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OCTOBER 2 & 4, 2026 FRIDAY / Heritage Theatre, Campbell SUNDAY / San Mateo Performing Arts Center

John Williams

Table of Contents | OCTOBER 2 & 4, 2026 3

WELCOME FROM PSO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

PROGRAM NOTES

GUEST CONDUCTOR

FEATURED SOLOIST

MUSIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR

ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR

ORCHESTRA ROSTER: OCTOBER 2026

ADOPT-A-MUSICIAN

SUPPORTERS

IN MEMORIUM

BOARD, STAFF & VOLUNTEERS

2024 Klein International String Competition Winner Pearl de la Motte / May 2026

Welcome from PSO Executive Director Welcome to Our 78th Season! Welcome to the start of Peninsula Symphony’s 78th season! Whether you are returning to your familiar seat as a long-time subscriber or joining us in the concert hall for the very first time, we are so delighted you are here to share the joy of live music with us. This season marks a truly monumental chapter in our orchestra’s history. It is the celebratory final season of our beloved Music Director, Maestro Mitchell Sardou Klein, concluding an extraordinary 42-year tenure. Starting next season, he will continue in a new advisory role as Music Director Laureate. We are honored to have his continued involvement in the next phase of our treasured organization. Maestro Klein’s visionary leadership, profound artistry, and deep commitment to our community have shaped Peninsula Symphony into the vibrant cultural cornerstone it is today. Throughout this milestone year, we honor his enduring legacy and celebrate the countless unforgettable musical moments he has gifted to us all. Even as we reflect with immense gratitude, we look forward with great excitement and optimism. This season promises to be one of our most dynamic yet, featuring an expansive and diverse range of repertoire brought to life by our extraordinary local musicians. Over the coming months, our orchestra will take the stage with three exceptional guest conductors, each a candidate to become Peninsula Symphony’s next Music Director beginning in Fall 2027. Each candidate brings a distinct artistic vision, energy, and interpretive voice to the podium. You, our audience and supporters, are the heart of everything we do. Your steadfast loyalty, generous patronage, and investment in Peninsula Symphony make our work possible. As we embark on this pivotal journey of discovery, your voice is essential. We encourage your feedback after experiencing each guest conductor, and we invite you to stay connected throughout the season. Thank you for standing with us through the decades and for championing our shared future. Together, we celebrate our rich past, revel in the magnificent music of today, and compose an inspiring, bright tomorrow. Enjoy the performance! Warmly, Chelsea Chambers Executive Director Peninsula Symphony

Maestro Michell Sardou Klein

Mitchell Sardou Klein, Music Director & Conductor

JOHN WILLIAMS’ WORLD OCTOBER 2, 2026 at 7:30pm / Heritage Theatre, Campbell OCTOBER 4, 2026 at 2:30pm / San Mateo Performing Arts Center Mitchell Sardou Klein, Music Director & Conductor Samantha Burgess, Assisant Conductor Pola Benke, Guest Conductor / PSO Music Director Candidate Christopher Costanza, cello Flying Theme from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Erich Wolfgang Korngold, King’s Row Suite Across the Stars from Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones Elegy for Cello and Orchestra Christopher Costanza, cello - Intermission Johnny Mercer and Richard Whiting, Hooray for Hollywood (arr. Williams) Theme from Jurassic Park Stars Wars Suite Main Title Princess Leia’s Theme The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme) Yoda’s Theme Throne Room & End Title

THESE CONCERTS ARE GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY Uccelli Foundation in honor of Mitchell Sardou Klein, and an avid Symphony supporter 5

PROGRAM NOTES JOHN WILLIAMS’ WORLD Tonight, we step into the world of one of the most celebrated and recognizable composers of our time: John Williams. I am thrilled to be here with you for a program that takes us on a journey through his musical world- the music that inspired him, where his career began, and the remarkable music he created throughout the years. Before becoming the composer we know today, Williams was a studio pianist, arranger, and orchestrator. Those experiences became an important part of the musical voice that would eventually make him one of the greatest film composers of all time. His music has an extraordinary ability to express what words cannot. It can make us feel wonder, excitement, tenderness, fear, courage, and so much more. His music does not simply accompany a movie- it helps create the world we see on the screen. I hope you will recognize the music, but also hear it in a new way. Let us celebrate John Williams and the musical world that shaped him. E.T. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was one of John Williams’s favorite films to score for Steven Spielberg. By the time they made the film in 1982, the two had already developed a remarkable creative partnership through Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. They understood each other, trusted each other, and shared a deep belief in the power of music to tell a story. The score for E.T. is considered one of Williams’s masterpieces, but what happened with the film’s famous finale is particularly fascinating. Williams was struggling to make the music fit all the precise moments of the already-edited scene. After several attempts, Spielberg suggested that they forget the picture and let Williams conduct the music the way he naturally heard it. Once the music was recorded, Spielberg went back and re-edited the scene to fit Williams’s performance. Usually, the music follows the picture. Here, the picture followed the music. It is a wonderful example of the trust between these two artists and of how essential Williams’s music was to the storytelling. The result is a score that helped make E.T. not only one of the most beloved films of its time, but one of the most recognizable and enduring films in the history of cinema.

