University Symphony Orchestra

David Milnes, Music Director

Department of Music
University of California, Berkeley

Description and History

Established in 1923, the University Symphony Orchestra is the oldest performing arts ensemble in the University of California system. Throughout its long history, the orchestra has provided students and other members of the campus community with the opportunity to expand their musical talents, while at the same time presenting outstanding musical programs to the campus and wider Bay Area communities. Past conductors have included Modeste Alloo, Albert Elkus, Joaquin Nin-Culmell, Michael Senturia, and Jung Ho-Pak. David Milnes, who is also Music Director for the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, has served as the University Symphony Orchestra’s Music Director since 1996.

Rehearsing and performing works of faculty and graduate student composers has long been a core mission for the orchestra; the Symphony’s program regularly feature the world premiere of a major new work by a Berkeley composer. In addition, the orchestra has premiered several works of established composers. The University Symphony Orchestra now performs several evening and noon concerts each semester, supports a chamber orchestra, and continues during the summer months as the UC Berkeley Summer Symphony. An annual concerto competition results in concerto performances by the orchestra’s leading soloists, and regular coaching for each section are given by a number of Bay Area professional musicians.

The University Symphony Orchestra proudly announces the creation of a new endowment fund, which has been established with a generous gift from an anonymous donor. Your contribution to the fund will enable the professional development of our student musicians, many of whom go on to careers in music, as well as allowing the orchestra to expand its ongoing educational programs, including the orchestra’s chamber music program, long range planning for touring, and assistance in acquiring new musical instruments. Please help support our continuing educational mission.

The orchestra draws its members from the very best musicians in the campus community. Under the leadership of acclaimed Music Director David Milnes, the orchestra performs 15-18 concerts each year , with programs including symphonic repertoire from Bach through the present. Major symphonic cycles by Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Shostakovich, Sibelius and Prokofiev have been offered each season, as well as several world
premieres by leading composers. An annual concerto competition highlights the amazing soloistic talent from among the orchestra’s ranks, and members of the orchestra are organized into small chamber groups, performing regularly on the Noon Concert Series as well as all around the campus community.

Participation

The symphony is open to students, non-enrolled students, and community members, but everyone must audition. Regular attendance at twice weekly rehearsals and participation in public performances is required. The Symphony performs in Hertz Hall at one noon concert and 4-6 evening concerts per semester, as well as Cal Day each year.

Friday and Saturday, October 10 and 11, 2008
Paul Hindemith, Mathis der Maler
Arnold Schoenberg, Verklärte Nacht
Johannes Brahms, Symphony No. 2

Friday and Saturday, February 29 and March 1, 2008
Bartók, Miraculous Mandarin Suite
Copland, Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo
Chausson, Poème, op. 25: April Paik, violin soloist
Barber, Violin Concerto, op. 14: Christy Kyong, soloist

Wednesday Noon Concert, March 19, 2008
The Elizabeth Elkus Memorial Concert
Schnittke, Cello Concerto No.1 with cello soloist Gabriel Trop

CalDay, Saturday, April 21, 2008
Schnittke, Cello Concerto No. 1, soloist Gabriel Trop
Gordeli, Flute Concerto, soloist Kelsey Seymour
Tchaikovsky, Violin Concerto No. 1, soloist Ernest Yen

Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10, 2008
Ravel, Tzigane (violin soloist Jessica Ling)
Richard Strauss, Alpine Symphony
Johann Strauss, Jr, The Blue Danube Waltz
Jean Ahn, Salt (2007)

Fall 2007

Wednesday, September 26, Noon, Hertz Hall
Rachmaninoff, Symphonic Dances

Friday & Saturday, September 28 & 29, 2007, 8pm, Hertz Hall
Program:
Sibelius, Tapiola
Rachmaninoff, Symphonic Dances
Cindy Cox, Cathedral Spires

Friday & Saturday, October 26 & 27, 8pm, Hertz Hall
Program:
Beethoven, Symphony No. 7
Stravinsky, Symphonies of Wind Instruments
Varèse, Octandre
Bartok, Divertimento for string orchestra

Friday & Saturday, December 7 & 8, 8pm, Hertz Hall
Bruckner, Symphony No. 4
R. Strauss, Don Juan
Yiorgos Vassilandonakis, The Flyer (with film by David Green)

