San Francisco Chamber Orchestra Begins Season at the end of this Month

This month will conclude with the first San Francisco performance of the 2016–2017 Main Stage Concerts series of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra (SFCO). As had been previously announced, the 63rd season will begin with the world premiere of a concerto for jazz violin and orchestra commissioned by SFCO. The composer is jazz violinist Evan Price, and he wrote the piece explicitly for the technical capabilities of a violinist accustomed to playing jazz. As might be guessed, Price, who is a ten-year veteran of the Turtle Island String Quartet, knows exactly what those capabilities are, because he commands them; and he will be the concerto soloist for the premiere performance. The second half of the program will be devoted to the orchestral suite that Igor Stravinsky compiled from the score he composed for the 1920 ballet “Pulcinella.” Stravinsky thought he was appropriating music by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi when he composed this score; but scholars later discovered that many of the pieces attributed to Pergolesi were the work of others and were actually composed after Pergolesi's early death at the age of 26. As a result, SFCO Music Director Benjamin Simon decided to complement the Stravinsky suite with a G major concerto for string orchestra that (presumably) Pergolesi actually did compose!

As was also previously announced, there is no admission charge for all SFCO Main Stage Concerts. Supporting members receive priority seating and priority entrance 60 minutes before concert time. They are admitted upon presentation of their membership cards. General seating begins 45 minutes before concert time. The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Herbst Theatre, which is located at 401 Van Ness Avenue on the northwest corner of McAllister Street.