PROGRAM NOTES Kings Row Does this music sound familiar? If you hear a little bit of Star Wars in Kings Row, you are not imagining it. Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s score for the 1942 film was one of the important influences on John Williams, and the opening of this music bears a striking resemblance to the heroic sound we would later know from the Star Wars theme. Korngold was one of the great composers of Hollywood’s Golden Age, creating some of the earliest and most influential examples of orchestral film scoring in the 1930s and 1940s. Two decades later, when John Williams began working as a studio musician and arranger, this was the musical language he needed to understand. He studied the composers who had established the tradition before him, and Korngold was one of the voices that helped shape his own. So as you listen, you may find yourself thinking, “Wait… is that Star Wars?” It is and it isn’tbut you are hearing one of the musical worlds that helped John Williams become John Williams. And later in tonight’s program, we will hear Williams himself return to the music of Hollywood’s Golden Age, in his arrangement of Hooray for Hollywood. Love Theme from Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones What does a love story sound like when you already know it cannot have a happy ending? John Williams gives us the answer in Across the Stars, the love theme for Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala. Unlike the bright and hopeful sound we often associate with romantic music, Williams gives their love a darker, more melancholic character. From the very beginning, there is beauty in the music- but also a sense that something is not quite right. That is what makes this theme so remarkable. Williams is not simply writing music for what is happening on screen in that moment. He is already looking ahead. Their love is beautiful, but it is forbidden, complicated, and ultimately connected to the fate of an entire galaxy. As George Lucas once observed, Williams somehow captured all of that complexity in one hauntingly beautiful theme. And this is one of the things that make John Williams such an extraordinary storyteller. His scores are carefully connected, with melodies, rhythms, and musical ideas returning and transforming as the story unfolds. Even individual characters can have their own musical identities. Everything has a purpose, and sometimes we don’t understand it until much later. Then, suddenly, everything connects and we realize that Williams has been telling us the story all along.

PROGRAM NOTES Elegy There is a very personal story behind Elegy for Cello. John Williams originally took music from his score for Seven Years in Tibet and rearranged it for cello and piano as a gift for the funeral of a friend’s child. What began as a deeply personal gesture of remembrance later became a work for cello and orchestra, recorded by the great cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Although Elegy is not film music, it carries the same extraordinary emotional power that makes Williams’s film scores so memorable. There is no story on the screen telling us what to feel, yet the music seems to create its own story. It is graceful, intimate, and deeply moving remembrance of a life lost far too soon. The choice of the cello feels especially meaningful. Because of its range and the warmth of its sound, the cello is often said to come closest to the human voice of any orchestral instrument. Here, it seems almost to speak; not with words, but with memory, grief, and love. Hooray for Hollywood Hooray for Hollywood gives us another glimpse into John Williams’s connection with the Hollywood tradition that shaped him. When Williams became Music Director of the Boston Pops, he prepared an album of music called Salute to Hollywood for the orchestra to record, including this arrangement. The piece brings together two famous songs: Irving Berlin’s There’s No Business Like Show Business and That’s Entertainment by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz. Both songs are part of the great Hollywood tradition, and Williams gives them his own brilliant orchestral treatment. The arrangement has since become a favorite to perform at the Academy Awards and at film festivals around the world. It is a reminder that John Williams’s career was not built only on writing his own famous themes. He was an extraordinary arranger and orchestrator, and those skills were an important part of his musical world that eventually made him the John Williams we know today. Jurassic Park Jurassic Park is one of those films where the music has become almost as unforgettable as the movie itself. When John Williams wrote the score, he was not interested only in making the dinosaurs frightening. Instead, much of the music captures the wonder of seeing these incredible creatures brought back to life.

PROGRAM NOTES There is something majestic and almost magical about the main theme, as if we are seeing something impossible for the very first time. That is part of what makes Jurassic Park so special for audiences of all ages. The dinosaurs can be terrifying, but the music also invites us to be amazed by them; to see their beauty, their size, and the mystery of a world that existed millions of years before us. Once again, Williams does something extraordinary: he doesn’t simply tell us what we are seeing. He tells us how to experience it - that is why this music has stayed with so many of us. You hear those first notes, and suddenly you are standing in Jurassic Park.

Star Wars Suite “You see, Star Wars was meant to be a simple hero’s journey- a fantasy for young people. And then John wrote the music. And he raised it to a level of art, popular art that would stand the test of time” - George Lucas The Star Wars Suite brings together music from the first two films of the original trilogy, and it gives us a chance to hear just how brilliantly John Williams built an entire musical universe around these stories. What is impressive is what Williams does with his own musical ideas throughout the entire Star Wars saga. Themes appear again and again, but rarely in exactly the same way. A melody might return in a different key, with a different rhythm, played by different instruments, or transformed to reflect a different character or situation. Music that we may not consciously recognize is constantly connecting one moment of the story to another. Williams is always thinking beyond the moment. He plants musical ideas, brings them back, transforms them, and lets them grow with the story which makes his music so special because there is always more to discover. So as you listen tonight, you may recognize the famous themes but listen closely, because you may also hear little pieces of the entire Star Wars universe hiding inside them. And perhaps that is the perfect way to end our journey through John Williams’s world.

