Stay up-to-date with all the happenings of the Symphony League with our blog, Musical Notes -- the parties, the previews, the concerts, and our annual Gala! Scroll down for featured articles, and enter your email below if you wish to subscribe. You may also access our Musical Notes Newsletters here.
2023/24 Membership News
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Another Symphony Season has come and gone. A new one is in the offing — and an amazing one it promises to be! See you at concert. Be sure to come by the League table during intermission and say “Hello!”
Read MorePresident's Message
/Welcome to February! Our incredible virtual home tour featuring ten properties has just ended. Do hope you had an opportunity to view these amazing homes with outdoor living. The wrap-up article in this issue was written by our very talented Home Tour Chair, Nancy Van Natta.
Our first Preview of the new year took place several weeks ago on January 14 at Seascape Golf Club. Maestro Daniel Stewart and local Composer John Wineglass gave us thought-provoking insights into what the concert weekend would contain. Our next Preview luncheon is right around the corner on Friday, February 11 at Margaritaville in Capitola. You can read all the details in this publication and reserve your spot at www.santacruzsymphonyleague.org.
Right about now we’d be announcing the Spring gala to be held in a few months. Unfortunately, we’re all still dealing with the Covid situation, so the League has decided to postpone this major event until a much later date. We want everyone to enjoy mingling, dining, dancing, participating in our wine pull, and bidding on items for the silent and live auctions when it is absolutely safe to do so.
We will be holding a few very interesting events before the end of the season, so look for more information in March. Stay well and happy, and hopefully we’ll see you again soon.
Cheryl Hammond
President, Santa Cruz Symphony League
Shops At The Home Tour
/The Shops at the Home Tour 2021 was a resounding success.
With more than 18 vendors and 38 volunteers, the event went off smoothly, attracted many visitors, and vendors expressed that they’d be back for 2022! The Shops netted the League $4,900 - significantly contributing to our 2022 fundraising goal for the SC Symphony.
A big thanks to all who planned, organized, and executed flawlessly.
President's Message
/Last season, even as we sheltered in place, I am very happy to report that the League was able to present a check for $50,000 as our annual gift to the Symphony. Not bad considering the League held mostly virtual events: free Music of the Month and Jewel Theatre presentation, virtual Home Tour and Boutique, virtual “Ready, Set, Garden” event replacing the gala, and a Stay-at-Home Tea mailing, with only two in-person events at the Laguna Seca Race Track.
Would you believe that the last time we gathered for an in-person event was on January 31, 2020! It was for a Preview luncheon and the room was packed with music lovers listening to Daniel Stewart give us insights about the weekend concert.
Well, almost 21 months later, we will be holding our first Preview of the season at the Civic Auditorium on Friday, October 22 at 4 p.m. with appetizers and refreshments. Maestro Danny will discuss the music that will be performed over the weekend. It will be so wonderful to see you in person again after such a long time connecting via Zoom!
We are very excited about our Virtual Home Tour, with ten incredible homes featuring Indoor and Outdoor living. Tickets are $45 each and will go on sale October 20 via www.hometoursantacruz.org. Our Shops at the Home Tour will kick off this month-long event on the weekend of November 20-21 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. each day at the Capitola Community Center. We will follow County guidelines regarding Covid so that all participants can feel safe. Stay tuned for what those will be. A very in-depth and exciting new Home Tour Magazine will be available at the Shops, exclusively for home tour ticket holders.
The League will need help at the Shops with table monitors, cashiers, and clean-up crew. Many of you have been home tour volunteers on a regular basis, so you know how much fun it is to participate in this holiday fundraiser for the Symphony. More information will be forthcoming regarding these key assignments.
I’m looking forward to reconnecting with you, our wonderful League members, during this season’s events.
Cheryl Hammond, President - Santa Cruz Symphony League
Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus - Virtual Spring Concert!
/Can’t wait for the Santa Cruz Symphony’s 2021~2022 season to start? Don’t fret, because you’re well taken cared of for now by Cheryl Anderson and the Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus - enjoy their Spring Virtual Concert!
Ready, Set, Garden!
/Dear Members of the Symphony League,
Welcome to the Santa Cruz Symphony League’s first virtual gardening event “Ready, Set, Garden!”, which takes place from Saturday June 5 through Sunday, June 20. This gives you 16 days of unlimited access to view seven speakers discussing different subjects about gardening.
Topics include landscaping design and planting, composting, flower arrangements, gardening for children, succulents and wildlife gardens, and garden to table. There will also be a panel of several of our presenters, moderated by me, on Saturday, June 19 at 2:00 via Zoom. Registration will be required and participants will be able to ask questions of the panelists. A “Farmer’s Market” of exciting items for sale is also part of this event. Be sure to check it out.
