BARRY SILVERMAN
Music Director & Conductor
BARRY SILVERMAN received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from USC, with an emphasis in conducting, performance and music education. After USC, he began performing throughout Southern California and at the movie studios in Hollywood. His performance credits cover a wide range of media including chamber music, opera, ballet, jazz, pop, and a large number of orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Israel Philharmonic, where he spent four years in Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Maestro Silverman is the founder and music director of the South Coast Symphony. For more than a decade, he served as Music Director of the Saddleback College Symphony Orchestra. While at Chapman University, he conducted the Opera Orchestra and was director of the Wind and Jazz Studies program. At the Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) in Santa Ana, he was on the faculty of the Instrumental Music Conservatory for more than a decade and served as the Director of the Conservatory for four years. Mr. Silverman was the cofounder and music director of Foothill Youth Summer Theatre in La Cañada & Broadway Superstar Camp at Saddleback College. Performance emphasis has been on the presentation of contemporary music with performances at the famed Monday Evening Concerts in Los Angeles and at the Contemporary Music Series in Israel. Mr. Silverman has participated as conductor, performer and creator for hundreds of Concerts for Youth for Young Audiences of LA, Performing Tree, and the Orange County Philharmonic Society, and has lectured at a number of universities here and abroad. He is married with four children and three grandchildren and likes to spend his free time with his family, and his two Saint Bernard’s. Unfortunately, Wackawacka (pictured above), has moved to Oregon to be with our youngest son.
The Unstuffy Symphony
Music Director & Conductor
featuring
Candance Harrell, soprano
W. Patrick Blackwell, bass/baritone
Reverend Chineta Goodjoin, narrator
The Taylor-Made Jazz Combo
Reggie Goodjoin, director
Praise Choir
Dwayne Roberts, conductor
Joan Hall, conductor
Original Poetry
Christina Miles
Soka Performing Arts Center February 21, 2026
1 University | Aliso Viejo Saturday Evening at 7:00 PM
CLASSICAL
Negro Folk Symphony (1934)
PART I
William Dawson
I. The Bond of Africa (1899-1990)
RAGTIME
Maple Leaf Rag
BE-BOP
PART II
JAZZ
Caravan
GOSPEL
Total Praise
Scott Joplin (1868-1917)
Christopher Smith, piano
At A New Orleans Jazz Funeral traditional
Just a Closer Walk with Thee
When the Saints Go Marchin In
Orchestra | ICYOLA New Orleans Band & Drum Corp
JAZZ
Footprints
Duke Ellington Orchestra
Richard Smallwood
Orchestra & Gospel Choir
Taylor-Made Jazz Combo
Dwayne Roberts, conductor
OPERA
La Calunnia from The Barber of Seville Gioacchino Rossini
I Got Plenty O Nuttin’ from Porgy & Bess
W. Patrick Blackwell, bass/baritone
George & Ira Gershwin
Wayne Shorter
Taylor-Made Jazz Combo
Duke Ellington! Medley for Orchestra
GOSPEL / SOUL
Lift Your Hands Up
Duke Ellington
Dwayne Roberts
Orchestra & Gospel Choir
Dwayne Roberts, conductor
Hallelujah! A Soulful Celebration
George Frederick Handel arranged by Mervyn Warren, Michael Jackson
Orchestra & Gospel Choir
Taylor-Made Jazz Combo
~ I N T E R M I S S I O N ~
Refreshments available in the Lobby
SOUL / BROADWAY
Home from The Wiz
JAZZ
Night in Tunisia
Candance Harrell, soprano
Charlie Smalls
Dizzy Gillespie (1917-1993)
Taylor-Made Jazz Combo
GOSPEL
Procession of the Levites & Anthem of Praise
Orchestra & Gospel Choir
Taylor-Made Jazz Combo
Joan Hall, conductor
MOTOWN
Motown: The Musical
Richard Smallwood
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough Ashford & Simpson
Orchestra & Gospel Choir
Taylor-Made Jazz Combo
Candance Harrell, soprano