ALLSTARS@HOME
MUSIC+CONVERSATION with MAESTRO MITCHELL SARDOU KLEIN
ENCORE PRESENTATIONS:
Christopher Costanza, cello
Christopher Costanza, cello
June 22 at 8pm Live on YouTube
Join Maestro Klein in a program of music and conversation with critically acclaimed cellist Christopher Costanza of the St. Lawrence String Quartet. Mr. Costanza has enjoyed an exciting and varied career as soloist, chamber musician, and teacher, most notably at Stanford University, where the quartet is an Ensemble in Residence. Enjoy solo and chamber music from a variety of composers including Bach, Prokofiev, and Debussy.
Russell Hancock, piano
Russell Hancock, piano
(STREAMED LIVE ON MAY 25)
Join us for a riveting Music+Conversation program featuring a beloved prior soloist from the Peninsula Symphony roster - Russell Hancock, pianist of the Saint Michael Trio. Russell has appeared as concert soloist with orchestras across the United States, and is a major civic leader as the CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley, an influential group of business and government leaders tackling regional problems. This program will feature music from Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Manuel de Falla, Haydn, Rachmaninoff and Sondheim.
This program is sponsored by Sheri and Michael Frumkin.
Gabrielle Després, violin
James Baik, cello
Irving M. Klein International String Competition Winners
(STREAMED LIVE ON MAY 11)
Join Maestro Mitchell Sardou Klein in PSO AllStars@Home Music+Conversation with two recent winners of the Irving M. Klein International String Competition - Gabrielle Després (2020, violin) and James Baik (2019, cello). These impressive rising stars will treat audiences to the virtuosic playing of music by Brahms, Schubert, Cassado and Ysaÿe and will shed light on current musical pursuits and future plans as they navigate budding careers in a post-pandemic world.
PROGRAM SPONSOR:
Anonymous, In memory of Mary Ann Whaley
This program was generously sponsored in part by Applied Materials.
Soyeon Kate Lee, piano
Soyeon Kate Lee
(STREAMED LIVE ON April 13, 2021)
The stellar pianist, Soyeon Kate Lee, performs music of Debussy and Bach (in Busoni’s celebrated transcription) in a concert/conversation with Maestro Klein, streaming on April 13 at 8pm. Peninsula Symphony audiences will remember her from her sensational performance of the Rachmaninoff Second Piano Concerto a few years back. Soyeon was the first prize winner of the 2010 Naumburg Piano Competition; she is a popular Naxos recording artist; and she is also a member of the faculty of the Cincinnati College/Conservatory of Music.
Program sponsor: Anonymous, in Memory of Avery Chambers
WATCH NOW>>>
Ben Hoang, piano
Ryan Sheng, piano
Ajay Mallya, violin
PSO Youth Competition Winners
(STREAMED LIVE ON March 30, 2021)
Join us as we welcome three of our youth competition winners - Ben Hoang, Ajay Mallya and Ryan Sheng - in a program that celebrates the recent first prize performances from our 2020 and 2021 Marilyn Mindell Piano Competition and Young Musicians' Competition. These up and coming all stars are on the forefront of the classical music world, and will perform live for our audiences as they share current and recent highlights of their budding careers - including appearances on From the Top, nationally recognized solo and chamber music festivals and local charitable activities that build a thriving music scene for disadvantaged music students. Enjoy music by these brilliant young artists composed by Chopin, Bach, Paganini, Beethoven, and Liszt.
This concert is generously sponsored by the Hoang family, the Sheng family, and an anonymous sponsor in honor of Ms. Zhao Wei of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Orion Weiss, piano
Orion Weiss, piano
(STREAMED LIVE ON MARCH 16, 2021)
The fabulous pianist, Orion Weiss, whose performance of the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 with the Peninsula Symphony had to be postponed, joins Music Director Mitchell Sardou Klein in concert/conversation live stream. You’ll hear superb performances of piano works of Chopin, Debussy, Scarlatti, Martinu, and Granados, along with Orion’s insights about composers, performing and the joys of sharing music with colleagues and audiences. This program is sponsored by Alan Kalman.
To learn more about Orion, ENTER>>>
This program was generously sponsored in part by Applied Materials.
