This November 1st & 2nd, Music Director Nicholas Hersh has put together a fun and exciting program that reimagines the Classics-favorite, Vivaldi's Four Seasons with The Four Seasons Mixtape! Who better to take on the challenge of four different composers for each of the seasons than New York Philharmonic violinist Audrey Wright.
See Audrey & the MSO perform The Four Seasons Mixtape this November 1st & 2nd, 2024 at the Gallo Center for the Arts.
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
Audrey Wright, violin
MSO Chorus Director, Daniel R. Afonso Jr. joins MSO Music Director, Nicholas Hersh as they discuss the joys of uniting two musical forces: orchestra & chorus in Beethoven's masterpiece: Symphony No. 9!
They also provide insight about the challenges of singing in acapella and English for the Chorus' performance of Amy Beach's "Peace I Leave With You" (Don't get them started on diphthongs!)
See the MSO & MSO Chorus perform Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 live this May 10 & 11, 2024 at the Gallo Center for the Arts.
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
MSO Chorus
Daniel R. Afonso Jr., chorus director
Music Director Nicholas Hersh explores how composers Astor Piazzolla, Louise Farrenc, and Felix Mendelssohn were inspired by studying Bach and the Baroque period, and created fresh and innovative compositions.
See the MSO perform the works of Farrenc, Mendelssohn, and Piazzolla live this April 12 & 13, 2024 at the Gallo Center for the Arts.
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
Tai Murray, violin
Fri. April 12, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Sat. April 13, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Programming a concert by yourself can get lonely, but with musicians to help: it's a party! Music Director Nicholas Hersh along with MSO musicians, Don Grishaw, violin and Rob Patterson, clarinet, introduce a brand new symphony experience: Symphonic Soundtrack! This performance will be a relaxed & fun concert featuring shorter pieces curated by the MSO, followed by an after-party for our audiences to meet & mingle with our musicians & music lovers.
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
Rob Patterson, clarinet
Fri. March 15, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Sat. March 16, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Music Director Nicholas Hersh takes us back to experience what it was like to be an artist and composer during the period between World War I and World War II, both at home in America and abroad in Paris. He deep dives into three composers of the time: George Gershwin, Lili Boulanger, and William L. Dawson, and explores the connections between them.
See the MSO perform the works of Gershwin, Boulanger, and Dawson this February 9 & 10, 2024 at the Gallo Center for the Arts.
Principal Pops Conductor Ryan Murray invites you on a journey to Halloween Town when the Modesto Symphony Orchestra performs Danny Elfman's iconic score for Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, live to film!
See the MSO perform Tim Burton's The Nightmare before Christmas in Concert Live to Film this November 3 & 4, 2023 at the Gallo Center for the Arts.
Broadway star, Capathia Jenkins invites you to see her at this one-night-only unforgettable event! Pack your picnic and get ready to see Capathia perform the hits of Aretha Franklin and more!
Hear the music of Aretha Franklin and more performed live by the MSO this September 9, 2023!
Principal Pops Conductor Ryan Murray is ready to invite you back for another fun-filled night at Picnic at the Pops paying tribute to the Queen of Soul: Aretha Franklin!
Hear the music of Aretha Franklin and more performed live by the MSO this September 9, 2023!
This May 31st & June 1st, the Modesto Symphony Orchestra returns to a galaxy far, far away when we perform Star Wars: Return of the Jedi live to film!
Principal Pops Conductor Ryan Murray conducted many of the MSO’s film concerts, including last year’s Star Wars: The Empire A New Hope and in 2022, Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert. This year, he will be leading 84 musicians in perfect time as Star Wars: Return of the Jedi plays on a 26’ x 16’ screen (the equivalent of 36 60” TVs!). An impressive feat that is a result of only 5 total hours of rehearsal time together!
Read on for an exclusive look behind the stage to see what goes into preparing for a unique concert like this with an interview with Ryan Murray we did last May 2023!
MSO: How long does it take for you to prepare for a movie concert and is there any difference compared to preparing for a standard classics or other pops concerts?
