San Jose’s premiere professional classical music organizations team up to present a free outdoor musical extravaganza to celebrate Labor Day weekend, and to welcome Live Music back to our community. These 75 to 90-minute programs will feature full symphony orchestra, operatic soloists, and the piano instrumental magic of San Jose’s very own Jon Nakamatsu, Gold Medalist of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
The programs, under the baton of conductor Peter Jaffe, will present the music of Gershwin, Sibelius, Mozart, Puccini, Brahms, Tchaikovsky and more. The beautiful Tower Lawn located behind the Martin Luther King Jr. Library at San Jose State University offers an inspiring and welcoming setting for all ages. Chairs will be provided for the event (as will bottled water), but attendees are invited to bring their own lawn chairs, blankets, and refreshments.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
* Main Entrance at 4th Street and San Fernando Street near Martin Luther King Library in downtown San Jose.
* Plentiful parking available nearby in San Jose City garages.
* Easy city bus access
* Bring a picnic lunch or supper and your beach chair or lawn blanket.
* Relax on the campus lawn well away from the din of traffic.
THE PROGRAMS: Strike up the Band
Saturday, September 4th at 7:00pm
Gershwin: Strike Up the Band March
Sibelius: Finlandia
Gounod: ‘Je veux vivre’ from Roméo et Juliette
Mozart: ‘Pa–, pa–, pa–, Papageno’ duet from The Magic Flute
Verdi: ‘La Donna è Mobile’ from Rigoletto
Smetana: Moldau
Puccini: ‘O mio babbino caro’ from Gianni Schicchi
Lara: ‘Granada’
Gershwin: ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ with soloist Jon Nakamatsu
Sunday September 5 th at 5:30pm
Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 1
Borodin: Polovtsian Dances
Bizet: ‘Votre Toast (Toreador Song)’ from Carmen
Bizet: ‘Au font du temple saint (Pearl Fishers duet)’ from The Pearl Fishers
Puccini: ‘Quando me'n vo' (Musetta’s Waltz) from La bohème
Gershwin: ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ with soloist Jon Nakamatsu
Donizetti: ‘Tous les trois réunis’ from La fille du régiment
Lara: ‘Granada’
Tchaikovsky: Finale from Symphony No. 4
Making it Safe to Enjoy Music Again: This is a beautiful large outdoor environment, but we do ask that attendees be vaccinated and/or wear masks when not eating or drinking.