Saturday, September 26, 2026, 3:00 p.m.
Golden Bears Theater | Temecula Valley High School

Today’s Program

Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981)
Shift, Change, Turn for Chamber Orchestra (2019)

George Gershwin (1898 – 1937), orchestrated by Tim Berens
Rhapsody in Blue

Ines Irawati, piano soloist

INTERMISSION

Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904), arr. Iain Farrington
Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”

I. Adagio – Allegro molto
II. Largo
III. Scherzo. Molto vivace
IV. Finale. Allegro con fuoco

This concert is supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts 

About Our Artistic Director and Conductor

Members of the California Chamber Orchestra

California Chamber Orchestra musicians in this concert are members of The American Federation of Musicians, Local 325

Program Notes

Our opening piece on tonight’s program is by GRAMMY Award-winning composer, violinist and educator Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981). Named Composer of the Year by Musical America in 2023, Montgomery is among the most celebrated contemporary American composers of our time. Her piece, Shift, Change Turn (2019) was commissioned by the Orpheus and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestras. She writes about the piece, “Inspired by Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons, Shift, Change, Turn is my opportunity to contribute to the tradition of writing a piece based on the seasons, as change and rotation is something that we all experience as humans. This piece is a musical exploration of both the external and internal seasons, which at times seem to be changing along the same axis.”

Speaking of time, George Gershwin (1898-1937) did not have much time to write Rhapsody in Blue in 1924. Just five weeks before the premiere, George’s brother Ira read a newspaper article announcing that George was due to debut a new piano concerto on a concert of new American music. This was a surprise to George. The concert’s organizer, bandleader Paul Whiteman, had not gotten George’s confirmation before the announcement was printed. Somehow Whiteman persuaded George to finish the piece in time for the concert. Gershwin first wrote a two-piano score, and Whiteman’s arranger Ferde Grofé arranged the music for jazz band.

Influenced by the growing American jazz trend, Gershwin and Grofé infused jazz flavor everywhere in this new piece. From the iconic clarinet glissando at the start to the punchy orchestral rhythms and improvisatory solo piano, Gershwin created a musical kaleidoscope of urban America.

Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue premiered on February 12, 1924 at Aeolian Hall in New York City. The audience at the premiere was entranced, and Gershwin became an overnight jazz-classical crossover sensation. We are delighted to welcome pianist Ines Irawati as soloist for this iconic American work.

Composers began building an American sound decades before Gershwin, as is evidenced in Antonín Dvořák’s (1841-1904) Symphony No. 9, “From the New World. Dvořák, a Czech composer by birth, was a well-known artist in Europe before becoming the Director of the National Conservatory of Music of America in New York City in 1892. During his few years in the United States, Dvořák wrote two of his most well-known works: his cello concerto and the Symphony No. 9 which was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic and premiered on December 16, 1893 at Carnegie Hall.

In his 4-movement symphony, Dvorak used American folk tunes and style to build the basic structure of his traditional orchestral work. Like other composers before him (for example, Tchaikovsky, who frequently included Russian and Ukrainian folk tunes in his scores), Dvorak wanted to create a grand symphony based on American musical motifs.

In his famous essay, “Music in America,” he wrote: “Nothing must be too low or too insignificant for the musician. When he walks, he should listen to every whistling boy, every street singer or blind organ player. It is a sign of barrenness, indeed, when such characteristic bits of music are not heeded by the learned musicians of the age.”  Later he said African American spirituals’ “… beautiful and varied themes are the product of the soil; they are the folk songs of America.”

It was in this careful listening and inspiration that Dvorak crafted an old-world symphonic work with “new world” music. The symphony itself is in 4 movements. The first is slow-fast and includes a syncopated main theme and hints of folk tunes. The second movement, traditionally slow, makes the English horn the star with a beautiful theme reminiscent of a spiritual. The third movement, in a nod to Beethoven, is a quick scherzo-trio with a lilting countertheme that balances the jagged scherzo. And the finale, allegro con fuoco, brings the themes together from the entire work with a powerful and exciting ending.