Program Notes by Pola Benke

GUEST CONDUCTOR Pola Benke Pola Benke is a distinguished conductor celebrated for her innovative approach to orchestral leadership and her commitment to standardizing diverse programming in the modern symphonic repertoire. She was recently appointed Music Director of the Santa Monica Symphony and Assistant Conductor of the Pacific Symphony, continuing to build a dynamic and impactful presence across Southern California. Previously, she served as Assistant Conductor for both the Long Beach Symphony and the Riverside Philharmonic, where she earned a reputation for her clarity, musicality, and ability to foster meaningful connections with musicians and audiences alike. Born in Poland, Pola’s journey began with a strong foundation in performance, leading to Master’s degrees in both cello performance and orchestral conducting. Her dual expertise equips her with a rare perspective—combining the analytical skills of a conductor with the empathetic understanding of a performer. Pola believes that orchestras should serve as a reflection of the diverse world we live in. She is a committed advocate for thoughtful, inclusive programming that honors a wide spectrum of voices—seamlessly integrating cherished masterworks with compositions by historically underrepresented artists. With a deep sensitivity to narrative and context, she curates programs that invite personal connection and collective reflection. Whether through imaginative repertoire choices, compelling storytelling, or fresh interpretive insight, Pola aims to create concert experiences that are artistically vibrant, emotionally resonant, and genuinely welcoming to all. Her professional path has been shaped by collaborations with leading conductors and ensembles, including Neeme Järvi, Sian Edwards, and Paavo Järvi. Her participation in prestigious programs such as the Järvi Academy in Estonia, the Dartington Music Festival in England, and the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music has further refined her craft, earning her recognition as a forward-thinking and impactful conductor. Her leadership style is marked by kindness, collaboration, and the ability to inspire musicians of all generations to perform at their best. Whether leading

GUEST CONDUCTOR

a large-scale symphonic work or rehearsing an intimate chamber ensemble, Pola brings energy and precision that elevates every performance. Influenced by composers like Joseph Haydn, Krzysztof Penderecki, Jennifer Higdon, and Igor Stravinsky, Pola blends a deep respect for tradition with a spirit of curiosity and openness to new ideas. At the heart of everything she does is a love for sharing music with others.

FEATURED SOLOIST Christopher Costanza, cello For four decades, Christopher Costanza has enjoyed a varied and exciting career as a soloist, chamber musician, and teacher. A winner of the Young Concert Artists International Auditions and a recipient of a prestigious Solo Recitalists Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, Mr. Costanza has performed to wide critical acclaim throughout the U.S., Canada, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Europe. “Mr. Costanza demonstrated an unaffected, graceful approach to phrasing, a rugged, fearless technique, and, when necessary, an energetic headlong approach,” proclaimed The New York Times. And, from The Cleveland Plain Dealer, praise for a recent performance of Bach’s Unaccompanied Suites: “Costanza revealed himself to be a thoughtful interpreter as well as a technician of no small skill. Tempos were brisk but never rushed, and dynamics were carefully measured. In the Courante, Costanza demonstrated a nice continuity of bowing, while the Sarabande became in his hands an introspective but eloquent song. He used the lightest of touches in the subsequent Minuets and brought an infectious rhythmic impulse to the concluding Gigue.” Mr. Costanza, a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, actively toured as the cellist of the St. Lawrence String Quartet (SLSQ) from 2003-2023. His current musical activities include solo performances and varied chamber music collaborations, including cycles of the complete Bach Unaccompanied Cello Suites at the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, at Stanford University, and other locations; the complete Britten Cello Suites presented as a cycle; a collaboration with the Stanford Chamber Chorale on tour in Hawaii; solo and chamber music performances at multiple California Bay Area venues; and a concerto tour of France with the Stanford Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, Mr. Costanza enjoys giving pre-concert lectures, presenting informal concert/lectures, and writing about music. Mr. Costanza is a Senior Lecturer at Stanford University, where he teaches cello and chamber music, directs the Stanford Cello Choir, serves as the Associate Director of Music for the Stanford Medical Humanities and Arts program, and performs concerts and gives lectures across campus. His recordings are readily available on Apple Music and Spotify, including several with the SLSQ. Mr. Costanza’s recording of the Six Suites for Solo Cello by J.S. Bach can be streamed on his website, costanzacello.com. In addition to his varied musical interests, Mr. Costanza is an avid runner and hiker. A train enthusiast, he enjoys riding and exploring passenger railways while on tour. At home in California, he is passionate about cooking, creating dishes that take advantage of the abundance of organic local produce.

MUSIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR Mitchell Sardou Klein

Music Director & Conductor Music Director and Conductor Mitchell Sardou Klein brings extensive conducting experience in the US, Europe, Australia and Japan to his leadership of the Peninsula Symphony. This year marks his 42nd season on the Symphony’s podium. Over the past four decades, he has guest-conducted the Seattle Symphony, New Polish Philharmonic, Suddetic Philharmonic, Richmond Symphony, Eastern Philharmonic, and numerous other orchestras across the US and Europe. In California he has led Symphony San José (formerly Symphony Silicon Valley), the San José Symphony, the Santa Rosa Symphony, the Inland Empire/Riverside Philharmonic, Ballet San José, the California Riverside Ballet and the Livermore-Amador Philharmonic and others. He co-founded and recently retired as Music Director of the Peninsula Youth Orchestra, which he has taken on concert tours of England, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Belgium, Holland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Latvia, and Estonia. Maestro Klein directed over a hundred concerts as Associate Conductor of the Kansas City Philharmonic (where he was also Principal Pops Conductor and Principal Conductor of Starlight Theater, the Philharmonic’s summer home), and also served as Music Director of the Santa Cruz Symphony. He also has extensive experience in conducting ballet orchestras, including the Kansas City, Lone Star, Oakland, and Westport Ballets, as well as the Theater Ballet of San Francisco and les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. Before turning to the podium, he performed as a cellist for many years. Known to most everyone as Mitch, he enjoys travel, photography, jazz and visual arts in his spare time. Since 1984, he has been Director of the Irving M. Klein International String Competition. Held in San Francisco each June, the Competition has become one of the most prominent in the world, featuring prizes totaling over $35,000, attracting applicants from more than twenty nations annually, and launching numerous major international concert careers. Critics have consistently praised his work. The San José Mercury described his performance with Symphony Silicon Valley in 2012 as a “gorgeous performance; big, enveloping and wonderfully luxuriant.” The San Mateo County Times described him in 2007 as “Super Conductor: Mitchell Sardou Klein, music director of the Peninsula Symphony, led his musicians through another triumphant concert. The Peninsula Symphony just keeps getting better and better. Great works and great performances by all.” The Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza proclaimed, “The American conductor quickly established a fine rapport with his orchestra. Klein is a musician who has the musical score in his head, rather than his head in the score, which he demonstrated ably. The creative conception and artistic shape which he brings to his work comes from deep inside him.”

MUSIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR Maestro Klein is a winner of many prestigious awards, including the 2008 Diamond Award for Best Individual Artist, the Silver Lei Award from the 2009 Honolulu Film Festival (for the World Premiere of Giancarlo Aquilanti’s La Poverta), the 2000 ASCAP Award for Programming of American Music on Foreign Tour, the 2001 Jullie Billiart Award from the College of Notre Dame for Outstanding Community Service, a 1996 award for the year’s best television performance program in the Western States (for the one-hour PBS program about him and the Peninsula Symphony) as well as the 1993 Bravo Award for his contribution to the Bay Area’s cultural life. Mr. Klein was born in New York City, into a musical family that included members of the Claremont and Budapest String Quartets. He began cello studies at age four with his father, Irving Klein, founder of the Claremont Quartet. His mother, Elaine Hartong Klein, danced with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet. Cited for his “keen judgment, tight orchestral discipline, feeling for tempo, and unerring control,” Maestro Klein has conducted many significant world, American, and West Coast premieres, including works by Bohuslav Martinu, Meyer Kupferman, Joan Tower, Hans Kox, George Barati, Benjamin Lees, Giancarlo Aquilanti, Melissa Hui, Rodion Shchedrin, Brian Holmes, Ron Miller, Lee Actor, Michael Thurber, Jonathan Russell, Alvin Brehm, and Margaret Garwood. He has appeared frequently on national and international broadcasts, including National Public Radio, the Voice of America, the WFMT Fine Arts Network, PBS Television, and KQED television. He lives in Oakland, California with his wife, violist Patricia Whaley. Their daughter, Elizabeth, lives and works in Washington D.C.

ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR Samantha Burgess Assistant Conductor

Since moving to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2022, Samantha has quickly become an in-demand conductor. In the 2024 – 25 season she began her tenure as Music Director of the Community Women’s Orchestra, and she joins the Peninsula Symphony as their Assistant Conductor in the 2025 – 26 season. Also in the 2025 – 26 season, Samantha will be the first Music Director of Symphony Tierra, a semiprofessional orchestra formed as the ensemble in residence at Napa Valley College. Samantha continues to work with the Berkeley Symphony as their regular Assistant Conductor, and will be Assistant Conductor for Dima Slobodeniouk at the San Francisco Symphony in May 2026. Her additional recent engagements include Guest Conducting Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem with the Napa Valley Chorale, Assistant Conducting for Beethoven’s Ninth with the Oakland Symphony, and a tour of Paris and the Loire Valley with the Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra, where she made her French debut. Previously, she has been Assistant Conductor with the Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra, the Westerville Symphony (OH), the Galesburg Community Chorus (IL), and the Oxford University Philharmonia (UK). Samantha holds masters’ degrees in Orchestral Conducting and Music Theory from The Ohio State University, where she was Music Director of the Ohio State Community Orchestra and Assistant Conductor for the Ohio State Symphony Orchestra. While at OSU, she was also a graduate teaching assistant in Music Theory and a member of the Cognitive and Systematic Musicology Laboratory. On the podium, Samantha combines conducting with her background in music cognition research to develop innovative, multimedia performances. She has presented her research at the Society for Music Theory Midwest Conference, Future Directions of Music Cognition, and the Oxford Conducting Institute International Conducting Studies Conference. Samantha has conducted in masterclasses and competitions in the USA and abroad— notably in September 2023, when she finished as a semi-finalist in the International Academy and Competition for Orchestral Conducting in Portugal. She has also participated in the George Hurst Conductor’s Course at the Sherborne Summer School of Music, the London Conducting Workshop, the New York Conducting Workshop, and the International Conducting Workshop and Competition in Atlanta, GA.

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SEASON76

SEASON 78

Celebrating Maestro Klein’s Final Season as PSO Music Director

Holst’s The Planets, Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, and music by Rachmaninoff, Bernstein, John Wineglass, and more. Plus, meet the finalists for PSO’s next Music Director.

Subscribe today in the lobby!

Studio Ghibli

Kiki’s Delivery Service

Jon Nakamatsu

ORCHESTRA ROSTER - OCTOBER 2026 Music Director & Conductor Mitchell Sardou Klein Assistant Conductor Samantha Burgess Guest Conductor Pola Benke Violin I Debra Fong, Concertmaster Kimberly Bonnett Sarah Chan Daniel Cher Colin Gaffney Jungmee Hwang Tara Iyer Samuel Jimenez-Romero Claire Liu Ajay Mallya Takashi Matsumoto Judy Streger Emma van der Veen Violin II Deborah Passanisi, Principal Moosa Azfar Christian Dinca Bradley Gibson Monika Hakala Vineet Mehta Frank Rahn Jshon Thomas David Williams Angela Yeh Hanna Yoshimoto

Viola Elyse Ader, Principal Judy Beck Sumerlin Katherine Bukstein Mark Fish Jerry Saliman Jolynda Tresner Carolyn Worthington Derek Wu

Cello Peter Gelfand, Acting Principal Abraham Aragundi Sandy Baratoff Garth Cummings Victor Ha Tetsu Ishihara Woongchan Tony Lee Jason Shu Olivia Tam Ryan Toulouse Bass Andrew Salsbury, Acting Principal Robert Crum Paul Federighi Rahul Iyer Jeff Wachtel

ORCHESTRA ROSTER - OCTOBER 2026 Flute Kristin Kunzelman, Principal Yukoh Hammura Patricia Harrell Piccolo Patricia Harrell Oboe Audrey Gore, Principal Joel Greene Blue Wong

Trumpet Tim Bacon Bob Fitt Mike Pakaluk Nicholas Toscan Trombone Rami Hindiyeh, Co-Principal Georges Goetz

English Horn Blue Wong Clarinet Nicole Galisatus, Principal Ron Miller Bass Clarinet Jimmée Grecco Bassoon Kyoko Yamamoto Alex Hernandez

Bass Trombone Todd Weinman, Principal Tuba Johnathan Hsu, Principal

Contrabassoon Juliet Hamak, Principal

Timpani Ben Bresler

Horn Brian Holmes, Co-Principal Randy Nickel, Co-Principal David Dufour, Co-Principal Anna Newman Justin Privitera Paul Schneider

Percussion Paul Burdick, Co-Principal Emily Hendricks, Co-Principal Michael Chen Jacob Wang Yujin Yin Harp Ricky Rasura, Acting Principal Piano/Celeste Tom Hansen, Principal Music Librarian Joel Greene

SEASON 78

SEASON 78 FINALE

The Maestros May 22 & 23, 2027

JON NAKAMATSU + MITCHELL SARDOU KLEIN Who better than one of the most celebrated pianists of our generation, Jon Nakamatsu, to help celebrate Maestro Mitchell Sardou Klein’s official final concert as Peninsula Symphony’s Music Director after 42 years of remarkable leadership and artistic excellence? American pianist Jon Nakamatsu is internationally acclaimed for his powerful and refined performances as a soloist, concerto artist, and chamber musician. He rose to prominence after winning the Gold Medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1997, the only American to achieve this distinction since 1981. Nakamatsu has appeared with over 150 orchestras worldwide, including major ensembles in Berlin, Boston, San Francisco, Tokyo, and London. He has collaborated with leading conductors such as the late Michael Tilson Thomas and Marin Alsop. He has performed at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center, as well as major international stages across Europe and Asia. Turn your single tickets to a Season 78 season subscription today and enjoy an incredible lineup of music, including Studio Ghibli’s film score, The Planets, and music by Rachmaninoff, Bernstein, and performances by violinist Julia Schilz and cellist Nathan Chan.

ADOPT-A-MUSICIAN LIFETIME ADOPTED MUSICIANS Mitchell Sardou Klein Conductor Paula Uccelli Deborah Passanisi Violin II Frank & Annette Rahn Dr. Lauren Speeth Violin I Elfenworks Foundation David Dufour Horn Hannelore Draper MUSICIAN INSTRUMENT ADOPTED BY Debra Fong Concertmaster Katherine & Roy Bukstein Dave Allmon Trombone Jacqui Smith Lianne Araki Oboe Patricia L. Griffin Sandy Baratoff Cello Jacqui Smith Mark Beyer Clarinet/Saxophone Raymond Smith Kim Bonnett Violin I Bradley Gibson Katherine Bukstein Viola Margrit Rinderknecht & Richard Siemon Paul Burdick Percussion Monte Mansir & Susanne Stevens Samantha Burgess Assistant Conductor Jacqui Smith Dane Carlson Oboe/English Horn Kirt & Kelly Minor Daniel Cher Violin I Laura & David Francis Garth Cummings Cello Sheri & Michael Frumkin David Dufour Horn Hannelore Draper Linda Dunn Office Volunteer Ann & Ben Kong Bob Fitt Trumpet Don & Cathy Draper Nicole Galisatus Clarinet Mike Marmarou Bradley Gibson Violin II Teri Quick Audrey Gore Oboe Monte Mansir & Susanne Stevens Joel Greene Oboe/Music Librarian Liz Dossa Juliet Hamak Bassoon John Givens Patricia Harrell Flute/Piccolo Krista & Jerry Terstiege Emily Hendricks Percussion Pamela Ferris Rami Hindiyeh Trombone John & Christine Sanguinetti Brian Holmes Horn Mary Gundelach Johnathan Hsu Tuba Teri Quick Tara Iyer Violin I Jacqui Smith Kristin Kunzelman Flute/Piccolo Jennifer & Tim Kardos Rick Leder Trumpet Kathryn Barnard & Kenneth Shirriff Susan Magrini Cello Monte Mansir & Susanne Stevens Mike Marmarou Trumpet Ronald S. Miller Vineet Mehta Violin II Sheree Kajiwara Ron Miller Clarinet Jacqui Smith Bruce Moyer Bass Monte Mansir & Susanne Stevens Randy Nickel Horn Diana Lloyd Justin Privitera Horn Jing Hu & Yebin Shi Frank Rahn Violin II Nichole Edraos & Jim Augustus Ricky Rasura Harp Sheri & Michael Frumkin

