SDSO Previews, Reviews & Features: Sept. 1 through Oct. 12

Fall 2017

A TALE OF TWO SUCCESSES:

SANTA ROSA SYMPHONY AND SAN DIEGO SYMPHONY The end of the 2016/17 season brought very good news for two of ACSO’s members – the Santa Rosa Symphony (SRS) and the San Diego Symphony (SDS). Both orchestras hit financial milestones and had reason to celebrate recordbreaking successes.

The Santa Rosa Symphony hit a historic high for contributed income, breaking the $2 million donation ceiling, 21.9% over budget, with record levels of individual and board giving, and the most successful gala fundraiser in the symphony’s history, ending its fourteenth consecutive year operating in the black. In addition, the symphony’s endowment fund finished the year at its highest – triple the size of SRS’s budget – ensuring long term financial stability.

The San Diego Symphony set a new all-time sales records for paid admissions in a fiscal year (the previous record was set in 2013), and saw its Jacobs Masterworks Classical Series achieve nearly 16% higher sales than last season and paid attendance was 8.2% above last season. In terms of ticket revenue, the 16/17 Downtown season experienced an increase for the second year in a row, up 8.8% from two years ago. Jacobs Masterworks saw an 18.6% increase in subscription package growth over two years ago, bucking the national trend. Total ticket sales for the season exceeded $6 million.

We asked the CEOs of both orchestras – Alan Silow from Santa Rosa and Martha Gilmer from San Diego – to reflect on the reasons for their financial success and robust community support. Five primary recommendations emerged that may be helpful for other ACSO members, regardless of orchestra size, to

build community engagement and improve financial health.

Recommendation 1: Your board of directors must be knowledgeable about the orchestra’s finances, committed to raising funds, and engaged in its future.

Martha: Bring on smart and engaged board members and engage them in the work that needs to be done.

Do everything you can to make sure they understand the financial health of the institution and what the future looks like. We held small group meetings before the vote on the annual budget so that every board member had the opportunity to understand in detail how the budget was created and what it meant.

We have a robust nominating and governance committee and have added twelve spectacular new board members in the last 18 months. We have begun a new major gift initiative, The Beethoven Society, that has grown to 19 members. It is a four-year commitment of a minimum of $50,000 annually, and the net result from this initiative was an increase in giving of $1 million dollars.

Alan: Our board does not have term limits. We value their long history and experience with us. We do have a board responsibility statement and the governance committee does a peer-to-peer review to ensure everyone is engaged and contributing. We also have a powerful and extensive board committee structure.

The board is very passionate about the product.

Our board has time and again shown its steadfast commitment to the symphony’s mission, its health and its progress. Board giving to operations in fiscal year 2017 grew by a significant 20.6% over the previous year and set a new record in our 89-year history for board contributions. In no small part, this shows in the board sponsorship of our concerts and the events, which continued to account for some of this year’s largest gifts. This year the board once again exceeded expectations, contributing a new record

Inside This Issue President’s Message

Conference Wrap-Up

Arts in Education

Meet A Member

Up & Down The Scale

Music Notes

Orchestra Profile

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high of $476,804 to operations, a far cry from back in 2000/01 at $70,586 with the same sized board!

Recommendation 2: A commitment to the mission and the music must come first – this will maintain an authentic connection to your existing audience, but also be the bridge to new audiences, who you may find more easily by getting out of the concert hall and into the community.

Martha: As an institution we are committed to the concept that an orchestra must be artistically led. With the music at the center of what we do at all times, we authentically communicate with all segments of our orchestra family – board, musicians, administrative staff, donors, audience members, community leaders, educators – about who we are, and why music matters in our lives. I believe people are looking to form connections with each other and with something greater than any one of us. Music, and listening to live music in community, fulfills this role in many people’s lives.

I think it is critical to serve our existing audiences and take very good care of them. Listen to them, and respond. Talk to them regularly. By doing so you strengthen your core. Find more people like them and enlarge your audience in this way. At the same time, new audience development is important for many reasons, including keeping us fresh as institutions. I think being an authentic and creative institution will bring a wide range of people to our concert halls. I also think going to where people gather outside of the concert hall is important – having them discover our musicians in their favorite places can connect in a real way, and build important new connections.

