San Bernardino Symphony to Present

The San Bernardino Symphony will present the first concert of its 2013–14 season with “Beyond Gravity,” a galactic premier that will lift your spirits into the cosmos. On Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m., concert-goers will experience Gustav Holst’s enduring and imaginative orchestral suite ‘The Planets’ and space-age selections from John Williams’ award-winning “Star Wars” and “E.T.” scores. “We were guided by thematic material and the desire to combine two genres of music,” said Symphony Music Director and Conductor Frank Fetta, adding with levity, “Holst’s ‘The Planets’ does not actually include reference to the Earth so we’re including our planet by doing Williams’ ET piece here on earth.” ‘The Planets,’ a seven-movement orchestral suite, was written to convey ideas and emotions associated with the influence of the planets on the psyche. Colorful and imaginative, it was originally scored as a piano duet. But Holst’s later orchestral composition, which calls to mind influences of Russian Romantics such as Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov, conjures out-of-this-world imagery through creative use of brass and woodwind instruments, and many forms of percussion. Audiences should even anticipate the ethereal sonorities of tubular bells, the harp, and ethereal strings and, as a special addition, the all-female choir composed of CSUSB current vocal students and alumnae will lend their voices to the Neptune movement. American composer, conductor, and pianist John Williams’ “Star Wars” selections will draw from the original and prequel trilogies utilizing an eclectic variety of musical styles, many culled from the Late Romantic idiom of Richard Strauss and his contemporaries. With several obvious nods to Holst in the original scores, Williams incorporated more strains of modernist orchestral writing with each progressive score, thought to involve director George Lucas’ desire to ground the otherwise strange and fantastic setting in well-known, audience-accessible music. Audiences will be transported to Tatooine and beyond through the simple and direct emotional appeal of this music. Williams’ E.T. Adventures on Earth rounds out this singularly space-age evening with selections from the sweeping, emotionally uplifting soundtrack of Steven Spielberg’s most beloved family film. Utilizing the Grammy-winning score, full of both mischief and darkness, will evoke images of the life-changing adventures of Elliott, Gertie, and their extraterrestrial friend in what Gary Arnold of The Washington Post called “essentially a spiritual autobiography.” Concert-goers may even hear a bit of Yoda’s Theme from “The Empire Strikes Back” in movements from The Magic of Halloween. The multitude of themes for E.T. merge to form a spectacular accompaniment for the 1982 film that called on all of us to turn on our heart lights … and promises to gift the Inland Empire with an undeniably rewarding concert experience. Craig Safan, composer of “The Last Starfighter,” will be in attendance at the concert. “We are excited to see how he finds our interpretation of the arrangements,” said Maestro Fetta. This will be Fetta’s first concert in his new formal role with the Symphony. He did, however, serve as interim conductor for the 2012–13 season and has led the symphony in many major presentations in prior years. “I am thrilled to be an official member of the team and am looking forward to all the coming year has to offer,” he said. “I want what we do to reflect what the community is in a local, cultural sense, but also in a broader sense that will make San Bernardino one of the most highly desirable concert venues in all of California.” Maestro Fetta, who personally selected the pieces that comprise the upcoming season, discussed the rich tapestry of upcoming offerings: “We have the lofty task to bring unique, stand-alone experiences within the confines of just five principal concerts, but I think we have achieved our goal and that audiences will find each concert to have its own unique personality. I believe people will look at the season and see things they know and love and also things they’re excited about hearing for the first time.” November 9, the Symphony will present ‘Bold Voyage,’ a sweeping musical essay celebrating Sibelius’ vividly triumphant Symphony No. 5 and passionate Russian soloist Ruslan Biryukov’s masterful interpretation of Antonín Dvořák’s magnificent Cello Concerto in B minor. At the annual Family Concert and Family Music Fair, scheduled for January 26, 2014, audiences of all ages will enjoy the Symphony’s imaginative rendition of Sergei Prokofiev’s enchanting tale of Peter and the Wolf, narrated by Symphony Board President and former San Bernardino Mayor Judith Valles. In addition, the Symphony will perform ‘Sinfonía india’ by noted Mexican composer Carlos Chávez, Aaron Copland’s ever-popular ballet ‘Billy the Kid,’ and Manuel de Falla’s rhythmic and charismatic ‘Ritual Fire Dance.’ On March 1, the Symphony will present ‘Sax & Strings’ which will include Samuel Barber’s ever-popular Adagio for Strings, J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, Mozart’s timeless ‘Eine kleine Nachtmusik,’ and the intriguing (first-time ever presentation) of Alexander Glazunov’s Concerto for Saxophone in E-flat major featuring soloist Matthew Ennis. The May 3 finale will conclude an outstanding season with ‘MasterWorks,’ including Tchaikovsky’s inspired Symphony No. 5 and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s romantically virtuosic Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor featuring audience favorite, the renowned pianist Norman Krieger. In addition to the five major concerts and the popular pre-concert lectures and post-concert afterglow receptions, the San Bernardino Symphony will continue to extend its musical reach outside its home venue, the California Theatre of the Performing Arts, located at 562 W. Fourth Street in San Bernardino. To obtain additional information about the San Bernardino Symphony and its upcoming programs, call 909-381-5388 or visit www.sanbernardinosymphony.org.