As a League member, we know you are dedicated to supporting our amazing Symphony orchestra. We need your help in spreading the word about this unique virtual garden event. Tickets are on sale for $45 at our specially designed website at www.readysetgarden.org. You can also view details about Ready, Set, Garden! at www.santacruzsymphonyleague.org.
We encourage you to promote your League’s event to friends, family, and neighbors, and be responsible for selling at least two tickets. Keep in mind this would make a great gift for your gardening friends. If you have any questions, please call or email me at cherylhammond5@charter.net.
Thanks so much for your support!
Sincerely,
Cheryl Hammond, President
Message From The President
/I am delighted to be addressing you as incoming President of the Symphony League, after spending eight years on the Board in various capacities, some of which I am not relinquishing! This role, however, I find may be a bit more challenging, especially during this sometimes difficult and very different time in all of our lives.
As of mid- March, our season was affected by the cancellation of two Previews and our Wings of Glory Gala. And it is unlikely there will be any in-person events through the rest of this year. It will be a wait-and-see for what can be scheduled for the first part of 2021 as well. But the good news is…..there is plenty of creativity and connectedness all around us, and other ways of providing entertainment and events.
While the Symphony is providing digital music/interview series, viewed via your computer, the League is working on a virtual Home Tour for December, followed by virtual Previews and 20/20 events to be held in 2021. Stay tuned via email blasts and our Musical Notes on what we’ve developed.
Plato stated: “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” The Symphony League is looking forward to help make sure the music continues to play, in whatever format it turns out to be. We need you, our wonderful League members and volunteers, more than ever, to provide innovative, creative, and outside the box thinking to find ways to support our incredible Symphony Orchestra.
And we really do need to stay connected and engaged to get through this unusual time together. Stay well and content, as we look forward to being together again!!
Cheryl Hammond
Preview - "Catharsis"
/Friday January 31, 2020, 11:30 AM
California Grill & Bar, Watsonville
Join us for the third Preview of the season, “Catharsis”, featuring excerpts from Mahler Symphony No. 5. Friday, January 31 st at 11:30 a.m. at the California Grill, 40 Penny Lane, Watsonville. $35 member / $40 non-member. The event will be held upstairs from the restaurant, in the Springfield Terrace Banquet Room (there is elevator access). Enjoy a hot buffet luncheon. No-host bar. Previews are our opportunity to meet members of the League, potential members and guests. You’ll also hear our Maestro, Danny Stewart, discuss his approach to the music.
Reservations must be made in advance. Please sign-up no later than Saturday, January 25 to attend this wonderful educational afternoon. Reserve online at www.santacruzsymphonyleague.org . If you prefer to pay by check, please make it out to the Santa Cruz Symphony League and mail to Cheryl Hammond, 1505 42 nd Ave. #30 Capitola, CA 95010. Questions? Call Cheryl at 831-475-9482.
A Garden of Note Was Noteworthy
/When Mother Nature decided to rain on the Symphony League’s Garden of Note event, intrepid garden lovers didn’t let that stop them from reveling in the beauty of Gay Nichols and Richard Klevins’ incredible gardens. Over 75 people enjoyed walking through almost 5 acres of the gardens, many under their umbrellas. Gay’s over 200 roses, in glorious bloom, were the highlight of the afternoon. Attendees listened to the music of Ken Constable, classical guitarist, and Tamala Ragsdale, classical harpist. The mimosas and tasty tidbits prepared by Symphony League members capped the afternoon. Special thanks to all the League members who helped make this event a wonderful success!
Some comments from visitors:
“There’s something magical about walking in the rain. We talked about our trips to Ireland and England, and we felt like we were in our own little world.”
“Wonderful gardens and incredible koi pond.”
“Enjoyable, even in the rain.”
“Just lovely, so glad we came!”
Click for PHOTOS of the event.
The League's Fall Previews: Connecting with Friends Old and New
/The Symphony League kicked off our fall season with two well-attended preview luncheons held the Friday before the concerts. Our wonderful volunteer photographer Kevin Monahan was on hand for both events and captured the warmth and spirit of both events.
Click on the links below to see the full set of Kevin’s photos:
“Fidl Fantazye” Preview: October 5, 2018 at the Elk’s Lodge
“Rites of Spring” Preview: October 26, 2018 at Seascape Golf Club
Previews are your chance to learn about upcoming concerts from maestro Danny Stewart and guest soloists, in person. Guests report that attending previews always enriches their concert experience. Save the dates for the League’s previews slated for the new year! Details to follow on our Previews page:
Friday, January 25, 2019 at 11:30am: The California Grill, Watsonville
Friday, February 22, 2019 at 11:30am: Severino’s, Aptos
Friday, April 5, 2019: The Back Nine, Pasatiempo (time TBD)
Review of "Fidl Fantazye," October 6-7, 2018
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Our first concert of the season offered a beautiful variety in three important musical works: Mikhail Glinka’s Overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla, a 2016 composition by Noah Bendix-Blagley called A Klezmer Concerto, and Gustav Mahler’s 4th Symphony, which featured soprano Megui Zhang singing the celestial and final movement of this work.
