Category Archives: Concerts

concerts

Special “Mini Season” Ticket Offer!

Special Offer for Remaining Major Concerts

If you heard our wonderful season opening concert - or even if you missed it! - we'd like to make you a special offer. With the assistance of the box offices in both Redding and Chico, you can now purchase a package of the three remaining subscription concerts in November, February and May and get a discounted price! It's the equivalent of having a season ticket, for three concerts instead of four.

For Chico concerts, either call Chris at the University Box Office, 530-898-4325 or click here to purchase tickets online.

For Redding performances, call the Cascade Box Office, 530-243-8877 and ask for Chris!

Great Review of a Great Concert!

Special thanks to  of anewscafe.com for this wonderful review of our season kick-off concert in Redding, September 26.

The North State Symphony rehearsing with soloist Alpin Hong

The North State Symphony rehearsing with soloist Alpin Hong

It was not your grandmother’s symphony Saturday night during Scott Seaton’s debut as the North State Symphony’s new music director/conductor at Redding’s Cascade Theatre.

Saturday’s aptly named concert – “Now Presenting” –  kicked off the NSS’s new season with the newly selected Seaton.

Your grandmother’s symphony probably didn’t have a pre-concert street party in front of the Cascade Theatre with peach bellinis and appetizers.

And your grandmother’s symphony conductor probably didn’t use terms like “ear worm” during the before-concert talk to describe the catchiness of “Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony” or “crazy fun” when referring to the upcoming November concert.

Maybe, in addition to appreciating Seaton’s musical talent, the committee admired Seaton’s ability to check his ego at the green room door before coming on stage with a single goal: to direct, lead, cajole, extract, encourage and guide dozens of musicians to produce the best music possible.

Saturday, the symphony – a blend of Chico- and Redding-area musicians – did not disappoint. Overall, the orchestra’s performance was strong, tight and confident, which was further enhanced sans electric amplification, thanks to the Cascade Theatre’s impressive acoustics.

The program began with  the “Overture to the Bartered Bride”, by Czech composer Bedrich Smetana.

Next, Seaton conducted as guest artist Alpin Hong was featured and demonstrated much flair and flawless technique in Tchaikovsky’s “First Piano Concerto.” This brought the audience to their feet – twice, between movements, oops – which Hong rewarded with a solo piano medley that began with a Bach-elaborate rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle” and moved on to such pieces as themes from “Star Wars” and “Gilligan’s Island”. Behold: Hong’s third ovation.

Seaton later commented that Hong’s piano solo was one of the best ovation pieces he’d ever heard.

Consider the amount of moxie it took for Seaton to share the stage and limelight with Hong, a charismatic super-pianist; on the very night of Seaton’s coming-out performance in Redding.

Seaton put the class in classical.

Likewise, it took some moxie for the NSS selection committee to stray away from the traditional comfort zone of hiring a “mature” conductor, and move toward choosing Seaton — yes, smart and musically gifted — but also many decades younger than the average North State Symphony-goer.

It was during Seaton’s direction of Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony” that he pulled out the stops, and gave some insight into what made him so appealing to the NSS selection committee.

He began with a transitional piece – “Fifth Prelude for Orchestra” – written by Tennessee composer Michael Slayton, who happens to be one of Seaton’s former music professors, who attended Saturday’s concert.

At the conclusion of Slayton’s prelude piece, with scarcely a break between the new and old compositions, Seaton let loose. He took the 5th with such gusto that if fireworks could conduct, they’d be named Seaton. His movements ranged from as controlled and explosive as a prize fighter to as fluid and delicate as a ballet dancer.

He swayed, he sweat, he frowned, he smiled and he grimaced. He crouched, he beckoned, he pointed and he put his finger to his lips.

And when it was all over, there was Seaton’s standing ovation, and a bouquet of flowers.

One can only imagine Seaton’s relief to have his first concert in Redding behind him as the North State Symphony conductor.

With that, he got a bottle of water and sat down on the edge of the stage, legs dangling off the edge, and greeted people.

