Reviews

The Monterey Symphony's Concert Grand season continues with a sumptuous romantic program of music by Mendelssohn and Brahms. Conductor Max Bragado-Darman is joined by pianist Juan Pérez Floristán performing Brahms popular Piano Concerto No. 2. Floristán was First Prize winner of the prestigious Santander Piano Competition in 2015.

Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4 ('Italian') will also be featured, a favorite of mine, depicting in an ebullient way his experience of the magnificent countryside and culture of Italy from his visit there between 1829 and 1831.

Concerts at Sunset Center take place Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. For tickets and more information see www.montereysymphony.org, or call 831-646-8511. Tickets also will be sold at the box office on performance days.

Monterey Symphony's upcoming season begins in October for another six programs in a cycle called Sound Waves, continuing the Sunset Center performances on Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. Here are some highlights featured in the 2018-2019 season.

Program 1, Oct. 20-21, showcases maestro Bragado conducting Among Waves, a new work from composer Alex Berko commissioned with the Big Sur Land Trust, inspired by the majestic beauty of our south coast. Shubert's Symphony No. 9, "The Great" will also be on this program.

Program 2, Nov. 17-18, brings Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4. American flautist Carol Wincenc, a professor at The Julliard School, will appear on this program, for Carl Nielsen's Flute Concerto.

Program 3, Feb. 16-17, 2019 features music of French composers Claude Debussy and Jacques Ibert, along with Four Sea Interludes from the opera Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten. The tone-poem Oceanides, by Jean Sibelius, rounds out this program.

Program 4, March 16-17, presents Jung-Ho Pak guest conducting a program of works by Tan Dun, Shostakovich, and Alan Hovhaness.

Program 5, April 13-14, focuses on music by 3 German Romantic composers: Mendelssohn, Schumann and Max Bruch. Solo artist Elmar Oliveira returns with the Monterey Symphony for Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1.

Program 6, May 18-19, 2019 concludes the season with music of Wagner, Chopin and Beethoven. Cuban pianist Marcos Madrigal appears as guest soloist in Chopin's gorgeous Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 21. Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 serves as the grand finale of the Sound Waves offerings.

Watch here for more details later in the season. Check out the website for more information and tickets at www.montereysymphony.org or call 646-8511.