The UC Davis Department of Music last week officially announced the lineup for its 2002-03 season, including its inaugural events in the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts.
Announcing the 44th season were music chair Ross Bauer and UC Davis Symphony Orchestra conductor Kern Holoman.
"We've got a really great mix of home-grown talent and imported talent," Bauer said. "I'm not sure everyone realizes how impressive our home-grown talent is."
He noted upcoming performances including those showcasing the work of university bands director Jonathan Elkus, choral director Jeffrey Thomas, pianist Lara Downes, the Empyrean Ensemble, the Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers, San Francisco violist Geraldine Walther and the Fridegg Trio of Germany.
In addition, special fanfares have been commissioned to, early in the season, honor music patrons Barbara Jackson and the Mondavis.
Both Holoman and Bauer cited the significance of the new Mondavi Center - how its design will allow music programs to deliver more powerful performances. Expectations are high for the sound quality in the 1,800-seat Barbara K. and W. Turrentine Jackson Hall.
Concertgoers can look forward to hearing "a new warmth, unparalleled resonance, and richness all around," said Holoman. "It's supposed to be the best acoustics anywhere, and so far there's every reason to imagine that will be so."
"Acoustics mean so much to the success of a concert," Bauer added. "So this is an important moment for all of us. We've wanted (a facility) like this for probably 50 years."
The 2002-03 music lineup follows. Prices for the events, unless indicated, are $16 for adults and $8 for students and children.
Fall Quarter
Oct. 8 - Concert by the University of the Pacific Wind Ensemble with members of the UC Davis Concert Band. 7:30 p.m. Main Theatre. Free.
Oct. 27 - Empyrean Ensemble. Season Opener. Joan Tower: Big Sky; David Sanford: New Piece (commissioned by Empyrean for the Mondavi Center); Olivier Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time; 8 p.m. Studio Theater, Mondavi Center.
Nov. 1 - Lara Downes, piano. The Year 1917: Revolution and Soviet Music. With Harriet Murav, Department of Russian. Works by Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and Myaskovsky. 8 p.m. Studio Theater.
Nov. 2 - Digital Brew Two-Thousand-Two. New electro-acoustic music, featuring soloists on live electronics and acoustic instruments. 8 p.m. Studio Theater.
Nov. 3 - Baroque Extravaganza. Masterpieces of the 17th and 18th centuries performed by Michael Sand, baroque violin; John Lutterman, Baroque cello; Phebe Craig, harpsichord; and the UC Davis Baroque Ensemble. 3 p.m. Studio Theater.
Nov. 17 - UC Davis Early Music Ensemble. 8 p.m. St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 640 Hawthorn Lane, Davis. Sugges-ted donation at door: Adults $10, students and children $5.
Nov. 18 - Arianna String Quartet, John McGrosso, violin; Rebecca Rhee, violin; Sheila Browne, viola; and Kurt Baldwin, cello. Samuel Barber: Dover Beach with David Newman, baritone, and works by Mozart and Beethoven. 8 p.m. Wyatt Pavilion.
Nov. 24 - UC Davis Symphony Orchestra with Lara Downes, piano. Andrew Frank: Réjouissance, Fanfare for Barbara K. Jackson, Robert and Margrit Mondavi and the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra. Wagner: Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg; Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, op. 21; Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, op. 73. 8 p.m. Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center. Adults $14/11/8, students and children $7/5.50/4.
Nov. 25 - UC Davis Wind Ensemble, Peter Nowlen, director. 8 p.m. Studio Theater. Adults $10, students and children, $5.
Dec. 1 - Empyrean Ensemble, Hot off the Press. A concert of premiere works by Gabriela Frank, Andrew Frank, Kurt Rohde, Marjorie Merryman and the winner of the Wayne Peterson Prize. 8 p.m. Studio Theater.
Dec. 7 - The Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers led by music professor emeritus Albert J. McNeil. African-American music, including spirituals, gospel, folk songs and calypso. 8 p.m. Jackson Hall. Adults $29/24/19, students and children $14.50/12/9.50.
Dec. 8 - Holiday Concert with the University Chorus and Chamber Singers and the UC Davis Symphony. Works by Biebl, Britten, Bruckner, Darke and others. 8 p.m. Jackson Hall. Adults $14/11/8, students and children $7/5.50/4.
Winter Quarter
Jan. 10 - Lara Downes, piano. Exodus: From Hitler's Europe to Hollywood. With Ruth Rosen, Department of History. Works by Schoenberg, Weill, Korngold and Waxman. 8 p.m. Studio Theater.
Jan. 26 - Chamber music concert with Geraldine Walther, principal viola, San Francisco Symphony, and 2003 artist-in-residence; and Roy Bogas, piano, performing works from 1919: Rebecca Clark: Sonata; Hindemith: Sonata in F Major, op. 11, No. 4; and Ernest Bloch: Suite. 8 p.m. Studio Theater.
Feb. 2 - Empyrean Ensemble. Works by graduate student composers. 8 p.m. Studio Theater.
Feb. 5 - UC Davis Jazz Band with visiting university jazz ensemble. 8 p.m. Studio Theater. Adults $10, students and children $5.
