In September we begin with mature Mozart, whose works in this concert are represented by Salt, the symbol of perfection, followed by the delightful, rarely played Rondo for Piano and Orchestra written by Beethoven at just 23 years of age—the symbol of what’s to come, the eventual perfect Stone.

Our October concert, titled Ablution and Alkahest, features Poulenc’s magnificently unique Organ Concerto, which was inspired by “music from above”—that of Johann Sebastian Bach—and by “music that cleanses the soul”—the dark, the sad, and the scary (woohoooohahaha!). This concert could have been called “Spookfest,” as it is intended to energize the thrill of the upcoming Halloween weekend.

The concert we will play in November calls to mind both the element Ankh, represented by compositions of Puccini and Pergolesi that deal with the ascendancy of the life force, and the element Basilisk, which is signified by the emotionally rich and complex Divertimento of Béla Bartók.

Our Holiday and New Year’s concerts will take us outside the laboratory for a breath of celebration and jubilation.

In February we turn to the lighter side of Alchemy. Scheduled just after Valentine’s Day, this concert features the ultimate romantic interlude, Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll—a musical analogue of Conjunction. Much the same can be said about Mendelssohn’s first symphony, a collection of elemental motifs comprising a whole greater than the sum of its parts. The Crown is Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto—a symbol of the achievement of the magisterium.

Our April concert, with Andrew Cooperstock, reflects Azoth, a mercurial and universal spirit that can be described as circumscribing the beginning (Bach) and the end (Bloch) of three remarkable centuries of music.

And finally, in May, we arrive at the music of Beethoven; the perfect combination of Spirit and Gold!

Enjoy this amazing season!

Bahman Saless, Music Director and Conductor