Oakland Symphony

Very good symphony that puts on some quite interesting programs. We recently saw a program of Indian music featuring pieces by Ravi Shankar and others. The historic Paramount Theater where the symphony performs is a show in itself — tremendous, over-​the-​top Art Deco, and great acoustics. While this isn’t one of the world-​class symphonies like San Francisco (a few players were a little out of synch during the show we saw), it’s still very enjoyable, and well worth the price of admission. (Tip: At the Paramount, the nosebleed seats at the rear of the top balcony have excellent acoustics. If you have the stamina for several flights of stairs.)

OEBS produces amazing shows with incredibly talented musicians at the historic Paramount Theater. This is not your typical top hot and tails kind of symphony, but a more laid back variety that often features icons like Santana.

Listened to old cartoons with your eyes closed lately?
I recently experienced the season opening. It’s a joy to feel classical music live. Keys, blows, strings, and beats gets the soul moving. A plus that Narada Michael Walden and Carlos Santana were feature guests. U gotta go.

A great symphony orchestra which performs in a Palace (Paramount Theatre in Oakland).
Yesterday Friday 19 March 2010, my son and I experienced a magnificent performance by the Oakland East Bay Symphony of The Organ Symphony (Symphony #3 in C minor) by Camille Saint-​Saens. This followed a performance of Buster Keaton’s «The General», a 1927 comedy — a silent movie accompanied by Christoph Bull on the Paramount’s Mighty Wurlitzer organ. It appeared to be a full house (nearly 3,000 seats) .
Christoph Bull said that he wrote a rough outline for a score for the General, which did not have an original score provided by the producers of the movie. He totally improvised it so that it perfectly matched the action on the silent silver screen. The music was so well integrated into the show that it quickly became one with the movie and perfectly conveyed the emotions and actions of the scenes.
It is a special treat to experience a silent movie accompanied by a theatre organ. In this case, the skills of the organist were magnified by the capabilities of the Paramount’s Mighty Wurlitzer for a memorable experience.
After intermission, the Oakland East Bay Symphony, with Christoph Bull on the MIghtly Wurlitzer, conducted by Michael Morgan, performed the Organ Symphony. Their performance filled the cavernous Paramount Theatre with wonderful sound. Even the strings alone resonated perfectly with a full sound. The acoustics in the Paramount Theatre are fantastic! We were seated in the lower mid-​balcony (which is a perfect location for the best sound) in row J in the center. The soundsof the organ added depth and a complexity to the sound. The best part for me was when the organ was «unleashed» and filled the theatre with rich sound complimented by the entire symphony orchestra. A magnificent performance!
Another great attraction was the venue itself. The Paramount Theatre is the epitome of Art-​Deco. It was restored in the early 1970’s to its full 1931 grandeur. It is a landmark on the National Register of Historic Places. The patented Pflueger ceiling is unique; no other building has it. The walls are covered in gold leaf. The interior of the theatre is grand, yet intimate. There are art embellishments throughout the theatre and its many lobbies. The fountain of light in the entrance lobby is another totally unique feature. It is a perfect venue.

What an organization! Not only do they perform to-​rate classical music, they also sponsor works by American and modern composers. For an organization that does not have the funding nor the support that San Francisco Symphony does, they compete hand-​in-​hand in musicality and selection.
What makes this organization even better than the music it plays, is the commitment to provide musical education in the schools of Oakland’s poorest neighborhoods. That’s right, through the MUSE program, OEBS and Maestro Michael Morgan bring musicians to some of the poorest schools and let them play the instrument through musical education. What organization today does this to the level that OEBS does. Truly amazing.
This last Friday (concerts are on Fridays), 1÷25÷08, Maestro Michael Morgan, the entire Oakland East-​Bay Symphony and the Oakland Chorus performed Sweet Sorrow: Verdi Requiem. The piece was beyond exceptional and featured four talented and well-​known soloists. Next concert is the Chinese New Year with Water Percussion. Go see.

This is for the March 23, 2007 concert. The biggest draw for me was the Rimsky-​Korsakov «Scheherazade», because there is nothing like hearing that piece live — there’s so much delicious stuff going on throughout the orchestra, it makes me wish I had 5 pairs of eyeballs to watch the musicians do their thing and take it all in.
The Rimsky-​Korsakov did not disappoint, and the concert master (lead violin that represents the sultan’s wife telling the stories to save her life) acquitted herself more than admirably. Very nicely done.
The other two pieces on the program were new to me, which was another reason I wanted to go. The first piece was Shostakovich’s «Ballet Suite No. 1 for Orchestra», which was thoroughly delightful. The second movement especially stood out for me because of its energy and rhythms.
The second piece was by contemporary composer Osvaldo Golijov (b.1960) entitled, «Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind» — a piece for Clarinet and orchestra. The clarinet is not at the top of my list of favorite solo instruments, but I enjoyed this piece much more than I thought I might have. The soloist, Todd Palmer, used different instruments in the Clarinet family which added to the variety of sounds and textures. There were just a few places in the middle that lagged a bit, but overall thumbs up!
If you’ve never been to see the Oakland East Bay Symphony, it’s well worth the trip. Besides having a first-​rate conductor in Michael Morgan and very good musicians, their venue is the beautiful Paramount Theatre in Oakland — an Art Deco historical landmark that got fully restored to its original glory in the early 70’s. I’m pleased to report that this concert had a packed house.
(For more details about the music on this program, please see the OEBS website. I’m just a fan!).