Re: PASION

Dear Friends,

Something very memorable and special happened to me recently. I feel moved to share it with you.

The American Philharmonic - Sonoma County, formerly the Cotati Philharmonic, has been in existence since 1999. It is truly a community orchestra; all the musicians are volunteers. Those of you who have already been to their concerts know how special they are. This email is for those of you who have never had the pleasure of witnessing a performance by this outstanding orchestra.

This past weekend I had the privilege of attending ¡Pasión!, the first concert of the season. The theme was Latin American. The last work on the program was Pasión Mexicana (Hernández/Nevín), a mariachi concerto in three movements featuring Mariachi Champaña Nevín from San Diego. This mariachi features 14 members--seven violins and various string instruments, including a harp. The work also includes choral sections by the entire group and various solos, duets, etc. I confess to knowing little about mariachi and having only a mild interest in the genre, but this concert knocked my socks off! Eight or more of my friends, colleagues, and neighbors (and THEIR friends) also attended the concert, and to a person they were amazed. One of my colleagues, who is a regular at classical music concerts, said that she had never been to such a performance. The sense of joy and community in the hall was palpable.

Check out the American Philharmonic - Sonoma County at http://apsonoma.org. Next date is Sunday, December 2, 2007, at 3:00pm at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts (WFCA, formerly LBC). Upcoming works include the Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky violin concertos, Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major, and Brahms' Symphony No. 4. There will also be a concert for young people on May 18, 2008.

Check out the APSC. You'll be glad you did.

Ciao,