The Santa Monica Symphony’s sixtieth anniversary continues with the third of four free concerts on Sunday, March 13.
On the program are works by Weber, Mozart and Shostakovich.
The 7:30 concert will open with Weber’s “Oberon” Overture.
It will be followed by Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon and Horn, featuring the orchestra’s principal winds: Catherine Del Russo, oboe, Gary Bovyer, clarinet, David Riddles, bassoon and Joseph Meyer, horn.
After intermission, the Symphony will play Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony. Written in 1937, it was subtitled “A Soviet Artist’s Response to Just Criticism.” Scholars and musicians have endlessly debated the meaning of the subtitle, given Stalin’s criticism of the composer’s previous work.
Allen Robert Gross, who teaches at both Occidental College and Cal Tech, has been musical director and conductor of the Santa Monica Symphony for 14 of its 60 years. Every year, he takes the Santa Monica Chamber Philharmonia on a summer tour to Europe. This summer, the group will perform in Italy.
The pre-concert talk will be given by professor Raymond Knapp at 6:45 p.m. in the meeting room at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, the Symphony’s home base.Parking is available in the Civic parking lot.