California Symphony, Classical KUSC, and KDFC Radio Join Forces To Present New Series

California Symphony and its music director, Donato Cabrera, are joining forces with the state's top Classical music stations, KUSC FM in Los Angeles and KDFC FM in San Francisco, to present a new, limited-run series. Each concert program on the radio series will showcase California Symphony's impact on the classical music canon through the talent nurtured in its nationally recognized Young American Composer-in-Residence program. By broadcasting past concerts featuring freshly inked works, the Symphony continues its mission to promote a range of classical music spanning centuries, with a special focus on American repertoire and works by living composers.

Hosted by Brian Lauritzen, the broadcasts will air in Los Angeles on KUSC's "SoCal Sunday Night" program, the station's weekly local concert spotlight, starting Sunday, September 13, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. The broadcasts will air in San Francisco on KDFC's "California Symphony Broadcast" program, the station's monthly spotlight on the Orchestra, starting Sunday, September 27, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. Check local listings at kusc.org and kdfc.com for more information.

Renowned among composers and conductors across the U.S., California Symphony's intensely competitive residency provides an emerging American composer with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to collaborate with Maestro Cabrera and California Symphony over three consecutive years to create, rehearse, premiere, and record three major orchestra compositions, one each season. Since the residency was established in 1991, nine talented American composers have completed the program: Katherine Balch (2017-20); Dan Visconti (2014-17); DJ Sparr (2011-14); Grammy award-winner Mason Bates (2007-10), Kevin Beavers (2003-05), Pierre Jalbert (1999-2002), Kevin Puts (1996-99) - winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Music, Christopher Theofanidis (1994-96), and Kamran Ince (1991-92). Seven former alumni have gone on to be awarded the Rome Prize, including Balch who was recently named a 2020 Rome Prize winner. The Symphony's current - and 10th - composer is Viet Cuong (2020-2023).

"California Symphony's Young American Composer in Residence program has always provided a platform of dreaming, without restriction, for our emerging composers," Cabrera explained. "These world premiere recordings of early works by our former composers in residence give a glimpse into the creative process to which few orchestras commit with as much zeal as the California Symphony. These concerts also feature repertoire spanning the entire scope of symphonic music, all brilliantly performed by my colleagues in the Orchestra. As someone who now resides in San Francisco, but whose Mexican American roots are in Los Angeles, it is with great pride that these performances will now be heard across the state."

California Symphony Executive Director Lisa Dell added, "The California Symphony's Young American Composer Residency is one of this organization's most remarkable and unique attributes and sharing these commissioned works with a wider audience is a top priority. Working together with KUSC and KDFC, whose missions align with ours, means we are also able to deliver on the promise inherent to our name."

"This new series with California Symphony fits our mission perfectly as we strive to nurture a love of classical music and inspire people to make it an enduring part of their lives. We're very excited to offer compelling experiences like this and welcome both new, and our loyal listeners across California to tune in." says Mark Steinmetz, USC Radio Group's Vice President of Content. "My team and I can't wait to bring California Symphony onto the airwaves."

EPISODE ONE - Original broadcast date: 5/4/2014

CONDUCTOR Donato Cabrera
GUEST ARTIST Ilya Yakushev, Piano
COMPOSER DJ Sparr (in residence: 2011-2014)

Sparr Dreams of the Old Believers (2014 commission)
Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini
Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade

EPISODE TWO - Original broadcast date: 5/3/2015

CONDUCTOR Donato Cabrera
GUEST ARTIST Adam Golka, Piano
COMPOSER Dan Visconti (2014-2017)

Visconti Breakdown (2015 commission)
Grieg Piano Concerto
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

EPISODE THREE - Original broadcast date: 9/18/2016

CONDUCTOR Donato Cabrera
GUEST ARTIST Annie Wu, Flute
COMPOSER Kevin Puts (1996-1999)

Puts Network (1997 commission)
Mozart Flute Concerto in G
Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27

EPISODE FOUR - Original broadcast date: 1/22/2017

CONDUCTOR Donato Cabrera
GUEST ARTIST Maria Radutu, Piano
COMPOSER Christopher Theofanidis (1994-1996)

Theofanidis Peace Love Light (2002 commission)
Mozart Piano Concerto K. 488
Beethoven Symphony No. 4

EPISODE FIVE - Original broadcast date: 5/7/2017

CONDUCTOR Donato Cabrera
GUEST ARTIST Inbal Segev, Cello
COMPOSER Dan Visconti (2014-2017)

Beethoven Coriolan Overture Op. 62
Visconti Tangle Eye, Concerto for Cello & Orchestra (2017 commission)
Bruckner Symphony No. 6

EPISODE SIX - Original broadcast date: 5/6/2018

CONDUCTOR Donato Cabrera
GUEST ARTIST Haochen Zhang, Piano
COMPOSER Katherine Balch (2017-2020)

Balch like a broken clock (2018 commission)
Sibelius Symphony No. 3
Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 830

EPISODE SEVEN - Original broadcast date: 5/5/2019

CONDUCTOR Donato Cabrera
GUEST ARTIST Robyn Bollinger, violin
COMPOSER Katherine Balch (2017-2020)

Balch Artifacts, Violin Concerto (2019 commission)
Bruckner Symphony No. 7

EPISODE EIGHT - Original broadcast date: 11/17/2019

CONDUCTOR Donato Cabrera
GUEST ARTIST Annie Wu, flute
COMPOSER Kevin Puts (1996-1999)

Mozart Symphony No. 1
Puts Flute Concerto (commissioned by Californians Joe & Bette Hirsch)
Haydn Symphony No. 104

Program extras will be available on California Symphony's website following each broadcast at californiasymphony.org.

Need more Los Angeles Theatre News in your life?
Sign up for all the news on the Spring season, discounts & more...