Here are clips from movements I and II of my latest, Scene Symphony! This symphony was inspired by pop-punk music, Tchaikovsky, and as always, my love of prog metal.
I'm really proud of this work, and of the INCREDIBLE performance @thesfco gives here. You can read more about the piece and access the perusal score from my website (link in bio!). Now, who wants to hear them play the other two movements... đź‘€
#stringmetal #symphonicmetal #modernclassicalmusic #acousticpoppunk #progmetal
đź“Ł Arts Org Spotlight! @thesfco
The San Francisco Chamber Orchestra is dedicated to making classical music accessible, inclusive, and enjoyable to audiences of all ages and backgrounds across the Bay Area by providing world-class, admission-free concerts and educational programming. Led by dynamic Music Director, Jory Fankuchen, the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra is a fully professional, tightly-knit ensemble of superb Bay Area musicians. SFCO’s MainStage Concerts, performed in major venues in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Palo Alto, feature our commitment to a diverse repertoire of newly commissioned works, beloved classics, and outstanding soloists, designed to appeal to seasoned concertgoers as well as those new to classical music. SFCO also presents Family Concerts and Very First Concerts in community centers, libraries, and inclusive spaces around the Bay Area.
Follow @thesfco and learn more by visiting thesfco.org
#seeyourselfhere
We are excited to be a part of the 2026 Palo Alto Community Fund Grantee Cohort! 🧡 Thanks to PACF, the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra will continue to be catalyst for positive change in the community. Funding like this empowers the SFCO to continue our 70+ year mission of presenting our entire concert season completely free of charge to over 10,000 audience members each season. We are incredibly proud to be included in this meaningful community of resilient changemakers. Head to @paloaltocommfund to learn more.
#GiveWhereYouLive #Proud2026Grantee #PACF
Getting to know Julia Schilz, winner of the 2026 Klein Competition, who will be playing Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5 with @thesfco at their last Mainstage Concert this season 🎻🎻
Our soloist this weekend is Irving M. Klein Competition winner and virtuoso violinist, Julia Schilz, who brings her golden tone to Mozart’s effervescent 5th Violin Concerto at our final MainStage Concerts of the season.
RSVP (free!) at thesfco.org
Julia enjoys a wide range of musical endeavors as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician. She is a graduate student at the Juilliard School where she currently studies with Donald Weilerstein and Catherine Cho. Prior to attending Juilliard, Julia spent a year under full-time contract with the renowned Houston Symphony.
A passionate chamber player, she participated in the Cleveland Institute of Music pre-college chamber performances for ten years under the tutelage of Peter Salaff and the Cavani Quartet, and has also attended the Taos School of Music, Perlman Music Program Chamber Workshop, Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival, and Heifetz International Music Institute. In 2018, she traveled to Kolkata, India as an intern with Kolkata Classics, a Secretary of State Award-winning NGO which seeks to use music as a vehicle for social service and advocacy.
@kleincompetition
One last chance to revel with the SFCO this season! A dazzling program of Schubert, Mozart, and Perkinson. Plus, members are invited to an after party with a little bit of bonus music!
With 2025 @kleincompetition winner Julia Schilz
Generously sponsored by Maryann Maslan
May 1st: Taube Atrium Theater, SF
May 2nd: First United Methodist Church, Palo Alto
May 3rd: First Congregational Church, Berkeley
More info and (free!) RSVP: thesfco.org
We sang! We danced! We got our shaker eggs on! We jazz-hands applauded!
Our Sensory Friendly family concerts are always a highlight of our season. Created and programmed by Clio Tilton, this concert experience is thoughtfully and lovingly tailored to especially welcome neurodivergent audiences.
Huge thanks to @coachingwithclio for taking such care of this program, down to the smallest detail, and to our Executive Director, Darcy, for nurturing a place in our season for it. Special shoutout to our amazing volunteer, Olive, for all the help making attendees feel comfortable and welcome. And thanks to the awesome audience members of all ages who joined us - we had so much fun with you!