ADOPT-A-MUSICIAN MUSICIAN INSTRUMENT ADOPTED BY Jerry Saliman Viola Dorothy Saxe Katharine Schmidtke Violin II Jing Hu & Yebin Shi Paul Schneider Horn Sheri & Michael Frumkin Kay Saito Shafi Flute/Piccolo Ronald S. Miller Mia Stormer Contrabassoon Joel Greene Judy Streger Violin I Alan & Spike Russell Jshon Thomas Violin II Sheri & Michael Frumkin Nicholas Toscan Trumpet Bob & Karen Fitt Renée Toscan Viola Bob & Karen Fitt Jolynda Tresner Viola Brian Holmes, Maureen Thrush, & Roy & Victoria Sasselli Jeff Wachtel Bass The Wachtel Pronovost Family, & Thalia Anagnos & Jeffrey Koseff Todd Weinman Trombone David & Elisa Herberg David Williams Violin II Family and Friends Carolyn Worthington Viola Richard Izmirian Sarah Wu Violin I Alan & Spike Russell Kyoko Yamamoto Bassoon John Givens Angela Yeh Violin II Patricia Griffin Audrey Xiaowei Yan Violin II Pamela Cronin Hanna Yoshimoto Violin II Hironari & Yoshihiro Yoshimoto Jane Zhang Violin II Gayle Flanagan EMERITUS MEMBERS

John Givens, Principal Bassoon, adopted by Juliet Hamak & George Yefchak

Would you like to adopt a musician? It is our goal to have the entire orchestra adopted as a special way of supporting us. For information on this meaningful program, please reach out to Chelsea Chambers, Executive Director at chelsea@peninsulasymphony.org or (650) 941-5291.

SUPPORTERS We are grateful to the following contributors who support live symphonic music and education on the Peninsula. Our donor listing below is a compilation of total giving received between June 15, 2025 and September 15, 2026. If you see an error in this listing or would like more information on ways you can contribute to Peninsula Symphony, please reach out to Executive Director Chelsea Chambers by emailing chelsea@peninsulasymphony.org. Risoluto ($50k +) Hannelore Draper Maestoso al fine ($25k - $49,999) John Givens in memory of Dorothy Givens Fortissimo ($10k - $24,999) Mervyn L. Brenner Foundation Katherine and Roy Bukstein Pamela Ferris Sheri and Michael Frumkin in honor of Jacqui Smith, Chelsea Chambers, & Jim Fung Krista and Jerry Terstiege Uccelli Foundation in honor of Mitchell Sardou Klein & Sheri Frumkin Friend of PSO in honor of Sheri Frumkin Friend of PSO (2) Crescendo ($5k-$9,999) Dave and Michelle Allmon The Elfenworks Foundation in memory of Matt Springer Joel Greene in memory of Ellen Crawford & Matt Springer Mary Gundelach Alex and Yoko Kurosawa Monte Mansir and Susanne Stevens Ronald Miller in honor of Kay Saito Shafi & Mike Marmarou Nvidia Teri Quick in honor of Brad Gibson Paul Schneider in memory of Matt Springer & Amanda Smith Schneider Silicon Valley Creates Jeff and Gwyn Wachtel Friend of PSO in honor of Linda Dunn, most dedicated volunteer Friend of PSO

SUPPORTERS Presto ($2,500 - $4,999) Apple Inc Howard and Diane Crittenden Liz Dossa Gene Esswein Celeste E. and Todd M. Misfeldt Brad Gibson Charles Hanes

Russell Hurley Susan Lin and Richard Powell Deborah Passanisi Prudential Redwood City Arts Commission Katharine and Hans-Juergen Schmidtke Scherzo ($1,000-$2,499) Maryam Aghamirzadeh Kenneth Shirriff and Kathryn Barnard in memory of Ellen Crawford Robert and Barbara Brandriff Janet and David Cain Stan Dirks Don and Catherine Draper David Dufour and Jennifer Co in honor of Canadian Brass Bob and Karen Fitt Mariam Galvarin Google, Inc. Patricia Griffin in honor of Erlina Martinez Juliet Hamak and George Yefchak Yukoh and Mina Hammura Patricia Harrell David and Elisa Herberg Ben and Kaoru Hollin Jing Hu and Yebin Shi Rebecca Jaworski Sheree Kajiwara and Richard Izmirian Jennifer and Tim Kardos Mitchell Sardou Klein and Patricia Whaley James Kleinrath DDS and Melody Singleton Kristin Kunzelman and Mark Inouye Diana Lloyd Bill Malmstrom Edith and Frederick Marmarou

