Kahane Gets One More Ovation

350 Pay Tribute To Outgoing SR Symphony Conductor

by Diane Peterson
The Press Democrat, April 29, 2006

(SANTA ROSA) - The Santa Rosa Symphony bid a fond farewell to outgoing Music Director Jeffrey Kahane on Friday evening with a gala tribute dinner for 350 supporters in a big white tent outside the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts.

The pianist and conductor, who has led the symphony for the past 11 seasons, was feted with a brass quintet, a string of speeches and a standing ovation during an hour-long ceremony after dinner.

The tribute was capped off by a surprise appearance by Kahane's son, Gabe, a New York City jazz pianist and singer, who performed the 1938 standard "I'll Be Seeing You."

"Over the last decade, my father has become an indispensable part of the community, no less for his oration," Gabe said. "So I'll shut up and play."

During the tribute, members of the symphony board and orchestra touched on many of the high points of Kahane's career here, including his passionate music-making, intensely high standards and collaborative spirit.

"He's a player - he plays all the time, just like us," said symphony violinist Bob Williams. "When we come out on stage, just the way he grabs the baton and looks at us (says) 'Let's have some fun with it and let it rip.'"

Conductor emeritus Corrick Brown recalled his first meeting with Kahane at a Fresno piano competition, then described his successor's arrival in Santa Rosa with dry understatement.

"He had a nice wife, two talented kids and friends," Brown said. "And he somehow made an impression on us."

Brown then handed over a laurel wreath to Kahane, along with the official title of conductor laureate.

In his speech, Kahane talked about what it means to be a conductor - "to lead, inspire, collaborate and create connection" - and his belief that art is a moral enterprise "that cannot be disconnected from the community."

In Kahane's honor, the symphony has created a new music education fund that will provide free tickets to concerts plus music education for underprivileged children. The Jeffrey Kahane Music Education Fund is underwritten by Linda Temple, former development director for the symphony.

"One of the things I've admired about Jeff's tenure with the Santa Rosa Symphony is his tenacious dedication to education," Temple said. "He's had an awful lot of good ideas, and it seems appropriate that this should have his name on it."

After the heartfelt tribute, the gala evening continued with a live auction of 10 luxury lots, including a weekend in Denver with tickets to the Colorado Symphony, which Kahane now conducts; and a week in Paris, where the symphony's newly named conductor, Bruno Ferrandis, currently resides.

High bidders of the evening were Don and Maureen Green, major donors of the Green Music Center at Sonoma State University, who plunked down $8,000 for a week at a North Lake Tahoe home. Halie Downey, wife of board member Paul Downey, won the week in Paris for the second-highest bid of $6,000.

As the grand finale of the evening, Kahane took over the stage at the arts center and did what he does best: present a farewell piano recital of romantic works by Schubert, Mendelssohn and Chopin. The recital and the auction both were benefits for the Santa Rosa Symphony.

"More than a conductor, I loved to hear him play the piano," said symphony subscriber Gayle Carsten. "He did a lot of fund-raising events."

For his local fans, it's some consolation that Kahane still performs and serves as artistic director of the Green Music Festival, a summer chamber music festival at SSU.

"You can't ever replace a Jeffrey Kahane - but you don't try," said Jeff Langley, chairman of performing arts at SSU. "It's my hope that Jeffrey's relationship with Sonoma County will last a lifetime."