A little night music

We were happy to spend a recent evening with the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra in Palo Alto -- a free concert, well worth a Saturday night.

I already knew conductor Ben Simon is a hoot to interview (for instance, musicians' bios can be staid, but his gives the alias "Boris Slowbowsky" and says he was once arrested smuggling plutonium out of Kazakhstan). Nice, too, to see the satisfying melange he can stir together: a velvety flute of Vivaldi; a hearty helping of Bach; a dash of salty Roberto Sierra; and some spicy-sweet Joaquin Turina.

Guitarist David Tanenbaum was featured, and his strains were a powerful surprise in Vivaldi's "Guitar Concerto in A Major," originally written for the lute. They brought a sprightly kick to the Allegro, while Simon swayed like a dancer before the orchestra.

I had more trouble with Sierra's "Pequeno Concierto for Guitar and Five Instruments," which is distinctly modern (1998). There was too much dissonance for me, too many jagged rhythms; it was hard to find a foothold. But my father, sitting in front of me, listened with rapt interest, and later pronounced the piece his favorite of the night. He's a painter, and for him the music conjured up visions of abstract canvases.

In Bach's Piano Concerto in F Minor, seventh-grader Audrey Vardanega captivated on the piano, playing with a composed maturity so fluid that I could practically feel the keyboard under my own fingers.

I also enjoyed Turina's "La Oracion del Torero," in which the composer captures the excitement, fear and fervency of bullfighters praying before entering the ring. Its end reminded me of why I'm so passionate about the performing arts -- and why nothing can compare with seeing a performance live.

The last note was ethereal, providing a perfect resolution to the highly emotional piece. As the note died away, some people in the audience sighed, "Ahh." That was exactly how I felt, and knowing I was sharing the feeling with fellow music lovers made the moment all the richer.

Pictured: Audrey Vardanega. Photo from the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra's website, http://www.sfchamberorchestra.org/.