Ryan Murray, conductor: It takes anywhere between four to six months to prepare for a movie concert and there are some major differences in how you prepare for these concerts compared to a standard classics or pops concert. The major difference in getting ready for one of these concerts is memorizing and internalizing the tempos of the original movie. Unlike in a traditional concert where the interpretation can vary from orchestra to orchestra and conductor to conductor, in the movie concerts you must play exactly in time with the film! And while I have a special screen in front of me with something called punches and streamers on it to help me line up with the film, the orchestra does not have that information, so it’s my job to really know the score inside and out so that we can make sure everything lines up just right!
Conductor Ryan Murray at the podium, with screen that provides film information in real-time.
MSO: Could you explain the how you use the screen in front of you to help line the orchestra up with what is on the big screen?
RM: Sure, while I’m conducting I have a click track and a special screen in front of me that I use to line everything up with the film. The orchestra does not have that information, so it is really the conductor’s job to make sure that all the tempos line up exactly with the film. Once the movie starts there is no margin for error, and we all must work very hard to make everything match! It is actually a very fun challenge and keeps you on your toes as a conductor!
MSO: Now that you've done a couple Star Wars in Concert performances, what did you learn from that experience and were there any surprises or challenges that come to mind?
RM: I think that the most interesting thing about performing the Star Wars movies in concert is how much freedom you have as a conductor. The score is written in such a symphonic way that you have the room to be slightly flexible with each performance- each performance is unique and exciting! Obviously, there are key moments where you have to make sure everything lines up exactly, but there are other places where you can let the orchestra be a little bit free and that makes for a really incredible musical experience.
MSO: John Williams’ scores are so iconic and each film he works on is distinctive, even when included in a franchise like Star Wars. Are there any differences to the overall musical tone for this movie, The Empire Strikes Back compared to A New Hope?
RM: There are a lot of similarities in the soundtrack including the overall size of the orchestra, the way the music is scored and the iconic opening credits music, but there is a little bit of a darker tone to this movie. The music is a bit more introspective, and I think emotionally a little bit deeper as well. We get introduced to some new characters in this film including Yoda, and the wonderful music that makes up Yoda’s theme. We also see a great character development arch happening with the main players from the first film and the music reflects that beautifully.
MSO: So, who is your favorite character from the franchise and what is your favorite theme to listen to and which is your favorite to conduct?
RM: It would be hard to pick a favorite character from the franchise, probably Yoda or Darth Vader – talk about opposite ends of the spectrum! They both have such great music!
I really enjoy conducting the opening theme – that classic Star Wars melody. The opening ten minutes of every Star Wars movie features the entire orchestra and some really challenging music– it’s always a lot of fun! I always enjoy listening to the Imperial March – there is such intensity to that music – and such great brass writing!
Come join Ryan Murray & the MSO on a trip to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi in Concert this May 31 & June 1 at the Gallo Center for the Arts!
This article was updated May 20, 2024.
The mysterious history behind Mozart's Requiem is actually quite a simple story. MSO Chorus Director, Dr. Daniel R. Afonso Jr. helps demystify the Requiem's enigmatic past and uncovers the true power behind the music. Hear the works of Mozart and Price performed live by the MSO this May 12 & 13, 2023!
Anthony Parnther, conductor
MSO Chorus; Daniel R. Afonso Jr., chorus director
Since returning to in-person rehearsals and concerts last season, the MSO Chorus has been steadily working on returning to its full power. We’ve enjoyed their performances at our Holiday Pops! and Holiday Candlelight Concerts, but this May will mark the first time they’ve performed in a Classics Series concert since 2019.
We chatted with chorus director, Dr. Daniel R. Afonso Jr. to gain more insight into our beloved chorus and their return to stage with Mozart’s Requiem.
MSO: Can you give our audiences a brief background of Mozart’s Requiem?
