Handily one of our greatest performance venues, The Soraya just keeps getting better with its programming. And as a 10th Anniversary Gift to the Community, there will be Five Free Events to kick off a spectacular season. Members at any level secure guaranteed seating to all Free concerts. Non-member reservations (limit 4 per household) will be taken on a first come-first-served basis starting August 24 at thesoraya.org.
But these are just five of the nearly 50 performances, some of which we list here for you. Additional Jazz, Dance, and other offerings for Spring, 2022, will be announced in September.
The Soraya’s 2021-22 Season
RESTART SERIES—FREE!
The Soraya’s 10th anniversary gift to the community – five FREE concerts including the long-awaited Opening Night, a victory lap from conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, and ALL holiday programming including The Vienna Boys Choir and Nochebuena.
SAT | OCT 16 | 8PM | FREE
Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Fandango at the Wall
with Special Guests the Villalobos Brothers and the Conga Patria Son Jarocho Collective
In his second appearance at The Soraya, Afro Latin jazz master Arturo O’Farrill and special guests pour their heart and soul into a message of unity and breaking down walls – real and imagined.
SAT | NOV 13 | 8PM | FREE
The Colburn Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen, Conductor
Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 1
Bruckner Symphony No. 6
SUN | NOV 20 | 3PM | FREE
Vienna Boys Choir
Christmas in Vienna
One of the world’s most beloved choirs revisits The Soraya, reveling in the acoustic glory of its Great Hall. Ring in the holidays with the pristine, angelic sound of the choir that has been entertaining worldwide audiences for six centuries.
SAT | DEC 4 | 3PM | FREE
Disney’s FANTASIA Live in Concert
Richard Kaufman, Conductor
Disney’s 1940 film in brilliant, restored color, accompanied by the CSUN orchestra conducted by Richard Kaufman
FRI | DEC 10 | 8PM | FREE
SAT | DEC 11 | 3PM | FREE
Nochebuena, Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles, and Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéller
In what has become a popular holiday tradition at The Soraya, the lively Nochebuena celebration returns live on stage with favorite Artists that are part of The Soraya family.
THE SORAYA SIGNATURE SERIES
Featuring The Soraya’s one-of-a-kind programming mix, but it’s more than a sampling of what we do best. The entire series will be available free to our members of $500 or more. These five performances are the heart of our anniversary celebration.
SAT | OCT 23 | 8PM
A Concert Tribute to Linda Ronstadt: Aida Cuevas and La Marisoul
Cheche Alara, Musical Director and Producer
Featuring Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar
Linda Ronstadt’s legendary voice had no limits. She commanded pop, country, and traditional Mexican music as well as the Broadway stage. La Marisoul and Aida Cuevas pay tribute in this expanded live performance based on the successful 2020 television broadcast produced by The Soraya and PBS SoCal.
THU | OCT 28 | 8PM
An Evening with Branford Marsalis
One of the world’s best-known saxophonists takes the stage for a second time, performing with his Grammy-nominated jazz quartet.
Martha Graham Dance Company's Appalachian Spring. Photo by Melissa Sherwood.
SAT | NOV 19 | 8PM
Martha Graham Dance Company
Appalachian Spring by Martha Graham
Janet Eilber, Artistic Director
Wild Up, Christopher Rountree, Conductor
The gold standard of modern dance returns for the fourth time with Appalachian Spring, accompanied with live music by Wild Up. Enjoy Copland’s iconic score, played live with Graham’s most iconic choreography.
WED | JAN 13 | 8PM
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko, Conductor
Olga Kern, Piano
Britain’s pre-eminent ensemble returns with a program of British composers Britten and Elgar; pianist Olga Kern joins to perform Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor.
Britten Four Sea Interludes from “Peter Grimes”
Edvard Grieg Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16
Edward Elgar Enigma Variations, Op. 36
Megan Hilty -- Photo courtesy of the artist
SAT | JAN 29 | 8PM
Broadway Celebrates The Soraya: Megan Hilty and Joshua Henry
Richard Kaufman, Conductor
Our 10th anniversary concert grand finale lights up the stage with three of the brightest and best performers the great white way has to offer: Megan Hilty (Wicked) and Joshua Henry (Hamilton)
CELEBRITY SERIES
Stewart Copeland -- Photo courtesy of the artist
THUR | NOV 4 | 8PM
Stewart Copeland: Police Deranged for Orchestra
Music of The Police
Cheche Alara, Conductor
with the Matt Jones Orchestra
Stewart Copeland, the Rhythmatist of rockstars, returns to The Soraya to dominate his drum kit alongside an orchestral reimagining of his band The Police’s chart-topping hits, including “Roxanne,” “Don’t Stand So Close to Me,” and “Message in a Bottle.”
