Old First Concerts Gala – Saturday, November 1 at 2 pm
Old First Concerts Gala – Saturday, November 1 at 2 pm
Words from Jake Heggie, Musical America’s 2025 Composer of the Year:
“Early in my career, Old First Concerts was a creative home base for me. . . . Old First was the site for the world premieres of several big song cycles of mine. . . It will always have a special place in my heart – for every memory of Old First Concerts absolutely glows with the richness of great music making, community and possibility.“
Join us for a special afternoon gala event featuring some of the Bay Area’s most talented musicians, with three sets of music, refreshments during the two intermissions, and FREE admission! Donations to support Old First Concerts in any amount are gladly accepted.
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Old First Concerts Gala Event!
All Attendees will receive a free Old First Concerts Tote Bag!
Schedule of Events:
2:00 pm
Wooden Fish Ensemble – Terrie Baune, violin; Ellen Rose, viola. Weaving Variations by Hyo-shin Na
Keisuke Nakagoshi, piano – Water Dance (2008) by Karen Tanaka (1961-)
Trio de Garagem – Mike Tekulsky, piano; Sonia Caltvedt, flute; with Marcos Silva, percussion. Stone Flower by Tom Jobim. Performance of “Finale” by Marcos Silva, solo piano.
Robert Schwartz, piano – Ballade No. 2 in B minor by Franz Liszt
INTERMISSION
3:30 pm
Sarah Cahill, piano – Lied op. 8 no. 1 by Fanny Mendelssohn; Valse Choro no. 2 by Adelaide Pereira da Silva; Patterns of Plants Collection 7 Pattern B by Mamoru Fujieda
Monica Chew, piano – Tether by Monica Chew; Barka by Fred Onovwerosuoke
Brett Waxdeck, piano – Two Etudes and a Nocturne by Frederic Chopin
Sixth Station Trio – Katelyn Tan, piano; Anju Goto, violin; Federico Strand Ramirez, cello – Madness by Joe Hisaishi; Waltz Di Fantastica by Yoko Shimomura; Gallant Challenge by Yu-Peng Chen; Rapid as Wildfire by Yu-Peng Chen
INTERMISSION
5:00 pm
Michael Desnoyers, tenor – “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot by Puccini
Circadian String Quartet – Monika Gruber and David Ryther, violins; Sarah Wood, viola; David Wishnia, cello – Ouverture to “Euridice’s Defiance” by David Ryther; Otono Porteno by Astor Piazzolla
Chelsea Hollow, soprano – “Der Hölle Rache” from Die Zauberflöte by Mozart
Jeff LaDeur, piano – From Album d’un voyageur “Psaume”; from Harmonies poétiques et religieuses “Funérailles” by Franz Liszt
Michael Desnoyers, tenor and Chelsea Hollow, soprano – “Libiamo, ne’ lieti calici” from La Traviatta by Verdi
John Walko, organ – Boléro de Concert, Op. 166 by Louis James Alfred Lefébure-Wély
Please join us for a special afternoon gala event to celebrate Old First Concerts! We’ll have three sets of music from some of our regular performers, and two intermissions to enjoy refreshments and chat with fellow audience members.
Admission is FREE!
Donations to support Old First Concerts will be accepted. We suggest a donation for general admission tickets between $35-$50, but giving in any amount large or small is accepted. All donors receive acknowledgement in our printed programs and online.