Alan: You have to have a vision for your organization in terms of artistic excellence. We have core programming and non-core programming.

Our core programming is so essential to our mission that we will keep doing it, even if we lose money. For example, our Classical Series is core programming. Non-core programming is added value programming, like our POPS Series, but it can’t lose money. It has to at least break even through contributed income and ticket sales.

We also do family concerts, POPS concerts, free concerts at libraries around Sonoma County. We take our programs outside of the concert hall. But we we always stay true to our mission. Our classical concerts seem to draw the same demographic, so 2

ACSO News

we added new product lines, like free community mariachi concerts that draw Latino audiences.

San Diego Symphony at Copley Symphony Hall. Photo courtesy of San Diego Symphony

Recommendation 3: Plan financially for the future, but be flexible and willing to take some risks today, and be prepared for anything to happen.

Martha: We are nimble in our financial plan. I think there are many things that influence any institution. We annually prepare, and the board approves, a budget for the following year. A budget is simply a best guess on a given day based on historical data and current behavior of what the year will look like. A regular review of performance against budget is essential, and having a high level of visibility on revenues and expenses is essential. You have to be able to respond when things don’t work out the way you predicted – and that determines your ultimate success. There is no fixed recipe, but there is a plan that can be revised as necessary in response to performance. We are working hard on a fiveyear financial model so that we can better predict trends and anticipate them in our planning. We want to be intentional, and not reactive.

Be realistic about the numbers. Do not simply fill in the gap between expenses and revenues with a fund-raising goal that is unattainable. That leads to disaster. Likewise, be aspirational in ticket revenue goals, but do not engage in “maybe this year it will get better” tactics. Look at realistic growth. Think long term through multi-year gifts and legacy/estate giving. Plan for the future. It will be here before you know it.

Alan: In 2002 I inherited a six-figure deficit to turn around, and have successfully done so using an effective budgeting process. The senior staff takes ownership of their budgets, then I review them with an eye to trackable data, and we go back and forth until I’m satisfied. Then the budget goes to the finance and personnel committees, then it goes to the executive committee and the larger board. In the middle of FALL 2017

the fiscal year, all the senior staff reforecast their budgets.

If flags are raised at that point, we have time to address them before the fiscal year is over. We occasionally build budgets that end in a deficit because we have built trust equity with our board that we will end up in the black by the end of the year, so they allow the budget to start in a deficit no larger than five figures.

You cannot cost-cut your way to greatness. An economic downturn might create an operating deficit, or you might want to do something artistically big. You want to be able to handle those kinds of things. Always have a 10% cash reserve of your operating budget that you can use. A cash reserve also helps with foundation support because foundations can tell that you are fiscally prudent. You also want your endowment to grow to be attractive to donors. Donors respect sound endowment policies. Never draw out more than 5% of a three-year rolling average to support operations. Take it out on a quarterly basis, not all at once. We have never had to take more than two of the four quarters of the draw down.

We have grown the endowment from $1.2 million to $12 million in my 15-year tenure.

Santa Rosa Symphony. Photo by Susan and Neil Silverman Photography and courtesy of Santa Rosa Symphony.

Recommendation 4: Invest in the future of your community by educating young people.

Martha: I think that it is important to be part of the fabric of our community. If that attracts donors, that is great, but not the reason to do it. Not only are we bringing children to hear the orchestra, we are working with other organizations, sometimes not directly connected, to change lives and leave behind the understanding that music is a great connector.

David’s Harp is one such institution – it is dedicated to helping at-risk and homeless youth by teaching sound production. We worked with these young students to create Sound Booths that were part of Our American Music festival in January. Now they are doing the FALL 2017

recording of our musicians for podcasts – a winwin situation that connects critical and underserved members of our community with the power of music.

Alan: We are doing much more with music eduation.

We provide El Sistema programs and we operate not one, but four youth orchestras, with the most advanced youth orchestra touring in China two years ago and going to Central Europe this fiscal year. Also, this year we begin a four-year program to send a professional symphony ensemble to perform in every elementary school in Sonoma County. As there are 120 schools, that is an ambitious program.These kind of education efforts can attract donors who aren’t necessarily interested in funding our core programs.

