The Assad Brothers 60th Anniversary Farewell Tour
Sunday, March 01, 2026 | 5PM
Soka Performing Arts Center at Soka University of America
PROGRAM
Astor PIAZZOLLA
Bandoneón & Zita
Radamés GNATTALI
Valsa & Corta-Jaca
Sergio ASSAD
One Week in Rio
Chácara do Céu on Monday
Corcovado on Tuesday
MAM on Wednesday
Forró de Santa on Thursday
Parque Lage on Friday
Semente on Saturday
Maracanã on Sunday
Paulo BELLINATI
Jongo
Sergio ASSAD
Dyens en trois temps
Roland au nord
La chanson et Roland
Roland au sud
Egberto GISMONTI
Palhaço & Baião malandro
Sergio ASSAD
Tahhiyya li ossoulina
The Assad Brothers play Jeremy Cooper Guitar.
Bandoneón & Zita from Suite Troileana (1975)
ASTOR PIAZZOLLA (1921–1992)
Born in Argentina and raised in New York City, Astor Piazzolla will be forever associated with the tango, not only via his many performances, but also from his abundant compositions that incorporate the rhythms and overall affect of the tango with a wide variety of concert genres. Consider his popular Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, which views Vivaldi’s beloved four violin concertos through a tango lens in a style now known as “nuevo tango.” His works have been played by the world’s most distinguished performers, folks on the order of Mstislav Rostropovich, Yo-Yo Ma, Gidon Kremer, the Kronos Quartet, Sérgio and Odair Assad, and others. Happily, we can hear both his playing and his compositions via a long series of distinguished recordings; he was in great form up until the 1990 cerebral hemorrhage that left him in a two-year coma until his death in 1992.
Piazzolla’s instrument was the bandoneón, a kind of concertina in which bellows held between the hands push air through a set of reeds that are controlled by a grid of buttons rather than a keyboard.
As a teenager in Buenos Aires in 1937, Piazzolla joined a popular tango orchestra led by bandoneón player, composer, and arranger Aníbal Troilo. His Suite Troileana, written for Sérgio and Odair Assad, pays tribute to the man who more than anyone else brought tango,
and the bandoneón, to prominence. (It’s the bandoneón that creates the quintessential and unmistakable sound of a tango ensemble, as you can hear on Troilo’s many recordings with his Orquesta Típica.)
Bandoneón opens the suite as a tribute to Troilo’s wonderful bandoneón playing, including his luminous improvisational style and striking virtuosity. After a relatively introverted opening, it slides into a blend of crisp dances and heartfelt songs. On the evidence from Zita, Troilo’s wife must have been a captivating person indeed— chipper, alert, and delightfully energetic, but also evincing a palpable, mysterious allure.
Valse & Corta-Jaca (1981) RADAMÉS GNATTALI (1906-1988)
Radamés Gnatalli’s pianist father was a Verdi buff; ergo his name, plus his siblings Aida and Ernani. Born to music, he practiced a substantial career as a pianist, arranger, composer, violinist, and conductor. He did a little bit of everything— radio serials, background music, popular music, formal concerts. As a composer he was largely self-taught, but that didn’t hinder him from building up a substantial catalog of music in numerous genres, both popular and classical.
The Suite Retratos went through a fair number of versions before arriving at the four-movement work for guitar duo that Gnattali dedicated to Sérgio and Odair Assad. Four of Brazil’s musical forefathers are portrayed in
music written in the style of each composer.. The second of those is a waltz à la Ernesto Nazareth, one of Gnattali’s close friends and a major composer of piano music that melded classical European music with Brazilian and African idioms plus ragtime. After a quasiimprovisatory opening, it segues into a wistful, slightly melancholic waltz that soon warms up into lovely swirls and flounces.
The fourth piece honors Francisca Edwiges Neves Gonzaga, known as “Chiquinha” (1847–1935), a prodigious talent whose gender made a full career in music difficult. Nevertheless, she persisted and ultimately succeeded. The scintillating ‘corta-jaca’ is actually a maxixe, considered a rather scandalous dance in its day.
One Week in Rio (2016) SÉRGIO ASSAD (B. 1952)
Born in São Paulo, Sérgio Assad studied guitar with a Segovia student and started composing as early as age 14. His transcriptions of music from composers ranging from Bach to Ginastera are played by guitarists worldwide, and his concert works—including ballets, concertos, and film scores— have been highly successful. In particular he has focused on expanding the repertory for guitar duo via arrangements and new compositions.