Scott Seaton debut

Maestro Scott Seaton and composer Michael Slayton chat following the Redding concert

The next concert is “Maestro in the Spotlight” – 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14 in Chico; 4 p.m. Nov. 15 in Redding.

Crazy fun. Guaranteed. And maybe, if you’re lucky, a few ear worms.

Click here for Seaton’s Q&A on A News Cafe.com. 

For more information visit NorthStateSymphony.org or call the North State Symphony office at 530-898-5984.

Get Tickets for our Next Concert!

Single tickets are now on sale for our October Chamber Concert!

Saturday, October 22, 2016 | 7:30 PM
First United Methodist Church, Redding, CA
Cascade Theatre Box Office
Click here to buy tickets, or call 530-243-8877

Sunday, October 23, 2016 | 2:00 PM
Zingg Recital Hall, Chico, CA
University Box Office
Click here to buy tickets, or call 530-898-6333

In this more intimate concert, the lush melodies of Tchaikovsky’s famous Serenade for Strings will warm even the coolest of October days.  In the first part of the evening, concertmaster Terrie Baune and other members of the symphony collaborate to present you with a delightful array of chamber music.

The Curtain’s Up on Our New Concert Season!

North State Symphony announces the music to be played in the four major concerts of their 2015–16 season under new Music Director Scott Seaton. Curtain Up! is this season's theme as the Symphony moves into a dynamic new artistic era under Maestro Seaton and a new era of visionary season sponsorship by Dignity Health.

Tickets are now on sale for the four-concert season described below. For those who cannot purchase the four-concert package, individual concert tickets are available beginning the second week in August.

Seaton has included many of the classical world’s most famous and beloved pieces by composers such as Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Leonard Bernstein, and Mozart. Contrasting with the famous masterworks are new and unusual pieces in a variety of styles.

The Symphony’s season opens on September 26 in Redding and September 27 in Chico. Two iconic orchestral pieces will be played on the opening concert, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, and Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto, played by Alpin Hong.  An overture by the Bohemian composer Smetana, and a new work complete the program.

The November concerts take place on November 14 in Chico and November 15 in Redding.  Seaton will conduct a feast of highly varied music, originally written over a period from the 18th century to the 1950s. The featured work is Bernstein’s popular West Side Story in a setting for orchestra, which will be joined by a variety of works including a symphony by Haydn, and the ever-popular “Blue Danube” Waltz by Johann Strauss II.  Violinist Brianna Ruiz, winner of the 2015 Young Artist Auditions, is featured.

Following special Christmas Holiday, Chamber Music and Youth Concerts in December and January, the full North State Symphony returns in February with favorites for traditional music-lovers. Mozart’s Magic Flute Overture begins the concert, which ends with the Second Symphony of Johannes Brahms. Between Mozart and Brahms, a brilliant young violinist Andrew Sords, will play the concerto by Jean Sibelius. Dates are February 27 in Redding and February 28 in Chico.

Seaton’s premiere season ends in May of 2016 with another rich variety of music. Short works by Beethoven (Leonore Overture #3), Puccini (Preludio Sinfonico) and the contemporary composer Mason Bates (Mothership) set off a beautifully passionate and virtuosic display by Rachmaninoff, his Symphonic Dances. The May schedule consists of an evening concert on May 14 in Chico and an afternoon concert in Redding on May 15.

The beautiful Cascade Theatre is the North State Symphony’s Redding home for its major concerts, while elegant Laxson Auditorium hosts the Chico mainstage concerts. Evening concerts begin at 7:30 PM at both venues. Afternoon concerts in Chico begin at 2:00 PM, while the two Sunday afternoon concerts in Redding will be held at a new time -- 4:00 PM -- by popular request.

To purchase tickets for Redding concerts, call the Cascade Theatre Box Office at 530-243-8877. Tickets for the Chico concerts are available through the University Box Office by calling 530-898-6333.

North State Symphony is a project of California State University, Chico and is supported by various departments of the University as well as community Board members, donors and volunteers in both Redding and Chico. For more information,  call 530-898-5984.