Santa Rosa Symphony, Press Room

Symphony to Hold Benefit Concert for Hurricane Katrina Relief Monday, Sept. 12 at Luther Burbank Center

News Release Contact: Sara Obuchowski, (707) 546-7097 ext 218

September 6, 2005

(Santa Rosa, CA) On Monday, September 12, 2005 the Santa Rosa Symphony will hold a benefit concert to assist in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. The one hour concert, conducted by Jeffrey Kahane and choral director, Robert Worth, will begin at 8:00 p.m. at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts. Concert admission is free with donations requested.

The concert was inspired by the Symphony simply asking the question: How can we help? Alan Silow, executive director of the SRS, in speaking with Bob Williams, musician�s union representative, conductor Jeffrey Kahane, Anne Benedetti, Board President, Bob Worth, SRS Choral Director, and David Fischer, LBC Executive Director all came to the same conclusion. Arrange a benefit concert for the community SOON at the LBC. Anne Benedetti, SRS board president said �When we started placing calls to our musicians and other community organizations to organize the event, the response was overwhelming. Everyone wanted to do something to help. SRS musicians and staff and community organizations are donating their services so that all monies raised can go directly to the relief effort.�

Community partners in this event include the Santa Rosa Symphony Association, SRS musicians, the Sonoma County Bach Choir, the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts and the Press Democrat.

The Sonoma County Bach Choir will join the Santa Rosa Symphony Orchestra in the performance, conducted by Jeffrey Kahane and Robert Worth. The program includes Beethoven�s Symphony No. 5, Copland�s Fanfare for the Common Man, movements from Beethoven�s Emperor Piano Concerto performed by Jeffrey Kahane on piano, choral selections from Mozart�s Requiem conducted by Robert Worth and more.

�Inspired by this uplifting music, the community will have an opportunity to come together and contribute money that is so desperately needed for a cause that touches us all deeply,� remarked Executive Director Alan Silow.

All donations will go to the Katrina Relief Campaign with monies split between the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief fund and the Gulf Coast Orchestra Relief Fund to help support those orchestra members that were most affected by the storm � including the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the Gulf Coast Symphony (Biloxi), the Meridian Symphony Orchestra, and the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra.

As demand is expected to be high, tickets, though free, must be obtained by either calling the SRS box office at (707) 546-8742 or in person at 50 Santa Rosa Avenue. All tickets are general seating. Remaining tickets will be available at the door the night of the concert. Doors will open at 7pm.