Symphony San Jose

Programs: In 2016-17, symphony silicon valley performed for 45,832 listeners in addition to the fourth of july celebrants. They attended its 15-concert classical series, ssv chorale concerts, two series - 8 concerts - featuring popular harry potter films with their scores performed by the orchestra, the nutcracker, and concerts in collaboration with other community producers. The symphony's 85 services were among the most offered to musicians by any orchestra in the greater bay area, outside of the three sanfrancisco giants. Its pay rate for its musicians is highly competitive; and they are regularly featured with the orchestra as concert soloists, together with outstanding guest artists. Rather than choosing a resident music director to set a unique musical profile, the symphony engages prominent guest conductors from around the countryand the world. This policy allows the symphony: a) to attract a range of superior artists and to program to their specific strengths, and b) to be responsive to its local audience profile and preferences. It has built up a select roster of conductors who return regularly, providing artistic continuity, while each season typically includes conductors new to the symphony - often emerging talents in the field. Season programming is determined by the symphony's general director in close consultation with each concert's conductor and the musicians' artistic committee. The musicians also have a decisive voice in determining which conductors will become regular repeat guests. Musicians and audiences alike have responded with enthusiasm to the variety of musical leadership. In addition to free summer concerts and in-theater arts exposureprograms for children, classics concerts, film concert series, and performance collaborations, the symphony serves its community by providing production support for other local organizations, from youth orchestras to service clubs. Ssv offers them and their audience members access to its heavily booked theater along with professional in-theater personnel and equipment, and services from ticketing to full production management. San francisco classical voice praises symphony silicon valley as: "what perhaps only the most fortunate metropolises have: an orchestra that serves its public brilliantly, by presenting it with engaging, memorable musical experiences," while the mercury news calls it "a surprising organization with its enterprising and even innovative programs. . . Its unusual business model and its overall tenacity and loyal audiences. "during 2016-17, its fifteenth year of performances, the symphony:- performed for just under 46,000 audience members, plus serving the patrons of 11 other community groups. (this total does not include the fourth of july celebration,)- mounted a subscription series of 15 classical concerts led by conductors from america, japan, russia and argentina. This season, five were drawn from the symphony's core roster of regulars, while two were newcomers to ssv's podium. - produced an orchestra season of giants - e. G, berlioz and brahms, scriabin and shostakovich, rachmaninoff, mozart and mahler - both great standards and less well-known works. Musical adventures included a full program of nuevo tango, recent works by rising american composer kevin puts, and two world premieres for soloists from peking and shanghai. - featured a stellar list of soloists, including legendary american cellist lynn harrell; russian pianist nicolai demidenko; fiery japanese violinist mayuko kamio; alessio bax and orion weiss performing mozart's 'concerto for two pianos;' argentine master bandoneonista juan pablo jofre; and ssv's own concertmaster robin mayforth. -presented a first-time guest nutcracker production accompanied by the ssv orchestra, in place of the production lost with the closing of the ballet (see note above). It included two free performances plus in-class materials for 4,800 5th graders and their teachers, bussed by ssv from 24 local schools. Over half the students qualify for free lunch programs - a measure of economic need. Ssv has introduced well over 100,000 elementary school students to the professional arts in their home venues. -produced the first two films in the popular harry potter film series, with the ssv orchestra performing their scores live onstage. The films drew over 16,000 fans - overwhelmingly a young adult and family audience. In addition to developing an additional earned income stream, the film programs are proving extraordinarily successful at introducing new listeners to the in-person excitement of live orchestral music-making - a priority for every orchestra. - continued to emphasize musical collaborations, outreach activities, and an ethic of community service. For example, the orchestra partnered with local chinese language choruses on concert performances in two nearby cities, hosted by the stanford pan-asian festival and the pacific arts and culture exchange. In a sjupport role, this season ssv provided affordable access to theater dates, box office services, and technical assistance for a variety of community groups. Most important, ssv hired and managed the required in-theater labor on ssv's union contracts, benefiting six youth orchestras and choruses, two schools, two adult choirs, a modern dance company, and - moving beyond the arts - a week-long visiting martial arts competition.