Livermore-Amador Symphony Kicks Off 2006-2007 Season on December 2

By Hacienda Network Staff Writer

Few community symphony orchestras can match the quality and longevity of the Livermore-Amador Symphony, which was founded in 1963 and has been led by musical director Dr. Arthur Barnes since 1964. Their 2006-2007 season, which will feature four concerts in addition to a full-length production of The Nutcracker performed in conjunction with Valley Dance Theater, kicks off in December.

The first concert of the season will feature Mozart's Symphony No. 40, Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 with guest trumpet soloist James Tinsley (a faculty member of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto), and works by Shostakovich, Ippolitov-Ivanov, and Sowerby.

Next on the schedule is their annual run of performances of the Nutcracker with the Valley Dance Theater. This full-length production takes place at the Livermore High School Theater, 600 Maple Street in Livermore, and will be performed at 2:00 and 7:00 pm on December 16 at 2:00 pm; on December 17, with a special Sugar Plum Tea at 5:00 following the performance; and at 7:00 pm on December 19 and December 22. Ticket information for these special joint concerts is available at (925) 243-0927.

The symphony takes to the stage at the Amador Theater, 1155 Santa Rita Road, for their February 3 concert. The featured work tonight will be Michael Daugherty's Hell's Angels for bassoon quartet and orchestra, a musical tale where the bassoons of soloists Amy Duxbury, Gail Selburn, Sarah Smith, and Jennifer Wolfeld will become Harley Davidsons. Other pieces on the menu include Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld, Liszt's Mephisto Waltz No. 1, and Wagner's "Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla" from Das Rheingold.

On March 24, the symphony celebrates a belated St. Patrick's Day with Vaughn Williams' Fantasia on "Greensleeves." Guest soprano Tiffany Cromartie will be on hand to sing Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915; the program also includes Weber's Symphony No. 2 and Grofe's Grand Canyon Suite.

The symphony's season concludes on May 12 with a program of listener favorites. Vivaldi's "Summer," from The Four Seasons, will feature symphony concertmaster Sally Dalke on violin. Schubert's "Unfinished" Symphony No. 8, Strauss's Emperor Waltz, and Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky and Ravel complete the program.

Except as noted above, the symphony's performances will take place at 8:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church, 4th and L streets in Livermore. This will be the symphony's last year performing at the church because they expect to move into the new Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center, currently under construction in downtown Livermore.

Tickets for individual Livermore-Amador Symphony performances are available by calling (925) 373-6824. Subscriptions are also available at the same number; information may be found at the symphony's web site at www.livamsymph.org.

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