Daniel Afonso, chorus director: Mozart’s Requiem is certainly one of the composer’s best known works—and there are certainly plenty of reasons for it. The music itself is beautiful and full of expressive elements that have made the work very popular for centuries, but the Requiem has also been shrouded in mystery and the subject of folk tales and much gossip. Everything started with Mozart receiving a commission from a mysterious Viennese patron to write a Requiem for his wife—the patron wanted to remain anonymous, sent a messenger to talk to Mozart. To complicate things further, the composer died (at age 35!) while working on this music and before being able to complete the full work. Although we now know much more about the origins of the Requiem, these “tales” and conflicting stories about the work continue to feed audiences and performers with some extra “drama” that adds to the work’s overall appeal.
Another element that contributed to Mozart’s Requiem popularity was the highly fictionalized movie about the composer’s life that came out in 1984, Milos Forman’s Amadeus. It was while watching the movie that I learned about the Requiem and fell in love with it. Later, in 2012, I had one of the highlights of my music career when I had the privilege of conducting the CSUS Chamber Singers and members of the MSO Chorus in a performance of Requiem at Lincoln Center, in New York City.
MSO: There are many iconic sections to the Requiem, like the “Dies irae” and the “Lacrimosa.” What about these sections of the Mozart Requiem do you think audiences will find most exciting to hear or see performed live?
DA: Yes, these two movements do have the most recognizable music of this entire work. And I believe this is due to Mozart’s ability to write music that perfectly depicts the character and meaning of the text. These two movements are part of a larger section of the Requiem called “Sequence” that describes the “judgment day.” The Dies irae begins this section and the Lacrimosa ends it. In the Dies irae, the words describe judgment day as a “day of wrath” when the world will “dissolve in ashes.” And in the Lacrimosa, the words depict a “tearful day” when “the guilty man will rise from the ashes to be judged.” These are powerful and colorful images that Mozart expertly matches to equally powerful and ingenuously constructed musical ideas. The result is music that is both beautiful and expressive, full of different colors and musical elements that at the same time intrigue and fascinate the listener.
MSO: You’ve been the MSO chorus director since its foundation in 2001, what has it been like working with a diverse group of singers for over 20 years?
DA: I absolutely love working with the MSO Chorus! And the diversity in the group’s membership is one of the most interesting aspects of the work to me. We have singers of all levels of ability and musical experience in the group. We have experienced choral singers and some who have music degrees (music teachers, music ministers, etc.). We also have many singers who don’t read music and some who had never been part of a choir before. The power of collective singing comes exactly from that: different people working together with a common goal, helping each other to overcome any challenges and difficulties during the process. And every time the chorus performs, we are reminded of the importance of working together as a cohesive community, and how music can be a powerful tool to bring people together. Now, add to that learning and performing some of the most exciting music ever written for choir and orchestra, and you have the full picture of how wonderful my job is!
Join the MSO Chorus as they perform Mozart Requiem live this May 12 & 13, 2023 at the Gallo Center for the Arts!
Anthony Parnther, conductor
MSO Chorus; Daniel R. Afonso Jr., chorus director
Have you ever heard of The Great American Songbook? Even if you're not familiar with the name, you certainly have heard the classic pop songs that make up the genre. Join Principal Pops Conductor Ryan Murray as he explains why The Great American Songbook is considered to be "America's Classical Music."
Hear The Great American Songbook performed live by the MSO this March 17, 2023!
Ryan Murray, conductor
Ryan Silverman, guest vocalist
Don't miss the "soul-shaking beauty and heart-racing excitement" of Barber's Violin Concert performed by violinist Simone Porter this February 10th & 11th!
Andrew Grams will conduct the MSO for the Barber & Brahms concerts with a program that will take our audiences on an emotional journey of love, loss, and the beauty of life. We’re also excited to have violinist Simone Porter to share her amazing energy and beautiful tone in Samuel Barber’s beloved Violin Concerto. The concert will conclude with Brahms’ Second Symphony, which will leave our audiences full of optimism.
Hear the works of Brouwer, Barber, and Brahms performed live by the MSO this February 10 & 11, 2023!
