Music News: March 15, 2011

Ming Luke to Lead BCCO

Ming Luke, associate conductor of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra and director of its music education program, has been named music director of the Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra. He succeeds Arlene Sagan, who retires this spring after leading the BCCO for 22 years.

Eileen Flanagan, BCCO board president, welcomed Luke by saying, "He has all the qualities we hoped to find — he's a gifted conductor, works well with amateur singers, and is deeply committed to bringing great choral music to the community."

As director of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra's Music in the Schools program, Luke has been responsible for expanding the Family Concert Series. In addition to being a vocal coach and solo pianist, Luke has been associate conductor for the Modesto Symphony and has guest conducted various organizations, including the Napa Valley Youth Symphony, the Sacramento Opera, and Opera San José.

Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra, founded in 1966, is a volunteer chorus of up to 200 singers that welcomes experienced singers and novices. The chorus performs choral masterworks, accompanied by orchestra and professional soloists. Recent programs have included Schubert's Mass No. 6 in E-flat Major, Dvořák’s Stabat Mater, and Orff's Carmina Burana.

Community School of Music and Arts Appointment

Moy Eng has been appointed executive director of Mountain View's Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA), a nonprofit provider of arts education programs since 1968, operating on a $4.3 million budget.

For several years, until 2009, Eng was performing arts program director at the William and Flora HewlettFoundation, developing initiatives in public funding for arts education.

Last year, she joined San Francisco Foundation as interim program officer for arts and culture. Previously, she served as director of development at the Alvin Alley Dance Theater Foundation in New York.

Eng’s selection as CSMA's 10th executive director comes after a seven-month search to find a successor to Jeffry Walker, who took up the post in 2007. Kathy Thibodeaux had served as interim executive director.

"Moy’s professional and personal life has been devoted to the arts and arts education," says Bob Reay, chair of CSMA Board of Directors. "Her wide-ranging leadership and fundraising experience, deep knowledge and understanding of the challenges facing arts education, and engaging personal style make her the ideal candidate to lead CSMA in the future."

OEBS Celebrates Persian New Year

As Michael Morgan's Oakland East Bay Symphony found out in 2008, there is a large, enthusiastic audience hereabouts for Persian music. The celebration of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, was a great hit then, and another success is expected from the celebration of the new year on March 18, two days before the calendar observation.

Besides Iran, the holiday is also observed in at least parts of Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Kosovo, and elsewhere.

The Paramount Theatre concert features the Beethoven Triple Concerto with Persian-American pianist Tara Kamangar, violinist Cyrus Beroukhim, and cellist Arash Amini.

There are works on the program by Omid Zoufonoun, Behzad Ranjbaran, and Ahmad Pejman, known for his film scores and popular music. Ranjbaran, whose works have been performed by artists such as Joshua Bell, Renée Fleming, and Yo-Yo Ma, offers "Seemorgh" from his Persian Trilogy, based on a story from the Shahnameh, or The Book of Kings.

Zoufonoun’s Manteq at-Tayr ("Language of the Birds") features the composer's brother, Amin Zoufonoun, on kamancheh, a traditional spike fiddle.

Stockton Symphony Resists 'Miserable' Label on City

When Forbes magazine called Stockton "America's most miserable city" again, Stockton Symphony Music Director Peter Jaffe faced the issue from the stage during a concert. He called the report wrong and invited New York publisher Steve Forbes to see for himself at the orchestra's April finale. Those concerts feature the music of Russia, but there is no comparing the quality of life in the two locations.

Jaffe, who has lived in Stockton for 16 years, told Forbes that "We won't be the most miserable experience you've ever had." He then introduced a baritone who performed Gershwin's "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin.'"

"It was on the program," Jaffe later explained, "and I couldn't resist."

California Symphony Season Finale

Walnut Creek's California Symphony is preparing to conclude its first season without a music director since the departure in September of Barry Jekowsky, the orchestra's leader for the past 24 years.

Under new Executive Director Walter Collins, a series of guest conductors led the concerts.

The final concert, on May 1, with Belgian conductor Ronald Zollman, features 16-year-old pianist Rieko Tsuchida and 12-year-old guitarist Roberto Granados.

The program: Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5.

Innovative Programming in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Chamber Players' March 19-20 concerts in Christ Lutheran Church, Aptos, are called "Music From Around the World, Musicians From Around the Corner." The program is Over the Sea: Music Inspired by the Oceans, by Takemitsu, Ravel, Özgen, and others.

Performers are Lars Johannesson, artistic director, flute, and alto flute; Amy Brodo, cello; Susan Bruckner, piano; Mesut Özgen, guitar; and Laura McShane, marimba.

Tōru Takemitsu’s Toward the Sea and Tsuneya Tanabe's Recollections of the Inland Sea address the theme directly. Özgen’s Mavi Yolculuk (Blue journey) and a work by Sarah Dubois are world premieres.