“In 2016, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg made the bittersweet announcement that she would be stepping down from the New Century Chamber Orchestra, the conductorless string ensemble based in the Bay Area,” writes Joshua Kosman in Wednesday’s (5/10) San Francisco Chronicle. “This week, as the orchestra marks the conclusion of its 25th season, it also celebrates a partnership that has yielded rewards.… The annual Featured Composer Program that Salerno-Sonnenberg instituted—in which each season threw a spotlight on a living composer … has made a significant and much-needed addition to the repertoire for string orchestra…. The sheer star power that comes with having a celebrity at the helm has raised the orchestra’s profile during the past nine years. All those aspects … will be celebrated during the week’s three concerts … The NCCO has appointed the British violinist Daniel Hope to serve a three-year stint with the title ‘artistic partner,’ while the orchestra brings in a series of guest artists for consideration as the next artistic director. The 2017-18 season, announced earlier this month, will include appearances by guest concertmasters Benjamin Beilman and Zachary De Pue. Salerno-Sonnenberg, meanwhile, is gearing up for … [a teaching] appointment at Loyola University” in New Orleans.
Posted May 12, 2017
Pictured: Violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg plays violin while also directing the New Century Chamber Orchestra during a rehearsal at Zellerbach Hall in San Francisco. Photo by Josh Edelson/San Francisco Chronicle