— Dana Zimbric

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Society Sponsors

California Arts Council
Judy Call
National Endowment for the Arts
Prudhomme Associates, CPAs

Season Sponsors

Nicola Helm & Stephen Ryder
Mark Margolin

Concert Sponsors

Judy C. Leonard
Kathryn McCarty in memory of Richard A. Barr

Tasha Smith Godinez (1984-  )

Mulatta

Bernard Andres (1941-    )

Epices

• Muscade
• Vanille
• Pistache
• Safran
• Cannelle

Tasha Smith Godinez

El Amanecer (en el desierto de Baja California)

The First Garden

     – Intermission –

Andres Martin (1981-   )

Pasion

Armando “Chick” Corea (1941-2021)

Children’s Songs

• Song No. 1
• Song No. 3
• Song No. 6
• Song No. 16

Tasha Smith Godinez

Passion Flower

When the Word Began His Work

Armando “Chick” Corea

No Mystery

Walter S. Hartley (1927 – 2016)

Woodwind Quartet

1. Allegro giocoso
2. Andante mesto
3. Scherzando
4. Lento
5. Vivacissimo (Polka)

Frank Bridge (1879 – 1941)

Divertimenti

1. Prelude
2. Nocturne
3. Scherzetto
4. Bagatelle

Edith Piaf (1915 – 1963) & Luis Gugliemi (1916 – 1991)
Arr. by Rogel Junior

La Vie en rose

INTERMISSION

Karl Goepfart (1859 – 1942)

Quartet

1. Allegro risoluto
2. Scherzo
3. Fugue

Paul Simon (b. 1941)
Arr. by Steve Huber

Sound of Silence

David Gendelev 

Quartet on Russian Themes (composed 1944)

1. Allegro risoluto
2. Scherzo
3. Fugue

Passacaglia

J. S. Bach (1685 – 1750)

Suite No. 2 in D Minor

1. Prelude
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Minuet I & II
6. Gigue

INTERMISSION

Franghiz Ali-Zadeh (b. 1947)

Oyan!

Mark Summer (b. 1960)

Julie-O

Gaspar Cassado (1897 – 1966)

Sonata

1. Prelude – Fantasia
2. Sardana
3. Intermezzo e Danza Finale (Jota)

About Ruslan Biryukov

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Suite for Solo Cello No. 1 in G Major

1. Prelude
2. Sarabande
3. Gigue

Mark Summer (1958 – )

Julie-o

Andrea Casarrubios (1988 – )

Seven, A Song of Isolation

INTERMISSION

Benjamin Britten (1913 – 1976)

Suite for Solo Cello No. 3, Op. 87

1. Introduzione: Lento
2. Marcia: Allegro
3. Canto: Con Moto
4. Barcarolla: Lento
5. Dialogo: Allegretto
6. Fuga: Andante Espressivo
7. Recitativo: Fantastico
8. Moto Perpetuo: Presto
9. Passacaglia: Lento Solenne

Traditional (Catalan song arr. by Sophie Webber)

Song of the Birds

Dr. Sophie Webber, an internationally acclaimed cellist whose playing has been described as music in which “every note has meaning—rather as a look or a touch does” (Gramophone). A deeply expressive soloist and chamber musician, Sophie brings a rare combination of technical mastery, emotional depth, and intellectual curiosity to the stage.
Sophie’s artistry is shaped by a distinguished lineage and a wide-ranging career. She has released three critically praised albums, including Escape: Bach’s Six Suites for Solo Cello and Roots: Transcriptions of Romantic Works for Cello and Piano, and her interpretations of Bach, Romantic repertoire, and original reimaginings have been celebrated for their clarity, imagination, and soul. Trained at Trinity College of Music in London and holding a doctorate from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music—where she studied with legendary pedagogue János Starker—Sophie’s musicianship reflects both rigorous scholarship and a deeply human voice.
Beyond performance, Sophie is a passionate educator and arts activist, dedicated to amplifying voices too often left unheard through music. Her work has been featured on major classical radio stations across the U.S. and the U.K., and her teaching has shaped the next generation of cellists at leading institutions and through her innovative online platform, Dr. Sophie Cello Lab. www.sophiewebber.com

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)

Oboe Quartet KV 370

1. Allegro
2. Adagio
3. Rondeau: Allegro

Jiří Družecký (1745 – 1819)

1. Adagio – Allegro
2. Andante
3. Allegro

Ernest John Moeran (1894 – 1950)

Fantasy Quartet for Oboe and Strings

An Afternoon of Color, Character, and Chamber Music

Join the West Coast Wind Quintet for a vibrant and expressive program ranging from Classical elegance to contemporary storytelling. Featuring music by Reicha, Brandon, Coleman, Ibert, and Beach, this concert explores how five wind instruments can paint worlds — from lyrical landscapes to playful frogs and powerful dances of unity.

