California Symphony

A fantastic Bay Area orchestra! Don’t miss their concerts at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek as well as their new concert series in Napa Valley!

I don’t go to Symphony concerts much anymore and maybe that should change. When I first moved to Philadelphia in the early 1980s, I had partial season tickets to the Philadelphia Orchestra at the old Academy of Music (in the Upper Balcony), with Riccardo Muti conducting. I was into big and full symphonies (think Gustav Mahler) even though it was sometimes hard to stay awake during those long and dark times in my seat.
Gayle talked me into going to see the California Symphony yesterday, followed by Dinner with friends at Massimo after the show. We were treated to guest Conductor Robert Moody and performances of Marquez: Danzon No. 2, Rachmanioff: Piano Concerto No. 2 (featuring the sparking hands of Gregory Taboloff), and Sibelius: Symphony No. 2. Yes, it was an afternoon of 2’s, including the Mr. Moody’s second appearance with the California Symphony and 2 couples enjoying each others company for ~2 hours at the restaurant.
OK, I struggled with consciousness for parts of the 1^st Half, but stayed wide awake after intermission. I appreciated the efforts of Robert Moody to make classical music more approachable. That started with his lead in having the Orchestra play the National Anthem at the beginning and then explaining the Sibelius piece to the audience before that performance began. I was also fascinated with his precise yet fluid hand motions and how the musicians really seemed to enjoy working with him.
There’s was also a «ah ha!» revelation when realizing that the California Symphony was the real deal, a really classic act, and evidence that the WC can hold it’s own as it continues to provide quality cultural entertainment at the Lesher Center. I’m far from ever wanting to give my season tickets to Berkeley Rep, but at the same time, why not stay closer to home more often?