In a celebratory mood embracing everything from new weekend performances to in-demand, star-power artists for both classical and pops concerts, the Napa Valley Symphony Orchestra has unveiled a stellar lineup for its diamond jubilee season.

To celebrate the orchestra’s 75th year of musicmaking, conductor/music director Asher Raboy and the board of directors of the Napa Valley Symphony Association have added back-to-back performances and engaged audience favorites pianist Leon Bates and cellist Zuill Bailey for 2007/2008 concert dates along with the likes of hotshot guest conductor Carlo Ponti Jr., celebrated jazz trumpeter Chris Botti and cult lounge band Pink Martini.

“Turning 75 is a significant milestone for any symphony orchestra, and we wanted to celebrate in a way that offers both our current supporters, as well as our new patrons, a great way to experience superb classical and pop music in the beautiful Napa Valley,” declared association executive director Richard Aldag.

For the diamond anniversary season, the orchestra has made “a welcome change” in the schedule and is offering a new subscription incentive program, noted Aldag. With this anniversary season, the symphony will be performing all classical concerts on both days of the weekend, with an evening performance on Saturday, followed by a matinee on Sunday.

As an added incentive for new patrons, says Aldag, the orchestra is offering anyone who purchases a new subscription the opportunity to purchase an additional subscription for half price. Current subscription holders may also purchase one additional half-price subscription for every one they currently hold, good only for Saturday evening performances.

“The Napa Valley Symphony is the fourth-oldest continually running symphony in California, and we feel the combination of the Saturday performances, along with this incentive program, will bring us many new fans to help see us through another 75 years and beyond,” the association’s executive director added.

Kicking off the season in early October will be one of classical music’s rising stars, an impressive 19-year old violinist named Chloë Hanslip, performing Paganini’s most popular violin concerto.

Following Hanslip will be a stellar lineup of audience favorites from the past, along with wine country newcomers with lots of advance press. The guest artist bill of fare includes pianist Leon Bates playing Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,” a dynamic duo of violinist Giora Schmidt and cellist Zuill Bailey performing Brahms “Double Concerto,” highly touted young pianist Soyeon Lee in Mozart’s beloved 20th piano concerto, along with the talented singers from the SF Opera Center and the Pacific Mozart Ensemble Chorus for a performance of Beethoven’s “Ninth Symphony,” under the baton of guest conductor Carlo Ponti Jr.

Guest artists for the symphony’s well received Pops Concerts will shift from blasts-from-the-past to hip, hot headliners, ranging from the smooth styling of jazz trumpeter Chris Botti to the very entertaining and infamous lounge band Pink Martini.

In addition, the orchestra intends to host a special Holiday Concert featuring jazz-inspired renditions of holiday classics by New York Voices.

All performances will be held in recently refurbished Lincoln Theater on the grounds of the Veterans Home of California in Yountville.

Tickets are now on sale for the subscription series and pops series, as well as individual concerts. They can be ordered by calling 226-8742 or at www.napavalleysymphony.org. 

A complete schedule, including programs, of the 2007/2008 series follows:

 

Classical Series Program No. 1

Saturday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 7,  3 p.m.

Overture to “William Tell,” Gioachino Rossini; Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Niccoló Paganini, Chloë Hanslip, violin; Night on Bald Mountain, Modest Mussorgsky; The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Paul Dukas.

Making her Napa Valley debut at the age of 19, Chloë Haslip is already an established international artist of distinction. Her recent recording for Naxos of the John Adams “Violin Concerto” with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Leonard Slatkin entered the UK Classical Charts at number 2.

Classical Series Program No. 2

Saturday, Nov. 17, 8 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 18, 3 p.m.

Overture and Three Dances from “The Bartered Bride,” Bedrich Smetana; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Leon Bates, piano; A Mystic Valley, Asher Raboy.

Making his third appearance with the Napa Valley Symphony Orchestra is pianist Leon Bates. Since winning the Philadelphia Orchestra Senior Auditions as a student over 20 years ago, Bates has emerged as one of America’s leading pianists. In 2005, Bates premiered maestro Asher Raboy’s Piano Concerto at the Lincoln Theater. His sheer mastery of his instrument has led to many invitations to perform with major symphonies such as the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the National Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the American Symphony, the Oregon Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony, the Detroit Symphony and the Atlanta Symphony. His large repertoire includes over 30 concerti by the major composers and several contemporary concerti.