Feb. 7 - Chamber music concert with the Fridegg Trio from Germany, 2003 artists-in-residence: Hannah Weirich, violin; Anna Weirich, cello; Silvia Nitschke, piano. Beethoven: Piano Trio, op. 70, no. 2 in E-flat Major; Ferdinand David: Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor; Brahms: Piano Trio No. 1 in B Major, op. 8. 8 p.m. Studio Theater.
Feb. 9 - UC Davis Symphony Orchestra and the Fridegg Trio. Beethoven: Triple Concerto in C Major, op. 56; Mahler: Symphony No. 4 in G Major. 8 p.m. Jackson Hall. Adults $14/11/8, students and children $7/5.50/4.
Feb. 19 - Festivity of Bands: The University Concert Band with the Davis Senior High School Wind Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Davis Senior High School. Adults $5, seniors and students $4.
Feb. 23 - UC Davis Early Music Ensemble. 8 p.m. St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 640 Hawthorn Lane, Davis. Suggested donation at door: Adults $10, students and children $5.
Feb. 28 - UC Davis Gospel Choir, Calvin Lymos, director. 7:00 p.m. Jackson Hall. Adults $12/9, students and children $6/4.50.
March 2 - University Chorus and visiting orchestra. Fauré: Requiem and choral works by Debussy and Ravel. 8 p.m. Jackson Hall. Adults $14/11/8, students and children $7/5.50/4.
March 5 - University Concert Band. 8 p.m. Freeborn Hall. Adults $10, students/children $5.
March 8 - UC Davis Symphony Orchestra. Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat Major, K. 364; Brahms: Double Concerto in A Minor, op. 102. 8 p.m. Jackson Hall. Adults $14/11/8, students and children $7/5.50/4.
March 14 - March University Chamber Singers and instrumentalists. Works by Buxtehude and Theile. 8 p.m. St. Martin's Episcopal Church. Suggested donation at door only: adults $10, students and children $5.
March 15 - Ides of March: Arcangeli Baroque Strings and the UC Davis Baroque Ensemble Music from Handel's Giulio Cesare and Bach's Cantata No. 211 ("Coffee Cantata"), Brandenburg Concerto No. 5; Orchestral Suite No. 2 and a concerto for two violins. 8 p.m. Studio Theater.
Spring Quarter
April 6 - Empyrean Ensemble. Columbia University professor Chou Wen-Chung's 80th Birthday Celebration featuring works by his students. 8 p.m. Studio Theater.
April 14 - San Francisco Contemporary Music Players. Ross Bauer: Fast and Loose (premiere); Olly Wilson: Call and Response (premiere); and other works. 8 p.m. Studio Theater.
April 18 - Lara Downes, piano. El Fuego Nuevo: Music of Modern Latin America. With Pablo Ortiz, Department of Music, and Arnold Bauer, Department of History. Works by Chavez, Ginastera, Villa-Lobos and Allende. 8 p.m. Studio Theater.
April 21 - April Violafest! Series of viola concerts with works from the newly published anthology American Viola by J. B. Elkus & Son. Works by Pablo Ortiz, Max Bruch, Linda Bouchard and others with violists Geraldine Walther and others. 8 p.m. Studio Theater.
April 25 - World Women in Music Today, part of the International Women Composers Festival, with San Francisco Conservatory of Music's Ensemble Parallèle. Works by Shulamit Ran, Kaija Saariaho, Melinda Wagner, Young-Ja Lee, Chan-Hae Lee and Melissa Hui. 8 p.m. Studio Theater.
May 3 - Mystery Event. Take a ride on the Orient Express the evening of May 3. Itinerary to follow. Studio Theater.
May 4 - May UC Davis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, op. 18; Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2. 8 p.m. Jackson Hall. Adults $14/11/8; students and children $7/5.50/4.
May 7 - Capital Jazz Project with the UC Davis Jazz Band. 8 p.m. Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center. Adults $12/9; students and children $6/4.50.
May 11 - Empyrean Ensemble. Family Concert. Works for young audiences by John Cage, Lou Harrison and Donald Martino. 3 p.m. Studio Theater. Adults $10, students and children $5.
May 16 - Concerto Concert with the UC Davis Baroque Ensemble. 8 p.m. St. Martin's Episcopal Church. Suggested donation at door only: adults $10, students and children $5.
May 18 - UC Davis Early Music Ensemble 8 p.m. St. Martin's Episcopal Church. Suggested donation at door only: adults $10;,students and children $5.
May 23-25 - H.M.S. Pinafore. Gilbert & Sullivan's comic masterpiece, presented by the Department of Theatre and Dance, the Davis Comic Opera Company, and the UC Davis Symphony. 8 p.m, May 23-24. 2 p.m May 25. Jackson Hal1. Adults $18/16, students and children $12/10.
May 28 - University Concert Band. 8 p.m. Jackson Hall. Adults $12/9; students and children $6/4.50.
June 1 - University Chorus and Chamber Singers. An all-American program with piano featuring works by UC Davis composers. 8 p.m. Jackson Hall. Adults $14/11/8; students and children $7/5.50/4.
June 13 - A Family Concert with Lara Downes, piano. Saint-Saëns: The Carnival of Animals, 11-piece chamber ensemble version, with text by Ogden Nash. narration by Sheldon Deckelbaum from the theatre and dance department. 8 p.m. Studio Theater. Adults $10, students and children $5.