WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA – Think you need to drive into the City for fantastic classical music? Think again!
Even many big cities with populations in the hundreds of thousands can’t support a full-size, professional orchestra. But here in the comparatively small 925, we have our own–and it’s about to celebrate a huge milestone.
California Symphony, the Walnut Creek-based orchestra that performs at the Lesher Center for the Arts, is celebrating its 40th anniversary and has already begun announcing plans tied to that landmark season.
(Note: These photos were taken during breaks in the performance, so as not to disrupt the musicians.)
The organization says its 40th Anniversary Celebration is set for April 18, 2026, and its newly announced 2026-27 season will officially mark four decades since the orchestra’s founding in 1986.
My wife and I stopped by to check out a performance at the Lesher Center on the orchestra’s invitation, towards the end of the 29th season. I’ve gone downtown to review performances at the San Francisco Symphony, but it was a treat to drive only 10 minutes (albeit with tight parking!) to see a concert in a town I visit nearly every day.
We saw Northern Lights, conceived and conducted by Donato Cabrera, California Symphony’s artistic and music director, which the Symphony describes as music of “reflection, resistance, and radiant transformation.”
The performance paired Valentin Silvestrov’s “Stille Musik (Quiet Music)” and Arvo Part’s “Tabula Rasa” with Sibelius’s sweeping Symphony No. 2 The program also featured violinists Jennifer Cho and Sam Weiser in “Tabula Rasa.” Their powerful and emotive performances were a highlight of the evening.
I spoke with California Symphony’s Executive Director as well as the board President about the upcoming season.
The 2026-27 season will feature five programs over 10 performances from September 2026 through May 2027, along with the return of its Holiday Traditions concerts in December. The season will also welcome a new composer-in-residence, Paul Novak, who is set to write three new works over a three-season residency.
Music Director Donato Cabrera, who has led California Symphony since 2013, told Broadway World the upcoming season is designed to reflect artistic connections across time and place, from Sibelius and Mozart to Copland, Adams, and Beethoven. The orchestra said the season will feature soloists including cellist Julian Schwarz, clarinetist Cory Tiffin, violinist Helen Kim, and pianist Tanya Gabrielian.
Again, there are plenty of major cities without a pro orchestra. It’s a big tribute to the importance of the arts here in the 925 that we’re able to sustain one, and for multiple decades!
The quality of the music is fantastic, too. California Symphony staff told me that many musicians who perform with the California Symphony come from the San Francisco Symphony, and commute to Walnut Creek for performances.
That means you’re getting music quality on par with a big city, but only a few minutes away. For many locals, it’s also often a more accessible option, with ticket prices starting around $40.
Even if you’re not into classical music, the California Symphony is worth checking out. It’s a cultural experience and a night on the town. You can sip a glass of wine and just listen.
Even if you understand little about the music (and I admit, I’m a novice there), it’s powerful to see so many talented people doing something they clearly love and have devoted their lives to. And it’s important to sustain these local institutions, which bring culture to our little corner of the East Bay.
If you’ve never tried the Symphony, the 40th anniversary season is the perfect time to check it out. The Symphony’s website is https://www.californiasymphony.org/
I hope to come back and experience a show when the new season starts–and we’ll keep you posted if we do. Make sure to join my free 925 News newsletter so I can keep you in the loop.
