David Bratman

Former S.F. Symphony principal David Herbert plays the devil out of a battery of kettledrums, backed by the impressive Symphony Silicon Valley.

After some distressing news for the organization, the show goes on at the Peninsula Symphony, in a joint concert with the Masterworks Chorale, directed by Bryan Baker.

Prominent pianist Jon Nakamatsu brings home to the South Bay his expressive takes on Schumann, Schubert, and Chopin.

The San José Chamber Orchestra lured a near-capacity audience to Le Petit Trianon for a season-opening concert of daring lesser-known works to great success.

In San José, Symphony Silicon Valley opens its new season with just plain good music, well played.

The final program in this year’s Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music seemed designed to prove that modernism is not only alive and well, it’s kicking and bawling lustily. 

A rarely heard The Art of the Fugue in its entirety at Music@Menlo offered a delightful, exciting, artistically moving, and enlightening performance.

Kronos Quartet chugs along with a number of inviting new works at the Cabrillo Festival.

The title of a Music@Menlo program, “French Connections,” raises the question: May Bach be held a father of French music as he is of trios and of preludes and fugues?

The Danish String Quartet, Tallis Quartet, Koret Young Performers and Gilles Vonsattel all shine in Music@Menlo’s Sunday serving.