The orchestra's Winter Chamber Concert will draw on 35 musicians from the orchestra for this concert of chamber music, which is typically performed by smaller ensembles than a full-size orchestra. The concert will begin at 8 p.m. at the Community United Methodist Church, located at 777 Miramontes St. in Half Moon Bay.
Woodside resident Richard Gordon will conduct the concert, stepping in for longtime orchestra conductor Kay Raney, who is recuperating from surgery. Gordon, who has his own impressive musical resume, is a longtime friend of Raney.
 Flutist Sara Lomax will play Mozart to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the community orchestra. |
Gordon originally met Raney when Raney played the string bass as guest with the Woodside Village Band.
Two works by Austrian composer Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) will be performed at the concert. They are the London Symphony in D major and the overture to the somewhat obscure Haydn opera to "Il mundo della luna."
Also scheduled to be performed is the "Zweites koncert fur falta" or the flute concerto (K314) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1765-1791), the only concerto he wrote for flute. Another flute concerto is credited to Mozart, but it began as a piece for oboe in G major, until the composer decided to transcribe it for flute.
The concerto will feature flutist and longtime community orchestra member Sara Lomax. Her presence will constitute this concert's way of celebrating the orchestra's silver anniversary: Lomax co-founded the orchestra 25 years ago along with violinist Claudine Schwarz-Minton and pianist Carole Tillotsen.
She describes the Mozart piece which she will play as "typically elegant Mozart style" even though, she pointed out, the composer did not care for the flute or flute music.
Lomax noted that she "is honored to be asked to play" at this anniversary concert. She had performed this piece once before with the concert, in 1985, when it was under conductor Robert Smith.
"It's nice to bring it around again," she said.
She added that she has seen growth and evolution for the orchestra since she helped found it. In the beginning, she said, the first 15 or so members played simpler pieces that might have been tackled by a middle-school-level ensemble. Since then, "the level of music has elevated quite a bit," she said.
The orchestra will perform more concerts this year to further commemorate the anniversary, including one in early May.
Tickets to this concert are $10/general admission and $7/seniors, at the door. Students and children will be admitted free.
For more information, call (415) 290-4074.
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AT A GLANCE
What: Coastside Community Orchestra Winter Chamber Concert
Where: Community United Methodist Church, 777 Miramontes St., Half Moon Bay
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2
Cost: $10/general, $7/students; students and children free
Information: (415) 290-4074
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