The Santa Barbara Symphony, due to the recent double disasters striking the South Coast, has decided to postpone its concerts of Jan. 20-21.
The program featuring François Girard’s romantic film, The Red Violin, and violinist Lara St. John, will now be presented the weekend of June 16-17. (Tickets bought for the Jan. 20-21 concerts will be honored at the June performances.)
Meanwhile, in partnership with Montecito Bank & Trust and the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts, the symphony will offer a free benefit concert, with guitarist and artist-in-residence Pablo Sáinz Villegas, and a small orchestra made up of symphony members, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan, 18, in the Granada Theatre.
Admission is free, but Montecito Bank & Trust volunteers will be on hand to collect donations for disaster relief and recovery efforts in Montecito, Summerland and Carpinteria.
“This will be an evening of community and comfort, with the healing power of music,” said Kevin A. Marvin, Santa Barbara Symphony executive director. “Pablo Sáinz Villegas and the orchestra will present an intimate and uplifting performance.”
Tickets will be available for the asking during business hours Wednesday and Thursday at the symphony office, 1330 State St., Ste. 102, and at the door the night of the concert. Tickets will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information, call 898-9386.
— Gerald Carpenter.