• From Indoor Elegance to Outdoor Exuberance

    Sponsors: Virginia Blumenthal and Donna Knox

    Saturday April 26, 2025
    2:30 PM

  • Scholars and Masters Program

    Rubidoux Highschool

    Sponsor: Elliot Duchon

    Thursday May 8th, 2025

  • Beethoven, John Williams, tunes from the musical “Chicago” and a Duke Ellington Fantasy.

    Sponsors: Virginia Blumenthal and Donna Knox

    Saturday June 14, 2025

  • Concert for Heroes [FREE]

    This outdoor event honors our veterans with a night filled with favorite patriotic tunes and spectacular fireworks.

    Thursday July 3, 2025

Saturday April 26th, 2025

From Indoor Elegance to Outdoor Exuberance

2PM

Calvary Presbyterian Church Riverside

4495 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92501

PROGRAM

  • WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
    Violin Concerto #3 in G
    Soloist: Tomasz Golka

  • WOJCIECH KILAR
    Orawa

- INTERMISSION -

  • JOSEPH BOLOGNE (also known as the Chevalier de Saint-Georges)
    St. Georges Overture to “The Anonymous Lover”

  • FRANZ SCHUBERT
    Symphony #5 in B-flat major

Tomasz Golka: Soloist and Conductor

Program notes:

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART: Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K. 216
Soloist & Conductor: Tomasz Golka
Mozart’s “Strasbourg Concerto” is a sparkling showcase of elegance and emotional depth. Its playful Allegro, lyrical Adagio, and lively Rondeau brim with charm and virtuosity, allowing the soloist to shine while weaving seamlessly with the orchestra. Tomasz Golka’s interpretation promises to highlight the concerto’s intricate beauty and heartfelt expressiveness.

WOJCIECH KILAR: Orawa
This vibrant work captures the spirit of the Carpathian Mountains with its rhythmic energy and folk-inspired themes. Kilar’s mastery of dynamic contrast and repetition evokes both the raw power of nature and the joy of a traditional harvest festival. The piece’s exhilarating momentum makes it an unforgettable listening experience.

Unknown composers can be intimidating, but wait until you hear this—it will instantly put you on the edge of your seat:

- INTERMISSION -

JOSEPH BOLOGNE (Chevalier de Saint-Georges): St. Georges Overture to “The Anonymous Lover”
This delightful overture from Bologne’s only surviving opera is a testament to his brilliance as both a composer and violinist. Its graceful melodies and lively rhythms reflect the elegance of 18th-century French opera, offering a glimpse into the refined artistry of this groundbreaking figure.

FRANZ SCHUBERT: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major, D. 485
Schubert’s Fifth Symphony is a radiant homage to Mozart and Haydn, blending Classical clarity with Romantic warmth. Its light orchestration, lyrical themes, and surprising harmonic twists create an atmosphere of joy and introspection, capturing Schubert’s youthful genius at its finest.
These melodies have survived for so many years. Not sure you know it? I am pretty sure you will! Listen:

Special thanks to Virginia Blumenthal and Donna Knox for making this concert possible.

What is a Chamber Orchestra?

A chamber orchestra, with around 30 musicians, demands that each musician possess soloist-quality skills, which contributes to a sound that is both refined and powerful. This setup also allows you to observe the dynamic interactions among the musicians.

The intimate chamber orchestra setting provides an immersive and captivating musical experience, enhancing the connection between the audience and the music.

Did you know a movie was made about the life of the highly talented Chevalier de Saint-Georges?

Check out the first few minutes of the movie (the other violinist in the opening is Mozart performing his Violin concerto. It is unknown if this encounter truly happened - but they certainly knew of each other)

Featured

Adventures in Music Program

Meet London. She's 8 years old. Joseph Haydn is one of her new favorite composers, thanks to her attendance at the concert “Music for the People”, where Maestro Tomasz Golka and the orchestra shared his favorite composer. Tickets to a classical music concert can make a BIG impression.

Donate

We love having young people in the audience. Thank you to season ticket holder Sue Sikkink for providing tickets to this young girl and her mom.

Won't you help today to provide tickets for many more students? Every dollar supports our Adventures in Music program. Please give today!

What is Adventures in Music?

In this program the Riverside Philharmonic shares the beauty of classical music with Riverside County K-12 students through access concert tickets, masterclasses and workshops. Our professional musicians perform at school assemblies to bring the experience of live classical performances directly into the classroom.

Your concert experience

Each concert is a unique experience for both our audiences and musicians. Our Maestro Tomasz Golka guides us before each piece with captivating stories and humor through the rich history of music. You will learn about the composers, life of a musician, musical expression and much more. And of course, - you can sit back and immerse yourself in the rich tones of the orchestra instruments.

Listen to what our audiences say:

How we contribute to the Riverside community

  • Through our Adventures in Music (AIM) program, the Riverside Philharmonic shares the beauty of classical music with Riverside County K-12 students.

    AIM provides masterclasses and workshops for music students. Trios performs at school assemblies to bring the experience of live classical performances directly to students. The orchestra offers invitations to rehearsals as school field trips. This personal exposure to the arts gives the students a chance to watch the orchestra perform up close and ask questions during the breaks.

    Sponsored tickets complete the experience with students attending full length concerts, often for the first time.

  • Our community outreach program, Heartstrings provides hundreds of tickets to military families, low income residents, and disadvantaged senior and disabled persons who lack the resources, financial or otherwise, to experience the beauty of classical music presented live.

    The Philharmonic works with nonprofit organizations that serve people who can benefit from the Heartstrings program.

  • Our season programming takes inspiration from our community, our country and the times we find ourselves in. Music shows us that we have more in common than we can imagine; it brings us together, it lifts us up, it gives our feelings an outlet by expression.

    Revenue from tickets sales are a small percentage of the overall budget to produce quality classical music concerts. Concert sponsors, grants from public and private organizations, and contributions from donors all support the orchestra and make each season of live music concerts possible.

    Visit our SUPPORT page to find out how you can contribute.

Sponsors that support your Riverside Philharmonic

  • Donna Knox

  • Magnon Foundation

  • Kathy Wright and Dwight Tate

  • Rena Warren

  • City of Riverside

  • California Arts Council

  • Colburn Foundation

  • Karen Spiegel