first concert of the year

As is sometimes traditional, I attended the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra's New Year's Day concert. It was at the Concrete Tent (a church in Palo Alto which fits that description), which was large enough to hold everybody who wanted to attend (SFCO concerts are free).

It began with a new piece, Sketch at Seven by Sumi Tonooka, whose background is in jazz and film music. This was a lot more film music than it was jazz, with much of the thick unison string writing characteristic of the breed.

Schumann's Cello Concerto was played by Sara Flexer, who's 15 and looks possibly younger, but who had a mature cello tone, both in sound quality and in expression. Only fading on some high notes betrayed her. She was in the junior division at Music@Menlo the last two years, and their people are always top-rate.

Finally, Schubert's Great C Major Symphony, delivered with all the bounding energy it needs. Good show.