Concert Reviews

‘Treasures of the Americas’ brought families together

By Deb Karalun
Published: Thursday, January 24, 2013 2:10 PM PST
The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra brought families a little closer to the music this past Sunday afternoon at “Treasures of the Americas.” 

The popular Family Music Fair, reprised from last year’s matinee event, was held prior to the performance. Patrons of all ages were invited to listen to performances from a string ensemble from Rialto’s Kucera Middle School, the Redlands Christian School Jazz Ensemble, the CKC Music String Ensemble, and Haley Manutai, a piano student of Dr. Lily Diehl... Read More
Highland Community News (USA) January, 2013

French classics in a diversity of moods

The prospect of an entire program of classical music by French composers seemed a bit scary, but the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra’s Nov. 10 concert proved to be enlightening, edifying, and eminently satisfying.

Music of Fauré, Ravel, Debussy, and Bizet, spanning the mid-19th to early 20th centuries, presented a wonderful diversity of moods, from somber to bright, a challenge the orchestra’s musicians met and then some... Read More
Press Enterprise (USA) November, 2012

San Bernardino Symphony gives the gift of Orchestral Treasures

Last Friday and Saturday evenings, the San Bernardino Symphony presented two interrelated musical events that both showcased guest artist Jesús A. Morales and reinforced the beauty of the selected musical pieces.

If you only attended the concert, you probably had a lovely time, but missing Friday evening’s Musicale was like, well, missing one of Michael Tacchia’s pre-concert lectures. You love and appreciate the music, but much of the musical back story is missed. Read the complete review
Highland Community News (USA) March, 2012

SAN BERNARDINO: Symphony plays for young people

The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra introduced young people into the symphonic music scene with its Sunday afternoon concert, “Marvelous Mozart,” at the California Theater in San Bernardino.

A full house, with plenty of well-dressed, well-behaved children, watched young people perform in a string ensemble, heard the captivating interpretation of “Tubby the Tuba,” and heard four soloists from within the orchestra perform Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante in E-Flat Major.” All this marvelous music followed a busy pre-concert program ... Read the complete review
Press Enterprise (USA) January, 2012

Making Music Magical

From the first downward beat of his baton, Maestro Carlo Ponti took the audience at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church on a magical music adventure. As he prepared to conduct Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4, Ponti closed his eyes and smiled. Read the complete review
Mountain News (USA) October, 2011

SAN BERNARDINO: Symphony satisfies in opening concert

Accessible doesn't have to mean uninteresting, familiar need not mean boring, and the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra proved both points at their season opening concert on Saturday night.

Conductor Carlo Ponti, returning after a two-concert hiatus, programmed just two works: Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4, the Italian Symphony, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 4, both accessible and familiar music that the orchestra performed with great care and spirit, reminding the listeners why they come to classical music concerts. Read the complete review
Press Enterprise (USA) October, 2011

San Bernardino: Symphony ends season on grand scale
The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra closed its 2010-11 season last weekend under the baton of guest conductor Frank Fetta in a concert that underwhelmed Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 2 and delightfully overwhelmed Mahler's massive Symphony No. 1, "Titan." Read the complete review
Press Enterprise (USA), April, 2011

San Bernardino Symphony tackles challenging works
The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra's audience members enjoyed a rare opportunity to enrich their enjoyment of music as the orchestra offered two unfamiliar works book-ending a work of very friendly listening.
Conductor Carlo Ponti invited the audience to "kindly open your mind" for the opening work, Carlos Chavez's Symphony No. 5. Plunging into unfamiliar works takes courage, because neither the listeners nor the musicians
come with a positive comfort level. Will the musicians perform the new music confidently and aggressively? Will the audience accept it willingly? Much is at stake. Read the complete review
Press Enterprise (USA), November, 2010

San Bernardino Symphony delivers a big, bold program
Planets and stars neatly lined up for the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra's season-ending concert Saturday night: exciting and accessible programming, outstanding musicianship, and commanding leadership by conductor Carlo Ponti came together for an invigorating concert that truly celebrated the best of American classical music. Read the complete review
Press Enterprise (USA), May, 2010

Musical Fantasies
The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra continues to prove itself to be more than a fine professional orchestra. Under the leadership of conductor Carlo Ponti, the staff and volunteers, it has become a gem for the community. At its Sunday afternoon concert, the orchestra and Ponti showcased orchestral sections, diverse and worthy music and outstanding performers. Read the full review ...
Press Enterprise (USA), January, 2010

San Bernardino builds show out of Schumann's constructions
The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra scratched the classical music itch big time with not one, not two, but three orchestral works by Robert Schumann, and the intensely cerebral exercise of listening to three Schumann pieces left me aching for something raucous, something playful. Read the full review ...
Press Enterprise (USA), November, 2009

Symphony Spins a Spell of Musical Magic
With the huge floor-to-ceiling glass wall behind them, the orchestra, led by their charming conductor, Carlo Ponti Jr., gave a performance mountain residents and guests sitting in the pews will remember for a long time. Read the full review ...
Mountain News (USA), October 2009

Dual symphonies make great opening for San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra
Programming brilliance almost overshadowed performance brilliance as the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Conductor Carlo Ponti, opened its concert season Saturday and Sunday. I heard the concert on Sunday at Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church, in Lake Arrowhead, a marvelous venue that allowed the orchestra's rich sounds to thrill listeners unlike anything heard at the regular performance hall, the California Theatre in San Bernardino. Read the full review ...
Press Enterprise (USA), October 2009