San José Chamber Orchestra has a concert each year to mark the end of the old and the start of the new. Held at 3:00 PM, it provides patrons with a chance to celebrate and either move on to another celebration or get home early. (Many patrons are seniors who are past wild partying.) I’m in the category of wanting to get home while the sun’s up so as to avoid traveling on winding roads in the dark.
The concert began with an iconic New Year’s Eve piece by the Strauss family and ended with a world premiere by local composer Michael Touchi. Jon Nakamatsu and Jon Manasse each had an opportunity to show their soloist skills as well as their superb musicianship as a duo. Alec Manasse joined the team on several pieces. Watching father and son perform together was special indeed.
The past few years I’ve missed this concert because I’ve been out of town. This year’s performance was so wonderful that I will attempt to make plans that allow me to be here for next year’s concert. Maestra Turner is a masterful programmer. I enjoy that her programs contain music of living composers along with a few standard. I can’t think of a better way to end 2023.
San José Chamber Orchestra
Barbara Day Turner, Conductor
Pizzicato Polka, Johann Strauss Jr. and Josef Strauss arr. Robert D. McCashin
Konzertstück #1, Op. 113, Felix Mendelssohn arr. Michael Touchi
Jon and Alec Manasse, clarinets
Piano Concerto #3, Rondo, Ludwig van Beethoven arr. Kerry Lewis from a string quintet arrangement by Vinzenz Lachner, 1881
Jon Nakamatsu, piano
Down & Dirty, 3 Movements, Vivian Fung (2023)
Jon Nakamatsu and Jon Manasse
Andreas's Theme from the movie The Premonition, Henry Molicone
Jon Nakamatsu, piano
Viktor's Tale from the movie The Terminal, John Williams, arr. Kerry Lewis
Jon Manasse, clarinet
The Devil's Beauties, François Dompierre
Saints and…, Michael Touchi (world premiere)