Andrew Grams, conductor
Simone Porter, violin
Guest conductor Andrew Grams explores how music can tug at one's heartstrings in a way no other type of communication can.
Grams will conduct the MSO for the Barber & Brahms concerts with a program that will take our audiences on an emotional journey of love, loss, and the beauty of life. We’re also excited to have violinist Simone Porter to share her amazing energy and beautiful tone in Samuel Barber’s beloved Violin Concerto. The concert will conclude with Brahms’ Second Symphony, which will leave our audiences full of optimism.
Hear the works of Brouwer, Barber, and Brahms performed live by the MSO this February 10 & 11, 2023!
Andrew Grams, conductor
Simone Porter, violin
Guest conductor Nicholas Hersh explores the great mysteries of life and death through the works of Schubert, Rachmaninoff, and Sibelius.
Hersh will lead the MSO for the Rachmaninoff & Sibelius concerts. This program gives us the opportunity to hear Hersh’s arrangement of the second movement of Schubert’s famous string quartet, Death and the Maiden. Then pianist George Li will be featured on Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and the program will finish with Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5. This breathtaking beauty captures 16 soaring swans when the strings mimic the fluttering of wings and a glorious, arching theme played by the French horns.
Hear the works of Schubert, Rachmaninoff, and Sibelius performed live by the MSO this November 11th & 12th, 2022!
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
Branford Marsalis, saxophone
Upcoming this October 21 & 22, internationally recognized pianist, Gabriela Martinez returns to Modesto to perform Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue alongside your Modesto Symphony Orchestra. Excited to have her back on the Gallo Center stage with us, we were able to catch up with what she has been up to since last performing with the MSO in 2018.
MSO: We’re so excited to have you back in Modesto performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue! Are there any specific emotions you feel while performing Rhapsody in Blue? What sort of imagery comes to mind?
Gabriela Martinez: Rhapsody in Blue is one of my favorite concertos to perform. It’s a truly magical piece where we see a world of “classical” music infused with unique jazz flavors. It is really an exciting piece to play as we get to experience a world of incredible contrasts – musical, texture, style, and color. We live through a wide range of emotions. There are amazing rhythmic solos, as well as lush inspired melodic orchestral sections.
MSO: Last time you visited us was in April 2018, performing Manuel de Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain. What are you most excited about performing with the Modesto Symphony again?
GM: I am so looking forward to being back in Modesto! I loved my time in Modesto and really enjoyed playing with such an amazing orchestra! I am excited to play with them again and to meet with Maestro Dragon – his reputation precedes him. He is wonderful, and I am thrilled to work with him!
One unforgettable story about my last visit to Modesto -- while playing the last lyrical solo piano passage of the Falla… THE LIGHTS WENT OUT AT THE GALLO CENTER!!! The whole concert hall was pitch black. (The power went out in the whole block, and the generator kicked in what must have been seconds, but felt like minutes on stage…) I have been performing concertos since I was 5 years old, and that was a first for me. Instinctively, I just kept going… and it’s a moment I will cherish forever! The comradery in those moments between audience, conductor, orchestra while navigating uncharted territory together before the power returned is something I will never forget.
MSO: Will you have any leisure time while in Northern California? Do you have any fun plans while being here?
GM: California is one of my favorite places on the planet. There’s never enough time to explore! It’s been a few years since I was in Modesto though. Would love to hear any recommendations of places to see, places to eat, have coffee… find me on Instagram @gabrielapiano
MSO: Any upcoming performances/projects are you looking forward to?
GM: I am really excited about my project, a recital program called RESONANCES which I am performing this season. RESONANCES is a journey that invites us to explore the echoes within us; to explore the search and inspiration that happens beneath the surface. It explores music from Brazil, Venezuela as well as new pieces by Caroline Shaw, Sarah Kirkland Snider, Viet Cuong and Missy Mazzoli.
Come watch Gabriela perform Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue this October 21 & 22 at the Gallo Center for the Arts!
Christopher Dragon, conductor
Gabriela Martinez, piano
To celebrate the "American Sound," guest conductor Christopher Dragon digs into the rediscovery of
Florence Price's long lost work and her rich legacy. Florence Price holds a significant place in American history as the first Black female American composer to have her symphony performed by a major symphony orchestra. However, her some of her work, including Concert Overture No.2, laid dormant for over 50 years in an abandoned home she once lived in until it was rediscovered in 2009 and brought back into the spotlight. Price's Concert Overture No. 2 reflects the expressive and distinctive sounds of Negro traditions, particularly the spirituals, ragtime, and folkdance rhythms whose origins trace back to Africa. This overture features the spirituals “Go Down, Moses,” “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen,” and “Every Time I Feel the Spirit.”
Hear Price's Concert Overture No. 2 performed live by the MSO this October 21st & 22nd, 2022!
Christopher Dragon, conductor
Gabriela Martinez, piano
Come join Ryan Murray & the MSO on a trip to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert this June 3 & 4 at the Gallo Center for the Arts!
This June 3rd & 4th, the Modesto Symphony Orchestra travels to a galaxy far, far away when we perform Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert, live to film!
Previously MSO Associate Conductor Ryan Murray has conducted our past two film concerts: Pirates of the Caribbean in 2019, and Pixar in Concert in 2020. This time, he will be leading 81 musicians in perfect time as Star Wars: A New Hope plays on a 26’ x 16’ screen (the equivalent of 36 60” TVs!) at the Gallo Center for the Arts. An impressive feat that is a result of only 5 total hours of rehearsal time together!
Read on as we interview Ryan for an exclusive look behind the stage to see what goes into preparing for a unique concert like this.
MSO: How long does it take for you to prepare for a movie concert and is there any difference compared to preparing for a standard classics or other pops concerts?
Ryan Murray, conductor: It takes anywhere between four to six months to prepare for a movie concert and there are some major differences in how you prepare for these concerts compared to a standard classics or pops concert. The major difference in getting ready for one of these concerts is memorizing and internalizing the tempos of the original movie. Unlike in a traditional concert where the interpretation can vary from orchestra to orchestra and conductor to conductor, in the movie concerts you must play exactly in time with the film! And while I have a special screen in front of me with something called punches and streamers on it to help me line up with the film, the orchestra does not have that information, so it’s my job to really know the score inside and out so that we can make sure everything lines up just right!
Conductor Ryan Murray at the podium, with screen that provides film information in real-time.
MSO: Could you explain the how you use the screen in front of you to help line the orchestra up with what is on the big screen?
RM: Sure, while I’m conducting I have a click track and a special screen in front of me that I use to line everything up with the film. The orchestra does not have that information, so it is really the conductor’s job to make sure that all the tempos line up exactly with the film. Once the movie starts there is no margin for error, and we all must work very hard to make everything match! It is actually a very fun challenge and keeps you on your toes as a conductor!
MSO: Movie concerts are popular among audiences not only because hearing the music live is thrilling, but because the movies tend to be nostalgic for most of us. Does the nostalgia or being a fan of the movie, have an impact on you when you’re prepping or when rehearsing?
RM: There is a big nostalgia element when it comes to preparing a movie concert—especially Star Wars. I can’t think of any music that is more iconic than those opening few minutes of the score. I think we are all really excited about this music and for so many musicians we grew up loving this score—so to put it all together with the live movie and our fantastic audience it’s very exciting!
Conductor Ryan Murray leading the MSO in Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of The Black Pearl, March 2019
MSO: What do you think makes this John Williams’ score is so iconic?
RM: To me John Williams’ music is so dramatic and the way he writes for the orchestra is absolutely brilliant. The score is full of wonderful melodies and much like an opera, each main character has their own theme. These themes are then developed and transformed throughout the film to help us understand the emotions and the drama of the scene and this element of the movie becomes even more powerful with a live orchestra on stage!
MSO: Are you a Star Wars fan and if so, what is your favorite Star Wars movie?
