The Redlands Symphony opens its 70th Anniversary Season on Saturday, November 16, 2019 with the world premiere of Sean Friar’s Emerald Oasis, a fanfare, commissioned by the Symphony and inspired by the composer’s impressions of Redlands, California. The Symphony performs in Memorial Chapel on the campus of the University of Redlands. Doors open at 7 PM and the concert begins at 8 PM. There is a pre-concert talk that begins at 7:15 PM.
“Every time I drive to or by Redlands,” Friar explains, “I’m struck by the unexpected and generous beauty that seems to suddenly leap out of the landscape. In fact, growing up in neighboring Los Angeles, I would sometimes drive by Redlands on family trips and remember myself wondering “what is that place?” long before I ever actually visited. Even from a distance, it’s enchanting and intriguing.”
Friar’s composition is underwritten by a generous gift from Marilyn Solter and Family.
“My late husband, John, loved Redlands,” Solter says, “He lived here for more than 50 years. John was a devoted teacher and made learning come alive in his classroom. John was also a music lover; all types of music from Johnny Cash to opera. Sponsoring this fanfare honoring Redlands seems like the perfect way to pay tribute to his memory and is done with love.”
”The orchestra and I are very excited to be performing the premiere of this wonderful new composition by Sean Friar,” says Maestro Ransom Wilson, the orchestra’s Music Director and Conductor, “Commissioning this piece to honor the orchestra’s 70th Anniversary is monumental. Orchestra’s our size simply don’t take on a project like this. The Redlands Symphony is changing that.”
The November 16th concert is An Evening of Firsts and begins with Emerald Oasis by Sean Friar. The concert program will also include BEETHOVEN’S Symphony No. 1 in C major and Symphony No. 1, “Titan” by Mahler. The November concert is sponsored in part by a generous gift from Betsy and Bob Heinze.
Sean Friar was born and raised in Los Angeles. He studied Music Composition and Psychology at UCLA where he graduated in 2007. He continued his studies at Princeton University, where he received an M.F.A. and Ph.D. in Composition. His primary teachers were Paul Chihara, Paul Lansky, Steven Mackey, and Dmitri Tymoczko.
Mr. Friar writes visceral, exploratory, and often humorous music that Slate Magazine called” refreshingly new and solidly mature…and doesn’t take on airs, but instead takes joy in the process of discovery – in the continual experience of suspense and surprise – that good classical music has always championed.”
Friar has been commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Ensemble Modern, New World Symphony, Alarm Will Sound, American Composers Orchestra, NOW Ensemble, the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, Present Music, and the Scharoun Ensemble of the Berlin Philharmonic. Other performers of his music include So Percussion, Ensemble Klang, Crash Ensemble, Psappha New Music Ensemble, Alter Ego (Musikensemble), Ensemble Argento, and many others.
Friar is the recipient of the 2011 Rome Prize in Music Composition. He is on the Music Composition faculty at the USC Thornton School of Music.
Six-concert subscriptions for the season are still available and start at $81 or pick your favorite four concerts with a Pick-4 subscription starting at $61.20. Single tickets start at just $18. Symphony Select cards, which provide six seats to be used in any combination throughout the season based on availability at the time of redemption, are $172. Details about season subscriptions and single tickets are available at www.redlandssymphony.com or by calling the box office at 909-587-5565. Tickets may also be purchased at the box office on the night of the concert.