Mahler's Ninth to open Redwood Symphony's 30th season

Gustav Mahler’s emotion-wracked Ninth Symphony will open the 30th season of Redwood Symphony at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at the Main Theater of Cañada College, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., Redwood City.

Maestro Eric Kujawsky, who founded the orchestra in 1985 as part of his doctoral work at Stanford University, will conduct the 90-minute symphony without intermission.

“One would be hard-pressed to name a composer who is more profound, more moving or better gifted at illuminating human nature than Gustav Mahler,” Kujawsky said. “And surely no work of his exemplifies these qualities more than his Ninth Symphony.

“This last completed work is emotionally shattering, especially when you hear it live. Its four movements explore the idea of loss, of taking leave, of mortality itself. In doing so, it plumbs a whole universe of human emotions from joy to sardonic humor to utter despair.”

Redwood Symphony, an all-volunteer orchestra, is dedicated to the performance of an ambitious, contemporary repertoire, as well as the great orchestral classics. The innovative programming and emphasis on education are two reasons why so many of the most talented musicians from throughout the San Francisco Bay Area volunteer their time to play, and why audiences and critics have been so enthusiastic about Redwood Symphony’s artistry.

The pre-concert talk will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets from $10-$25 are available at RedwoodSymphony.org, and children under 18, accompanied by an adult, are admitted free. Parking at Cañada College is ample and free.

Online ticket pre-sales are particularly important since Redwood Symphony sold out its October concert.