Marin Symphony

Where great music comes to life.

Archives for June 2016

Marin Symphony Announces Its 64th Season & Midori Residency Program

Midori_16-17 Season picSAN RAFAEL, CA — The Marin Symphony is excited to announce its 64th season at Marin Center with conductor Alasdair Neale celebrating his 16th season as Music Director. The 2016-17 Season will be a memorable one as the orchestra welcomes internationally acclaimed violinist, Midori to Marin. The Marin Symphony and its Youth Orchestra have been selected as this season’s sole recipient of her Prestigious Orchestra Residency Program Award. In addition to working with the youth programs and providing outreach to Marin schools, Midori will be the featured guest artist for the Orchestra’s Masterworks 2 program. Overall, the season offers four Masterworks concerts and one holiday pops concert, each putting orchestral power on full display.

The season kicks off October 30th with “Masterworks 1: Bold Beginnings” featuring works by Adams, Beethoven and Rachmaninoff.  The program leads with John Adams’ joyful exuberant piece, Short Ride in a Fast Machine, brilliantly scored for a large orchestra.  This kinetic gem evokes the excitement-cum-terror of a late-night thrill ride in a sports car. Guest artist Jon Nakamatsu, will perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor” on piano. The evening concludes with Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances. Today many regard it as his finest music, perhaps even comprehensive enough to be his Fourth Symphony. [Read more…]

MARIN SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION NAMES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Tod Brody_Marin SymphSAN RAFAEL, CA – After a three-month national search, the Marin Symphony Association today announced the appointment of Tod Brody as its Executive Director, effective August 1st. Brody succeeds Jeff vom Saal, who was recently appointed Executive Director of the Spokane Symphony after a four-year tenure in Marin.

Brody comes to the Marin Symphony with fifteen years of executive experience in the performing arts, having most recently served for the past three years as Executive Director of San Francisco-based Opera Parallèle.  During his tenure with Opera Parallèle, he oversaw a period of significant artistic and financial growth. Brody is also a professional flutist and a lecturer in Music at UC Davis. He and his wife, Susan Walker, live in Petaluma with their ten-year old son Gabriel.

Brody said that he is honored and excited to be appointed Executive Director of the preeminent organization in the cultural landscape of Marin County.  “I’ve been part of the Marin Symphony community in a multitude of ways, for many years, and to have the opportunity to participate in leading the organization onward and upward is a really natural next step for me. I’m looking forward to making strong connections with the Symphony’s supporters, to partnering with the board, the musicians, the staff, and to working alongside Alasdair Neale, whom I’ve long admired.” [Read more…]

Marin Symphony’s Beth Vandervennet Receives National Award

The Ford Musician Awards for Excellence in Community Service

BethVandervennetWebPhotoCreditSeanoWhitecloud

Congratulations to the Marin Symphony’s Beth Vandervennet, one of five exemplary orchestra musicians selected to receive Ford Musician Awards for Excellence in Community Service! A League of American Orchestras program made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund, the awards celebrate orchestra musicians and the essential work they do in their communities.  Beth and her fellow musicians are receiving their awards at the League’s National Conference in Baltimore, June 9-11, 2016.

Elizabeth Vandervennet received a Bachelor of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan where she studied applied cello with Jeff Solow, Nina DeVeritch, and Jerome Jelinek. Upon graduation she received high honors in Music Theory as well as a Minor in Arts Administration. Her Master of Music in Cello Performance from Carnegie Mellon University was obtained under the guidance of Anne MartindaleWilliams, the Principal Cellist of the Pittsburgh Symphony. Vandervennet currently lives in Oakland California as an active freelance musician, teacher, and advocate for arts education. She is a member of the Oakland Symphony, Santa Rosa Symphony, Marin Symphony, and Principal Cellist in Vallejo Symphony. Vandervennet’s chamber music posts include: cellist of Squid Inc, string quartet, and Rosin Coven, theatrical Pagan Lounge ensemble. In additional to teaching throughout the community of Oakland, she holds the post of Education Coordinator for the Oakland Symphony’s MUSE (MUSic for Excellence.) program.

Photo Credit: Seano Whitecloud