California Symphony Concludes Season With EPIC FINALE In Walnut Creek

California Symphony closes out its 2021-22 season with a spectacular Epic Finale, featuring a World Premiere by its newest Young American Composer-in-Residence Viet Cuong (2020-2023). Cuong's music explores the unexpected and whimsical, making surprising combinations and sounds feel enchanting and exceptionally satisfying.

This World Premiere marks Cuong's second commission of his three-year tenure with the Symphony, and will be his first live, in-person premiere since his first piece, Next Week's Trees, which premiered virtually in May 2021.

Also on the program is guest cellist Nathan Chan performing Edward Elgar's beloved Cello Concerto. Bay-Area native Chan has performed as a soloist with San Francisco Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic, Albany Symphony, Reno Philharmonic, and Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra, and is currently assistant principal cellist of Seattle Symphony. A child prodigy, at the age of three Chan made his debut as a conductor leading the San Jose Chamber Orchestra in a set of Mozart variations, despite not yet being able to read music. Chan began formal music lessons with cellist Irene Sharp at age five, and later studied with Sieun Lin at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Chan's history with California Symphony Music Director Donato Cabrera dates back nearly a decade, when Chan performed with the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra under Cabrera, who served as the ensemble's Wattis Foundation Music Director from 2009-2016.

The program rounds out with Tchaikovsky's epic symphony, Symphony No. 5. Using a recurring melody to represent the idea of fate, Symphony No. 5 transforms from dark and menacing in the first movement, to joyous and triumphant by the fourth and final movement - ending the evening on a high note.

Patrons must be fully vaccinated, and masks are required. For more information, please visit californiasymphony.org/COVIDsafety.

For more information or to purchase tickets, the public may visit CaliforniaSymphony.org or call the Lesher Center Ticket Office at (925) 943-7469 (open Wed - Sun, noon to 6pm).

San Francisco / Bay Area Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. URINETOWN (Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble)

17.4% of votes

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

8.3% of votes

3. SWEENEY TODD (Cabrillo Stage)

8.1% of votes

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