Younis Raza

Exploring Bay Area orchestras—highlights and lean times Labor Day is fast upon us, and with it the beginning of a new season in the Bay Area’s lively music scene. To help sort concerts and halls we offer this small list of our superb orchestras. ...

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Around the world in two hours or less… Now in its tenth season, Music@Menlo offers a vigorous series of summer concerts, recitals and encounters in the South Bay, along with an educational program whose stars are beginning to make waves. Titled “Transported,” their third concert program, held July 27 at the new state of the art Performing Arts Theater at Menlo-Atherton, described music’s ability to take us on a journey to lands...

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The high art of low humor. Among numerous chamber recitals and offerings at this summer’s ambitious Music@Menlo Festival, the encounter session...

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Garnishing musical genius with culinary flavor. Napa Valley’s annual super-fest, the Festival del Sole, returned for its seventh season last week at wineries and halls throughout the valley. And, like the wines of the region, this music festival is reaching for sophistication in its maturity. Modeled on a sister-festival in the Italian countryside, Festival del Sole showcases not only great musical talent but also Valley charm, with local wineries...

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North Coast festival a musical potpourri One of California’s most varied summer music offerings is the Mendocino Music Festival, held for two weeks in the quaint town of Mendocino, an arts and culture magnet on the Northern California coastline. Founded 25 years ago by Allan Pollack, this festival reflects his own eclecticism, as he not only composes and conducts great works of the classical repertoire with the Festival Orchestra, but, as a sax player,...

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New festival springs up in the South Bay “A small idea runs through the works,” explained musicologist Danielle Sofer before the final concert of San Jose’s newest chamber music festival. Moving from podium to piano, she illustrated with motifs that developed simply and stepwise. And thus began a not-so-simple venture. Founded by a young and sophisticated duo, the Silicon Valley Music Festival just finished its 2012 inaugural season with a...

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Categories: music