The San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra (SFCCO) is a chamber orchestra based in San Francisco, California, United States. It was established in 2002 and is dedicated to the performance of contemporary classical music, most often works by the orchestra's members. The group has also performed music by other California composers, including John Cage, Henry Cowell, Bernard Herrmann, Darius Milhaud, Terry Riley, Gerhard Samuel, and Igor Stravinsky.
The orchestra's conductor, founder, and music director is Mark Alburger; the associate music director is Erling Wold. Its associate conductors are John Kendall Bailey and Martha Stoddard; board members are Rachel Condry, Michael Cook, Phil Freihofner, Lisa Scola Prosek, Davide Verotta.
The San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra (SFCCO) is a unique orchestra in the U.S. Since its first concert in March 2002, the SFCCO has premiered more new works than any other orchestra in the San Francisco Bay Area. The ensemble consists primarily of composer/performers, forming a unique organization dedicated to democratizing the symphony orchestra, making it available to composers of many styles and in many stages of development, from the established to the emerging. The result is a diverse offering of new music. In any one concert, an audience may hear many styles, including Neoromantic, Serial, Neoclassical, Minimalist, Noise and Improvised.
The SFCCO takes an informal approach to its concerts, emphasizing communication with the audience in talks before, between and after pieces, drawing listeners into the music-making. The group's goal is to reverse the mainstream orchestral trend which features mostly older classical music by performing 6-8 new works a concert, rather than only a few new pieces a year.
Famous quotes containing the words san francisco, san, francisco, composers, chamber and/or orchestra:
“The gold-digger in the ravines of the mountains is as much a gambler as his fellow in the saloons of San Francisco. What difference does it make whether you shake dirt or shake dice? If you win, society is the loser.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“It is an odd thing, but every one who disappears is said to be seen at San Francisco. It must be a delightful city, and possess all the attractions of the next world.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
“Today, San Francisco has experienced a double tragedy of incredible proportions. As acting mayor, I order an immediate state of mourning in our city. The city and county of San Francisco must and will pull itself together at this time. We will carry on as best as we possibly can.... I think we all have to share the same sense of shame and the same sense of outrage.”
—Dianne Feinstein (b. 1933)
“More significant than the fact that poets write abstrusely, painters paint abstractly, and composers compose unintelligible music is that people should admire what they cannot understand; indeed, admire that which has no meaning or principle.”
—Eric Hoffer (1902–1983)
“A snake, with mottles rare,
Surveyed my chamber floor,
In feature as the worm before,
But ringed with power.”
—Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)
““Pop” Wyman ruled here with a firm but gentle hand; no drunken man was ever served at the bar; no married man was allowed to play at the tables; across the face of the large clock was written “Please Don’t Swear,” and over the orchestra appeared the gentle admonition, “Don’t Shoot the Pianist—He’s Doing His Damndest.””
—Administration in the State of Colo, U.S. public relief program. Colorado: A Guide to the Highest State (The WPA Guide to Colorado)