Melodic Musings

Join us on March 27 at 8 PM at the Paramount Theatre for an exploration of the sheer physical power of sound!

Our next mainstage concert features organist and composer Brian Raphael Nabors performing his own Hammond Organ Concerto, a work that blends soulful grooves with orchestral brilliance. The program shifts from the vibrant, jazz-infused energy of Clarice Assad’s Baião N' Blues to the epic, floor-shaking grandeur of Camille Saint-Saëns’ legendary "Organ" Symphony.

We want you in the hall for this sonic performance! Our Hall Pass program ensures that world-class music is accessible to everyone in our city—scroll down for instructions on securing your free or discounted tickets.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit our website.

Oakland Symphony’s Hall Pass Program provides free concert tickets to all Oakland Symphony performances for students, families, and school staff at Title I schools. Participants from non–Title I schools and neighboring school districts are also eligible for discounted $10 tickets.

Please click here or on the flier below to obtain access codes to your complimentary or discounted tickets.

For questions or additional information, please contact Carmina Eylar or Rachel Kim at the bottom of this newsletter.

Oakland Symphony offers complimentary concert tickets to community organizations that serve low income residents and historically marginalized groups. Please click here or the attached flier for access codes.

We look forward to welcoming you and being in community together at one of our concerts soon! Please email us if you would like to plan a "Symphony Night" for your organization.

The Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra (OSYO) is now accepting applications for musicians aged 22 and under who are ready to elevate their artistry. OSYO offers a professional-level environment where dedicated students tackle challenging repertoire, tour globally, and build a lifelong community of peers.

This year also marks a historic milestone: the inaugural season of the OSYO String Orchestra.

Designed as a high-level training ground for intermediate musicians, this new ensemble provides the focused coaching and professional workshops necessary to master the demands of the full youth orchestra. From weekly rehearsals to side-by-side performances, we are building a new pathway for Oakland’s rising string players to excel.

Email Carmina Eylar, Youth Program Manager, at youthorchestra@oaklandsymphony.org with any questions.

This season, Oakland Symphony Artist-in-Residence Daniel Bernard Roumain joined music teacher Mr. Emile Poree at Oakland Technical High School for a series of creative workshops. Students moved beyond standard sheet music, exploring improvisation and collaborative composition to push the boundaries of what their instruments can do.

Huge congratulations to all the OUSD middle and high schools that took part in the Orchestra Festival on March 4! It was a day of incredible music, capped off by our MUSE VIVO ensembles performing Florence Price's "Three Little Dances." For the grand finale, Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra Director Omid Zoufonoun took the podium to lead a massive combined performance of students from across the district.

Join us for a celebration of youth and artistry at the MUSE VIVO Final Concert! Featuring our String Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, the evening culminates in 67-piece combined "Mega-Ensemble." Representing neighborhoods from across the city, this performance is the culmination of a year-long commitment to high-level musicianship and dedication.

Come experience the energy of Oakland's young musicians!

When: Thursday, March 19 | 7:00 PM

Where: Oakland High School (1023 MacArthur Blvd)

Admission: FREE and open to the public. Bring the whole family!

Oakland native Ms. Joan Tarika Lewis is a violinist, visual artist, and genealogy researcher with deep local roots as a descendant of California Gold Rush pioneers and professional boxing families. Her multifaceted career includes a guest appearance on Finding Your Roots with LL Cool J and extensive touring with Jazz legend John Handy with Class (alongside violinists Sandy Poindexter and Julie Carter).

Ms. Lewis performs locally with the Bobby Young Project, the Vincent Tolliver String Ensemble, Sandy Poindexter, and Sam Brown. She continues her commitment to the community by teaching beginning violin with Oakland Symphony MUSE and the Oakland Fine Arts Summer School (OFASS).

Your generosity turns our vision into a daily reality. We are deeply thankful to every supporter for championing the next generation of Oakland musicians—[click here to see our full list of generous donors].

We also wish to highlight the vital contributions of the following foundations, whose partnership is essential to Oakland Symphony's Education programs:

• Pacific Harmony Foundation
• San Francisco Symphony
• Schwartz Family Foundation
• Sidney E. Frank Foundation

Thank you for making this season of learning and performance possible for our students.

Thank you for taking the time to read through our newsletter! If you have any questions or need further information, please don't hesitate to reach out to the Education Team.

Stay connected with us through our website as well as Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates. We look forward to a wonderful year ahead filled with learning, growth, and community spirit.

Warm regards,

Rachel Kim, Ed.D.
Director of Education & Social Impact

rkim@oaklandsymphony.org

Direct: (510) 274-6364

Carmina Eylar

Youth Program Manager

ceylar@oaklandsymphony.org

Direct: ((510) 274-6360