Want to Subscribe?
Sign In or Sign Up now!

The New Century Chamber Orchestra, founded in 1992, looks for fresh, exciting ways to present classical music in the San Francisco Bay Area by combining performances of extraordinary quality with innovative programming. World-renowned violin soloist, chamber musician and recording artist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg was appointed Music Director and Concertmaster of the 17-member string ensemble in January 2008. The NCCO, comprised of local musicians as well as those who travel from across the U.S. and Europe to perform in the Bay Area together, performs without a conductor. Musical decisions are made collaboratively, resulting in an enhanced level of commitment on the part of the musicians to concerts of remarkable precision, passion and power.

As part of its dedication to the future of music and to the community, the NCCO provides violin lessons to underserved students in Marin City and San Rafaels Canal District. String quartets of NCCO members give intimate classroom performances in Bay Area elementary schools.

The orchestra has released four compact discs. Written With The Hearts Blood, a recording of Shostakovich works, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1997. The orchestra has also recorded the music of 20th century Swiss composer Frank Martin, Argentine composers Alberto Williams and Alberto Ginastera, and NCCO violist Kurt Rohde. For more information, please visit www.ncco.org.

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Music Director

An internationally-acclaimed soloist and chamber musician for more than 25 years, violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg was named Music Director and Concertmaster of the New Century Chamber Orchestra in January 2008. Nadja debuted with the orchestra in September 2007 with a program of Bach, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky and Kreisler. The violinists natural leadership, together with the ensembles artistic excellence, made for an evening to remember, thus opening the door for future collaboration.

In addition to her role with the New Century Chamber Orchestra, Ms. Salerno-Sonnenberg also performs as soloist this season with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Saint Louis Symphony, Memphis Symphony, and San Diego Symphony. She will tour with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, perform recitals with pianist Anne-Marie McDermott and collaborate with guitarists Sérgio and Odair Assad. In February 2009, she will perform two concerts in Japan, at Tokyo Opera City and Muza Kawasaki. For more information, please visit www.nadjasalernosonnenberg.com or www.nssmusic.com.