Classical Series Program No. 3

Saturday, Feb. 2, 8 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 3, 3 p.m.

Concerto in A minor for Violin and Violoncello, Op. 102, Johannes Brahms, Giora Schmidt, violin, and Zuill Bailey, cello (In celebration of the 175th Anniversary of the composer’s birth); Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 (Pathétique), Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

One of the Napa Valley’s favorite guest performers, Zuill Bailey is a multi-faceted musician who’s established himself as one of the most sought-after and active cellists today. During the past concert season, Bailey traveled to Russia for concerts with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, and made his debuts with the Milwaukee Symphony and the Toronto Symphony (Itzhak Perlman conducting). He also performed with the symphony orchestras of El Paso, York, Macon, Waco and Fairfax, where he recorded the Dvorak Cello Concerto for Delos Records. An avid chamber musician, Bailey concertizes this season at Wolf Trap and the University of Missouri Kansas City with long-time duo partner, pianist Awadagin Pratt.

Making his Napa Valley orchestral debut, violinist Giora Schmidt, still in his early 20s, has already proven himself an outstanding artist with superb tone and pure musicianship. He performed with the Toronto Symphony as part of the Perlman/Schmidt/Bailey Trio (partners pianist Navah Perlman and cellist Zuill Bailey) in the Beethoven Triple Concerto conducted by Itzhak Perlman. Born into a family of professional musicians, Giora Schmidt grew up in Philadelphia. In 1996, he participated in the Ilona Feher Music Center Program with Pinchas Zukerman in Israel. He was a student of the late Dorothy DeLay and Itzhak Perlman at the Juilliard School, where he continues to teach as an assistant to Perlman.

Classical Series Program No. 4

Saturday, March 8, 8 p.m., and Sunday, March 9, 3 p.m.

Sinfonia, Gaetano Donizetti; Comedia for (almost) 18th-Century Orchestra, William Bolcom; Concerto No. 20 in D Minor for Piano & Orchestra, K. 466, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Soyeon Lee, piano; Symphony No. 104 in D Major (London), Franz Josef Haydn.

Also making her Napa Valley debut, pianist Soyeon Lee has been equally praised by audiences and presenters for performances of rare passion and grace. At 26, having already worked with conductors such as Jahja Ling, Otto-Werner Mueller and Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos and orchestras such as the Cleveland Orchestra and London Symphony, Lee continues to bring her unique power and sensitivity to audiences around the world. She began studying piano at the age of five in Korea. She moved to the United States at the age of 9 and attended the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, graduating with highest honors in music. Recently described by The New York Times as a pianist with “a huge, richly varied sound, a lively imagination and a firm sense of style,” Lee recently recorded her first CD, featuring sonatas of Scarlatti, for the Naxos label, which was released this past February.

 

Classical Series Program No. 5

Saturday, April 12, 8 p.m., and Sunday, April 13, 3 p.m.

Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 (Choral), Ludwig van Beethoven; Guest conductor, Carlo Ponti Jr.; Soloists: SF Opera Center; Chorus: Pacific Mozart Ensemble.

San Francisco Opera Center gives Bay Area audiences the opportunity to see the highest caliber of international singers assembled in a resident artist program right here in the Bay Area. Performing one of classical music’s most beloved masterpieces, Beethoven’s Ninth, this select group of extraordinary soloists command the stage, demonstrating why San Francisco Opera always has the best talent to unveil. Under the leadership of Sheri Greenawald, San Francisco Opera Center is dedicated to promoting the stars of our operatic future. The Opera Center’s track record speaks for itself. Past Adler Fellows include Ruth Ann Swenson, Mark Delavan, Carol Vaness, Patricia Racette, Brian Asawa, Deborah Voigt and Dolora Zajick. The Pacific Mozart Ensemble is a unique musical resource. Since its founding 20 years ago, the organization has grown to fill an important role in the cultural life of the Bay Area, presenting courageous and innovative programs of choral works that have never been performed in concert settings. Son of acclaimed Italian actress Sophia Loren, Ponti guest conducts the Russian National Orchestra and has appeared on the podium with that orchestra for the past two seasons of Festival del Sole here in Napa Valley.

