The nonprofit organization, whose mission of MVP is “to enrich the cultural life of the Bay Area by offering orchestral programs to people of all ages and means in their own communities,” is coming off a span in which it saw founder and artistic director Laurie Cohen retire in 2018, then brought on a new executive director in Richard Aldag and turned its 2018-19 season into a competition of sorts, featuring three prominent guest conductors and choosing Dana Sadava from that trio to be its new artistic director.
Now the organization has unveiled a performance-packed 2019-20 season to mark both Sadava’s first season and its 20th anniversary season, featuring four programs, two of which will feature noted Bay Area musicians, violinist Lisa Lee and cellist Jean-Michel Fonteneau. There will also be a special 20th Anniversary Gala celebration and concert in March 2020.
The concerts are as follows. All concerts are at Mt. Tamalpais United Methodist Church, Mill Valley, unless otherwise noted.
PROGRAM 1
Epic Romance
Gabriel Fauré – Pelléas et Mélisande, Op. 80
Ludwig van Beethoven – Romance #1 for Violin & Orchestra in G, Op. 40
Ludwig van Beethoven – Romance #2 for Violin & Orchestra in F, Op. 50
Lisa Lee, violin
Jan Sibelius – Symphony #1 in E minor, Op. 39
Wednesday, October 16, 2019 at 7:00 PM – Free Open Dress Rehearsal
Friday, October 18, 2019 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, October 19, 2019 at 4:00 PM
PROGRAM 2
Nutcracker & Other Holiday Favorites
Hely Hutchinson – A Carol Symphony
George Frideric Handel – Excerpts from Messiah
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Suite from Nutcracker, Op. 71a
Other Holiday Favorites
Wednesday, December 11, 2019 at 7:00 PM – Free Open Dress Rehearsal
Friday, December 13, 2019 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 2:00 PM, First Presbyterian Church, San Rafael
PROGRAM 3
20th Anniversary Gala
Édouard Lalo – Concerto for Cello & Orchestra in D minor
Jean-Michel Fonteneau, cellist
Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade, Op. 35
Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at 7:00 PM – Free Open Dress Rehearsal
Friday, March 13, 2020 at 7:30 PM
Sunday, March 15, 2020 at 3:00 PM (Gala Event), Mill Valley Community Center
PROGRAM 4
Landscapes
Felix Mendelssohn – Hebrides Overture, Op. 26
Richard Aldag – New Work
Alan Hovhaness – Prayer to St Gregory, Op.62b
Alice Gomez – Los Voladores
Beethoven – Symphony No. 6 in F, Op. 68 Pastoral
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 7:00 PM – Free Open Dress Rehearsal
Friday, May 29, 2020 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 30, 2020 at 4:00 PM
The 411: Mill Valley Philharmonic kicks off its 2019-20 season on Oct. 16 with a trio of performances. All shows are at the Mount Tamalpais United Methodist Church at 410 Sycamore Avenue unless listed otherwise above. Tix $20. Children under 18 free. A block of free tickets for every performance is available by reservation on a first-come, first served basis by those who cannot afford to pay (with the exception of the Gala Event). Tickets to the Gala are $100. MORE INFO.