RM: Yes, definitely a Star Wars fan! I would say my favorite Star Wars movie is either A New Hope—which we are performing, or the Return of the Jedi. Although I didn’t know it at the time, because I didn’t start studying music until high school, I’m sure the symphonic score was one of the major things that made me such a fan of these movies!
Come join Ryan Murray & the MSO on a trip to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert this June 3 & 4 at the Gallo Center for the Arts!
Upcoming this May 6 & 7, Grammy-winner tabla master, Sandeep Das will be performing Dinuk Wijeratne’s Concerto for Tabla alongside your Modesto Symphony Orchestra. Fresh from a tour of London, Sandeep took the time to sit down with us to tell us more about this exciting concerto and his instrument, the tabla.
MSO: This is the first time most of our audiences will see this piece performed live, however you have performed this many times before. What is your history with this piece, when was the last time you performed it?
Sandeep Das: I am actually coming in to Modesto right after a tour of this very concerto with the National Youth Orchestra of the United Nations in London, U.K. I feel Dinuk Wijeratne’s Tabla Concerto is one of the finest Western compositions written for my instrument, and I am looking forward to sharing it with everyone in the audience!
MSO: The tabla is an instrument not often highlighted in Western Classical music. Can you tell us more about this instrument, how you got into it, and how it had led you to where you are today?
SD: The Tabla are one of the most popular drums in the North Indian Classical tradition, a complex and highly refined music system that has been passed down orally for more than 4,000 years. There is a fun story about how I got into this instrument:
One day, when I was about 8 years old, I was sent home from school with a note from my teacher. I had been disturbing the class by tapping on my desk, and when asked to stop, I started tapping my feet! They suggested that I be taken to a doctor.
Luckily, I had a smart father, and instead of taking me to a doctor, he gifted me my first pair of Tabla, and my lessons began that very night.
My Guru, Pt. Kishan Maharaj, was a legend of North Indian Classical Music in the same way Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart are revered as legends of Western Classical Music. I learned Tabla in the traditional Indian Guru-Shishya Parampara, a system where the Shishya, or student, lives with their Guru (teacher) as a member of the household while they are learning.
For 12 years, I lived with my Guru in Banaras, an ancient Indian city known as a historical and contemporary center for intellectual, spiritual, and artistic learning. Music was taught to me not just as an art form, but as a way of life. Guruji would teach when and however he pleased. I was even taught while sitting in the garden, riding horses, and performing on stage with him at a concert!
MSO: Music education is something that is very important to you, which is evident through your programs like Harmony and Universality through Music (HUM) and Das Tabla School (DTS). Can you elaborate more about these programs you founded and how they help enrich the lives of your students?
SD: I strongly believe that the youth are our future, and we should do everything we can to open the windows of their hearts and minds to what is beyond the places, people, cultures, and ways of life that they know. Harmony and Universality through Music is an Indian nonprofit organization that I founded in 2009, which strives to promote global understanding through performance and education by the HUM Ensemble and provides learning opportunities and scholarships for visually-impaired children with potential in any genre of art to empower them to lead self-reliant lives. Since its inception, HUM has grown in size and now supports nine children through a National Scholarship.
MSO: Will you have any leisure time while in Northern California? Do you have any fun plans while being here? (Sights to see, places to you have to eat at, etc.)
SD: I am a golf addict and will definitely spend some time golfing!!!
MSO: Any upcoming performances/projects are you looking forward to?
SD: I recently launched a project called Transcending Borders One Note at a Time, which aims to harness the transformative power of music to spread a message of love and compassion, and to inspire positive social change through a variety of media including performances, residencies, community engagement activities, and talks/presentations. As part of that initiative, the HUM Ensemble recently released its debut album, “Delhi to Damascus”, which features a collaboration between Indian Classical and Syrian music. This project is currently touring live performances alongside “Delhi to Shiraz”, a musical celebration of the shared heritage between India and Persia.
Come watch Sandeep perform Wijeratne’s Concerto for Tabla this May 6th & 7th at the Gallo Center for the Arts!
Paul Haas, conductor
Sandeep Das, tabla
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