Community Arts Music Association (CAMA) of Santa Barbara will open its 104th concert season with a performance by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra together with British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason at the Granada Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 10.
The concert features Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Fantasia on a Theme” by Thomas Tallis, Sir Edward Elgar’s “Cello Concerto in E Minor,” Mieczysław Weinberg’s “Jewish Rhapsody,” from Festive Scenes, and Claude Debussy’s “La Mer.”
Concert tickets, starting at $36, go on sale Sept. 9.
“We begin the season with a formidable pairing of world-class musical forces,” said CAMA president Mark Trueblood. “The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s reputation for unforgettable concert performances is the envy of ensembles around the globe. And Sheku Kanneh-Mason is a rare and exciting young talent.
“To top it off, they will present a program rich in musical treasures. I strongly encourage the community to join us on Oct. 10,”
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s 100-year tradition of making exceptional music began with its first symphonic concert in 1920 under the baton of Sir Edward Elgar. Under British conductor Sir Simon Rattle, the CBSO became internationally famous for its musicianship and expansive repertoire.
The orchestra is currently led by the Lithuanian conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, who previously served as assistant conductor at the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
At age 23, cellist Kanneh-Mason is already in demand worldwide. Having initially garnered renown as the winner of the 2016 BBC Young Musician Competition – the first Black musician so honored – his name became well-known in 2018 after he perfored at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at Windsor Castle.
Kanneh-Mason has released two chart-topping albums on the Decca Classics label, Inspiration in 2018 and Elgar in 2020. He has performed with the Stockholm Philharmonic, the Atlanta Symphony, the Japan Philharmonic, the BBC Symphony, the London Philharmonic, and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony. He is the recipient of the 2020 Royal Philharmonic Society’s Young Artists’ Award.
Kanneh-Mason plays a Matteo Goffriller cello from 1700, which is on indefinite loan to him.
Kanneh-Mason’s upcoming appearance at the Granada Theatre comes amid CAMA’s continuing efforts to highlight performers and composers from marginalized communities. In 2020, the organization’s director of operations, Justin Rizzo-Weaver, conducted an interview with celebrated string bassist Chi-chi Nwanoku on her groundbreaking work to champion change and celebrate diversity in classical music.
Nwanoku founded and serves as artistic and executive director of the Chineke! Foundation, which provides career opportunities for both established and up-and-coming Black and ethnically diverse classical musicians across the UK and Europe. Sheku Kanneh-Mason is an alumnus of both the Chineke! Orchestra, the organization’s flagship ensemble, and the Chineke! Junior Orchestra.
CAMA’s season continues Oct. 24 with a performance by the Juilliard String Quartet at the Lobero. In a related program offering, members of the Juilliard String Quartet will offer a string masterclass at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, in UCSB’s Karl Geiringer Hall.
Subscriptions, which range in price from $160-$635, are currently on sale. For additional information, visit www.camasb.org/pricing-and-seating, call 805-966-4324, or email tickets@camasb.org. Single tickets will be available for purchase beginning Friday, Sept. 9, at the Granada Theatre Box Office, 805-899‑2222 or www.granadasb.org.