“Continuing to build on the momentum of 2020, [we are among] a small handful of orchestras that have found a way to return safely back on stage together — for the moment without live audiences,” says the Santa Barbara Symphony,
For their next brace of online concerts, which they call a Santa Barbara Celebration, in addition to the prescribed precautions of masking, social distancing, and hand washing, the symphony musicians have gone their peer ensembles one better by inviting select medical personnel right on stage with them.
Of course, the medicos will not really be there in their professional roles, but as amateur musicians and guest performers.
The concerts themselves are given in honor of all our local healthcare angels — who, along with our first-responders, are eligible for free tickets to the concert; they just need to fill out this form: https://forms.gle/vfmHaY5m3KZrJnyC9 — and those on stage who have healthcare day jobs will be doctors with musical talents, including piano soloist and Cottage Health ophthalmology specialist Dr. Toni Meyers (sister of star violinist, Anne Akiko Meyers), there to play alongside symphony regulars.
The concert program begins with Ludwig Beethoven‘s “Romance in F-Major for Violin & Orchestra, Opus 50” (1798) with concertmaster Jessica Guideri.
Next, Dr. Meyers will take the piano solo in the second movement from Wolfgang Mozart‘s “Piano Concerto No. 21 in C-Major, K. 467” (1785) (this is the movement heard on the soundtrack of Bo Widerberg’s 1967 period romance “Elvira Madigan,” followed by Mozart’s “Symphony No. 29 in A-Major, K. 201” (1774), “State Street Stomp” from Bramwell Tovey’s “Santa Barbara Sonata” (2005), and the heavenly third movement “Notturno (Andante)” from the “String Quartet No. 2 in D-Major” (1881) by Alexander Borodin, who was not only a great composer but an eminent physician and professor of organic chemistry.
The Beethoven “Romance” finds the inimitable composer in a gypsy mood, and should be played much more often than it is. The Bo Widerberg film is a sumptuously photographed bummer — lavishly praised on release, it packed the art houses for a season and disappeared, only the title surviving in our consciousness as the indelible sobriquet of the exquisite Mozart concerto.
The opening movement of the Mozart Symphony No. 29″ is one of his loveliest, surpassed, if at all, only by the opening of the transcendent “Symphony No. 40 in g-minor.”
Borodin was a member of “The Five,” a group of Russian composers dedicated to founding a distinct nationalist style. The other four were Mily Balakirev (the leader), César Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
This gang was generally opposed to chamber music, but Borodin was an enthusiastic performer of it, on the cello, and composed a great deal for small ensembles — much to the displeasure of his fellow Russophils. He had an unparalleled gift for exotic melody, and a lot of his music showed up in the 1953 musical “Kismet” by Robert Wright and George Forrest. In 1954, Borodin was posthumously awarded a Tony Award for this show.
As Maestro Nir Kabaretti notes, “Music and healing have been linked throughout history, and now more than ever, it feels vital to illuminate that connection and celebrate it. The Greek god Apollo was not only god of the sun but also the god of healing and music.
“The skills developed in musical training — listening, collaboration, empathy, attention to detail — are skills that are equally critical in the practice of medicine. There is a dedication to excellence and lifelong commitment to practice in both medicine and music, which together, can enhance and transform a life!”
Janet Garufis, Symphony Board chair, will lead a conversation with Dr. Kurt Ransohoff, CEO/CMO of Sansum Clinic, and Ron Werft, president/CEO of Cottage Health, about the connections between music and healing.
“We thank the Santa Barbara Symphony for honoring our local medical community, and recognizing the critical work, dedication, and bravery of our healthcare workers,” said Dr. Ransohoff. “Music has long been a conduit to healing, and in what is a tremendously difficult year for everyone, the symphony’s message through music is more powerful and appreciated than ever, and one we can all surely benefit from.”
The performance will be recorded live on a socially distanced stage, without an audience, following COVID protocols. The concert will be delivered directly to audiences through the symphony’s new digital streaming format at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, after which it will be available on-demand for 30 days for ticket-holders.
Virtual tickets to Santa Barbara Celebration start at just $43 per household with a series subscription and includes a one-time link that provides access to both the livestream and on-demand access for 30 days after the premiere broadcast. For details and to purchase tickets, visit https://thesymphony.org/concerts-events/orchestra-concerts/santa-barbara-celebration/.
The symphony invites guests to tune in at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday to enjoy a pre-show featuring behind-the-scenes interviews and more. The symphony has partnered again with DUO Catering that will offer a symphony-inspired dinner menu and Signature Symphony cocktail, available for delivery and takeout, for guests to enjoy “an evening out” from the comfort of their home.
During COVID-19, the loss of revenue has been significant, and the symphony is grateful to the community for their generous financial support. Santa Barbara Celebration is made possible by the 2020/21 Corporate Season Sponsor, Montecito Bank & Trust; the Grand Venue Sponsor, The Granada Theatre; Season Sponsors, Sarah and Roger Chrisman; and Selection Sponsor, Susan Aberle.
— Gerald Carpenter covers the arts as a Noozhawk contributing writer. He can be reached at gerald.carpenter@gmail.com. The opinions expressed are his own.