Bay Area Rainbow Symphony Announces 2016–17 Season

This is very close to the last minute; but the 2016–17 season of the Bay Area Rainbow Symphony (BARS) begins this weekend. For those not yet familiar with the ensemble, it was “born” on October 21, 2007 when five Bay Area musicians met “to form a new type of LGBTQ [Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transsexual Queer] ensemble;” and the group’s name was decided at that meeting. The first concert was presented under the auspices of the Old First Concerts series on June 8, 2008 after three months of rehearsing for which Old First Presbyterian Church provided space. BARS now uses a rainbow icon on their concert announcements to identify LGBTQ composers and performing artists.

There will be four concerts in the 2016–17 season, three of which will be conducted by Music Director Dawn Harms. All performances will take place on Saturday evenings at 8 p.m.; but the season will be a “movable feast” involving three different venues. Not all programming has been finalized. However, here is the information that is currently available:

September 3, San Francisco Conservatory of Music

Camille Saint-Saëns, first cello concerto (Opus 33 in A minor) with soloist Emil Miland

Edward Elgar, Sea Pictures, with mezzo soloist Jill Grove

Johannes Brahms, fourth symphony (Opus 98 in E minor)

November 5, Everett Middle School

Alasdair Neale, guest conductor

Benjamin Britten, the four Sea Interludes (Opus 33a) from the opera Peter Grimes (Opus 33)

Aaron Copland, clarinet concerto with soloist Stephen Zielinski

Samuel Barber, Medea

March 11, Herbst Theatre

Louise Farrenc, Overture in E-flat major (Opus 24)

Serge Koussevitzky, bass concerto in F-sharp minor (Opus 3) with soloist Gary Karr

Niccolò Paganini, Moses Fantasy

Jean Sibelius, sixth symphony (Opus 104 in D minor)

June 17, San Francisco Conservatory of Music

Melody Moore, soprano, to be featured in all selections but the last

Samuel Barber, Knoxville: Summer of 1915

Carlisle Floyd, Ain’t It A Pretty Night from the opera Susannah

Morten Lauridsen, O Magnum Mysterium

Laura Karpman, Siren Songs

Maurice Ravel, Bolero

Prices for single tickets range between $10 and $35. Single tickets for all performances except for the one on March 11 are currently available through a single Tix event page on the BARS Web site. Those who purchase all three tickets at the same price tier will receive a 20% discount and a waiver of all service fees. The concert at Herbst Theatre will be handled by City Box Office, and the event page has not yet been created.