Hello, Symphony community!
I hope you're looking forward to the 2025—2026 season as much as I am. Today, I'll share my insights and favorite picks for our season. There truly is something for everyone this year!
If you're a fan of traditional classical music...
- Symphony No. 2 by Franz Schubert
- Connoisseurs of traditional, classical music may be more familiar with Schubert's famous "Unfinished" Symphony (No. 8). Or, maybe you know Schubert's numerous song cycles and vocal music. But to me, this symphony is a true shining gem in Schubert's catalog. The delicate, lyrical melodies paired with the emotional depth that is synonymous with Franz Schubert and you're in for an amazing journey.
- Eine Kleine Nachtmusic by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- We've all heard this one before ("Bum, bum-bum, bum-bum-bum-bum-bum-buuuummmm!"). This famous "Little Night Music" has been heard on the radio, in TV and movies, and in popular culture for decades. A light, refreshing work that showcases Mozart's crystalline writing style makes this a great way to perk up and instantly feel that smile come across your face.
- Symphony No. 7 by Ludwig van Beethoven
- This is my favorite Beethoven symphony. I've long said that the second movement of this symphony is the most gorgeous, haunting, emotional, and moving piece of music in the repertoire (yes—more so than Barber's Adagio for Strings). Beethoven's hearing was worsening while he wrote this Symphony and you can just hear the grief and then triumph over adversity come through in every note. You'll leave feeling overjoyed by the end of it, I promise.
If you're looking for something new and edgy...
- Symphony No. 3 by Philip Glass
- Philip Glass is a minimalist and a lot of his music gets a bad rap for being repetitive or "boring." But I think this couldn't be further from the truth. Glass' 3rd Symphony—his only written for strings—is an exploration of the harmonies only a homogenous group of instruments can provide. I think you'll find that "repetition" isn't truly Glass' modus operandi here, but rather an unraveling and reimagining of themes, motifs, and rhythms that keep you on the edge of your seat for the full 25 minutes. Seriously, it's pretty cool.
- Fate Now Conquers by Carlos Simon
- American composer Carlos Simon's response to a Beethoven letter (written during Beethoven's time composing the 7th Symphony) is an energetic and cinematic work. The electricity passed through the orchestra is intoxicating and keeps your ears at full attention. When listening to it, my mind conjures images of a wide movie shot in an adventure or thriller where our intrepid hero is racing through the winding, foggy mountain side planning their next move. And as far as season openers go, I think you'll find it to be a great shot out of the gate.
- DANCE for cello and orchestra by Anna Clyne
- Based on a poem by the 13th-century Sufi poet Rumi, this piece explores the human experience through music. The interplay between the solo cellist and the orchestra (which, itself, is treated with the utmost care and sensitive orchestration) paints a picture of the ups and downs of a shared lived experience. Equal parts reflective and frenetic, this piece will resonate with all of us and bring to mind images of your past and present.
If you're interested in music that tells a story...
- Angel Mestizo by Juan Pablo Contreras
- I had the privilege of meeting Mexican composer Juan Pablo Contreras in 2019 when I was working for the Las Vegas Philharmonic. Charming, smart, and an excellent musician, Contreras' music is a blend of Mexican Nationalism (or mestizo), Western classical style, and contemporary performance practice. This piece, a harp concerto, celebrates Mexico's love of the harp and frames the instrument through it's journey across Mexico. I love this piece not just for the interesting (and familiar to those of us who grew up in the I.E.) musical themes and harmonies, but also the extraordinary virtuosity of the solo harp part which blends Mariachi elements with Western training in a true tour de force like nothing you've heard before.
- Suite from Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland
- There are few more quintessentially American sounding composers than Aaron Copland. His open scoring which paints the expanse of Western expansion and the American spirit in pieces like Rodeo and El Salon Mexico is on full display here, but transformed to elicit images of mountains and a country still dealing with the effects of the Civil War. The Suite contains excerpts from the full ballet, but still gets the story across. I love that Copland uses only 13 instruments to tell the story of industrialization, family ties, love, and a country grappling with progress. Plus, "Simple Gifts" is an absolute hit.
- Suite from The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky
- Based on a piece of Russian folklore, Stravinsky's The Firebird blends the delicate and powerful to tell the story of love, jealousy, and renewal with a touch of magic. Rife with Stravinsky's signature harmonies full of tensions and dissonance that fade away to rich, sonorous melodies, this Suite provides an accessible way for audiences of all ages to use their imaginations and spark creativity. And, of course, be sure to listen to the best part: the bassoon melody that plays the Firebird's lullaby toward the end of the work.
There's so much to explore this season. Be sure to subscribe to our playlist on Spotify and YouTube to get your ears tuned for a season of amazing music making.
And of course, you can always get your tickets and subscriptions at our online box office or by calling our office at 909-587-5565. Need a brochure? E-mail us at symphony@redlandssymphony.com and we'll send one out to you.
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