WED | NOV 10 | 8PM
An Evening with David Sedaris
With only a podium, a mic, and a wicked sense of humor, Sedaris turns over-sharing into a fine art that leaves audiences breathless from laughter.
Lizz Wright. Photo by Alexander Thompson.
WED | NOV 16 | 8PM
The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra
Directed by Scotty Barnhart
The Music of Ella Fitzgerald
Featuring Lizz Wright
Harlem’s legendary orchestra honors “The First Lady of Song,” Ella Fitzgerald.
SUN | DEC 12 | 3PM
LA Jewish Symphony: Violins of Hope with Lindsay Deutsch
The violins from the Holocaust were on their way to The Soraya when their concert was interrupted by the COVID-19 crisis. The instruments remained hidden under The Soraya stage for months. These historic violins stand as testament to resilience, now more than ever, in their triumphant return. The concert marks a celebration of perseverance and music’s power to transcend.
SUN | JAN 23 | 3PM
YAMATO – The Drummers of Japan
Yamato travels all over the word with Japan’s traditional Wadaiko drums, putting its very souls into the unusual instruments, whose sound stirs the hearts of people everywhere.
CRESCENDO SERIES (on sale in September)
The Soraya’s exceptional acoustics are a magnet for artists and audiences alike. The glorious Great Hall will resound again with the talents of familiar artists and a few new ones, including The Soraya’s Resident Artist, Etienne Gara. Members will have first access to tickets and other benefits.
FRI | JAN 21 | 8PM
Delirium Musicum Chamber Orchestra with Artist in Residence Etienne Gara
The signature style of a young artist shaking up the classical music scene, violinist Etienne Gara leads an ensemble known for its fearless interpretations. A rare opportunity to experience the works of two contemporary composers – Philip Glass and Max Richter – each in response to Vivaldi’s beloved Four Seasons.
Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons
Philip Glass’ The American Four Season
THU | FEB 3 | 8PM
Vadym Kholodenko
Vadym Kholodenko’s last performance at The Soraya in 2016 was unforgettable. So sensitive and moving, there was barely a dry eye in the house, even through the thunderous ovation he so richly deserved.
Tchaikovsky Theme and Variations in F Major, Op. 19, No. 6
Mozart Fantasia in c minor, K. 475 and Sonata in c minor, K. 457
Liszt Miserere de Trovatore, S. 433
Beethoven/Liszt An die ferne Geliebte, S. 469
Beethoven/Liszt Adelaide, S. 466
Liszt Reminiscences de Norma, S. 394
WED | FEB 23 | 8PM
Russian National Orchestra
Mikhail Pletnev, Piano
Kirill Karabits, Conductor
Called “a living symbol of the best in Russian art,” by the Miami Herald, The Russian National Orchestra takes The Soraya stage, returning with their big bold sound.
Beethoven Fidelio Overture
Schumann Piano Concerto
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4
THU | MAR 3 | 8PM
Marco Beltrami: The Bach Project With over 100 films to his credit, Marco Beltrami is one of today’s most celebrated composers. He steps nto the concert hall to reimagine and transform Bach’s preludes, performed by Delirium Musicum.
THU | MAR 10 | 8PM
Academy St Martin in the Fields with Joshua Bell
The final performance in The Soraya’s Great Hall before COVID, in March 2020, was Bell and his ensemble performing Beethoven’s Ninth. Two years later, Bell makes his 8th appearance at The Soraya, and brings us full circle.
THU | MAR 30 | 8PM
St. Lawrence String Quartet
The Los Angeles Times calls them “a modern string quartet that brings flexibility, dramatic fire and…a hint of rock ‘n’ roll energy…” Their previous appearance at The Soraya was a high-water mark, inaugurating a new era of chamber music.
THU | APR 13 | 8PM
Sir John Eliot Gardiner / Baroque
Gardiner’s interpretations of Baroque and Classical music have brought him worldwide acclaim, with many recordings and appearances at major concert halls. He is the master without equal. Under his baton, Mozart will find a pristine home at The Soraya.
Haydn Symphony N. 103 in E-Flat Major
Mozart Sinfonia Concertante K 364
Mozart Symphony No. 39 in E-Flat Major, K543
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The Soraya venue at the CSUN campus in Northridge, CA. Photo by Luis Luque.
