San Diego Symphony


Copley Symphony Hall Visit 10/10/17

Wow, what a fantastic day! J.D. Smith, Tour Guide and Marketing Director, was great - super 
informative and accommodating.


Splendid architecture and design to savor abound inside the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Music Center. The Jacobs pledged over $100 million to the San Diego Symphony Orchestra to ensure its stability. Originally built as the Fox Theater palace in 1929 and sold to the Symphony in 1984, it has been significantly renovated while maintaining the integrity of its original layout. The Symphony Hall stage is made of cherry-wood flooring, conducive for good acoustics, especially on the upper level. Musicians' quarters are located underneath the stage, complete with a lounge, kitchen facility, practice rooms, showers, etc. The Hall seats 2,215 people, both downstairs and upstairs in the balcony area.

 
 
The Orchestra  is comprised of 82 full-time musicians, 80 who perform onstage and two librarians.  Executing its first concert in 1910, today the Orchestra performs over 140 concerts annually both indoors at the Hall, fundraising events, and outdoors during the Bayside Summer Nights series at the Embarcadero, which mixes classical and pop music. Current programming at the Hall includes family, jazz and holiday concerts, film series and the return of the City Lights series, featuring contemporary Americana style, pop, R&B and more. There is something for everyone to enjoy. The search for a new music director is exciting and will open a new chapter for the Symphony. Stay tuned.

Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 15, 2017 at 11:48 AM

    We had never been to the Symphony Hall before. It was beautiful. Thank you for scheduling the tour. Al/Jan Turner

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ray & Joan KROC Center

Ray & Joan KROC Center 9/5/17 "Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday."                                                                                                               - John Wayne Met at the Center for a crazy day of Rediscovering San Diego class registration! So much paperwork to take care of before everyone could have a glimpse of the hidden riches waiting to be unearthed. Was surprised by the abundance of people who showed up for a class whose succinct course description in the San Diego Continuing Education Fall 2017 Class Schedule "Rediscovering San Diego is a class to discover, explore and learn about San Diego resources" leaves anonymity about what to expect. Must have heard about the class from someone who previously took the class based on the excitement and enthus
Read more

San Diego International Airport

Image
San Diego International Airport Visit 11/28/17 The visit to the Airport was really enjoyable. Our tour guide, Sharon Gonzales, is a graphic designer for the Airport and she did a great job. I was surprised at the amount of art throughout the Airport both inside and outside (2% of airport expenditures are required to be spent on public art) and the beauty of the terminals. I am always in such a rush when I go to the Airport, focused on getting to my departure gate that I was truly amazed at all that I miss seeing when I am there. The Arts Program includes public art, performing arts, and temporary exhibitions. Each year the Program identifies an exhibition theme relevant to the Airport and invites interested exhibitors to submit proposals, which results in up to 15 different artists presenting their work. The current exhibition, Intergalactic Dreaming, explores space travel and exploration. Some quick facts to share: There are over 7,000 employees who work at the airport, w
Read more

Living Coast Discovery Center

Image
Living Coast Discovery Center 10/24/17 Visit to the Center was pleasing, despite the heat. Our tour guide Stuart was great and did not miss a beat. He shared his love of the place with us and we were lucky to have him as our guide. It turns out that the land was formerly occupied by a gunpowder factory. I had been to the Center (formerly called the Chula Vista Nature Center) years ago, but what a difference it makes when someone is there to inform you of all that is before you. I can't believe I missed so much on my previous visit. Almost all the plants and animals are native to San Diego. You can explore the zoo, aquarium, walking trails, see endangered species of birds like the Clapper Rail, or attend one of the shark, turtle or eagle feedings. Maybe I will return on a Sunday and catch Stuart's 1:00pm free composting class. Other activities include overnight adventures, VIP animal encounters, and wildlife camps. After spending time at the Center, grab a bit
Read more