California Symphony Announces 'Novacek Plays Rach 3,' 3/4

Contra Costa County's only professional orchestra, California Symphony, presents its spring concert Novacek Plays Rach 3, featuring guest conductor Alastair Willis, whowill conduct a program including Ruslan und Ludmilla Overture by Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka, Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra,and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 featuring internationally renowned pianist John Novacek.  Novacek Plays Rach 3will take place at 4pm Sunday, March 4, 2012 at the Lesher Center for the Arts (1601 Civic Center Drive, Walnut Creek). Tickets ($39-$69) can be purchased by calling the Lesher Center ticket office at 925-943-7469 or by visiting www.californiasymphony.org.

A frequent guest conductor for the San Francisco Symphony, Alastair Willis has conducted for most of the major symphonies in America, as well as important companies throughout Europe and South America. In May 2002, Yo-Yo Ma personally asked Maestro Willis to conduct several performances of his Silk Road Project residency presented by the Seattle Symphony and has since re-invited him to be a regular conductor for him and this project all over the world.

Deemed a "commanding presence" by the Los Angeles Times, Pianist John Novacek regularly tours the Americas, Europe, and Asia as solo recitalist, chamber musician and concerto soloist.  As a soloist, he has presented over thirty concerti with dozens of orchestras. He has performed at New York City's Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Symphony Space, Washington's Kennedy Center, Boston's Symphony Hall, Chicago's Symphony Center, and Los Angeles' Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Hollywood Bowl and Royce Hall, while international venues include Paris' Theatre des Champs-Elysées, Salle Gaveau, and Musée du Louvre, London's Wigmore Hall and Barbican Centre, and many others.

California Symphony's 25^th anniversary season concludes with Lara St. John and Beethoven's Ninth May 4, 5, and 6. All concerts will be held at The Lesher Center for the Arts at 1601 Civic Center Drive, Walnut Creek.  Single tickets ($20 student to $69) are on sale now. For additional information call California Symphony at 925-280-2490 or visitwww.californiasymphony.org.

San Francisco / Bay Area Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. URINETOWN (Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble)

16.7% of votes

2. THE DAY THE SKY TURNED ORANGE (San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company / Z Space)

8.6% of votes

3. SWEENEY TODD (Cabrillo Stage)

8.4% of votes

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