From left: San Diego Symphony’s Douglas Hall, Rafael Payare, Erin Douglas Dowrey, Martha Gilmer, and Zou Yu at California Center for the Arts, Escondido, one of ten venues where the orchestra will perform. Photo: Eduardo Contreras/San Diego Union-Tribune
“Between its Jan. 15 opening concert at downtown’s San Diego Civic Theatre and its May 27 bayside conclusion at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, the orchestra will perform 31 concerts at nine San Diego County venues, large, small and in between,” writes George Varga in Sunday’s (11/7) San Diego Union Tribune. “The season—aptly titled ‘Hear Us Here’—will also include a March 2 performance … in Palm Desert.… ‘Over the last 18 months, the pandemic changed everything we do—and our mission changed,’ said Music Director Rafael Payare…. CEO Martha Gilmer was instrumental in navigating those changes … most notably … spearheading the fundraising, construction and triumphant August opening of the orchestra’s new … outdoor venue, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park…. She is now overseeing the ongoing renovations of the orchestra’s downtown home, Copley Symphony Hall at Jacobs Music Center…. But the upcoming, countywide season also represents the realization of a goal Gilmer has been eager to achieve … ‘to take the orchestra to perform where people live…. The symphony has … The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park and Copley Symphony Hall. And, now, we have these satellite venues that we can revisit on a regular basis.’ ”
