I am launching a new orchestra today: the Vicente Symphony Orchestra. This orchestra will augment the Vicente Chamber Orchestra and give us the ability to play different repertoire and break away from the constraints of a chamber orchestra. The Vicente Chamber Orchestra and the Vicente Symphony Orchestra will coexist together under the same non-profit organization. My desire to perform large scale works will now be possible with the Vicente Symphony Orchestra.
What makes the Vicente Symphony/Chamber Orchestra different from other community orchestras in Los Angeles?
- We are not a community orchestra
The Vicente Symphony Orchestra is not a community orchestra that is based in a specific area and that performs for specific neighborhoods. Instead, it is an orchestra for all of Los Angeles (and surrounding counties), and made up of musicians from all over Southern California. Some of our musicians drive from as far as Santa Barbara and San Bernardino to perform with the Vicente Chamber Orchestra. The Vicente Symphony/Chamber Orchestra is a new type of “Pro-Am” orchestra that combines fine professional musicians with great non-professional musicians into one, financially sustainable group, that is able to perform diverse repertoire for receptive audiences. As small, regional orchestras struggle to survive, the Vicente Symphony/Chamber Orchestra will grow because it has a sustainable business model of lower costs and high musical ROI.
2. Our culture: we aspire to be great
The Vicente Symphony Orchestra is comprised of musicians who aspire to be great and who give it their “all” with each performance. We believe that every concert is special and an opportunity to improve our skills as a musician from the last performance.
3. We don’t need to perform every week or every month or several times each year
While most orchestras adhere to a strict “season” of concerts, the Vicente Symphony/Chamber Orchestra only performs when it has something inspiring to share with its audience. Concerts should not feel like an obligation, but a special event that happens once in a while. We are not concerned with the quantity of concerts we perform each year, but do care about the quality of our concerts we perform each year.
4. We handpick our soloists
The Vicente Symphony/Chamber Orchestra handpicks soloists for each of its concerts. These soloists are all world class and can carry the hall with their musical talents. Since 2016, we have performed with violinists Anne Akiko Meyers, Robert Chen, Michelle Kim, Irina Tseitlin; cellists Julian Schwartz, Han Bin, Carol Ou; Pianists Robert Thies, Wendy Chen, Noah Simon, Sung Chang, Tae Yeon Lim, Brandon White, Talon Smith; violist Beatrice Chen.
5. Music for Music’s Sake
The Vicente Symphony/Chamber Orchestra makes music solely for the sake of making music. We want our audience to feel the love that we feel for music, and to leave each concert feeling inspired and wanting to come back again.
The Vicente Symphony Orchestra will perform its first, inaugural concert, in the fall of 2023.