Greg Chambers, Saxophonist
Greg Chambers, saxophonist & educator
(STREAMED LIVE ON March 2, 2021)
In this program, PSO saxophonist and local music educator Greg Chambers shares a close-up look into his classical training, his current thriving career as a contemporary jazz artist, and his inspiring role as a local music educator. You'll hear some of his most recent upbeat smooth jazz videos and observe what his school music program is achieving. Greg shares live performances and discussions of the virtual collaboration landscape of modern day songwriting, and fills us in on how he has navigated teaching middle school and high school band virtually during the Covid-19 pandemic.
This program is sponsored by John Givens.
Daniel Thomas, Executive Director of 42nd Street Moon
42nd Street Moon
(Streamed Live on FEBRUARY 16, 2021)
Executive Director Daniel Thomas of the San Francisco-based theater company 42nd Street Moon joins Maestro Mitchell Sardou Klein in a lively program about music of Broadway, with conversation, musical clips, and reminiscences of collaborations past in this PSO AllStars@Home program. Don't miss never-before seen footage from past Peninsula Symphony/42nd St Moon joint productions Brigadoon and South Pacific - fan favorites from our recent shared history. We will also see some of 42nd Street Moon's virtual offerings, including standards from Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, The Wizard of Oz and more.
This program is sponsored by the Peter & Paula Uccelli Foundation in memory of Pete Uccelli.
La Poverta
(STREAMED LIVE ON FEBRUARY 2, 2021)
In 2007 we were part of an auspicious event to celebrate the inauguration of the Stanford University Center on Poverty and Inequality. Music became the centerpiece of this Concert for Hope, and our partnership with the Elfenworks Foundation led to commissioning Stanford University composer Giancarlo Aquilanti to write a major work with text from Mother Theresa and Deuteronomy, La Poverta. This live stream program brings the leaders of this concert together again to recall that event and listen to a variety of Giancarlo’s music as well as the iconic Gospel music that completed the program. This program will stream live on PSO’s YouTube Channel on Tuesday, February 2 at 8PM.
This program is sponsored by The Elfenworks Foundation, Karen Alden, Juliet Hamak, and Teri Quick
WATCH NOW >>>
Emi Ferguson
Emi Ferguson, flute
(STREAMED LIVE ON JAN 19, 2021)
The amazing flutist and composer, Emi Ferguson, plays music of Bach, Debussy, John Williams and more in this Music+Conversation with Maestro Klein about the history and technique of flutes. She performs here on ancient, Baroque and modern flutes. A riveting performer and advocate for all things flute, Emi Ferguson is an engaging and versatile virtuoso. Her performances with Yo-Yo Ma, Paul Simon and James Taylor have garnered national attention, and she was soloist/composer with the Peninsula Symphony last season.
This program is sponsored by Audie and Susan Chang.
WATCH NOW>>>
Tessa Lark
Michael Thurber
Tessa Lark & Michael Thurber
Holiday Special
(StreamED Live on December 22, 2020)
It's no wonder that the videos of Tessa Lark and Michael Thurber have been so popular nationally. Their high energy duos are fun, brilliantly played, and meld bluegrass, Bach, jazz and their own special joy.
This program is sponsored by the Peter & Paula Uccelli Foundation in memory of Pete Uccelli.
This program was generously sponsored in part by Applied Materials.
Solomon Ge
Hoh Chen
Heidi Hau
Marilyn Mindell Competition
(Streamed Live on DECEMBER 8, 2020)
PSO AllStars@Home: Music+Conversation with Maestro Mitchell Sardou Klein. The Peninsula Symphony's educational outreach continues through this time, including the Marilyn Mindell Piano Competition, which will be conducted virtually this winter. In this live stream PSO AllStars@Home event, you will hear Solomon Ge (Mindell 2019 First Prize winner) play Bach and Competition Artistic Director Heidi Hau play Chopin These two outstanding pianists also discuss the history and the excitement of discovering supremely gifted young Bay Area pianists with Assistant Conductor Hoh Chen and Music Director Mitchell Sardou Klein.
This program is sponsored by Sheri & Michael Frumkin
in honor of Maestro Mitchell Sardou Klein
WATCH NOW>>>
Jon Nakamatsu, Piano
Jon Nakamatsu, piano
(STREAMED LIVE ON NOVEMBER 24, 2020)
PSO AllStars@Home: Music+Conversation with Maestro Mitchell Sardou Klein. Van Cliburn Competition winner and Bay Area legend Jon Nakamatsu plays piano masterworks of Schubert and Chopin in this performance/conversation with Maestro Klein, including discussions of how competitions affect performing careers and remembrances of concert tours together.