For example, we did our first Business Breakfast Fundraisier this year, inviting local the local business community who aren’t necessarily concert goers and didn’t know about our education efforts. We had young musicians in our El Sistema program play and talk about what music means to them. In one hour we raised $65,000 because we touched their heartstrings.

Recommendation 5: Tell stories about why music matters. People will listen and respond with support.

Martha: We have completely rebranded the San Diego Symphony in the last three years through our website, our direct mail pieces, banners, posters and importantly social media. A critical fact: people want content, they want to know the story, and why something should matter to them. Through social media, they want to feel connected. We tell stories in our media, not just offer tickets for sale. If the public wants to attend they will understand how to buy a ticket. But we have to create value for our concerts, illuminate the incredible talent and artistry of our musicians, and tell our story with confidence.

Alan: Individual giving remains at the core of our support, and this year has shown that support in spades. Fiscal year 2016/17 saw individual donations increase 18% over last year and exceed our budgeted $750,638 goal by a sizeable 27.1% to a record level of $954,744 — a number now nearing the million-dollar mark. We adjusted our annual appeal in terms of both the letter’s message – aimed at heart felt stories – and that campaign’s strategic timing. These adjustments contributed to a campaign doubling the previous year’s mark at $20,430. Community engagement has been the key to supporting artistic excellence and fiscal vitality.

ACSO News

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SUNDAY • OCTOBER 1, 2017

Symphony season to savor 10 things to love about the orchestra’s upcoming year

SIMON FOWLER

Violinist Nicola Benedetti will perform the Wynton Marsalis Violin Concerto written for her.

BY BETH WOOD

Because Gilmer believes in featuring symphony orchestra members as soloists, that becomes a part of the puzzle. In December, principal harpist Julie Phillips and principal flutist Rose Lombardo will play Mozart’s Concerto for Harp and Flute. In March, concertmaster Jeff Thayer will perform Bach’s Violin Concerto, with Edo de Waart conducting.

Myriad skills are needed for planning a season. Gilmer said she learned a lot as a graduate of Chicago’s Northwestern School of Music but also values what she picked up during her multiple internships.

“I like that much of our staff is in their first or second year,” she said.

“It’s an opportunity to learn orchestra management. That’s how I came up. Our institution has experienced leaders who are willing to pass on what they know. It’s not only the musicians that are always improving their craft. The staff is, too.

“It’s all about lifelong learning, isn’t it? I hope that this — and every — season has that component. You walk in the door, come together with people you care about, as well as strangers. You find something in common and take something away from the music that elevates our humanness.”

P

utting together a season for a high-caliber orchestra like the San Diego Symphony is no easy feat. Symphony CEO Martha Gilmer, who likened it to doing a jigsaw puzzle, gave us a few insights into how a season like 2017-18 comes about. ■ “One of the things people often ask me is whether or not a conductor comes with a program they want to do, or if we impose repertoire,” she said.

“This October, Cristian Macelaru is conducting Wynton Marsalis’ Violin Concerto. Christi has worked with Wynton a lot. He proposed the piece last year, but it didn’t fit into the season, so he did another program. ■ “The process is not linear. It takes a while, as it did in this case. And this concert will be a highlight.”

Martha Gilmer: 10 things I love about the upcoming season 1. The season opening with Edo De Waart and Jean-Yves Thibaudet.

ROSS BUCKLEY PHOTO

Julie Phillips is principal harpist for the San Diego Symphony.

Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben is a tour de force for the orchestra — an enormous Romantic tone poem

Cristian Macelaru SORIN POPA COURTESY PHOTO BY SORIN POPA

with rich texture and amazing writing for strings, winds and brass. It will shake the walls of the Jacobs Music Center.

2. Presenting emerging young artists: the San Diego debuts of Andrei Ionitain the Elgar Cello Concerto and Behzod Abduraimov in Rachmaninov’s 3rd piano Concerto!

Two young artists in two major and beloved concerti!

3. Wynton Marsalis Violin Concerto will be performed by Nicola Benedetti, for whom the concerto was written. Wynton’s compositional style with its jazz influences has movements titled “Blues” and “Hootenanny.” With influences of Gershwin and Copland, this American concerto affirms Wynton’s stature as a composer.

4. It’s About Time! is our January

festival dedicated to rhythm, sound and place. I cannot wait.