Sunday afternoon’s performance at the Mello Auditorium contained so many historical elements of music dating from pre-Christian times to the present, that I felt as though we had been experiencing Music from the Source: from earliest times to the most modern klezmer music, from folk music based in the Jewish tradition to religious music that evolved from the temporal world to the celestial. All of this was performed flawlessly by our orchestra and soloists conducted by Daniel Stewart, who, of course, conducted without a score, so that he could devote his attention to the soloists as well as to every section of the orchestra. The result was stunningly splendid.
Read MoreA Letter from the League's Board President, Nancy van Natta
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Dear Symphony League members:
Last month I attended the Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO) conference for the first time. Among the many things I learned there was that our Symphony League is the envy of Leagues throughout California for the amount of money we raise for our Symphony orchestra. Last year’s contribution of $109,000 was a truly outstanding result, and we owe ourselves a huge congratulations for a job well done.
Now we need to follow that result with another banner year. Our goal for 2018-19 is $100,000 and it will take every one of us to reach that goal. I urge you to say “Yes” to a request to volunteer or better yet contact a board member and ask how you can help..
Volunteering for the League has benefitted me in a number of ways:
- I’ve made wonderful friends and gained a sense of community that I would not otherwise have.
- I’ve learned about music and I’ve had the honor of interacting with talented professional musicians.
- I’ve learned new skills in marketing, selling, promotion, crafting, events.
- I’ve learned to work effectively in groups – a very transferable skill!
Whether you want to run things or just do a small part, I invite you to get involved as I have. I guarantee you will be challenged and you’ll come away with new skills. Here’s to a great year ahead!
Nancy Van Natta
Symphony League President
League Presents Record-Breaking Donation to the Symphony at Annual Meeting
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Symphony League members and guests gathered in June at the Lodge in Montevalle, Scotts Valley for the League’s Annual meeting and Volunteer Recognition to celebrate the important work of the League and to present a check to the Santa Cruz Symphony supporting the wonderful concerts we enjoy each season. A symbolic poster-sized check is presented, anticipating the year’s total, but the final check included some last-minute income. The total was $109,400, the largest donation the League has ever made. The check was presented by Clyde Vaughn, outgoing President of the League Board, to Dorothy Wise, Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Symphony.
Read MoreReview: "Resurrection" Season Finale Performance
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Our last concert of the season began with accolades for Cheryl Anderson’s recognition by the Santa Cruz Arts Commission as "Artist of the Year." In addition to this, Cheryl directed the more than 80 voices in this memorable program, devoted to Gustav Mahler’s 2nd Symphony, popularly known as the Resurrection Symphony.
This large work displayed Mahler’s optimism for a life hereafter, while simultaneously revealing a likely anticipation of his own death, caused by heart disease, in 1911. Despite his frail health, Mahler was a child prodigy, a star in his own family, and generally charismatic in the field of music throughout his life. Admired as a great conductor, Mahler was also a poet, setting his own words to music. Toward the end of his life, much of Mahler’s success was owed to his very capable and energetic wife, Alma, who managed to move their entire household twice yearly for four years between Vienna and New York City, where Mahler held contracts with the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic. He felt entirely dependent upon the abilities of his wife in all matters concerning his career.
Read More"Uptown Hoedown" Gala - A Stomping Good Time for All
/The Symphony League's Uptown Hoedown Gala held on March 3rd, 2018 showed just what a community of dedicated music lovers can accomplish when a beautiful venue, a foot-stomping band, great food and drink and an exciting roster of auctioned adventures all come together in one great evening. The Hoedown, with Chair Nancy Van Natta at the helm, was fun for everyone who participated and it raised money in record-setting amounts for League.
The beautiful UCSC Hay Barn with its soaring ceilings and historic ambiance was the perfect venue for the event that began with wine generously donated by Silver Mountain Winery, and an open bar hosted by the League. Guests gathered at long wood tables, beautifully decorated by Mary Ann Hobbs, for scrumptious food provided by Mary Ann Orr. The award-winning Carolyn Sills band played throughout.
After dinner auctioneer Rob Slawinsky took over, encouraging guests to bid often and high on once-in-a-lifetime trips and adventures brought together by Eileen Sambrailo. Guests did their part, and the auction raised funds in record-setting amounts for the Symphony and its Music Education programs.
Generous donations and sponsorships from business owners, restaurants, and individuals throughout Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz Symphony community have made this wonderful event possible. The Uptown Hoedown Committee sends a heartfelt thank you to all of those who participated in this fabulous event.