A set of seven miniature tone poems for guitar duo, One Week in Rio, was written in 2016 for the Woch & Guzik Duo. It presents us
with an ideal entry point to Assad’s cosmopolitan, wide-ranging, and approachable style. He tells us that the piece “represents a seven-day visit to Rio de Janeiro, the most fabulous city in Brazil. Rio embodies a wide range of cultural experiences that comprise not only the local culture but also influences from different parts of the country. Rio used to be the capital of Brazil and attracted many talents from the whole country. A visitor to Rio will probably go to most of the seven places depicted in this musical representation.”
Chácara de Céu kicks things off on Monday, with this historic mansionturned-museum in the hills of the Santa Teresa neighborhood. On Tuesday comes a visit to Corcovado, the great statue of Jesus Christ that watches over the city from its high hill. On Wednesday we head for the Museum of Modern Art (MAM), an important city resource since 1948. Thursday we head for the Lapa neighborhood and Forró de Santa, an energetic dance with striking Brazilian rhythms. Then it’s serenity on Friday with Parque Lage, the former palace and gardens, now a public park. A traditional Brazilian genre, the choros, is on order for Semente, and Maracanã concludes the visit on Sunday with Rio’s great soccer stadium and the pulsating rhythms of the samba.
Jongo (1978)
PAULO BELLINATI (B.
1950)
From his origins in São Paulo, Paulo Bellinati has travelled the world as a leading guitarist and
composer. His prizewinning 1978 composition Jongo derives from a particular song and dance genre, said to have magical qualities, that arrived in Brazil with Angolan slaves. Threaded through with the signature cross-rhythms of Brazilian dance music, the piece positively hums with energetic joy and more than a whiff of modern jazz.
Dyens in trois temps (2021)
SÉRGIO ASSAD
Tunisian-French Roland Dyens, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 61, was considered one of the greatest guitarists of his era. A phenomenal improviser, he was known to play entire recitals impromptu; he also played the Bach suites with particular distinction. He released arrangements of not only older masters such as Fernando Sor, but also jazz standards by Thelonious Monk, Edith Piaf songs, and the Gypsy stylings of Django Reinhardt.
Sérgio Assad pays tribute to his dear friend and colleague with Dyens in trois temps (Dyens in three movements), commissioned by the ChromaDuo. Assad tells us that “Roland Dyens swiftly found his place within the guitar community, not just as a player, but also as composer with a distinctive voice. His compositions, including his renowned piece, Tango en Skaï, captured the imagination of guitarists worldwide and solidified his reputation as a trailblazer in the genre.”
In regard to Dyens in trois temps, Assad writes that “I sought to
capture the essence of his musical evolution. Each movement reflects a different aspect of his career, from his exploration of northern themes in Roland au Nord, which echoes his recording of jazz standards, using the same set of pieces he used in his album, to his reinterpretation of French songs in La Chanson et Roland, where I used the same set he arranged for his extraordinary album dedicated to French songs. Finally, his passion for Brazilian music in Roland au Sud, where echoes of Tango en Skaï are woven into the fabric of the piece. It’s a tribute born out of admiration for Roland’s artistry and a deep sense of loss at his untimely departure from this world.”
Palhaço (1987) & Baião malandro (1978)
EGBERTO
GISMONTI (B. 1947)
Brazilian native Egberto Gismondi has practiced a long career as a composer, guitarist, and pianist. An erstwhile student of the legendary teacher Nadia Boulanger, he mastered orchestration then went on to become a self-taught guitarist. 50 albums and hundreds of compositions later, he is almost a Brazilian institution.
Clowns aren’t always rowdy or funny. Some are introverted, even wistful, as is the case with Palhaço (“Clown”). Baião malandro is a much more extroverted piece, inspired as it is by the music from Pernambuco that mixes indigenous, mestizo, African, and European music into an exuberant whole. The title gives us a good clue to the mood: it’s a slang
term for a slick but disreputable type of neighborhood con man.
Tahhiyya li ossoulina (2007)
SÉRGIO ASSAD
It opens with invocations of the fluid vocal styles of Middle Eastern music, but soon heats up with sizzling rhythms and whirling melodic arabesques. Assad writes that “Tahhiyya Li Ossoulina, which translates from the Arabic as ‘Homage to Our Roots,’ is based on Middle Eastern modes. This piece was conceived as a tribute to the composer’s grandparents, who immigrated to Brazil from Lebanon in 1895. The descendants of the first Lebanese immigrants today number as many as six million people in Brazil and have contributed greatly to the country’s development in many areas. Tahhiyya Li Ossoulina was recorded on our album Jardim Abandonado on Nonesuch Records in 2007 and received a nomination for a Latin Grammy Award as Best Musical Composition of the Year.”
