SFCCO: Portraits in Sound

A program of new orchestra music inspired by the people who shaped 6 Bay Area composers. On Saturday, October 24, the San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra presents Portraits in Sound , a program of new music inspired by the people who shape us. Three works offer musical portraits and personal tributes. John Beeman’s Jane Goodall: A Musical Portrait explores the primatologist’s patience, determination, and curiosity through a theme built from the letters of her name. Hussein Al-Nasrawi’s Baba honors his father, Saleh Al-Nasrawi; “Baba” is the Arabic word for father, and the piece celebrates his lively spirit and legacy. Michael Cooke performs as soloist in his Bassoon Concerto No. 1 , dedicated with gratitude and esteem to his former University of North Texas bassoon professor, Sue Schreier Bancroft, whose support helped shape his path as both a bassoonist and composer. The concert also moves through fantasy, poetry, and cosmic scale. From an Alice in Wonderland ballet, SFCCO performs Down the Rabbit Hole , following Alice from a peaceful riverside scene into the strange, locked hallway at the bottom of her fall. Genesis traces the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang through stars, planets, life, and humanity’s development of nuclear weapons. Four Sandburg Poems brings the voice and imagery of Carl Sandburg to the program, while All Hallows’ Eve adds another distinctive musical world. Portraits in Sound reflects SFCCO’s composer-led approach to new music: bringing composers and audiences together through music and the experiences that led to its creation. Join us for an afternoon where the ground is always in motion. WHY COME? Because a single afternoon can hold the birth of a universe, a fall into Wonderland, and the lasting influence of extraordinary people. Expect adventurous music that is personal, playful, and full of surprises. Join us for a night of music that doesn’t sit still. Tickets are also available at the door for this one-and-only performance by the San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra.