The Santa Barbara Symphony performs its season finale, Triumph, a celebration of the organization’s most innovative, inspirational and creative season in its six-decade history. Audiences are invited to tune in at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 15, and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 16, for a pre-show starting 30 minutes prior to each broadcast.
This is the symphony’s final performance of pandemic season, during which it was able to create an innovative and safe path forward without canceling performances or music education programs.
“Without missing a beat the Santa Barbara Symphony continued to bring hope and connection to the community through symphonic music in incredible new ways we never could have imagined before,” said Nir Kabaretti, symphony music & artistic director.
“This season has required so much more of everyone in our symphony family, from our musicians to our incredible staff and the technical team that all have had to think outside the box to help us realize our vision,” he said.
“We’re proud to bring our audiences big, triumphant, finale with both memories of what we all shared together this season virtually and excitement about coming together in person next season,” he said.
Kabaretti returns to the podium in a program that will feel familiar in its format with the full orchestra assembled together on stage at the Granada Theatre, made possible with the recent announcement of Santa Barbara County entering the orange tier, and a large stage extension to ensure social distancing.
This will likely be the symphony’s last performance with no in-person audience.
Joining the symphony is guest pianist Awadagin Pratt. Pratt launched onto the global classical music stage in 1992 when he became the first African-American pianist to win the prestigious Naumburg International Piano Competition.
Since then, Pratt has played at the White House and Carnegie Hall, on “Sesame Street,” and with nearly every major orchestra in the U.S. He has toured the world as a soloist and collaborated with Joshua Bell, the St. Lawrence String Quartet, and Terence Blanchard on recordings and performances.
Pratt will perform Mozart’s “Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major.”
The concert also features “Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92,“ and Benjamin Britten’s “Fanfare for St. Edmundsbury.”
In addition, the symphony will feature 13-year old Joseph Malvinni, one of the four winners of the expanded 2021 Santa Barbara Youth Symphony Concerto Competition, who will perform a movement of Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s “Concerto for Guitar in D Major.”
“We did it. Our final performance of the 2020-21 season is going to be a celebration of our team and community,” said Kathryn R. Martin, symphony president/CEO.
“It is a moment where we are simultaneously reflecting back in gratitude and amazement at what we’ve achieved together, and at the same time excitement for the future as we announce next season and look forward to being together in person again,” she said.
“We are deeply grateful to our supporters and community partners for making this unprecedented season possible,” she said.
This season has shone a spotlight on the symphony’s musicians, both on and off stage. In the final broadcast, audiences will hear from some of the team who were an integral part of making sure the music played on throughout a challenging season.
Virtual tickets for Triumph are available for the live broadcast and on-demand viewing after the weekend premiere, purchase online here. The entire Santa Barbara Symphony 2020/21 Digital Season is still available for on-demand viewing.