Steve Schick is a curatorial genius and a consummate musician. Each of the concerts, performances and musical events will be a jewel. You will want to come along for the entire festival journey!

5. Beyond the Score: Rachmaninov’s “Isle of the Dead” is one of my favorites of the 30 plus Beyond the Score titles. It is Rachmaninov’s musical response to the painting

by Arnold Böcklin, which the composer saw in Paris.

6. Jazz @ the Jacobs: Gilbert Castellanos opens the jazz series with “Ella Fitzgerald @ 100,” celebrating this amazing singer. Her unique style has influenced genSEE SYMPHONY • E8

JUDITH DOLAN’S COSTUMES MASTER THE ART OF STORYTELLING WITHOUT WORDS

BY ASHLEY MACKIN Judith Dolan is the innovative mind behind the theatrical costumes created for early 1900s English women and Italian free spirits in “A Room With a View,” Victorian circuses in “Candide,” and the fashion evolution from the 1920s to the 1950s and eccentric wedding dresses in “Lovemusik.”

To provide a rare behind-thescenes look at the process of costume design, the latest La Jolla Historical Society exhibition — “Judith Dolan: On Broadway” — will shine the spotlight on Dolan, a UC San Diego theater and dance profes-

sor of 20 years and a Tony Award winner.

The show — on view through Jan. 21 at La Jolla Historical Society’s Wisteria Cottage — features Dolan’s collages and sketches from nine productions (and maybe an actual costume or two), as well as a historical retrospective on performing arts in La Jolla.

The productions under Dolan’s belt include: “Candide” (1997 Broadway, 1982 and 2017 on NYC Opera), “Fool” (2017 Houston), “Lovemusik” (2007 Broadway), “Macbeth” (1993 Houston), “Parade” (1998 Broadway), “Paradise Found” (2010 London), “A Room With a View” (2012 Old

“Judith Dolan: On Broadway” When: Through Jan. 21. Noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday.

Where: La Jolla Historical Society, Wisteria Cottage, 780 Prospect St. Admission: Free Phone: (858) 459-5335 Online: lajollahistory.org

Globe Theatre), “Travesties” (2003 Massachusetts, 2005 Connecticut, 2014 New York) and “The Winter’s Tale” (2014 The Old Globe Theatre).

“She has been one of these behind-the-scene type artists, working in La Jolla doing very high-level work,” said La Jolla Historical Society executive director Heath Fox. “Her creative process works like this: When she gets a play assignment, she starts with historical resources and develops collages and ideas, and then she does her own hand-drawings and sketches. We hope that this exhibit will be of interest to people who are regular audiences of the performing arts in San Diego. It’s a look into theater that many people don’t get a chance to see.”

SEE DOLAN • E7

COURTESY PHOTO

Judith Dolan is a UC San Diego theater and dance professor of 20 years.

E8

SUNDAY • OCTOBER 1, 2017

THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

CAKEWATCH Today: Actress-singer Julie Andrews is 82. Actress Stella Stevens is 79.

Saxophonist Jerry Martini of Sly and the Family Stone is 74. Jazz bassist Dave Holland is 71. Actor Randy Quaid is 67. Actor Esai Morales (“NYPD Blue�) is 55. Actor Christopher Titus (“Titus�) is 53. Model-actress Cindy Margolis is 52. Singer-guitarist Kevin Griffin of Better Than Ezra is 49. Actor Zach Galifianakis (“The Hangover�) is 48. Actress Brie Larson (“United States of Tara�) is 28.

Monday: Singer-guitarist Leon Rausch of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys is 90. Critic Rex Reed is 79. Singer Don McLean is 72. Actor Avery Brooks (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine�) is 69.

Guitarist Mike Rutherford of Genesis and Mike and the Mechanics is 67.

Musician Sting is 66. Actress Lorraine Bracco (“The Sopranos�) is 63.

Guitarist Greg Jennings of Restless Heart is 63. Singer Phil Oakey of Human League is 62. Singer Freddie Jackson is 61. Country singer Gillian Welch is 50. Country singer Kelly Willis is 49. Singer Dion Allen of Az Yet is 47. Actress-talk-show host Kelly Ripa is 47. Singer Tiffany is 46.Singer Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes is 29. Actress Samantha Barks (“Les Miserables�) is 27.

