Blog
The latest from the New West SymphonyMusic Shelf Showcase: John Mauceri
You may be familiar with American conductor John Mauceri if you saw the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra after it was recreated in 1991. He led over 300 concerts at the Bowl and performed in front of as many as 4 million people! Mauceri...
Music Shelf Showcase: Julie Albers
Edward Elgar's music had already gone a bit out of fashion by the end of the First World War. But his Cello Concerto, the last great piece he wrote, put him back on the map.Well, actually, its premiere in 1919 was a disaster, but it gained popularity after Jacqueline...
Laby Harmony Project Virtual Summer Camp keeps students learning and connected
Like every organization, the Laby Harmony Project of the New West Symphony had its programs disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. But that's not stopping the educational arm of the New West Symphony from providing free music lessons to Ventura students. Thanks to...
A Wedding at the Symphony!
Our February 29th performance of Felix Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream was the perfect setting for the wedding of a lifetime! New West Symphony's Box Office Manager and his fiancé had a 3-minute wedding ceremony on stage in front of the orchestra, and shared...
Music Shelf Showcase: Pinchas Zukerman
Legendary violinist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman performed for New West Symphony's inaugural concert in 1995. In an unforgettable incident, a fire alarm during the concert sent the entire audience outside. As people made their way back to their seats (the alarm went...
Music Shelf Showcase: Till Fellner
Austrian-born pianist Till Fellner joined us April 2018 to eloquenly execute Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat major. His dedication to technique and clarity shone in a brilliant performance. The week of the performance, we joined him at the Steinway warehouse...
Music Shelf Showcase: Anne Akiko Meyers
In February of 2017, one of our dear friends and favorite guest artists, Anne Akiko Meyers, joined the New West Symphony for Vivaldi's Four Seasons. It was guest conducted by Joshua Gersen, former Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic, who also conducted...
Jukebox 21 “Vive la France”
In this installment: Great french composers have been trailblazers over centuries, initiating profound evolutions in musical style, sensitivity and brilliance. This playlist features favorite performances of seminal works, many emphasizing the kind of imagination and...
Beethoven’s 5th in virtual reality
Today is National Video Game Day, a perfect day to share how video game tech is transforming performing arts. You may have heard of Virtual Reality, which immerses you in a video experience. Now, all you need to experience an orchestra up close is a smartphone, an...
Britten’s choral symphony ‘from winter to spring’
You know it's a monumental work of art when it has 4 parts and 12 movements, and it calls for an orchestra PLUS soprano, alto, tenor, mixed chorus, and a boys' chorus. The way UK composer Benjamin Britten put it, his 1949 "Spring Symphony" illustrates "the progress of...