Category Archives: Uncategorized

NSS Memberships

We introduced Memberships last year for our all-virtual season, as a way to stay in touch with you through a wealth of virtual concerts, interviews, watch parties, and more. Even though we're back to the concert hall for our 2021-22 Season, we hope you'll consider continuing to support us by becoming a Member. Members get lots of discounts and perks, and if you aren't ready to come back to the concert hall quite yet, your Membership will still get you access to all of our concerts and pre-concert talks, from the comfort of your home.

You can review Membership Benefits now, and purchase your Membership starting on July 17th.

Mini Season Ticket Package Available Now!

Join us for our three remaining Masterworks concerts in November, February, and May at a special discount with our 3-concert mini-season ticket package! Now available at both box offices at the links below. Available only until Friday, November 5!

Laxson Auditorium, Chico
University Box Office
call: (530) 898-6333

purchase in person:
West Third & Chestnut Streets
hours: 10am-6pm, Monday - Friday

Buy 3-concert Season Tickets

Cascade Theatre, Redding
Cascade Theatre Box Office
call: (530) 243-8877

purchase in person:
1733 Market Street
hours: 11am-5pm, Tuesday - Friday
and 2 hours prior to events on weekends

Buy 3-concert Season Tickets

20 for 20 Fundraising Campaign

Please help us say Farewell to a special 20th Anniversary Season of Rediscovery by making a gift that will help us bring great classical music to the North State for another 20 years and beyond! Our goal is to raise $20,000 before the end of our fiscal year on June 30th, 2021.

Your support means more to us now than ever and helps ensure our future as we look forward to resuming live concert-hall performances this September.

Even better, your gift of any amount will be matched by a group of generous friends of the symphony. Thanks to Diane Fossum, Joan Genthe, Gene Nichols, Ron Reece, and others for their leadership support!

Visit our 20 for 20 page for more details and CLICK HERE to donate now.

Thank you from all of us at the North State Symphony.

Youth Celebration Month

March of 2021 was Youth Celebration Month, but don't worry - if you missed out on the fun, all of our virtual concerts and activities are still online!

In March of 2020, NSS’s Youth Concerts were its last live theatre performances of the season before the Covid-19 lockdowns terminated live events.

This year, NSS resolved to continue our 20 year history of annual Youth Concerts, despite continued restrictions on live performances. NSS decided to produce the Youth Concerts in a 100% virtual format. The theme was “Conversations”. Small groups of musicians replaced a full orchestra. Musicians rehearsed and performed remotely or, if living together, recorded their performances at home. The musicians also contributed short instrument demos and personal introductions. Music Director Scott Seaton and NSS staff worked together to produce the storyboard, video, and supplementary education material entirely within house.

NSS produced two concert videos: one for young people in 1st grade and above, and one for our littlest viewers. On the left, photo of a pre-schooler enjoying the Little One's concert with her grandmother from home.

CONVERSATIONS Teacher Resource Guide for Little One's Concert - click to download

CONVERSATIONS Teacher Resource Guide for Young People's Concert - click to download

Conversations Young People's Concert Video

Conversations Little One's Concert Video

 

Additionally, NSS took the entire month of March 2021 to celebrate North State youth. This celebration began with two brand new “Just Ask” videos, where Scott interviewed student musicians and soloists. Following these live interviews, NSS released three previously unreleased videos from past concerts, featuring these same young artists.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH YOUTH "JUST ASK!"

March’s month-long celebration of youth continued with NSS’s Young Artist Auditions. This annual concerto competition also became virtual this year, with high school and college students submitting their audition videos for Scott and a panel of judges to review. Winners were announced on April 1, and we look forward to working these talented young performers next season.

When our Youth Concert video was released to North State teachers and educators, NSS spent a week visiting select schools virtually! Scott hosted our youth concert video on Zoom to classrooms, with a live introduction and question and answer sessions.

Ian Cocharan, principal trumpet

Scott Seaton, NSS Music Director

This format was an informative experiment and a great success! Attendees were very engaged, enthusiastic, and Scott was able to field over 75 individual questions from participants. Most exciting of all, we reached the broadest geographic spread of any youth concert in NSS history - with participating schools from Sacramento to the Oregon border.

Ruth Polcari, section flute & Anthoni Polcari, section cello

Sue Constantinides, NSS outreach coordinator

NSS is proud of our outreach to young people throughout the North State, and we’re grateful that technology helped us continue this important work during a time when arts organizations are off stage. We hope to incorporate these new tools and outreach opportunities in the future.

Youth Concert Sponsors

First 5 Shasta

Sierra Pacific Foundation

North State Parent

Tehama Concert Series

California Association for the Education of Young Children

Chuck and Joan Genthe


Praise for NSS Youth Concert Q and A Sessions

Mountain View Middle School

Ruth Polcari, Teacher

“Thanks for including our school on the Virtual Tour. It was a great event and the students enjoyed it! It's so good for the music community, helping students to become excited about music again in the schools. It has been a very hard year. These concerts are so good in regular times, but this year they were special.”