WELCOME  Francesco Lecce-Chong, Artistic & Music Director   	
	
W
elcome to the 2026–2027 season of your Santa Rosa Symphony! It is always an immense joy 
to join my brilliant colleagues on stage, look out into the warmth of our beautiful Weill Hall, and 
welcome you to another season of exhilarating musical adventures.
Every time I step onto the podium, I am reminded of how lucky we are to have this sacred time 
together. In a world that often feels increasingly noisy, fragmented, and fast-paced, the concert hall 
remains one of the few places where we can collectively pause, unplug, and appreciate this moment. 
Here, we do not just listen to music; we experience it as a community.
My goal each season is to create a journey of deep connection—exploring the threads that bind 
the towering, legendary masterpieces of our past to the vibrant, innovative voices of our present. 
This season is no exception as we bring back two composers by popular demand—Matt Browne 
and Jonathan Leshnoff—and present the world premieres of their new, large-scale works alongside 
beloved masterpieces by Tchaikovsky and Brahms. Perhaps most notably, I am thrilled that we will be 
presenting the California premiere of Gabriela Lena Frank’s Picaflor: A Future Myth, the most recent 
winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Music. Our audiences will have a chance to take in one of today’s most 
celebrated works alongside one of the iconic works of concert music: Carmina Burana.
This interplay between tradition and innovation is where the true magic of the symphony happens. By 
experiencing these works side by side, we discover a beautiful truth: the human triumphs, struggles, 
griefs, and joys expressed by composers centuries ago are the very ones we navigate in our lives today.
My colleagues and I are also thrilled to collaborate with a stellar roster of world-class guest artists 
who bring fresh, global perspectives to our Sonoma County stage. Two of the most celebrated soloists 
of our time join us this season, pianist Marc-André Hamelin and violinist Elina Vähälä, alongside some 
of the most exciting emerging artists on concert stages today. I am especially delighted that you will 
have a chance to hear 16-year-old violin prodigy Mio Imai—who very much reminds me of how both 
Sarah Chang and Hilary Hahn made notable Santa Rosa Symphony debuts early in their careers.
None of this is possible without you. Whether you are a lifelong subscriber who has supported us 
for decades, or a first-time guest taking a chance on a new experience, your presence is the vital, 
final ingredient of every performance. 
Inspiration is a two-way street, and from 
my travels around the world, I can say with 
certainty that we have the best audience 
here in Santa Rosa, and you inspire us to 
ever greater heights.
Thank you for your curiosity, passion, 
and steadfast support of the Santa Rosa 
Symphony.
With deepest gratitude and admiration,
Francesco Lecce-Chong
Photo by Loren Hansen Photography
   5

View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.