Palo Alto Philharmonic

Our Summer Chamber Concert is this weekend! Get tickets at the link below.

Our last Chamber Concert of the season is coming soon!

Join us on June 22nd at the at 8PM as we close out the 2024 season.

Tickets at: https://www.paphil.org/tickets

Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue, for piano-four-hands

Mozart - Serenade No. 11, for wind octet

Brahms - String Sextet No. 1

Our last Chamber Concert of the season is coming soon!

Join us on June 22nd at the at 8PM as we close out the 2024 season.

Tickets at: https://www.paphil.org/tickets

Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue, for piano-four-hands

Mozart - Serenade No. 11, for wind octet

Brahms - String Sextet No. 1

Flights of Fancy is tomorrow! Tickets are available at our website below.

Our annual family concert is coming Sunday May 19th at 3PM!

The theme is "Flights of Fancy" so come flock to the Cubberley Theatre with your family!

Ticket at paphil.org/performances

Gioachino Rossini - Overture from "La Gazza Ladra"
Igor Stravinsky - Firebird Suite (1919)

plus flightworthy selections from Rimsky-Korsakov, Saint-Saëns, Vivaldi and more!

Our annual family concert is coming Sunday May 19th at 3PM!

The theme is "Flights of Fancy" so come flock to the Cubberley Theatre with your family!

Ticket at paphil.org/performances

Gioachino Rossini - Overture from "La Gazza Ladra"
Igor Stravinsky - Firebird Suite (1919)

plus flightworthy selections from Rimsky-Korsakov, Saint-Saëns, Vivaldi and more!

David Bratman at the San Mateo Daily Journal reviewed our April 6th concert and Lee Actor Symphony No.4!

Another lively Palo Alto Philharmonic performance The Palo Alto Philharmonic is not an ordinary nonprofessional community orchestra. It regularly gives the first performances of major new compositions by a talented composer of worthwhile music.

One week away till our Premiere Fourth Concert! Come see the world premiere of our composer in residence Lee Actor’s Symphony No.4!

Starts at 8pm (with 7:30pm pre-concert talk by Lara Webber) at the Cupertino Visual and Performing Arts Center.

Get tickets at : https://www.paphil.org/performances

Lara Webber will also be conducting:
Hector Berlioz - Roman Carnival Overture
Jean Sibelius - En Saga, Op. 9

April 6th will be the world premiere of our composer in residence Lee Actor’s Symphony No.4! Come join us at 8pm (with 7:30pm pre-concert talk by Lara Webber) at the Cupertino Visual and Performing Arts Center.

Get tickets at : https://www.paphil.org/performances

Lara Webber will also be conducting:

Hector Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture
Jean Sibelius En Saga, Op. 9

Two days till our Spring Chamber Concert at the First Lutheran Church in ! Check out our program here!

Get Tickets Here: https://www.paphil.org/performances

Join us at the First Lutheran Church this Saturday at 8PM for our first Chamber Concert of 2024!

Get tickets at: https://www.paphil.org/tickets

Our Program:
Paul Hindemith Kleine Kammermusik, for wind quintet, Op. 24, No. 2
Gordon Jacob Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet
Thomas Morley Now is the Month of Maying, for brass quartet
Ludwig van Beethoven Three Equali for Four Trombones
Franz Joseph Haydn Achieved is the Glorious Work, for brass quartet
Felix Mendelssohn Sextet for Piano and Strings, Op. 110

We are excited to welcome you THIS WEEK to our first concert of 2024! February 17, 8pm (7:30 pre-concert talk!) at Cubberley (this Saturday!)

Program included here 🎶:

Silvestre Revueltas - Janitzio
Gabriel Fauré - Pelleas et Melisande Suite, Op. 80
Johannes Brahms - Symphony No. 4, Op. 98

Get tickets now at our link in bio!!

🎶 Our first concert of 2024 is this Saturday February 17, 8pm (7:30 pre-concert talk!) at the Cubberley Theater, Featuring:

Silvestre Revueltas - Janitzio
Gabriel Fauré - Pelleas et Melisande Suite, Op. 80
Johannes Brahms - Symphony No. 4, Op. 98

Get tickets now at our link in bio!

From Paris to Prague

Join the Palo Alto Philharmonic and clarinet soloist Steve Sánchez on a journey through the brilliance of classical form in all its variety. Experience the beautiful melodies of quintessential Mozart and the quirky, fun, inventive energy of Neo-Classical composers Igor Stravinsky and Jean Françaix.