Program notes by Scott Fogelsong © 2026.
Concessions
A wide variety of wine, beer, soft drinks and freshly prepared snacks will be available.
Staff Drink Pick
We asked the staff for their favorite drink pick to feature at concessions! Batida was selected and will be available for purchase.
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Anonymous
OC Chinese Cultural Club
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Terumi Saito
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Scott A Shuping
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PLATINUM CLEF ($500+)
Anonymous
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* Deceased
List current as of 09/26/2024
The Soka Performing Arts Center deeply appreciates the support of its sponsors and donors, and makes every effort to ensure accurate and appropriate recognition. Contact Renée Bodie, General Manager at (949) 480-4821 to make us aware of any error or omission in the foregoing list.
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SUA BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Stephen S. Dunham, JD | CHAIR
Vice President and General Counsel Emeritus, Pennsylvania State University | Baltimore, Maryland
Tariq Hasan, PhD | VICE CHAIR
Chief Executive Officer, SGI-USA | New York, New York
Andrea Bartoli, PhD
President, Sant’Egidio Foundation for Peace and Dialogue | New York, New York
Matilda Buck
Benefactor | Los Angeles, California
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Dean, Professor of Religion, College Archivist and Curator, Morehouse College | Atlanta, Georgia
Andy Firoved
CEO, HOTB Software | Irvine, California
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Professor of Bilingual-Bicultural Education and Director, Institute for Daisaku Ikeda Studies in Education, Director of Programs in Bilingual-Bicultural Education, World Language Education, and Value-Creating Education for Global Citizenship, College of Education, DePaul University | Chicago, Illinois
Clothilde V. Hewlett, JD
Commissioner of Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, State of California | San Francisco, California
Karen Lewis, PhD
Sondheimer Professor of International Finance and Co-Director, Weiss Center for International Financial Research, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Luis Nieves
Founder, Chairman Emeritus AUL Corp, Benefactor | Napa, California
Isabel Nuñez, PhD, MPhil, JD
Professor of Educational Studies, Dean of School of Education, Purdue University Fort Wayne | Fort Wayne, Indiana
Gene Marie O’Connell, RN, MS
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Adin Strauss
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Yoshiki Tanigawa
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YOUTH MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM SPONSORS
Bluebird Legacy Inc.
Chapman University
The Committees of the Philharmonic Society
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Anonymous
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We proudly recognize the following donors whose enduring support over the years has sustained and advanced the Philharmonic Society's mission and enriched the cultural fabric of Orange County for generations to come.
$4M+
Elizabeth Segerstrom and Henry Segerstrom*
The Henry T. and Elizabeth Segerstrom Foundation
$3M+
Mr. Howard J. Jelinek and Mrs. Judith Jelinek*
Ms. Donna L. Kendall
The Donna L. Kendall Foundation
Mr. William Roberts* and Mrs. Barbara Roberts
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas H. Smith
$2M+
A. Gary Anderson Family Foundation
Anonymous
Mr. William J. Gillespie*
The William Gillespie Foundation
$1M+
Anonymous
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Mrs. R.E. Rawlins*
Mrs. Michelle Rohé
Segerstrom Center for the Arts
The Segerstrom Foundation
$700K+
Colburn Foundation
Disneyland
Mr. Lawrence Gates* and Mrs. Margaret M. Gates
Mr. and Mrs. Milton S. Grier Jr.*
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Kohl
The Orange County Register Philharmonic Foundation of Orange County
Shanbrom Family Foundation South Coast Plaza
$500K+
The Committees of the Philharmonic Society
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Ms. Carol Frobish*
Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation
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*Deceased
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John Chimo Arnold, in Memory of Diane Arnold
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City of Laguna Beach
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($10,000+)
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Anonymous
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Alexander
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Ambegaokar
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Chamberlain Jr.
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Douglas Johnson
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Memory of Susie Gallagher
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Philharmonic Committee
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Johnson
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Victoria Mortensen
William Nottingham
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Perry Family Fund
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Dr. and Mrs. William G.
Preston M.D.
