Re: Re: San Jose Symphony Folds


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Posted by Barry Guerrero on June 05, 2002 at 02:11:42:

In Reply to: Re: San Jose Symphony Folds posted by Billy M. on June 04, 2002 at 22:31:15:

As a native San Josean (is that a word?), I wish to blab on and on, on this topic. I believe that the SJSO will one day rise from its ashes. When it does, it'll be a greatly changed ensemble - different. First of all, for the time being, it's probably a good thing to just wash out all of the debt that's associated with the name, San Jose Symphony. Second, they'll probably get some new management that'll do a better job of beating on corporate doors for money. Third, they'll probably take more time in looking for a conductor who can better hold the attention of S.J.'s less serious audience (less serious compared to S.F., I believe). Fourth, and probably the most important factor of all, the new SJSO will need a new concert hall that can begin to compete with S.F.'s Davies Hall. I went to hear the SJSO do Mahler #3 this last year. While they did a pretty good job of it (Tony did a great job, by the way), I was appalled by the acoustics of S.J.'s Center for Performing Arts. I hadn't been back to the CPA in about 12 years. After its own renevation around 10 years ago (I don't remember when), Davies Hall has pretty amazing acoustics for such a large symphony hall. I believe that people who are serious about hearing a symphony orchestra on a weekly basis, simply make the trek up to S.F., or go hear the SFSO at Cupertino's Flint Center instead - the other home of the SJSO, by the way. Why? That's easy: not only is the SFSO a somewhat better orchestra (but not hugely so at all), but they can also afford to bring in big name soloists on a more consistent basis. People like that! The current slump in Silicon Valley won't last forever (and boy, as a native, I hate that euphemism of a name). When the high tech industries recover, that'll be the time to beat on the drums for a new and improved symphony hall. IMHO, that's the key to bringing a healthy and successful symphony orchestra back to downtown San Jose.

Barry Guerrero - who now resides in Reno, NV


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