Tuesday: Singer Chubby Checker is 76. Actor Alan Rachins (“Dharma & Greg�) is 75. Magician Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy is 73. Singerguitarist Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac is 68. Blues singer Keb’ Mo’ is 66. Actor Peter Frechette (“Profiler�) is 61. Drummer Tommy Lee of Motley Crue is 55. Actress Janel Moloney (“The West Wing�) is 48.

Singer Gwen Stefani is 48. Singer Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys is 46. Singer G. Love is 45.

Actress Neve Campbell is 44. Actress Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones�) is 44. Singer India.Arie is 42. Rapper Talib Kweli is 42.Actor Seann William Scott is 41. Guitarist Josh Klinghoffer of Red Hot Chili Peppers is 38.

Guitarist Mark King of Hinder is 35.

Actress Tessa Thompson (“Westworld�) is 34.Actor Noah Schnapp (“Stranger Things�) is 13.

Wednesday: Country singer Leroy Van Dyke is 88. Actress Lori Saunders (“Petticoat Junction�) is 76. Actor Clifton Davis (“Amen�) is 72. Actress Susan Sarandon is 71. Actor Armand Assante is 68. Actor Alan Rosenberg is 67. Actor Christoph Waltz is 61.

Actor David W. Harper (“The Waltons�) is 56. Singer Jon Secada is 56.

Actor Jerry Minor (“Dr. Ken,� “Community�) is 50. Actor Liev Schreiber (“The Manchurian Candidate,� “Scream 2�) is 50. Country singerguitarist Heidi Newfield (Trick Pony) is 47. Singer-guitarist M. Ward of She and Him is 44. Actress Alicia Silverstone is 41. Singer-guitarist Marc Roberge of O.A.R. is 39. Actress Rachel Leigh Cook (“Josie and the Pussycats,� “She's All That�) is 38.

Singer Jessica Benson of 3LW is 30.

Actress Melissa Benoist (“Supergirl,� “Glee�) is 29. Actress Dakota Johnson (“Fifty Shades of Grey�) is 28.

Thursday: Actress Glynis Johns (“Mary Poppins�) is 94. Singer Arlene Smith of The Chantels is 76. Singerguitarist Steve Miller is 74. Singer Brian Johnson of AC/DC is 70.

Director Clive Barker is 65. Guitarist David Bryson of Counting Crows is 63.

Singer Bob Geldof is 63. Actor Daniel Baldwin (“Homicide: Life on the Streets�) is 57. Actress Josie Bissett (“Melrose Place�) is 47. Singer-actress Heather Headley is 43. Singer Colin Meloy of The Decemberists is 43.

Guitarist Brian Mashburn of Save Ferris is 42. Actress Parminder Nagra

(“ER,� “Bend It Like Beckham�) is 42.

Actor Scott Weinger (“Full House�) is 42. Actress Kate Winslet is 42.

Guitarist James Valentine of Maroon 5 is 39. Bassist Paul Thomas of Good Charlotte is 37. Actor Jesse Eisenberg (“The Social Network�) is 34.

Friday: Actress Britt Ekland is 75.

Singer Millie Small is 71. Singerguitarist Thomas McClary (The Commodores) is 68. Singer Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon is 66.

Guitarist David Hidalgo of Los Lobos is 63. Actress Elisabeth Shue is 54.

Singer-songwriter Matthew Sweet is 53. Actress Jacqueline Obradors (“NYPD Blue�) is 51. Bassist Tommy Stinson (The Replacements, Guns N’ Roses) is 51. Actress Amy Jo Johnson (“Felicity,� “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers�) is 47. Actor Ioan Gruffudd (“Fantastic Four,� “Horatio Hornblower�) is 44. Actor Jeremy Sisto is 43. Singer Melinda Doolittle (“American Idol�) is 40. Musician Will Butler of Arcade Fire is 35.

Saturday: TV personality Joy Behar (“The View�) is 75. Drummer Kevin Godley of 10cc is 72. Country singer Kieran Kane of The O’Kanes is 68.

Musician John Mellencamp is 66.

Guitarist Ricky Phillips of Styx is 66.

