2024-25 Season Overview
Spring into Fall

​​Saturday September 21, 2024, 7:30pm
Hammer Theatre
101 Paseo De San Antonio, San Jose
Free Admission/Donations Accepted​
Suggested Donation $25 Per Adult

Program
Russian Easter Overture - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
​Beyond Rituals (World Premiere) - Valeria Pelka
​Violin Concerto - Jean Sibelius
Andrew Sords, Violin
​Appalachian Spring -  Aaron Copland
​Thomas Alexander and Scott Krijnen, conductors
Valeria Pelka began her musical journey as a guitarist in popular music, graduating from the Popular Music School of the Argentine Musicians' Union. In 2009, she ventured into composition and production, releasing her debut album "El tiempo borrará," where she showcased her skills as a composer, vocalist, guitarist, and arranger.
Driven by her love for orchestral music, Valeria pursued a Bachelor's degree in Composition at the National University of the Arts, graduating in September 2023. Her aim is to fuse elements of academic music with Argentine and global popular music, evident in her premieres in the United States, Russia, and Argentina, with upcoming performances scheduled in Spain.
Valeria's extensive experience spans over 35 years, during which she explored various popular music genres. She seeks to bridge the gap between popular and academic music, composing pieces inspired by South American rhythms to evolve musical languages beyond traditional boundaries.
Ms Pelka served as a jury member at the International Composition Competition "Nueva Música" in St. Petersburg, Russia, and her piece "Dársena Sur" was awarded the 3rd prize in the 1st Provincial Competition of Works for Symphony Orchestra 'Marta Lambertini'.
Valeria's compositions provide orchestras and academic programs with opportunities for diverse programming, exploring new forms of expression, and celebrating the cultural richness of the world.
American violinist Andrew Sords maintains a prolific touring schedule with both his piano trio and as soloist with orchestras. Having appeared on four continents and in nearly all of the 50 states, his performances have been cited for combining visceral virtuosity and ravishing tone, while international critics have endorsed Sords as “a fully formed artist” (Kalisz-Poland News), “utterly radiant” (Canada’s Arts Forum), and “exceptionally heartfelt and soulful” (St. Maarten’s Daily Herald). In 2018, an appearance at Festival Bravissima in Guatemala was heralded by the Prensa Libre: "Sords demonstrated what it means to be an artist. He paired maximum delicacy with fire and brilliance, and had a subtle handling of sonority - clearly audible even in his softest and sweetest moments." Sords has received numerous awards and distinctions reflecting his career trajectory, including the Pittsburgh Concert Society’s Career Grant; was profiled by NPR's "Morning Edition", XM's "Derek and Romaine Show", and STRINGS Magazine (covering his residency in Trinidad and Tobago); and has recently made débuts for the Ravinia Festival, Québec's Lakeshore Chamber Festival and Hudson's Série de musique de chambre, and with orchestras in Scotland, Australia, the Caribbean, Canada, and Poland. The 2023/24 concert season featured return appearances in Montréal, Beverly Hills, Toronto’s Glenn Gould Theatre, Cleveland’s Trinity Cathedral, the Norton Museum Series in West Palm Beach, and with concerti by Mendelssohn, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Bruch, Wieniawski, and Bologne.
The Nutcracker
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​Collaboration with the San José Dance Theatre
December 6-8 & 13-15, 2024
San Jose Center for the Performing Arts
255 Almaden Blvd, San Jose
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The Nutcracker - Pyotr Tchaikovsky
​Thomas Alexander and Scott Krijnen, conductors

Stories through Music

​Saturday, February 1, 2025, 7:30 PM
Hammer Theatre, San Jose
101 Paseo De San Antonio, San Jose
Free Admission/Donations Accepted
​Suggested Donation $25 Per Adult

Program
The Oak - Florence Price
Symphonie Fantastique - Hector Berlioz
Catalina Barraza-Gerardino, conductor
American Voices

​​Saturday, April 5, 2025, 7:30 PM
Hammer Theatre, San Jose
101 Paseo De San Antonio, San Jose
Free Admission/Donations Accepted
​Suggested Donation $25 Per Adult

Program
Popular Favorites
Jelani Canser, conductor
 ​​A Hero's Journey

​Saturday, June 14, 2025, 7:30 PM
Hammer Theatre, San Jose
101 Paseo De San Antonio, San Jose
Free Admission/Donations Accepted
​Suggested Donation $25 Per Adult

Program
Overture to Candide - Leonard Bernstein
Piano Concerto No. 1 - Johannes Brahms
Frank Levy, piano
Symphony No. 5 - Ludwig van Beethoven
Scott Krijnen, conductor