Tickets for Classical Series concerts range from $25 to $85 and are half price for children and students.

 

Pops Concert!

Saturday Nov. 3, 8 p.m.

Chris Botti, trumpet, with the Napa Valley Symphony

Tickets: $35 - $125

Trumpeter Chris Botti is a gifted instrumentalist, a talented composer, and a charismatic performer who — since the release of his first solo album in 1995 — has created a series of recordings that have made him a virtual genre-of-one in the realm of contemporary jazz. Botti’s latest album, “To Love Again,” a collection of pop jazz standards from the acclaimed trumpeter and nine superstar guest vocalists, is a worthy successor to Botti’s last RIAA gold-certified album, “When I Fall In Love.” Among those joining Botti on his latest recording are Sting, Michael Bublé, Paula Cole, Gladys Knight and Steven Tyler. Botti’s association with Sting dates back to 1999, when the trumpeter joined the pop legend’s band as featured soloist on the “Brand New Day” tour, which lasted two-and-a-half years. Veteran of both the contemporary jazz world and mainstream pop studio scene, Botti has worked with Joni Mitchell, Natalie Merchant and renowned film composer John Barry. He was a featured performer at the Robert Mondavi Summer Music Festival in 2003.

Pops Concert!

Pink Martini with the Napa Valley Symphony

Saturday May 10, 8 p.m.

Tickets: $35 - $125

Somewhere between a 1930s Cuban dance orchestra, a classical chamber music ensemble, a Brazilian marching street band and Japanese film noir is the 12-member Pink Martini. Part language lesson, part Hollywood musical, the Portland, Ore.-based “little orchestra” was created in 1994 in Portland by Harvard graduate and classically trained pianist Thomas M. Lauderdale to play at political fundraisers for progressive causes such as civil rights, affordable housing, clean water and public broadcasting. The group made its European debut at the Cannes Film Festival and in the years following went on to tour throughout Europe and the United States. Equally at home performing its multi-lingual repertoire on concert stages and smoky bars, Pink Martini draws a wildly diverse crowd. The ensemble made its orchestral debut with the Oregon Symphony Orchestra in 1999. The band has also performed with the symphony orchestras of Seattle, San Francisco, Nashville, San Antonio, Kansas City and Jacksonville, among others. Pink Martini’s debut album, “Sympathique,” was released independently on the band’s own label, Heinz Records (after Lauderdale’s dog, Heinz) and has sold over 650,000 copies worldwide.

“We’re kind of like musical archaeologists, bringing melodies and rhythms from different parts of the world together to create something which is modern,” says founder and pianist Lauderdale. “It’s like an urban musical travelogue ... and I think as citizens of the world and in a sense as musical ambassadors for the United States, we must always strive to study the languages, customs, and histories of other countries. We’re very much an American band, but we spend a lot of time abroad, in Europe, in Turkey, in Lebanon and therefore have the opportunity to demonstrate that Americans are indeed serious about engaging in a dialogue with the rest of the world.”

Holiday Concert with the New York Voices

Sunday, December 2, 3 p.m.

Tickets: $50, half price for children and students (Box Seats $75)

A concert of jazz-inspired renditions of holiday classics the entire family will enjoy, skillfully performed by the New York Voices. New York Voices is the Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble formed in 1987 by Darmon Meader, Peter Eldridge, Kim Nazarian, Caprice Fox and Sara Krieger. Darmon, Peter, Kim and Caprice attended New York’s Ithaca College and were part of an invitational alumni group formed to tour European jazz festivals in the summer of 1986. As a result of this exciting experience, the idea of forming a professional group was born. Three years later, they signed their first record deal with GRP Records and released their self-titled debut album, “New York Voices.” In recent years, they have been called upon by the Boston Pops to bring a new edge to the pops orchestra scene. In 2005, they created a spectacular Christmas program with the Boston Pops and did an extensive tour with them along the eastern seaboard and through America’s heartland.