Spring 2007

Mahler, Symphony No. 6
Yiorgos Vassilandonakis, thalassinó
Shostakovich, Violin Concerto No. 1 (soloist Marina Sharifi)
John Williams, Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra (soloist Alexander Kramer)
Tchaikovsky, Variations on a Rococo Theme (soloist Ting Chin, cello)
Loretta Notareschi, In una voce grave e pericolosa (2006)
Vaughan Williams, Dona Nobis Pacem
John Thow, Of Eros and Dust

Fall 2006

Britten, Sinfonia da Requiem
Lutoslawski, Concerto for Orchestra
Elgar, Enigma Variations
Sibelius, Symphony No. 4
Debussy, La Mer
Mason Bates, Rusty Air in Carolina

Spring 2006

Shostakovich, Symphony No. 9
John MacCallum, Alloy for orchestra and electronics
Prokofiev, Symphony No. 5
Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 1
Richard Strauss, Ein Heldenleben
Barber, Violin Concerto
Cimarosa, Concert for two flutes
Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto in E minor

Fall 2005

Ravel, Ma Mère L’Oye (Cinq pieces enfantines)
Varèse, Arcana
Ligeti, Atmosphères
Ravel, Daphnis et Chloé
John Adams, Short Ride in a Fast Machine
Berg, Three Orchestra Pieces
Rachmaninoff, Isle of the Dead
Sibelius, Symphony No. 7

Spring 2005

Edmund Campion, Hold That Thought
Mozart, Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola (soloists, Quelani Penland & Andrew Strauss)
Fauré, Pavane
Mahler, Six Songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn (soloist Christina Schiffner)
Schoenberg, Five Pieces for Orchestra
Shostakovich, Concerto for Cello No. 1 (soloist Aaron Lay)
Debussy, Jeux
Schubert, Symphony No. 7
Chopin, Piano Concerto No. 1 (soloist Jessie Lee)
Haydn, Mass in Time of War
Stravinsky, Firebird Suite

Fall 2004

Webern, Passacaglia for Orchestra
Bernstein, Symphonic Dances from “West Side Story”
Nielsen, Symphony No. 4
Lutoslawski, Symphony No. 3
Beethoven, Symphony No. 3

Spring 2004

Walton, Concerto for viola and orchestra (soloist Jacob Hansen-Joseph)
Mahler, Symphony No. 4
J.S. Bach, Concerto for violin, oboe and strings
Proto, A Carmen Fantasy for double bass and orchestra
Brahms, Symphony No. 3
Rossini, Overture to William Tell
Shostakovich, Symphony No. 11

Fall 2003

Beethoven, Symphony No. 6
Bach, Harpsichord Concerto in D major
Reynold Tharp, Cold Horizon
Debussy, Prèlude à “L’Après-Midi d’un faune”
Berlioz, Harold en Italie

Leighton Fong, cello soloist
Wilson, Lumina
R. Strauss, Don Quixote
Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 3 (soloist Brian Christian)
Shostakovich, Symphony No. 8

Bloch, Schelomo (soloist Jody Redhage)
Swafford, Night Terrors
Stravinsky, Symphony in 3 Movements
Hindemith, Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes by Weber
Sibelius, Tapiola
Brahms, Symphony No. 4

Mendelssohn, Piano Concerto in G Minor (soloist Betty Wu)
Brahms, Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor (soloist Roger Moseley)
Prokofiev, Romeo & Juliet Suite
Cox, De rerum natura
Bartok, Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celeste
Ravel, Tzigane
Mahler, Symphony No. 5

Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5
Lutoslawski, Symphony No. 4
Tymoczko, His Heart An Aviary
Berg, Chamber Concerto for Piano, Violin, and 13 Wind Instruments
Beethoven, Symphony No. 4
R. Strauss, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche

Verdie, Ejer-sitios para Orquesta (première)
Ravel, Piano Concerto for the Left Hand (Friday only)
Grieg, Piano Concerto in A minor (Saturday only)
Stravinsky, Petrouchka
New works by Berkeley composers
Mahler, Symphony No 2 ("Resurrection")

Barber, Overture to The School for Scandal
Dugger, With Remembrances
Copland, Orchestral Variations
Gershwin, An American in Paris
Bernstein, Chichester Psalms
Stravinsky, Symphonies of Wind Instruments
Shostakovich, Chamber Symphony, Opus 110A
Bartok, Miraculous Mandarin Suite

For further information, please contact current Music Director and Conductor, David Milnes.