Vineet Mehta and Karishma Sharma Melly Metcalf Randy and Janie Nickel Kristin Oro Caroline and Chris Rackowski Margrit Rinderknecht and Dick Siemon David Sacarelos and Yvette Lanza Kay Saito Shafi and Yusef Shafi Jerry and Ellen Saliman Phil and Sara Salsbury Renee and Nicholas Toscan David Williams and Hilary Benton in memory of Matt Springer Y&H Soda Foundation Hanna and Yoshihiro Yoshimoto Friend of PSO Vivace ($500-$999) Adobe Inc. Shirley Bernadotti Michael Bresler in honor of Matt Springer Nathan Brookwood and Patricia Hendriks Kathleen Brown Geoffrey Burr David and Victoria Chang Peter Cheng George Cohn and Marilyn Ritter Pamela Cronin John DeLong and Sharon Peters

SUPPORTERS Lily Tian and Solomon Ge The Trade Desk The Wachtel Pronovost Family Kate Wahl in honor of Matt Springer Warren Williams Friends of PSO (4)

Barbara Erickson Anne Esparza Gayle Flanagan Meiying Forney and Steve Shatas Laura and David Francis in honor of Daniel Cher Audrey Gore and Kim Bonnett in memory of Ellen Crawford Kathie Hillier and Bob Boen Intel Corporation Douglas and Susan Jacobs Stephanie Leung Susan Magrini Beverly and Richard Marconi John and Marcia Mehl Kirt and Kelly Minor Vonya Morris The Anna Newman Group Fund Wendy and Craig Nishizaki Mariko Orr Joanna, John, and Justin Privitera Margaret Rich and Robert Cascone Robert Roth and Cynthia Robbins-Roth Lynne and Stuart Rovin Sherrean Rundberg Alan and Spike Russell John and Christine Sanguinetti Dorothy Saxe Raymond Smith in honor of Mark Beyer Giselle Stancic in honor of Kristina Stancic Anita Stewart and Kaj Rekola Jshon Thomas and Gary Carson

Allegro ($250-$499) Wate and Johanna Bakker Doron Bardas in honor of Chelsea Chambers Juliette Bryson Lena Chow Ken and Sherill Cotter Philip and Judy Davis in memory of Harold and Marilyn Mindell Nhan Do Dolby Richard, John, and Patrice Eberli Michele and Andrew Epstein Fredrika Felt in honor of Jeff Wachtel Fiserv Alexandra Gillen and Hartmut Koeppen David Greene in honor of Joel Greene Hillel Hachlili Ann and Salek Hamer Yujiro and Andrea Hata Steven Hibshman Mela and Peter Hwang IBM International Foundation Jeffrey Koseff and Thalia Anagnos in honor of Jeff Wachtel

SUPPORTERS Sandra Larragoiti and Brandon Martinez-Larragoiti Susan R Larson Hannelore McCrumb David Mendel in honor of Jerry Saliman Neil and Mary Panton in honor of Ron Panton Wayne Phillips Anthony Pleva Charles Polanski Frank and Annette Rahn Marilyn Reisen Heather Sanders Daniel and Amy Schiff Marian Schmidt Ruth Short Lynne Simpson in honor of David Williams Nathaniel and Marcia Sterling Sandra and James Stoecker in honor of Chelsea Chambers Suesan Taylor Jolynda Tresner and Brian Holmes Todd and Andrea Weinman Alan Stern and Thomas Whatley Friends of PSO (4)

Dolce ($100-$249) John and Barbara Adams Karen Alden Sue Alvarez Merrie and Michael Asimow Maxie Baer JoAnne Bailey Penny Barrows Barbara Barth Lorraine Bodie Marina and Andre Broido Les and Nancy Burger Frank and Charlotte Cevasco in honor of Debbie Passanisi Chelsea and Greg Chambers Audie and Susan Chang in honor of Samantha Burgess and Mitch Klein Charles Chung Mary Clarity Joseph Coha Michael Current Mili Delbecq Virginia Ellis Susan English and Michael Kalkstein Suzanne and Allan Epstein Ruth Evans Shirley Foreman Ruth Freeman Jake Frenz Dr. Jan Gaynor Vonna Gissler John Givens in memory of Matt Springer Alice Graham in memory of Dorothy Graham Givens Jimmée Greco Mara and David Grimes Grotsky Survivor’s Trust Lisa L. Gruman Thomas Hansen Louis Harris Lianne Araki and Ed Hattyar Arielle Hendel in honor of Sheri Frumkin Joseph and Bette Hirsch Perry Hopkins Neil Hornor William Howland

