Saturday, April 12, 2025, 7:30 pm
Evan Kahn, cello
Saint-Saëns: Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah
Elgar: Cello Concerto
Tan Dun: Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds
Ravel: Suite No. 2 from Daphnis and Chloé
Discover the untamed side of symphonic music with Folsom Lake Symphony’s Symphony Goes Wild. This thrilling program begins with Saint-Saëns’ Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah, a fiery, exotic piece that pulses with passion and energy.
Elgar’s deeply emotional Cello Concerto follows, offering a haunting reflection on resilience and the unyielding human spirit. The solo cello takes center stage, weaving melodies that are both introspective and profoundly moving.
Tan Dun’s Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds brings nature to life in a mesmerizing blend of traditional symphonic sounds and recorded birdsong, creating a musical landscape alive with wonder and mystery.
Ravel’s Suite No. 2 from Daphnis and Chloé closes the program with dazzling, impressionistic brilliance. The suite’s vibrant textures and wild, ecstatic energy crescendo in the exhilarating “Danse générale,” leaving audiences spellbound.
Experience the beauty and intensity of life unleashed through this powerful musical journey.
Evan Kahn has been praised as “a cellist deserved of serious listening” for bringing his “electrifying … nuanced and colorful” style to all of his collaborations, from concerti to chamber music to contemporary performances. He has commissioned and premiered over 60 works by composers from around the world, including his father’s Cello Concerto.
Evan is principal cellist in San Francisco Opera and New Century Chamber Orchestra, as well as Opera San Jose and the San Jose Chamber Orchestra. Dedicated to the orchestral craft, he has also enjoyed time performing with the San Francisco Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, and Los Angeles Opera. In April/May 2018, he served as Artist-in-Residence with Performance Today at NPR, sharing some of his favorite works for cello and his philosophies on music and life. In February 2019, he was named Musical America’s New Artist of the Month. He is a resident cellist for a number of Bay Area small ensembles, including Ninth Planet, After Everything, and the Wave Chamber Music Collective.