Quintuor in E-flat Major, Op. 88, No. 2………………. Antoine-Joseph Reicha (1770–1836)

Lento
Poco Andante grazioso
Finale – Allegretto

Five Frogs……………………………………………………………. Jenni Brandon (b. 1977)

Leaping
On the Lily Pond
Swimming
Bullfrog
Catching Bugs
Epilogue

Umoja……………………………………………………………… Valerie Coleman (b. 1970)

Intermission

Trois Pièces Brèves…………………………………………………. Jacques Ibert (1890–1962)

Allegro
Andante
Assez lent – Allegro scherzando

Pastorale for Wind Quintet, Op. 151………………………………. Amy Beach (1867–1944)

Petite Offrande Musicale……………………………………………… Nino Rota (1911–1979)

PROGRAM NOTES

 Antoine-Joseph Reicha — Quintuor in E-flat Major, Op. 88, No. 2

A close friend of Beethoven and one of the founders of modern chamber music for winds, Reicha wrote more than two dozen quintets that helped define the ensemble we know today. He treated each instrument as an equal conversational partner rather than simply accompanying voices.

The three movements performed today create a satisfying arc. The opening Lento introduces a noble, spacious tone, allowing each instrument to speak. The Poco Andante grazioso offers warmth and elegance, filled with lyrical exchanges. The Finale brings buoyant energy and playful interplay, showcasing Reicha’s gift for musical dialogue.

Jenni Brandon — Five Frogs

Five Frogs is a charming and imaginative suite inspired by the sights and sounds of a pond. Brandon uses the wide palette of the wind quintet to paint a series of miniature scenes. From the athletic jumps of Leaping to the shimmering stillness of On the Lily Pond, each movement captures a different frog personality. Deep croaks in Bullfrog, darting gestures in Catching Bugs, and the calm of the Epilogue create a vivid, almost cinematic portrait of nature brought to life through sound.

Valerie Coleman — Umoja

“Umoja” means “unity” in Swahili, and this piece celebrates collective strength and joy. Valerie Coleman blends classical technique with rhythmic and melodic influences from African and African-American musical traditions.  The music begins introspectively before growing into a powerful, dance-like affirmation. Driving rhythms, soaring melodies, and vibrant ensemble writing make Umoja one of the most frequently performed contemporary works for wind quintet.

Jacques Ibert — Trois Pièces Brèves

Ibert’s Trois Pièces Brèves is a gem of French neoclassicism. Each movement is compact, colorful, and full of wit.  The opening Allegro sparkles with light-hearted exchanges. The Andante offers warmth and lyricism, while the final movement begins mysteriously before bursting into playful, dancing energy. The work’s elegance and charm have made it a staple of the quintet repertoire.

Amy Beach — Pastorale, Op. 151

Amy Beach was one of the first American composers to achieve international acclaim. Her Pastorale is a gentle, flowing piece that evokes pastoral calm and lyrical beauty. Long melodic lines pass between the instruments, creating a feeling of quiet conversation and peaceful reflection. The music glows with warmth and tenderness, offering a moment of repose before the lively finale of the program.

Nino Rota — Petite Offrande Musicale

Known to many as a great film composer, Nino Rota was also a gifted writer of chamber music. Petite Offrande Musicale is playful, graceful, and full of melodic charm. With its light textures, elegant lines, and gentle humor, the piece provides a bright and cheerful conclusion to the concert — sending listeners out with a smile.

Archangelo Corelli

Christmas Concerto (excerpts)

Traditional/Tchaikovsky

Joy to the World/Trepak

Traditional

Wexford Carol/Go Tell It on the Mountain

Irving Berlin

White Christmas

Additional selection to be announced

INTERMISSION
Please join us in the Gallery for a glass of bubbly and a treat!

Walter Kent

I’ll Be Home for Christmas

Frank Loesser

What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve

Traditional

Auld Lang Syne

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Additional selection to be announced 

Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Sonata Op. 81a 1st movement

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
The Gate of Wine Prelude

 Intermission

 Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)
Nocturne Op. 48 No. 1

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
Sonata No. 2 2nd and 3rd movement

Beth Ross Buckley, flute; David Buckley, violin
Andrés Martin, double bass; Dana Burnett, piano

A powerful program of tango through time – a curated time-travel experience highlighting several famous traditional tango composers.

El Marne                              Eduardo Arolas (1892-1924)

Tanguera                             Mariano Mores (1918-2016)

Adiós Nonino                      Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)

Recuerdo                             Osvaldo Pugliese (1905-1995)

Brutal                                      Andrés Martín (b.1981)

INTERMISSION

Inspiración                           Enrique Mario Francini (1916-1978), Armando Pontier (1917-1983)

A don Agustin Bardi             Horacio Salgán (1916-2016)

Lifemakers                           Andrés Martín (b.1981)

1. A Don Humberto Gaspar
2. Like Water
3. Ding Dong Danger