SUPPORTERS

HPI Jungmee Hwang in memory of Matt Springer Leslie Itano and Jerry Chang Seungja Kimn KLA Sandy Krakowski Sharon Krawetz Marianne Kruze Georgina Laberge and Warren Dale Rick Leder and Cherrill Spencer Nicole Galisatus Stanley Levine Colin Lumley Michael Manson in memory of Matt Springer Terry Marino Melody Marshall Judi McManigal Daniel and Valerie Meyer Jonathan Michael Arnold Miller Carol B. Muller and Albert K. Henning Fund Margaret Nalbach Donna Ornitz Roblox Mary Rutgers Rie Sakurai in memory of Matt Springer Dave Sargent Marvin and Ellen Schwartz Dana Scoby Marcyl Seidscher Noel Shirley

Marianne and John Silva-Oba Tom Silva Dr. Lauren Speeth Jane Stahl Laura Sternberg Grant Takamoto Linda Tan Sandra and Ryan Toulouse Katie Treu Kazumi Tsuchiyose Adam Wantz Lois Weil John Wilhelmsson Wilton and Cathy Wong Kyoko and Keigo Yamamoto Audrey Yan and Jiaxi Zhu Jen and Aidan Yang Richard and Miriam Zimmerman in honor of Jerry Saliman Friend of PSO in honor of Warren George Weis Friends of PSO (4)

“Sostenuto” Legacy Society The future of Peninsula Symphony is sustained by the generosity of individuals who choose to give during or after their lifetimes. Their contributions safeguard the presence of symphonic music on the Peninsula for this and future generations to come. To find out more about how to join this special group of cherished supporters, please reach out to Executive Director Chelsea Chambers, chelsea@peninsulasymphony.org. Sostenuto Legacy Society Members as of September 2026:

Ellis Alden Anonymous Janice Boelke David Cone Hannelore Draper The Elfenworks Foundation Mitchell Sardou Klein & Patricia Whaley Judi McManigal Frank & Annette Rahn Genny Hall Smith Lorraine Smith Marguerite Szekeley William Warren Wiesenfeld Trust

IN MEMORIAM

IN LOVING MEMORY OF MATT SPRINGER Earlier this year, we lost a cherished member of our orchestra family. Matt Springer, who performed with Peninsula Symphony as a first violinist and timpanist, passed away at his home in San Francisco on June 15, 2026. Born in Chicago, Matt began studying piano and violin at an early age and spent many summers performing with competitive drum corps. He earned his bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and his Ph.D. from Stanford University. During more than 20 years on the faculty at UCSF, he dedicated his career to advancing the understanding of heart disease through pioneering research. He was admired not only for his scientific contributions, but also as a devoted mentor, generous collaborator, and kind friend. Music remained one of Matt’s greatest passions. In addition to performing with Peninsula Symphony, he played with the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and was an accomplished multi-instrumentalist who played piano, violin, percussion, and the Chinese erhu. Matt leaves a legacy of artistry, intellectual curiosity, humility, generosity, and unwavering integrity. Whether in the laboratory or on the concert stage, he brought kindness and joy to those around him. We are grateful for the music and friendship he shared with our orchestra, and we will miss him deeply. The Peninsula Symphony family extends our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Weiyun Ai, his sister, his extended family, and all who knew and loved him.

BOARD, STAFF & VOLUNTEERS

PENINSULA SYMPHONY BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ben Hollin, Co-Chair Randy Nickel, Co-Chair Nicole Galisatus, Secretary Alan Russell, Treasurer Katherine Bukstein, Chair, Governance Committee Sheri Frumkin, Chair, Development Committee Tara Iyer, Orchestra Rep Mariam Galvarin Juliet Hamak Lillian Lee Diana Lloyd Ron Miller Carole Valentine

PENINSULA SYMPHONY STAFF & VOLUNTEERS Mitchell Sardou Klein, Music Director & Conductor Samantha Burgess, Assistant Conductor Chelsea Chambers, Executive Director Jim Fung, Director of Marketing & Digital Content Jenny Ugale, Operations & Outreach Manager Tara Kariat, Box Office & Administrative Assistant Faye Chapman, Bookkeeper Joel Greene, Music Librarian Greg van der Veen, Stage Manager Samantha Paschner, Rehearsal Setup Linda Dunn, Office Volunteer Heidi Hau, Piano Competition Coordinator Amelia Yee, Front of House & Volunteer Coordinator Seona Sheth, Intern/Youth Ambassador

The mission of the Peninsula Symphony is to enrich the lives of people in our community with inspiring, innovative, high-quality musical presentations at affordable prices, and to promote music education through engaging programs for children and adults. The Peninsula Symphony Association of Northern California is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporation, Federal Tax ID 94-6106974. Peninsula Symphony 146 Main Street, Suite 102 Los Altos, CA 94022 (650) 941-5291 / info@peninsulasymphony.org PeninsulaSymphony.org

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR ON-SITE VOLUNTEERS Carol Dianda, Linda Dunn

Cher Fuentes, Pat Gordon

Maude Iggstrom, Jan Reini

Seona Sheth, Christine Wampole Teri Whitehair, Fang Xu Amelia Yee

& Heritage Theatre volunteers

Steven Spielberg and John Williams in the late 1970s

“It gets back to primal sounds. That in our origin story as human beings, sounds meant a great deal to us. They could bring us peace and a sense of serenity, or they could alert us to danger and the need to run. Percussion could be an earthquake. It could be rocks tumbling down. Birds could signal a sense of romance in the air...” - John Williams

on why music works the way it works

“Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.” - John Williams

“Music for a musician is like breathing. It supports us, sustains us, and gives us energy.” - John Williams