Join Music Director Lara Webber for a Pre-concert talk at 7:30 pm.

The performance begins at 8 pm.

For tickets, visit www.paphil.org/performances

Happy birthday to our Music Director, Lara Webber! 🎉🎶

Thank you to our enthusiastic audience, and congratulations to our amazing performers!

Next Saturday! Join us this fall for a night of exciting chamber performances.

This Saturday! Join us for a musical showcase featuring recent works by our Composer-in-Residence Lee Actor, followed by a fireside chat hosted by Music Director Lara Webber.

Desserts and refreshments will be served.

Program:
Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra (Movement I) - Jennifer Kloetzel, cello

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (Movement II) - Lori Jensen, Violin

Concerto for Two Flutes and Orchestra (Movement I) - Ráyo Furuta & Natalie Haworth-Liu, flutes

Hiroko Mizuno, collaborative pianist

All proceeds support the commission of Lee’s Symphony No. 4 — the Palo Alto Philharmonic will present the world-premiere performance of this brand-new work at our April 2024 concert

For tickets, visit www.paphil.org/performances or click on the link in our bio.

This Saturday! Join us for a musical showcase featuring recent works by our Composer-in-Residence Lee Actor, followed by a fireside chat hosted by Music Director Lara Webber.

Desserts and refreshments will be served.

Program:
Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra (Movement I) - Jennifer Kloetzel, cello

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (Movement II) - Lori Jensen, Violin

Concerto for Two Flutes and Orchestra (Movement I) - Ráyo Furuta & Natalie Haworth-Liu, flutes

Hiroko Mizuno, collaborative pianist

All proceeds support the commission of Lee’s Symphony No. 4 — the Palo Alto Philharmonic will present the world-premiere performance of this brand-new work at our April 2024 concert

For tickets visit www.paphil.org/performances

Tomorrow night! Join Lara Webber for a pre-concert talk at 7:30 pm and a post-concert reception with musicians! This is a program you don’t want to miss!

For tickets, visit www.paphil.org/performances or purchase at the door.

Our wonderful conductor Lara Webber and soloist Robin Sharpe! Join us and hear her incredible rendition of Mozart’s 3rd Violin Concerto on 10/21 at Cubberly Theater!
Link to tickets in bio

Saturday, October 21st!

Our orchestra series kicks off with Melodic Impressions featuring violin soloist Robin Sharp.

Join us for a pre-concert talk with Music Director Lara Webber and a special reception with musicians after the performance.

For more information and tickets, visit www.paphil.org/performances.

This Saturday at 8 p.m., the Palo Alto Philharmonic presents a music from the 17th and 18th centuries at the First Lutheran Church of Palo Alto, featuring orchestra members and guests.

Program:
Purcell - Excerpts from "King Arthur"
arr. King
Pezel - Three Dances
arr. King
Quantz - Triosonate c-moll for flute, oboe and continuo
Handel - Concerto Grosso Op. 6, Nos. 3 & 4
Corelli - Concerto Grosso Op. 6, Nos. 7 & 8 ('Christmas')

For tickets, visit www.paphil.org/performances

Welcome to our 36th season!

Our 2023-2024 season starts with our popular Baroque Concert on Saturday, September 9th, at 8 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church of Palo Alto.

This season, Music Director Lara Webber will take audiences on an incredible musical journey full of compelling music, with captivating soloists, and the world premiere of Lee Actor’s Fourth Symphony!

You do not want to miss any of these orchestra concerts or our chamber concerts in November, March, and June!

Visit www.paphil.org to learn more and start marking your calendars now!

THIS SUNDAY!
Classical Splendor Unveiled
Presented by Ascendo Foundation
Sunday, August 27 at 4 p.m.
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts - Second Stage

Link for tickets in bio.

Witness the extraordinary talent of the Bay Area's finest young musicians in a captivating fundraising concert sponsored by the Ascendo Foundation. From the timeless melodies of Brahms, Beethoven, Chopin, and Liszt, these young musicians take you on a musical journey of elegance and virtuosity, united in their dedication to nurturing the future of classical music. Together, we aim to support Palo Alto Philharmonic’s commission of a new symphony by their esteemed Composer-in-Residence, Lee Actor. Featuring Andrew Truong, Ryan Sheng, Solomon Ge, and Victor Xie - piano  Davis You - cello Joseph Wong - violin.
Join us on this extraordinary musical journey and make a lasting impact on the cultural landscape through your attendance and generous contribution. This performance is 1 hour and 45 minutes long with one intermission and is appropriate for all ages.

