In their very first semester, students in SFCM's Technology and Applied Composition Program were given this real-world assignment: compose, score, and record an original video game soundtrack based on detailed scenarios and artwork. Fortunately, they had some help from award-winning music producers and and ensemble of nine crack string players. Read more.
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In celebration of Terry Riley's 80th birthday, SFCM presents the world premiere of Dark Queen Mantra, the iconic composer's latest piece, written for strings and guitar. The alumni-founded Del Sol String Quartet performs the piece in collaboration with guitarist Gyan Riley '01 on Saturday, December 5 at 8 pm in a program that includes other Riley works and music by Huang Ruo and Stefano Scodanibbio. Details.
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SFCM's American Prize Winners
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 Four Conservatory musicians won top honors in this year's American Prize competition. Faculty member David Garner '79, alumnus Derek David '08, and Garner's student Kyle Randall '16 (pictured) each received first place in different composition categories. Pre-College pianist Heather Hsun Chang, a student of Corey McVicar, won the prize in solo piano performance. Read more. Hear David Garner's prize-winning composition in this month's featured video.
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A Carmen for the Chamber Stage
La tragédie de Carmen distills Bizet's famous masterpiece into a tour-de-force of chamber opera. This adaptation by Peter Brook focuses on the story's four main characters, combining some of opera's most famous melodies with elements of the Prosper Mérimée novella on which Carmen is based. Heather Mathews directs a cast of Conservatory Opera students and Curt Pajer conducts a chamber orchestra in performances on Friday, December 4 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, December 6 at 2 pm Admission is free but reservations are required. Details.
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Cellist to Attend Piatigorsky Festival
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 Postgraduate student Evan Kahn '16 has been invited to attend the 2016 Piatigorsky International Cello Festival, a who's who gathering of master cellists, chamber ensembles and selected students held in Los Angeles next May. Kahn is a student of Jennifer Culp. Read more.
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A Choral Christmas Concert
Conservatory singers give voice to the season's full spectrum of joy and wonder in a Christmas Concert on Sunday, December 13 at 2 pm. Faculty member and acclaimed choral conductor Ragnar Bohlin leads the Chamber Choir in a program of Christmas classics including music by Schubert, Fauré, and Sixten. Eric Choate '14, director of the Conservatory Chorus, conducts traditional carols and works by Britten, Bartók, and Palestrina. Admission is free. Details.
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 Brahms Favorites
Given all the great works Brahms wrote for orchestra, it's hard to pick favorites. But the Conservatory Orchestra makes an argument for two particular pieces - the Academic Festival Overture and Brahms' Violin Concerto in D Major - in a performance on Saturday, December 12 at 8 pm. Joshua Peters '14, winner of SFCM's concerto competition in violin, is soloist. Scott Sandmeier conducts and faculty member and favorite Bay Area music lecturer Scott Foglesong '77 introduces each work with musical examples and comments. Details.
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 December Guest Artists Known for his flawless technique and winning charisma, violinist Geoff Nuttall, co-founder of the St. Lawrence String Quartet, is a favorite of Bay Area audiences and SFCM students alike. Nuttall joins Conservatory students for a Chamber Music Series concert of works by Mozart, Haydn, and Chausson on Thursday, December 10 at 8 pm and leads a free master class on Tuesday, December 8 at 7:30 pm. Details.
Other artists appearing next month on SFCM's Master Class Series include violinist Nora Chastain on December 1, guitarist Alvaro Pierri on December 3 and soprano Deborah Voigt on December 6 (waitlist only).
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 Café Crème offers a menu including beer and wine two hours before most performances and during intermission. Order in advance at 415.503.6295 or cafecreme@sfcm.edu.
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Faculty composer
David Garner '79 won the American Prize in chamber music composition for his String Quartet No. 2, premiered at SFCM last year.
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Each week, volunteers like Michael Santos help digitize SFCM's sound archives, organize our historical collections, edit oral history transcripts, and conduct research on Conservatory departments and programs, all under the guidance of archivist Tessa Updike. The pace is picking up as SFCM approaches its 2017 centennial. Read about their work in our history blog Notes from the Past.
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SFCM Hosts Symposium for Music Teachers
Music educators will begin the New Year on an inspired note at Gift of Music: Educator's Exchange, a full day of networking and discussions about teaching young musicians held at SFCM on Sunday, January 10. Private and in-school instructors will discuss a range of topics, including establishing a private studio or summer program, innovative approaches to classroom curricula, and engaging underserved communities. $50 general admission. Free for SFCM students and alumni. Details.
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The String Quartet Experience
December 3, 7:30 pm
Guitarist, composer and music producer Nahuel Bronzini '14 releases his new album The String Quartet Experience with a concert at San Francisco's Red Poppy Art House on December 3. The album and concert feature Bronzini's arrangements of original songs by an eclectic group of singer-songwriters performed by artists including the SFCM student-founded Amaranth String Quartet. Details.
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SF Contemporary Music Players
January 19, 7:30 pm
SFCMP proudly partners with SFCM for the series X-SCAPE: New Spaces for New Music, exploring space in the physical, metaphorical, and poetic sense. Xeri from Greek ξηρός means "dry." Scape means "space." Xeriscape invokes climate change and poses the question: is there a cultural and musical counterpart to climate change? Are there important artistic statements that resonate in new arid spaces? SFCM students join SFCMP in the program Xeriscape on Tuesday, January 19. Details.
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San Francisco Girls Chorus with Deborah Voigt
December 7, 8 pm
Celebrate the holidays with the five-time Grammy Award-winning San Francisco Girls Chorus and special guest Deborah Voigt at Davies Symphony Hall on Monday, December 7 at 8 pm. It's "An American Christmas," featuring 350 voices from the San Francisco Girls Chorus and School, and one of the world's most versatile singers and endearing musical personalities, opera superstar Deborah Voigt. There's no better way to start off your holiday season than with this glorious evening of uniquely American Christmas music - and you'll be invited to sing along to some of your favorite carols. Details.
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