San Manuel Tribe Donation Will Help Sponsor Symphony Concerts

A $70,000 grant from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians will sponsor two San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra concerts in their up-coming 2015/16 season. “We were thrilled with the generosity of the Tribe,” said Dr. Judith Valles, Symphony Board President. “They have always been the first to step forward and support programs that benefit the arts and we are so blessed to have them in our community.” The two concerts were selected for sponsorship based upon their family focus and benefit to local education, long time priorities for the Tribe. “Home for the Holidays,” Dec. 12, will include holiday music from around the world and throughout the ages. Inclusive of both classical and popular pieces, audiences will enjoy compositions by Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Puccini, Leontvytch, Berlin, Williams, Regney and Baker, and McCarrick… and a few special surprises. A pre-concert family music enrichment event will be held prior to the concert at no charge to ticketholders. “We were humbled by the community’s response to last year’s holiday concert,” said Valles. “There are very few local entertainment options during the holidays, so we felt it important to meet that need with a concert that allowed people to gather close to home and share the warmth of the season through music. The San Manuel community has allowed us to bring this gift to the community once again.” The second sponsored concert, “Echoes of America,” is a series of concerts honoring America’s patriotic heritage. On the morning of February 5th, over 3,400 students from the San Bernardino City Unified School District, will be transported by the District to the California Theatre where they will tour this architectural gem before hearing selections including William Grant Still’s “The American Scene,” Rodgers and Bennett’s “Victory at Sea,” Ferde Grofe’s “Grand Canyon Suite,” and several marches by John Phillips Sousa from the Symphony’s extensive Guthrie Music Library. As in years past, the Symphony develops curriculum-specific educational materials to prepare the students for the experience and to stimulate classroom dialogue following the performance. “We are pleased to have received the consistent partnership of both the School District and the Tribe that, together, will allow so many children to experience live orchestral music,” said Symphony Executive Director Dr. Anne Viricel. “The letters we received from students following their concert experience were truly priceless and serve as a testament to the real value of this incredibly generous donation.” The following evening, Feb. 6, the full concert will be presented to the community. As with all 2015/16 season subscription concerts, those listed will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the historic California Theatre, 562 W. 4th Street, San Bernardino. Tickets, which begin at just $10 for students, may be purchased by calling 909-381-5388 or visiting the Symphony office at 198 N. Arrowhead Ave., San Bernardino. General admission tickets and season tickets are also available on line at www.sanbernardinosymphony.org with limited availability at the theater box office the evening of each event.