Coralie Prince
Ms. Gail C. Romansky
Deborah and Frank Rugani
Kathleen Sangster
Elizabeth and Justus
Schlichting
Paul Schmidhauser and Cindy Hughes
SONATA ($300+)
Patricia Smoot
Diane Stovall
Kevin and Nella
Webster-O’Grady
Dr. Mark Wohlgemuth
Ms. Cynthia Wolcott
Chava and Ted Wortrich
Sandi Wright-Cordes
Mr. Leonard Wyss
Ivy Yan
Dr. Andrew Yen and Ms. Grace Chen
HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS
Frieda Belinfante in memoriam
Jane K. Grier in memoriam
List current as of 2/10/2026
John M. Rau
Official Hotel Partner of the Philharmonic Society of Orange County
The Philharmonic Society deeply appreciates the support of its sponsors and donors, and makes every effort to ensure accurate and appropriate recognition. Contact the Development Department at (949) 553-2422, ext. 233, to make us aware of any error or omission in the foregoing list.
ESTERHAZY PATRONS
The Philharmonic Society is proud to recognize our dedicated patrons who have made a multi-year Esterhazy Patron pledge. We are grateful for their support, which has been largely responsible for enabling us to present the world’s most acclaimed symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles and soloists.
Mr. and Mrs. Darrel Anderson
A. Gary Anderson Family Foundation
Mr. Gary N. Babick
Ms. Tricia Babick
Mrs. Linda Beimfohr
Mr. and Mrs. John Carson
Cheng Family Foundation
Mrs. William P. Conlin
Marjorie and Roger Davisson
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Delman
The Dirk Family
Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Duma
Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Emery
Catherine Emmi
Lyndie Ersan
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Freedland
LEGACY CIRCLE MEMBERS
Mr. James Alexiou* and Mrs. Elaine Alexiou*
Dr. and Mrs. Julio Aljure
Diane* and John Chimo Arnold
Estate of Edra E. Brophy*
Mr. James J. Brophy
Mr. Douglas T. Burch, Jr.*
Mr. William P. Conlin* and Mrs. Laila Conlin
Pamela Courtial*
Gregory Pierre Cox
Richard Cullen and Robert Finnerty
Mr. Ben Dolson*
Camille and Eric Durand Trust*
Karen and Don Evarts
Erika E. Faust*
James and Judy Freimuth
Ms. Carol Frobish*
LEAVE A LEGACY
Margaret M. Gates—In memory of family
Mr. Milton S. Grier, Jr.
Maralou Harrington
Dr. Howard J. Jelinek
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Chapin
Johnson
Dr. Siret Jurison
Donna L. Kendall Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Venelin Khristov
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Kirwan
Milena Kitic
Capt. Steve Lutz and Shala
Shashani Lutz
Professor Robert and Dr. Adeline Yen Mah
Mrs. Sharon McNalley
The William Gillespie Foundation*
Mr. and Mrs.* Milton S. Grier, Jr.
Mr. Edward Halvajian*
Ms. Joan Halvajian
Ms. Marie Hiebsch*
Mildred and James* Hill
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Hull*
Mr. Leonard Jaffe
Judith* and Howard Jelinek
Dr. Burton L. Karson*
Donna L. Kendall
Hank and Bonnie Landsberg
Mrs. Carla Liggett
Dr. William Lycette
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Michel
Mr. and Mrs. Bart Morrow
Mr. and Mrs. Michael D. Nadler*
Eva Cebulski Olivier
Mrs. Frank M. Posch*
Dr. Vahe Meghrouni
Elaine and Carl Neuss
Mr. Thomas Nielsen
Milan Panic
Helen Reinsch
Barbara Roberts
Mrs. Michelle Rohé
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen L. Salyer
Elizabeth Segerstrom
Douglas and Deirdre Smith
Mrs. Elaine Weinberg
Mr. and Mrs. George Wentworth
Anonymous
*Deceased
Marcia Kay Radelet
Marjorie Rawlins*
Mrs. Ladislaw Reday*
Elaine M. Redfield*
Mr. Richard M. Reinsch*
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen L. Salyer
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sebring
John Jacob Shaak
Mr. H. Russell Smith*
Al Spector and Tatjana Soli
Ms. Dea Stanuszek
Diane and Michael Stephens
Vas Nunes Family Trust*
Betty M. Williams*
Anonymous
*Deceased
Bold type indicates gifts of $50,000 or more.
Please call the Philharmonic Society Development Department if you have included either the Philharmonic Society or the separate Philharmonic Foundation in your will or trust so that we may honor you as a member of the Legacy Circle. For more information, call (949) 553-2422, ext. 233, or visit www.PhilharmonicSociety.org/Support and click on Planned Giving.
