CSULB Celebrates $16.4 Million Gift

Feel like celebrating?

The music department at California State University, Long Beach, certainly does. They’re celebrating a gift of $16.4 million from the Bob Cole Trust, in part by renaming themselves the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music.

The celebration is in the form of a two-week festival of concerts and recitals, and you still have time to catch the second week’s schedule of events.

Tonight, Thursday, at the Carpenter Center, the Wind Symphony and Symphonic and Concert Bands take the stage with a varied program that includes an exciting contemporary work, “Ra!” by David Dzubay and ballet music by Massenet. The program starts at 8 p.m.

On the following evening, Friday May 9, there are three, count them, three concerts from which to choose.

CSULB’s intrepid Composers Guild offers an array of contemporary, experimental and improvisatory works. If you’re not afraid of new music, and you shouldn’t be, this one is free. It’s at the Museum of Latin American Art, and it starts at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, the award-winning Concert Jazz Orchestra is at the University Theatre on campus beginning at 8 p.m. At the same time, at First Congregational Church downtown, the University Choir and Women’s Chorus offer an eclectic mix of choral works by Bach, Brahms, Milhaud and others. A free will offering will be taken.

Speaking of choirs, the Chamber Choir will appear at Bay Shore Church at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, in a program of spirituals and other works conducted by guest Charles Bruffy. The press release doesn’t say so, but I suspect there is a free will offering at this one, too, it being in a church and all.

One of the big events of the festival, and a big event for Long Beach in any case, will be the concert by the University Symphony Orchestra at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 11, at the Carpenter Center.

What makes it special is the appearance by Martin Chalifour, the renowned concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, as soloist in the Tchaikovsky violin concerto.

Chalifour is a fabulous player, and his artistry will enhance a program that also includes Chabrier’s “Espaņa” and Respighi’s popular “The Pines of Rome,” all under the direction of the symphony’s regular conductor, Johannes Müller-Stosch. Bring Mom.

Finally, the culminating Festival Gala concert at the Carpenter Center on Monday, May 12, will feature instrumental and vocal jazz ensembles, the orchestra, pianists and a 200-piece concert band.

This one is also free, but reservations are required. It begins at 7 p.m.

Unless otherwise noted, tickets are $10 ($7 with student and senior discount), which certainly isn’t much for the quality of music making that these events promise. For tickets, information and reservations call 985-7000 or click on www.csulb.edu/coleconservatory.

Congratulations go to my friends at CSULB. You’ve got a lot to celebrate.

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