Classical Splendor Unveiled
Presented by Ascendo Foundation
Sunday, August 27 at 4 p.m.
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts - Second Stage

www.paphil.org for more information and tickets.

Witness the extraordinary talent of the Bay Area's finest young musicians in a captivating fundraising concert sponsored by the Ascendo Foundation. From the timeless melodies of Brahms, Beethoven, Chopin, and Liszt, these young musicians take you on a musical journey of elegance and virtuosity, united in their dedication to nurturing the future of classical music. Together, we aim to support Palo Alto Philharmonic’s commission of a new symphony by their esteemed Composer-in-Residence, Lee Actor. Featuring Andrew Truong, Ryan Sheng, Solomon Ge, and Victor Xie - piano Davis You - cello Joseph Wong - violin.
Join us on this extraordinary musical journey and make a lasting impact on the cultural landscape through your attendance and generous contribution. This performance is 1 hour and 45 minutes long with one intermission and is appropriate for all ages.

We conclude our Concerto Movement Competition Winner Spotlight with pianist, Aliya Alsafa (age 19), who will perform the first movement of Franz Listz’s Piano Concerto No. 1.

Aliya is a freshman attending Stanford University. She currently studies piano performance with Louise Costigan-Kerns. Originally from New York, Aliya has won numerous awards and honors in local, national, and international piano competitions and has performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Weill’s Recital Hall, Wigmore Hall, and the Ravinia Bennett-Gordon Hall. She has participated in the Gilmore Rising Stars Series, Swiss Alps Classics, and Leeds International Piano Festival. Aliya is a Steinway Young Artist and a Lang Lang Young Scholar, and she previously studied piano performance at the Juilliard Pre-College with Hung-Kuan Chen, Tema Blackstone, and Matti Raekallio. In addition to her musical pursuits, Aliya enjoys community service and has a passion for computer science and dance.

Our Concerto Movement Competition Winner Spotlight continues with cellist Joel Kim (age 17) who will perform the first movement of Sergei Prokofiev’s Synfonia Concertante in E minor.

Joel, a senior at Saratoga High School, started studying cello under the tutelage of Jonathan Koh of the University of California, Berkeley at the age of 10. A two-time National YoungArts winner in Classical Music–a finalist in 2023 and an honorable mention winner in 2022, Joel is also a 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts candidate. He has worked with several renowned cellists including David Finckel, Dmitri Atapine, Brinton Averil Smith, David Requiro, Nicholas Canellakis, and Zlatomir Fung. As an avid chamber musician, Joel has performed with California Music Prep since 2016 and was invited to the Music@Menlo Young Performers Chamber Program in the past three summers. Every summer, Joel performs in the HopeBox Charity Youth Orchestra to raise funds for disadvantaged children. As a soloist in the 2021 benefit concert, Joel played a crucial role in the fundraiser during the pandemic. At school, he leads Saratoga High String Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra as principal cellist and mentors local middle school students through Music Education with Saratoga High (MESH). In 2021 and 2022, Joel performed in the California All-State Symphony Orchestra.

Our Concerto Movement Competition Winner Spotlight continues with Celicia Thendean (age 14), who will perform the first movement of Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3.

Celicia is a Freshman at Amador Valley High School, started to learn piano with her mother, Fonny Chandra, then continued her studies with Ilana Vered and Anna Poklewski. Celicia has soloed with the Livermore-Amador Symphony and the Orchestra Virtuosi Brunenses in Italy. She also had her first solo recital in October 2022 to raise money for her high school music program. Recently, Celicia won a grand prize at the Philadelphia International Music Festival and second prize at the 2023 Marilyn Mindell Piano Competition Senior Division. She has won top prizes in numerous competitions, including the 2022 MTAC State Concerto Competition, 2021 Chicago Music Competition, and many more. Celicia was selected to participate at the 2022 Southeastern Piano Festival. She won the Vivace Award at Vivace Music Festival in 2020 and had been invited to perform in Wilmington, North Carolina alongside with Prof. Marina Lomazov, Prof. Joseph Rackers, and Prof. Ara Gregorian. Besides piano, Celicia enjoys playing cello, oboe, and clarinet. She was selected in the 2021 and 2022 All-State Honor Ensembles on cello, oboe, and jazz piano, and was the recipient of the Ed Wolfe Scholarship for her outstanding performance in the All State Middle School Big Band.

