Friday through Sunday, February 22 through 24, the stupendous strings of the Chamber Orchestra bring to life both old and new, assisted by guitar virtuoso Ben Pila and concertmaster Robin Sharp. This performance is free of admission thanks to gracious donations, grants, and a volunteer membership program. Starting 30 minutes prior to the first notes, Maestro Simon will present a short talk, during which he will provide helpful insights on each masterpiece performed.

The performance begins on a Baroque note as the ensemble illuminates a suite of dances by the master composer J.S. Bach, entitled Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067. The piece is followed by a new work written by Iowa-native and Julliard-graduate Michael Gilbertson, Concerto for Guitar and String Orchestra. The Concerto features rising young guitarist Ben Pila, and it is both an SFCO commission and world premiere. Gilbertson’s music has earned four Morton Gould Awards from ASCAP, a Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the 2007-2008 Palmer-Dixon Prize, awarded by the Juilliard composition faculty for the best student work of the year.

Gilbertson’s mentor at the Julliard school, Pulitzer Prize-winner John Corigliano, fashioned the next piece on the lively program: Voyage for Solo Violin and String Orchestra, featuring SFCO concertmaster Robin Sharp, who is a full-time lecturer in violin at Stanford University.Voyage (premiered in 1976) is an instrumental version of a 1971 a cappella choral work also written by Corigliano. Closing out the concert program is the ever-popular Holberg Suite by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg.

Friday, February 22, 2013 – Concert begins at 8:00 p.m.
Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco

Saturday, February 23, 2013 – Concert begins at 8:00 p.m.
First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto

Sunday, February 24, 2013 – Concert begins at 3:00 p.m.
First Congregational Church, 2345 Channing Way, Berkeley

Renowned for its brilliant programming and top-quality musicians, the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra is drawing capacity crowds and national attention for its unique admission-free policy. Committed to cultivating new audiences for classical music, the SFCO has earned its place among the best Bay Area ensembles. The Orchestra performs four Main Stage Concert programs each season, plus a wide variety of educational outreach programs, including three Family Concert programs and two Very First Concert programs for their youngest listeners.

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