Peninsula Symphony Chamber Players - The Hidden Gem

Opening the 71st season this year and led by Music Director and Conductor Mitchell Sardou Klein, the Peninsula Symphony grew from a grassroots ensemble since its inception in 1949 to a polished 90-plus member orchestra of well-trained community musicians. The Symphony extended its concert programming to serve the Peninsula’s growing thirst for music by adding annual collaborative concerts at Stanford University, Family Concerts aimed at elementary students and their parents, and free outdoor Summer Concerts. Extensive educational outreach has become a hallmark of the Symphony’s efforts under the Bridges to Music umbrella: frequent musical presentations in underserved schools; preconcert lectures; interactive Salon programs; ensemble performances in libraries and senior centers; talks to community groups; two major competitions for young artists, the Marilyn Mindell Piano Competition and the Young Musicians Competition; high school master classes, often led by the Symphony’s youngest guest artists; and PSOpen Rehearsals.

Peninsula Symphony Chamber Players is comprised of Peninsula Symphony musicians. Its mission is to bring classical music to the audience outside the traditional symphony concert hall. Current musicians include: Kay Saito-Shafi (flute), Meave Cox (oboe), Susan Macy (clarinet), Juliet Hamak (bassoon), Brian Holmes (horn), Daniel Cher (violin), Alex Wang (violin), Mark McAuliffe (viola), Michael Zachary (violoncello), Andrew Salsbury (double bass).

Continuing to expand the excitement of the concert experience and reach out to engage the whole community is the challenge of the next phase of growth, as the Peninsula Symphony looks to the future of symphonic music with great enthusiasm.