“On May 16, every inch of the historic Paramount Theatre stage will brim with music to mark the finale of the 25th anniversary season of the Oakland East Bay Symphony,” writes Annalee Allen in Sunday’s (4/27) Oakland Tribune (California). “Conductor Michael Morgan will muster the full complement of the orchestra, the Oakland Symphony Chorus and the Oakland Youth Orchestra to present Hector Berlioz’ masterwork, ‘Requiem.’ Also celebrating anniversaries this season are the youth orchestra—its 50th—and the chorus—its 55th. Since its incorporation in 1988 as a regional orchestra, the Oakland East Bay Symphony, under the guidance of Morgan, has gained wide recognition for its convergence of artistic excellence and community service. Annually, symphony activities reach more than 75,000 people, with more than one-third of the operating budget dedicated to education and outreach programs. Longtime followers of the symphony remember when predecessors to the current organization performed at the Henry J. Kaiser Auditorium’s Calvin Simmons Theater…. Those with even longer memories recall when Orley See organized a community orchestra in the 1930s. Later, conductor Harold Farberman would play a key role in the acquisition of the 3,000 seat Paramount Theatre in the early 1970s…. The Oakland Youth Orchestra was founded in 1963 as the educational arm of the Oakland Symphony.”
Posted April 30, 2014
