SignOnSanDiego.com: Thomas Wilkins conducts 'benefit show with the San Diego Symphony at the Salk Institute.'

[Thomas Wilkins]

SignOnSanDiego.com

Symphony tunes up for evening with Idina

Stage and screen star Menzel headlines Saturday's benefit for Salk

James Hebert

Written Aug. 24, 2011

“When he picked up the phone at his Omaha home on a recent weekday, conductor Thomas Wilkins was just going over the score for Saturday’s annual benefit show with the San Diego Symphony at the Salk Institute.

“But to learn more about the event’s special guest, Idina Menzel, Wilkins already had consulted a different in-house source: his twin teenage daughters. '(They) knew more about her than I did,' said Wilkins of the Idina-idolizing sisters, fans of 'Wicked' and 'Rent” and other highlights from the musical-theater superstar’s career. 'They’re “Gleeks,” too, for that matter,' he added, invoking the nickname for fans of the hugely popular, musical-mad Fox television series 'Glee.'

“The returning Wilkins is musical director of the Omaha Symphony, and also guest-conducts from Hollywood to Boston. He’ll preside over some 50 to 60 San Diego Symphony musicians, as Menzel — a Broadway icon for her turn as the green-hued witch Elphaba in 'Wicked' — performs a career-spanning selection of songs.

"To Wilkins, the purpose of the event — to boost the Salk’s research and educational programs — earns it a little extra fanfare (even if not all of Menzel’s fans can quite afford the fare). 'This is the 100th year of the San Diego Symphony,' he notes, '(and) the fact this great orchestra can have such a relationship with an institution that’s also involved with healing is pretty profound.'"

DETAILS

“Symphony at Salk: A Concert Under the Stars With Idina Menzel”

When: Champagne reception, 5:30 p.m. Saturday; dinner by Pamplemousse executive chef Jeffrey Strauss, 6:30 p.m.; followed by concert at 8 p.m.

Where: Salk Institute, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla

Tickets: $250 (sponsorships also available)

Phone: (858) 453-4100, ext. 1491

Online: salk.edu/events/symphony11

Imani Winds Benefit Concert in NYC featuring 'The Rite of Spring' arranged for wind quintet, May 3, 2011

ImaniWinds.com

The Rite of Spring

6:15 Pre-Concert Wine Reception

7:30pm Concert

Reception to follow

Rose Studio, 165 West 65th Street, 10th Floor, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Proceeds go directly to the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival 2011 Scholarship Fund. Tickets $35

Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival is a 10-day intensive institute of masterclasses, performances and career development seminars. Students come from various backgrounds and demographics all performing at high levels. We need your help now more than ever with the Scholarship Fund for the 2011 students.

Sponsor a student, take a lesson! Sponsor a student and relive your dream to take up that instrument again. Imani Winds offers free lessons to those who sponsor a student's tuition! You can also underwite a group's tuition for those who come as pre-formed groups.

SUNY Orange Symphonic Band Benefit for 'My Mother's Cupboard' and 'Our Father's Kitchen' Dec. 5, 3 PM

[Kevin Scott, conductor, SUNY Orange Symphonic Band]

The SUNY Orange Symphonic Band

Kevin Scott, Conductor

presents a benefit concert on behalf of

The Sacred Heart Church's

"My Mother's Cupboard" and "Our Father's Kitchen"

a food pantry and all of its ecumenical supporters.

An Old-Fashioned Holiday with some New Seasonings

Featuring Max Schaefer narrating

Clement Clarke Moore's immortal

"the Night Before Christmas"

with music by Randol Alan Bass

James Curnow's Overture to a Winter Festival

Douglas Townsend's Three Christmas Fantasies

Morten Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium

Ernest Gold's music from the film Exodus

Eric Whitacre's Lux Aurumque

Sunday afternoon, the 5th of December, 2010 at 3:00 p.m.

Sacred Heart Church, 26 Still Road

Monroe, New York

Admission $5.00 with food contribution; $10.00 without

SUNY Orange students and active military free