Actress Mary Badham (“To Kill a Mockingbird�) is 65. Drummer Tico Torres of Bon Jovi is 64. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma is 62. Gospel singer Michael W. Smith is 60. Reality competition judge Simon Cowell is 58. Guitarist Charlie Marinkovich of Iron Butterfly is 58.

Singer Ann Curless of Expose is 54.

Singer Toni Braxton is 50. Singer Thom Yorke of Radiohead is 49. Singer Taylor Hicks (“American Idol�) is 41.

Actor Omar Benson Miller (“CSI: Miami�) is 39. Singer Nathaniel Rateliff of Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats is 39. Actor Jake McLaughlin (“Quantico�) is 35.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Swan Lake Thor Sutowski’s

AT THE CIVIC THEATRE

OCT. 28, 7:30PM OCT. 29, 1PM & 5:30PM

50th Anniversary Season

CALIFORNIA BALLET

LAWRENCE K. HO LOS ANGELES TIMES

Edo de Waart, music director of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, opens the San Diego Symphony’s season with Jean-Yves Thibaudet.

SYMPHONY FROM E4 erations, and joining us to celebrate is pianist Mike Wofford, who accompanied her during her last performing years.

7. And speaking of 100! We begin the celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday in May with several of his orchestral and chamber works. The orchestra performs his ballet music from “On the Town� and Symphony No. 1: “Jeremiah.� Bernstein’s Serenade for Violin will be played by Simone Lamsma. The celebration will continue throughout the summer and culminate in the fall of 2018.

8. Noel, Noel: We are creating a very special, San Diego-inspired holiday concert featuring local school choirs, community groups and a distinctive program that takes us on an exploration of what is unique about a San Diego Christmas. Well-loved carols “being sung by a choir� — of audience and chorus combined — are a continued highlight, and Copley Symphony Hall will be decked out in holi-

BETH ROSS BUCKLEY

Rose Lombardo is principal flutist with the San Diego Symphony. day splendor. It is an exciting new version of a family tradition to celebrate the holidays with the San Diego Symphony.

9. Family programming: We explore Rimsky Korsakov’s enchanting score that tells the story of “Scheherazade� and her storytelling tale of “101 Arabian Nights.� The film “Ratatouille� is scheduled at the family-friendly time of 4 p.m. so we can

welcome children of all ages.

10. The excitement of continuing our search for the next music director of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. We have many guest conductors in the 2017-18 season — I am excited as we continue our work to find the ideal music director for our orchestra.

Wood is a freelance writer.

www.californiaballet.org 619-570-1100

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I gi v eal otof c r edi tt oT ommyPhi l i pswhor ea l l yputt hei deai nt omot i onf ormet obea r t i s t i cc ur a t orf ort heJ a z za t t heJ a c obss er i es .

S owe ’ v ebeena tt ha tf ort hr eey ea r snow.

I t ’ sf unnybec a us eI us edt opl a yi nt he l obbyaf ewy ea r sa go, a ndoneda yt hi sol dergent l ema npa s s edbya nds a i d, ‘ T ha t ’ swher ej a z zbel ongs —i nt hel obby . ’ I wi s hI k newhi sna mea ndha dhi sa ddr es ss oI c oul ds endhi ms ea s ont i c k et sj us tt ol et hi mk nowt ha tI ’ v epr ov ent hem wr ong.

I ’ mr ea l l yhonor edt obewor k i ngwi t hMa r t haGi l mera nd ev er y onea tt hes y mphony .

Myj obi st or ea c houtt oa l l myf r i endsi nt hemus i cbus i nes sa ndput t oget herc onc er t st ha twi l l wor ki nt ha tr oom.

I t ’ sawi nwi nf orev er y body ; I wa ntt oc ol l a bor a t eev en mor ewi t ht hes y mphonyor c hes t r ai t s el f .

Wec ombi nedl a s ty ea rf ort hePeerGy ntS ui t ea ndt ha twa s oneoft hemus i c a l hi ghl i ght sofmyc a r eer . ” S t udy i ngwi t hGi l ber tha sr ea l l yc ha ngedmyl i f e , bec a us eofa l l t heoppor t uni t i eshegi v esust obe l ea der s .