Dedication of this program is to Mary Gundelach | Sponsored by Meiying Forney & Steve Shatas and Mary Gundelach (The Charles M. Gundelach Memorial Fund)
This program was generously sponsored in part by Applied Materials.
Brian Holmes, French Horn
Brian Holmes, French Horn
(Streamed Live on NOVEMBER 10, 2020)
This PSO AllStars@Home Music+Conversation program with Maestro Klein features PSO composer and horn player Brian Holmes. Brian Holmes’ many talents as horn player, physics professor, and composer are the focus of this program, with musical excerpts from Mozart’s 3rd Horn Concerto, and explorations of natural horns, conch shells, trumpets, bugles, alp horns, garden hoses, and other fascinating examples of how music gets created.
WATCH NOW >>>
Joyce Yang, piano
Joyce Yang, piano
(STREAMED LIVE ON OCTOBER 20, 2020)
Join pianist Joyce Yang and Maestro Mitchell Sardou Klein for this special PSO AllStars@Home program. Joyce Yang plays music of Rachmaninoff, Bach and Grieg. Joyce and Maestro Klein will discuss the musical creative life that has filled the void over the last months, along with personal reflections on these composers and their music. Joyce Yang is as charming and engaging in person as she is on stage - don't miss this Music+Conversation on October 20 at 8PM streaming on YouTube.
Sponsored by Alan and Spike Russell.
Daniel Cher, violin/accordion
Daniel Cher, violin/accordion
(STREAMED LIVE ON October 6, 2020)
Join Peninsula Symphony Music Director and Conductor Mitchell Sardou Klein and PSO musician Daniel Cher for another PSO AllStars@Home program. Daniel Cher is a multi-talented musician/MD. When not overseeing complex trials of pioneering medical equipment, he’s a gifted violinist, accordionist, and audio/video engineer. We take a fun tour through Danny’s COVID-era musical output, with stops at Bach, Jobim, Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Khachaturian.
Niv Ashkenazi, violin
Avshalom Weinstein, violin-maker / Co-founder, Violins of Hope
Violins of Hope
(streamed LIVE on September 22, 2020)
Enjoy this special online presentation of Music+Conversation with Violinist Niv Ashkenazi, violin-maker and co-founder of Violins of Hope Avshalom Weinstein, and Maestro Mitchell Sardou Klein. Violins of Hope is a project of concerts based on a private collection of Violins, violas and cellos, assembled since the end of World War II. All instruments belonged to Jews before and during the war. Many were donated by or bought from survivors; some arrived through family members and many simply carry Stars of David as a decoration and an identity tag declaring: we were played by proud klezmers. Niv Ashkenazi will be performing on one of the Violins of Hope instrument, a beautifully decorated klezmer violin. He is the only musician in North America to have one on long-term loan.
Learn more about Niv Ashkenazi HERE
This program is sponsored by Roy & Katherine Bukstein, Michael & Sheri Frumkin, Norman & Sandy Koo, Eli & Jeanette Reinhard, and Jerry & Ellen Saliman.
WATCH NOW>>>
This program was generously sponsored in part by Applied Materials.
Debra Fong, Concertmaster
Matt Germano, Principal Percussion
PSO Concertmaster Debra Fong and
Principal percussionist Matt Germano
(Streamed LIVE on September 8, 2020)
PSO AllStars@Home for Tuesday, September 8 features Peninsula Symphony Concertmaster Debra Fong in a music+conversation about Bach's miraculous works for unaccompanied violin, and a discussion-demonstration about the remarkable range of percussion instruments in the orchestral literature with Principal Percussionist Matt Germano.
Conrad Tao, piano
(Streamed live on August 25, 2020)
International star pianist Conrad Tao kicks off PSO AllStars@Home virtual season in an unprecedented year of global pandemic and uncertainties. Developed and hosted by Music Director and Conductor Mitchell Sardou Klein, the Music+Conversation program includes lively discussions and extraordinary performances by guests artists and PSO musicians.
Find out why the New York Magazine calls Conrad “the kind of musician who is shaping the future of classical music.”