play. The beautiful melody helps the audience experience who the character is and what his role is throughout the story wordlessly—the Friar seeks to end the civil strife in Verona due to the infighting between the dueling Montagues and Capulets.

When Tchaikovsky portrays scenes of violence and war, the music becomes chaotic to show this feud between the two families. Eventually, the “lovers’ theme” emerges. As the piece progresses, violence and love share the same stage with a feeling of urgency until Romeo and Juliet’s theme is played in a minor key, suggesting their tragic deaths. Overall, Tchaikovsky’s brilliant work is a beautiful and romantic homage to a timeless classic.

Below, check out Tchaikovsky’s Overture to “Romeo and Juliet”:

Berlioz’s “Romèo et Juliette”

In 1827, Berlioz attended a production of “Romeo and Juliet” in Paris which starred his beloved Harriet Smithson playing the title heroine role of Juliet. So enamored and motivated by her and this play, he wrote one of his finest and most original works, “Romèo et Juliette.” For Berlioz, it was a particularly cherished work, as it paid homage to his two mentors, Beethoven and Shakespeare, as well as his own personal Juliet—Smithson would become the focus of his affection leading to his creation of his psychedelic masterpiece, the “Symphonie Fantastique.” He mixes different musical elements to portray the vendetta of the two families, utilizing both instrumental and choral music. At the heart of the symphony, the composer includes a beautiful love scene where the orchestra alone depicts the innocent romance between the main characters. Throughout the entirety of the symphony, voices and instruments masterfully dance to highlight the emotion of each scene of the play.

Below, check out Berlioz’s “Romeo and Juliet”:

No matter how or with who you choose to spend Valentine’s Day, cozy up and fill your heart with the most romantic classical love songs of all time. Whether it’s based on the love story of Romeo and Juliet, or any beautiful piece that emulates love and joy, music is the cherry-on-top to celebrate the ones you love.

Enjoy this playlist of the most romantic classical love songs of all time, and check out our concert, “Valentine’s Day with Chris Botti,” featuring one of the most premiere and prized trumpeters who crosses the boundaries between pop, classical, jazz and rock. For more information and tickets, visit out website!

The Lantern Festival (元宵節), also called the Yuan Xiao Festival, is a 2000-year-old Lunar calendar celebration that welcomes the return of spring, represents the reunion of family and marks the end of the Lunar New Year celebration. Join us on Saturday, Feb. 22 from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. as we partner with the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center/Irvine Chinese School for the fifth year in a row, to throw the most immersive Lantern festival that we have ever done!

The festival, spread throughout the concert hall and the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza, will feature pan-Asian culture, music and arts and a variety of colorful performances showcasing local music and dance groups. Other popular demonstrations from last year are also back, including performances by the Pacific Symphony Chamber Ensemble, the South Coast Chinese Orchestra, Pacific Symphony Youth Octet, Pacific Symphony Santiago String Quartet and the Irvine Chinese Chorus. Come out and make lanterns, appreciate Vietnamese woodblock art and try your hand at Calligraphy. Don’t miss all the photo opportunities, like where festival-goers can try on traditional Áo Dài Vietnamese outfits and other traditional attire at our photo booth.

If you have never been to a Lantern Festival before, there is no better time. Take part in the joy of all the activities traditionally associated with the Lantern Festival—like the Lion Dance (舞狮), Riddle Games (猜灯谜) and the finale of the day: the Dragon Dance (耍龙灯). Learn the meaning symbolized in all the festivities and connect with the global community in a new way. Everyone is encouraged to come!

The event is free and open to the public, but due to the limited capacity, remaining available tickets will go fast. Entry is first-come, first-served; tickets must be reserved in advance through PacificSymphony.org, or with our Box Office at (714) 755-5799. Guests are recommended to bring cash for the numerous activities, including the popular lantern making Lantern with Bowers Museum. The Lantern Festival is made possible through the support of the James Irvine Foundation and is presented in cooperation with Segerstrom Center for the Arts.