Our region’s distinguished Ensemble Monterey Chamber Orchestra opens its 26th season, titled “Music that Matters,” with “Wally the Beard,” a fun and fascinating program with an October twist. Conductor John Anderson begins with Sergei Prokofiev’s “Overture on Hebrew Themes” that pays tribute to the beguiling sounds of Klezmer music.
The concert’s title comes from Bernard Hermann’s soundtrack for the “Alfred Hitchcock Hour” episode “Wally the Beard,” and includes a narration of the story. Anderson describes the music as a delightful and slightly diabolical TV score by a great Hollywood composer. The final work on this intriguing program is a nonet by Romantic era composer Franz Lachner, a seldom performed and lively masterwork.
Performances take place Oct. 21 at St. Philip’s Lutheran Church in Carmel Valley at 7:30 p.m. Anderson will give a pre-concert talk at 6:30 p.m. In Santa Cruz, on Oct. 22, the program will be presented at Peace United Church at 7 p.m. with the talk taking place at 6 p.m.
For tickets and more information, contact Ensemble Monterey Chamber Orchestra at 333-1283 or visit the web at www.ensemblemonterey.org
Pops! returns to NPS
Here’s great news! Monterey County Pops will present a free public concert on the lawn in front of the Naval Postgraduate School’s Historic Hotel Del Monte on Sunday, Oct. 22, at noon. The orchestra resumes its tradition of offering free concerts to the community at NPS, which took place in the summers from 1985 to 2012 Music director Carl Christensen leads members of the orchestra in patriotic selections, classical favorites, film music by Alan Silvestri and jazz classics. Among the pop favorites will be music of Sousa, an American medley including “Yankee Doodle,” “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and “This Land is Your Land,” hits of the Big Band era, and lively works by von Suppé and Khachaturian.
Long-time Monterey County Pops timpanist Beverly Reese Dorcy will perform a set of pieces from the golden age of the xylophone, including “Shine on Harvest Moon,” “Bill Bailey” and “Twelfth Street Rag.”
To attend the Concert on the Lawn, go on foot or by car to the Del Monte Avenue Gate, which opens to the public at 10 a.m Parking is free. The event ends at 4 p.m. Guests 18 and older must present government-issued ID. Bring your own blanket and chairs. Enjoy food and beverages brought to you by Club Del Monte. No outside food or beverages are permitted.
For more information call 656-3223 or 656-6059 or email commrec@nps.edu. Information is also available at www.montereycountypops.org or by calling 484-5511.
Organ at St. Dunstan’s
On Friday Oct. 27, David Hatt plays a program of organ works by German masters, a French Romantic piece and his own compositions at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Carmel. Hatt, who serves as the interim organist at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, is a past dean of the San Jose Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and founder of the Bay Area Max Reger Festival. He performs annually on the large Dobson organ at the Cathedral of our Lady of Angels in Los Angeles.
His program features music from Buxtehude, Bach and Max Reger to Jehan Alain and two pieces of his own, including “From Logic to Dreams” the title of this program. Hatt’s keyboard and chamber compositions have been performed nationwide.
The concert from 6 to 7 p.m. and is preceded by a wine and cheese reception at 5 p.m. Tickets are available at the door for $20. Students and young people under 18 can attend free. For more information call 624-6646 or visit the web at www.saintdunstanschurch.org.
