California Symphony Announces 21st Annual Ball: MOONLIGHT SWING

Contra Costa County's only professional orchestra, California Symphony, announces Moonlight Swing 2011, its 21st annual Ball and fundraiser. This glamorous affair returns to the beautiful Diablo Country Club and will once again feature the music of the California Symphony Big Band, dancing, fine cuisine, and live auction with a wide range of unique auction items generously donated by members and businesses in the community. This year's event will be hosted by guest Master of Ceremonies Dan Ashley, ABC7 News Anchor, and chosen Ball Honorees are esteemed Patrons of the Arts Jean and Russell Blomberg. The ball will be held at the Diablo Country Club, (1700 Clubhouse Road, Diablo). Tickets can be purchased by calling the California Symphony at 925-280-2490. All proceeds from the Symphony Ball go to support the Symphony's artistic and education programs.

This year's auction will include fabulous trips to Italy, New York, Napa Valley's Bardessono resort and more, with all funds supporting the Symphony's many outreach programs. The Symphony has been lauded for nurturing the careers of promising new soloists and composers, as well as providing acclaimed traditional orchestral performances, spotlighting new and recent American contributions to the symphonic repertoires, and developing and performing programs that attract and engage new audiences. "The need for our orchestra to remain a cultural beacon will become stronger in future decades" said Jean Blomberg. "The California Symphony is educating and entertaining its next generation of patrons, after 25 years of brilliant programs and taking music into the public school system."

Among the California Symphony's contributions to the cultural landscape is its Young Composer-in-Residence Program. Recognizing the importance of creating new American music, the California Symphony began the program in 1991, giving emerging American composers an opportunity to work with a professional orchestra in a three-year residency, during which the Symphony commissions and performs one of the composer's works each season. Said BMI Foundation President Ralph Jackson, "We know of no other orchestra anywhere in the world doing this type of groundbreaking work with young composers." Of the six composers who have participated in the California Symphony's YACR Program since its inception, the first three have each won the prestigious Rome Prize for Composition, and of these, two went on to win the BBC International Masterprize competition. The ‘94-‘96 resident composer, Christopher Theofanidis, is a now a Grammy-nominated and multiple award-winning composer, whose first full-length opera has been commissioned by the San Francisco Opera and premiered in September 2011.

The California Symphony also launched its lauded Music in Schools program in 1992, through which over 75,000 school children of diverse ages and backgrounds in Contra Costa County have learned about music and orchestral instruments in their classrooms, directly from the Symphony's musicians. The MIS program continues to serve over 4,000 children every year. Other community outreach programs include a free "Pops On the Plaza" concert, Instrument Petting Zoo, open rehearsals, low cost tickets for youth, and other programs which increase the public's accessibility to professional music.

This year's Symphony Ball will support Sound Minds, the California Symphony's much heralded expansion of its educational program. Modeled after El Sistema USA, this program will pilot during the second half of the 2011-12 academic year and serve 100 students at Edward M. Downer Elementary School in San Pablo, CA, where only 22% of third grade students are proficient in English Language Arts. CSO proposes to serve these students through intensive instrumental music instruction that will take place up to five days a week during after-school hours, and include an academic tutoring component. The California Symphony, in partnership with the Contra Costa County Office of Education and the West Contra Costa School District has already established the school partnership and begun laying the groundwork for curricular development, community partnerships, and program faculty selection.

The 2011-2012 California Symphony 25th season kicks off one week prior to the Moonlight Swing Ball on Sunday, October 16, at 4pm with a concert helmed by guest conductor Nicholas McGegan. The program will include Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 1, featuring acclaimed pianist Mark Anderson, and a work by California Symphony Young Composer in Residence D.J. Sparr. The season continues with concerts on January 22, March 4, and May 6. All concerts will be held at The Lesher Center for the Arts at 1601 Civic Center Drive, Walnut Creek. Subscriptions ($156 - $276) and Single Tickets ($20 Student to $69) are on sale now. For additional information call California Symphony at 925-280-2490 or visit www.californiasymphony.org.

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