Classical KUSC Begins New Santa Barbara in Concert Series May 30 on KDB 93.7 FM
CONTACT: Allison Engel 213/740-1927 allison.engel@usc.edu
Classical KUSC launches a new season of Santa Barbara in Concert on Saturday, May 30 at 8 p.m. This 12-week series features a variety of leading musical ensembles from the Central Coast, from Opera Santa Barbara, the Music Academy of the West, CAMA and Camerata Pacifica, to the Quire of Voyces, Festival Mozaic and the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra.
The series begins with a concert, Impressions of Spain, recorded March 15 by the Santa Barbara Symphony, led by music director Nir Kabaretti. Kabaretti begins his tenth season helming the orchestra next fall.
The Santa Barbara in Concert series is hosted and produced by Robin Pressman for Santa Barbara station KDB. Pressman also hosts and produces the daily Central Coast Calendar of arts events on KDB.
Gail Eichenthal is executive producer of the concert series. Eichenthal, longtime former producer of LA Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and LA Opera on Air broadcasts on KUSC, said: “Santa Barbara boasts an incredibly rich tapestry of performing groups. It’s a thrill to be able to share these wonderful performances with a wider audience, continuing the long tradition of KDB’s commitment to the local arts community.”
Classical KUSC was proud to continue the legacy of KDB, which was formerly a commercial station. KUSC, a public station, began operating KDB in summer 2014. The Central Coast Calendar was launched within a week of signing on. An initial series of Santa Barbara in Concert broadcasts followed shortly thereafter.
KUSC previously had a repeater station in Santa Barbara, and it exchanged that frequency with another station to allow classical music in Santa Barbara to continue flowing at KDB’s original 93.7 FM frequency.
Here’s the new Santa Barbara in Concert series roster through June. All concerts air at 8 p.m.
1) Santa Barbara Symphony: Impressions of Spain
(KDB Airdate: May 30)
Nir Kabaretti, conductor
Philippe Quint, violin
Lalo: Symphonie espagnole for Violin & Orchestra
Massenet: Ballet Music from ‘El Cid’
Falla: Interlude & Dance from “La Vida Breve”
Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol
2) Camerata Pacifica
(KDB Airdate: June 6)
Britten: Six Metamorphoses after Ovid
Hindemith: Viola Sonata in F
Loeffler: Two Rhapsodies
Schumann: Piano Quartet in E flat
3) Quire of Voyces
(KDB Airdate: June 13)
Nathan Kreitzer, conductor
Songs of Ancient Lands
Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil
4) Music Academy of the West Chamber Concert
(KDB Airdate: June 20)
Michael Tilson Thomas: Street Song
Ibert: Two Interludes & Entr’Acte
Matthias Pintscher: Uriel
Mendelssohn: Octet for Strings
5) Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra
(KDB Airdate: June 27)
Heiichiro Ohyama, conductor
Alessio Bax, piano
Frank Bridge: An Irish Melody
Frederick Delius: Intermezzo from Fennimore & Gerda
Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1
Classical KUSC is the largest and most listened-to public, nonprofit classical music station in the country. KUSC is dedicated to preserving classical music as a living art. Located in downtown Los Angeles, Classical KUSC uses digital transmission technology to broadcast commercial-free uninterrupted classical performances. The nonprofit, listener-supported station has been broadcasting for more than 60 years and streams worldwide at kusc.org
[Image of Santa Barbara from the courthouse tower by Antandrus]