Our Concerto Movement Competition Winner Spotlight continues with pianist, Daniel Strebulaev (age 14) who will perform the first movement of Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor.

Daniel began playing the piano at age 4. Since 2018 he has been a student of Erna Gulabyan. In May 2022, Daniel passed with distinction the DipABRSM exam of the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music (ABSRM).
Daniel was a Junior Division winner at the 2021 Marilyn Mindell Piano Competition. He won first prize at the 2020 California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) Concerto Competition as well as the 2023 CAPMT Concerto Competition (San Francisco District.) He was a winner at the 2023 Palo Alto Philharmonic Concerto Competition.
Among Daniel’s other awards are first prizes at the Virtuoso International Music Competition, the Golden Era of Romantic Music international piano competition, and the Global Composers Competition.
Daniel performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Carnegie Hall in New York City, and the Robert Schumann Museum in Germany. In December 2019, he played Mozart’s 12th Piano Concerto with the Moscow Youth Orchestra as a winner of the American Festival of Fine Arts Concerto Competition. In 2022, Daniel was selected and attended the Interlochen Piano Summer Camp.
Daniel has been passionate about supporting social causes, especially helping young children afflicted by health issues, as his younger sister has Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). At age 10, he played a charity solo recital featuring all eras of the classical music, during which he collected over $15,000 to support safe insulin delivery to T1D children around the globe from underprivileged backgrounds. In 2023, he organized another charity solo recital, raising over $38,000 to support the Diabetes Youth Families Foundation.
Daniel loves playing Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Debussy, and Scriabin, as well as composing music. When not at his beloved piano, Daniel works on developing his understanding of ancient civilizations and his tennis skills.

Our Concerto Movement Competition Winner Spotlight continues with
Cellist Fiona Huang (age 15) who will perform the second movement of Dmitry Kabalevsky’s Cello Concerto No. 2.

Fiona studies with Jonathan Koh at the Pre-college Division of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Fiona has soloed with the HNU Orchestra and the Temple Hill Symphony, and in 2021 she appeared on NPR’s ‘From the Top’ show #402. She was previously invited to perform at the Presidio Concert Series in San Francisco and the Junior Bach Festival. Fiona has won first prizes in cello competitions including MTNA State, US International Music Competition, MTAC VOCE SF, and KAMSA. She has also received top prizes at the MTNA Southwest Division, MTAC VOCE State, CalASTA State, Pacific Music Society, Bay Philharmonic, and Houston International Music Competition. Fiona has participated in summer festivals including Chamber Music Northwest Young Artist Institute, Heifetz PEG, and Tateuchi Institute of Music. She has also played in masterclasses and lessons for David Finckel, Peter Stumpf, Natasha Brofsky, Brinton Smith, Dmitri Atapine, Horacio Contreras, Amir Eldan, Thomas Mesa, Andrew Mark, Brannon Cho, and Zlatomir Fung. An avid chamber musician, she is currently a member of Young Chamber Musicians and California Music Preparatory Academy.  She is passionate about bringing her music to senior living homes and hospitals and enjoys photography and soccer outside of music.

Our Concerto Movement Competition Winner Spotlight continues with violinist, Valery Breshears (age 13), who will be performing the first movement of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto on Sunday, 5/21.

Valery began violin lessons at age 2 with David Mallory. By the age of 5, Valery started studying at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Pre-college Division under William Barbini, and currently studies with Zhao Wei. Valery has soloed 12 times with orchestra since the age of six including the Fremont Symphony Orchestra, Nova Vista Symphony, Parnassus Symphony, South Valley Orchestra, Prometheus Symphony, and California Youth Symphony. She has won numerous solo competitions, including 1st Place California Youth Symphony Young Artist Competition, winner Parnassus-San Francisco Conservatory of Music Concerto Competition, Fremont Symphony Nafisa Taghioff Award, winner Livermore-Amador Symphony Concerto Competition, 1st Place U.S. International Music Competition, 1st Place ASTA-San Francisco Competition, 1st Place ASTA-Sacramento Competition, 1st Place CAPMT-Sacramento Competition, 1st Place DVC-HNU Strings Competition, 1st Place Classical Masters Competition, and 1st place Pacific Musical Society & Foundation Competition. Valery is a recipient of the 2021 Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award.