PHILHARMONIC FORWARD CAMPAIGN
The Philharmonic Society’s Philharmonic Forward campaign is the first of its kind in the organization’s history. It will grow the Society’s endowment—providing greater opportunities for the presentation of the world’s leading orchestras and other musical performances while expanding our educational and community outreach— and also establish a current needs fund for organizational sustainability and flexibility.
We are proud to recognize those who are helping secure the Society’s future with a gift to the Philharmonic Forward Campaign. We are grateful for their support, which will help fuel the Society’s growth and provide a legacy of incomparable music and superb music education programs in perpetuity.
Co-Chairs
Donna L. Kendall and Douglas H. Smith
$1,000,000+
Mr. James J. Brophy
Donna L. Kendall and the Donna L. Kendall Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sebring Anonymous
$500,000+
Richard Cullen and Robert Finnerty
James and Judy Freimuth
$250,000+
The Davisson Family Fund for Youth Music Education
Margaret M. Gates—In memory of family
Mr. and Mrs.* Milton S. Grier, Jr.
Douglas and Deirdre Smith
$100,000+
Pete and Sabra* Bordas
David and Suzanne Chonette
Karen and Don Evarts
Milli and Jim* Hill
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Nielsen
Richard* and Deborah Polonsky
Diane and Michael* Stephens
Anonymous
$50,000+
Mr. Douglas T. Burch, Jr.*
Dr. Richard D. and France
Campbell
Erika E. Faust*
Mrs. Joanne C. Fernbach
Joan Halvajian
Elaine and Carl Neuss
Marcia Kay Radelet
Mr. and Mrs. Philip E. Ridout
Ms. Dea Stanuszek
Dr. Daniel and Jeule Stein
$25,000+
Douglas Burch Classical Programs Fund
Mr. William P. Conlin* and Mrs. Laila Conlin
Mr. and Mrs. Donald French
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Fuerbringer
Mr. and Mrs. Noel Hamilton
Dr. and Mrs. Chase* Roh
Up to $24,999
Eleanor* and Jim Anderson
John W. Benecke
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Burra
Ana and Ron Dufault
Hung Fan and Michael Feldman
First American Trust
Kimberly Dwan Bernatz
Mr. John D. Flemming and Mr. Mark Powell
Duke Funderburke
Carolyn and John Garrett
Karin Easter Gurwell
Maralou and Jerry M.* Harrington
Mrs. Alice E. Hood
Huntington Harbour Philharmonic CommitteeMarina Windjammer Group
Kevin and Judith Ivey
Ms. Lula Belle Jenkins
Doris and Jim Kollias
Mrs. Elizabeth C. Kramer
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lewis
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Madracki
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Mastrangelo
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Michel
Charles Mosmann
Carl Neisser*
Joan Rehnborg
Dr. and Mrs. Henry Sobel
Dr. and Mrs. Julio Taleisnik
Marti and Walter Unger
Gayle Widyolar, M.D.
Sandi Wright-Cordes
U.S. Bank
Anonymous
*Deceased
For more information, contact Halim Kim, Senior Director of Development, at (949) 553-2422, ext. 233 or email halim@philharmonicsociety.org.
ABOUT THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY OF ORANGE COUNTY
Founded in 1954 as Orange County’s first music organization, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County presents national and international performances of the highest quality and provides dynamic and innovative music education programs for individuals of all ages to enhance the lives of Orange County audiences through music.
Since its inception, the Philharmonic Society has evolved and grown with the county’s changing landscape, presenting artists and orchestras who set the standard for artistic achievement from Itzhak Perlman, Gustavo Dudamel, Yo-Yo Ma, and Renée Fleming to the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and many others. In addition, the Philharmonic Society celebrates multi-disciplinary performances under its Eclectic Orange brand and embraces music from a wide range of countries with its World Music performances.
The Philharmonic Society’s nationally recognized Youth Music Education Programs, offered free of charge, engage more than 80,000 students annually through curriculum-based music education programs that aim to inspire, expand imaginations, and encourage learning at all levels. These programs are made possible by The Committees of the Philharmonic Society comprised nearly 450 volunteer members who provide more than 50,000 hours of in-kind service each year. As a key youth program, the exceptional Orange County Youth Symphony and String Ensemble provide top-tier training to the area’s most talented young musicians through multi-level ensemble instruction, leadership training, touring opportunities, challenging professional repertoire, and performances in world-class venues.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