Hegi v esusgi gswher eweha v et of or m ourownba ndsa ndputt oget hers etl i s t s , get t i ngust o t a k ei ni t i a t i v e .

Hes howsust hea mountofwor kt ha tgoesi nt obei ngamus i c i a n, butwea l s ogetat a s t e ofhowr ewa r di ngt hi sha r dwor ki s .

—Zi onDy s on, 16, Y oungL i onsJ a z zCons er v a t or yS t udent

T heMos tI nt i ma t eRoom i nS a nDi ego Ont heot herendoft hes pec t r um f r om Copl eyS y mphonyHa l l i sGi l ber t ’ sr egul a rF r i da yni ghtgi ga tt he Wes t ga t eHot el i nt hePl a z aBa r , av er ys ma l l r oom wi t hper f ec ta c ous t i c s , as er v i c ea bl egr a ndpi a no, a nd ades er v edr eput a t i ona sa“ l i s t eni ngr oom. ” “ I ’ mc omi nguponami l es t onea tt heWes t ga t e .

I s t a r t ed t her ev ey ea r sa goi nOc t ober .

T hea c ous t i c st her ea r eunbel i ev a bl e—i t ’ soneoft hebes tr oomsI ’ v e ev erpl a y edi nmyl i f e .

I t hi nkt hel i s t ener swoul da gr ee .

I tonl ys ea t sa bout40peopl e , s oy ouneedt oget t her eea r l ybec a us ei t ’ sgoi ngt ol l up.

Andi fy ougetas ea t , y oubet t erbequi eta ndl i s t enbec a us e t ha t ’ swha tt ha tr oom i sa l l a bout , a ndI l ov ei t .

I c a l l i tmyl a bor a t or ybec a us eI c a nr ea l l ygeti nt ot he f r a meofmi ndwher eI s t opt hi nk i nga ndj us tc r ea t ei nt ha tr oom.

I s t opwor r y i nga boutt hi ngs .

I t ’ sl i k e myt her a py —I c a nj us tl eti ta l l outa nddomyt hi ng.

Ands omeoft hemos ta ma z i ngmus i cha sc ome outoft ha tr oom onF r i da yni ght s .

Y ou’ v egott or es pec tt hemus i ca ndl ett hemus i ct a k ey ouwher ei t ’ s s uppos edt ot a k ey ou.

Y ouc a n’ tbewor r y i nga boutot hert hi ngsbec a us et ha t ’ snotwha tmus i ci sa l l a bout .

Mus i ci sa boute x pl or i nga ndt a k i ngc ha nc es . ”

Gi l ber t ’ sa s s oc i a t i onwi t ht heWes t ga t eHot el e x t endst oas ummer t i mes er i eshec ur a t esc a l l edS uns et ‘ Pool s i deJ a z zev er yT hur s da yf r om 6: 30t o9: 30p. mi nt hemont hsofJ une , J ul y , a ndAugus t . “ I c r ea t ed t hes er i es , ” s a y sCa s t el l a nos . “ Andwe ’ v ej us tc ompl et edourf our t hy ea r .

I t ’ sbec omeav er ypopul a rt hi ng.

I t a k emyha tofft ot hes t a ffa ndma na gementf orbel i ev i ngi nwha twe ’ r et r y i ngt odo. ” T heBus i es tMa ni nS a nDi egoS howbi z Ca s t el l a nosha sbeenc ons i s t ent l ya c t i v ei nbl endi ngj a z zwi t hot hera r tf or ms , es pec i a l l yi nt hea r ea sof da nc ea ndt hea t er . “ I ’ v ebeenc ommi s s i onednowf ort hr eey ea r si nar owt owr i t eas ui t ef ort heS a n Di egoBa l l et .

J a v i erVel a s c oha sa s k edmeonc ea ga i nt onotonl ywr i t et hemus i cbuta l s ot oper f or mi t l i v e .

And, wej us thea r dt ha tt hef a bul ousCha r l esMc Pher s ona ndI ha v ebeena ddedt ot heS a nDi ego Ba l l eta sr es i dentc ompos er s . ” Ba c ki n2013, Gi l ber tc ol l a bor a t edwi t hpl a y wr i ghtRi c ha r dMont oy aa nddi r ec t orS a mWoodhous ef or