Mozart video credit: Hillel Hachlili
@coachingwithclio@marvel_for_life4@violinatasha@stephbibbo@erincello17@crowdenschool@paloaltoartcenter@darcyrindt
Learn more about our Sensory Friendly concerts from Clio Tilton. Clio is a violist with the SFCO and has created these programs with lots of care, deep knowledge, and plenty of creativity. You can also meet her at the shows!
April 18th @11am , Noe Valley Ministry
April 18th @2pm , Palo Alto Art Center
April 19th @11am , Crowden Music Center
More info and (free!) registration at thesfco.org/family-concerts-1
@crowdenschool@paloaltoartcenter@cliotilton@coachingwithclio
Sensory Friendly concerts coming next weekend! What’s a sensory friendly concert, you ask? ALL are welcome and every type of engagement with the music is welcome. No sudden loud sounds, fidget toys will be provided, and there will be plenty of space for movement and expression. And, as always, the SFCO brings these concerts to you free of charge.
April 18th in SF and Palo Alto
April 19th in Berkeley
More info and registration at thesfco.org
Highlights from Seeing Double! @jens.ibsen wrote us a commission that was a delicious combination of lush, lyrical, toe-tapping and fun - we loved premiering “Scene Symphony.” Jory Vinikour brought dazzling virtuosity to the Philip Glass concerto every single time. Add in the passionate excitement of Haydn’s 49th symphony and it was a set of concerts to remember. Full houses for all three shows and a very special mingle with the artists for our Maestro Circle members. And Winston, our backstage dog, of course.
One last set of SFCO MainStage concerts for the season coming your way in just a few weeks (5/1,2,3) - save your seats now! thesfco.org
Meet Darcy Rindt!
Darcy is not only an incredible violist, she is our Executive Director extraordinaire. Darcy joined the SFCO viola section over 20 years ago and has led our admin team for the past seven years.
A multi talented musician, Darcy plays with many fine orchestras in the Bay Area, was on the original national tour of “Hamilton: An American Musical,” and is the founder, violist and principal composer/arranger for the genre-bending, audience-thrilling quartet, Squid Inc. She also composed a piece for the SFCO string section in 2019 titled “Positively Sinful.”
Holding degrees in both music and Biology, Darcy is a volunteer docent naturalist at Año Nuevo State Park where she guides visitors on elephant seal walks to observe these amazing creatures in their natural habitat.
In her free time (can you believe she has any?!) she hikes near and far with her husband, Dan, and their dog, Codey (who also make cameo appearances at SFCO concerts from time to time!).
You can help bring Darcy and the other talented SFCO musicians to the stage by becoming a sponsor! Sponsorship also comes with plenty of exciting perks. More info at thesfco.org/become-a-sponsor
Meet Sandy Leem, SFCO Principal Violist!
Violist, Sandy Leem is in demand near and far for the beautiful artistry she brings to orchestral, chamber music, and recording projects alike. She has served as Principal Viola of the SFCO for 16 years, a position to which she brings deep musical integrity.
Sandy is also a member of Grammy Award-winning Santa Fe Opera orchestra, and has performed with The Philadelphia Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and has held principal and section positions with the Concerto Soloists/Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Pops, and Opera Philadelphia. She has also stepped in as Principal Viola with the Berkeley, California, and Marin Symphony and performs with many Bay Area ensembles.
Sandy has performed across the United States and Europe, and has recorded extensively for The Studio in Philadelphia, NFL Studios in New Jersey, and at Skywalker Ranch on major motion picture and television/streaming series.
She works for the Pleasanton Unified School District which began when she started bringing music to her three sons’ classrooms. She maintains a private studio in Pleasanton, guiding many local students from their earliest musical experiences through high school and beyond.
Outside of music, she enjoys life’s simple pleasures — time with her rescue pets, friends and Appa (dad), traveling with her husband and sons, supporting charitable causes rooted in compassion and care for others, and tackling the occasional DIY house project.
You can help bring Sandy and the other talented SFCO musicians to the stage by becoming a sponsor! Sponsorship also comes with plenty of perks. More info at thesfco.org/become-a-sponsor
