San Francisco Conservatory of Music Celebrates its 50th and Final Season in the Sunset
SAN FRANCISCO, September 1, 2005 :
The San Francisco Conservatory of Music announces a milestone season as the 89-year-old institution celebrates 50 years of history at its current location in the Sunset District of San Francisco. The world-renowned Conservatory of Music will relocate to a state-of-the-art facility in San Francisco's Civic Center in the fall of 2006.
The 2005-06 season commemorates 50 years of music-making in the Sunset, with faculty, students, alumni and distinguished guest artists giving over 350 performances throughout the year. Andrew Mogrelia will lead the Conservatory Orchestra in his first season as music director, welcoming Alasdair Neale to the podium for two concerts as principal guest conductor. The Faculty Artists Series includes new faculty cellist Mark Kosower making his Conservatory recital debut in October, and violinist Anthony Martin and members of the Conservatory faculty and alumni commemorate the late Laurette Goldberg, harpsichordists and former faculty member, on her birthday in January. The popular Chamber Music Masters series begins in October with The Peabody Trio. Master Classes feature Leon Fleisher, piano; Karl Leister, clarinet; alumnus Warren Jones, voice accompanying; Matt Haimovitz, cello and renown guitarist Pepe Romero. Special event concerts include the Finale Performance of the Conservatory's annual Sing-It-Yourself-Messiah at Davies Symphony Hall and a fourth season of the BluePrint New Music Project under the direction of Nicole Paiement in a season of New Viennese Perspectives featuring works by Conservatory alumna Olga Neuwirth and a commissioned world premiere by composer Laura Schwendinger. The Conservatory's Baroque Ensemble gives a season-long celebration of 17th- and 18th-century English music in Hail Britannia! while the Conservatory Opera Theatre under the new direction of Richard Harrell presents Le nozze di Figaro in Italian with English supertitles at Fort Mason Center in April 2006. Also in April 2006, a special Farewell to Ortega Street concert will feature performances by many Conservatory faculty and students with narration by long-time composition faculty members Elinor Armer and Conrad Susa.
The complete 2005-2006 calendar is available by visiting the Conservatory's Web site at www.sfcm.edu. Call 415.759.3411 for a printed calendar. Tickets to Conservatory performances are $15 general admission, $10 for seniors, students and Friends of the Conservatory and are available by calling the Box Office at 415.759.3475.
Founded in 1917, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music offers music programs to graduate and undergraduate students, preparatory and adult extension classes and community enrichment programs. The Conservatory presents over 360 public performances a year, reflecting the world-class talent of students, faculty, alumni and visiting artists. The Conservatory will be relocating to the expanded and refurbished Oak Street facilities in 2006, providing students, faculty and the Bay Area community with access to premiere musical resources in the heart of downtown.
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Press Contact:
Karla Avila
Communications Coordinator
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
415.759.3411
kra@sfcm.edu