OUR 68TH SEASON

We kicked off our 68th season in December with Mozart + Mahler, highlighted by a stunning performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, “The Titan.”Love Conquers All 2019 brought back the charismatic tenor Scott Piper, who captivated the audience with his powerful renditions of beloved arias. In May, our Youth Chamber and Youth Symphony orchestras presented a heartwarming Mother’s Day concert, and later that month, all three ensembles took the stage together for the annual Youth Music Extravaganza at the Saroyan Theatre on May 24. The event featured an unforgettable performance by Richard Lin, gold medalist of the Indianapolis International Violin Competition, who expertly performed the Khachaturian Violin Concerto. The program also included Gershwin’s Cuban Overture, Ginastera’s Dances from Estancia—performed by all three orchestras—and a thrilling world premiere of Mariachitlán, a vibrant new composition by rising Mexican composer Juan Pablo Contreras.

FOOSA 2019was an exceptional event. Watch the recordings from June 21, 2019, at the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. The FOOSA Philharmonic, under the baton of Thomas Loewenheim, delivers stunning performances of Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7, “Leningrad.”

OUR 67TH SEASON WAS OUTSTANDING

We have just completed a fantastic 17-18 season. Our first big concert was a celebration, called Celebration, on December 10. All three of our orchestras performed, and four wonderful young dancers joined our musicians for the Nutcracker Suite. In February, violinist Erika Raum played Mendelssohn concerto and two of our orchestras collaborated on Khachaturian’s Spartacus Suite at our fundraising Love Conquers All concert.

Our final concert, on Memorial Day weekend, brought audience members to their feet several times, notably for pianist Steven Vanhauwaert, for his gorgeous rendition of the Rachmaninoff second piano concerto, then for all three orchestras—more than 300 young musicians—at the conclusion of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, to which the audience itself had added to the cannon fire by popping thousands of inflated paper bags.

Rounding out the musical madness was our FOOSA Festival/Fresno Summer Orchestra Academy, a collaboration with the Fresno State College of Arts and Humanities. This summer’s FOOSA served some 160 young musicians from the Central Valley and from around the world. Eight free concerts were offered, seven in Fresno. The other? That was our celebratory concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, iconic home of the LA Philharmonic. Cellist and FOOSA faculty member Lynn Harrell was our featured soloist, performing the Bruch Kol Nidrei with our FOOSA Philharmonic. Also on the program: Alfredo Casella’s little-known second symphony and the Rosenkavalier Suite by Richard Strauss. Fresno composer Mason Lamb’s Solstice was the featured premiere. The performance was reprised to standing ovations at Peoples Church in Fresno, closing the season with a heartwarming roar of enthusiasm.

WE HAD A GREAT 66TH SEASON!

Our 2016-2017 season was filled with unforgettable moments, with regular concerts held on December 11, February 12, May 14, and May 28. We kicked off the year with a special event on October 28, featuring a collaboration with the Los Angeles Philharmonic's YOLA orchestra. Shortly after, our YPO orchestra traveled north for a joint concert with the Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Orchestra—an incredible experience! In December, our Inspiration concert was a resounding success, selling out and featuring Sphinx Competition Junior Division winner Maria Sanderson performing the Barber Violin Concerto. All three of our orchestras took the stage for a truly inspiring day.

The spring semester was equally spectacular. In February, guest artist Daniel Bolshoy wowed the audience with his performance of the Rodrigo Guitar Concerto at our fundraising Love Conquers All concert. May brought a wonderful collaboration between our Chamber and Symphony orchestras, showcasing their talent in a fantastic concert. And over Memorial Day weekend, we hosted our annual Youth Music Extravaganza, where all three orchestras and our Accent on Access violinists joined forces for a performance that included superstar violinist Vadim Gluzman playing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. The evening also featured the premiere of Coming Home, a specially commissioned work by four Fresno State composers, inspired by William Saroyan’s The Human Comedy and featuring stories from Valley residents—performed by everyone. It was an extraordinary experience!

FOOSA 2017

Our FOOSA Summer Orchestra Festival ran from June 11-25, 2017, and was another major highlight of the season. The grand finale took place on Friday, June 23, at the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, a remarkable achievement for all involved!

OUR 65TH SEASON WAS GREAT!

Our 65th Anniversary season was nothing short of incredible, and the FOOSA Festival/Fresno Summer Orchestra Academy was a major highlight! Here’s a quick recap of the season’s memorable moments:

• October: Cello Mania

• December: ¡Viva Mexico!

• February: Love Conquers All

• May: Jump for Joy and our 65th Anniversary Celebration Concert, featuring 40 returning alumni and all three orchestras, along with our Accent on Access violinists!

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in and attended these wonderful events!