Having written about plans for the different San Francisco Performances (SFP) program series, it is now time to shift attention to monthly accounts of the events. Last year October was a busy month, alternating between Herbst Theatre and St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. This year there will be only four events, all of which will take place in Herbst (which, as most readers probably know by now, is located in the heart of the Civic Center at 401 Van Ness Avenue on the southwest corner of McAllister Street). Hyperlinks will lead to further details, including information about purchasing tickets. The specific events are as follows:
Thursday, October 8, 7:30 p.m.: The month will begin with the first Chamber Music Series recital. This will be the return of the Brooklyn Rider string quartet, which last performed for SFP in March of 2022. The musicians are violinists Johnny Gandelsman and Colin Jacobson, Nicholas Cords on viola, and cellist Michael Nicolas. Their repertoire favors the contemporary; but they will begin with the fifth of Joseph Haydn’s six Sun Quartets, his Opus 20, this one in the key of F minor. The other “numbered” string quartet on the program will be Don Byron’s third. These will be separated by Angélica Negrón’s “Our Children Speak English and Spanish.” Byron’s quartet will be followed by “We Are Working Tirelessly For A Ceasefire” by Ted Hearne. The program will conclude with Jacobsen’s arrangements of one of the best-known songs by Bob Dylan, “The Times They Are A-Changin’.”
Thursday, October 22, 7:30 p.m.: The next recital will begin the Art of Song Series. Tenor Nicholas Phan will present a program entitled Fellow Citizens. His intention is to reflect on two enduring narratives in American history: one that asserts America is for Americans, and another that celebrates the country as a “Nation of Immigrants.” In the last century, Irving Berlin was about as American as a composer could get; and in Phan’s program he will rub shoulders with Franz Schubert to reflect on European influences. The program will also include a new work by Shawn Okpebholo. Phan will be accompanied at the piano by Myra Huang.
Saturday, October 24, 7:30 p.m.: The SFP Guitar Series will begin with the SFP debut of guitarist Berta Rojas. This will be a somewhat unconventional duo performance, since her accompanist will be clarinetist Paquito D’Rivera. As might be guessed, much of the program will involve arrangements, most of which will be by Mauricio Cardozo Ocampo, who also partnered with Néstor Zavarce for the penultimate selection, “Chogui—Galopera.” The program will conclude with Ocampo’s arrangement of one of D’Rivera’s compositions, “Contradanza.”
Jean-Guihen Queyras and Alexandre Tharaud (from the SFP Web page for this season’s Gala)
Thursday, October 29, 7 p.m.: The month will conclude with the annual Gala Performance for the 47th season. Cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras will be accompanied at the piano by Alexandre Tharaud. The program will be as diverse as it is imaginative. The earliest composer on the program will be Marin Marais with selections from the second of the five books of Pièces de viole. The most recent selection will be the first and fifth movements from the sonata for cello and piano, composed in the key of C major by Benjamin Britten.
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