How wonderful it was to conduct the opening concerts of Symphony Silicon Valley's 10th Anniversary Season. I've been going out there annually ever since its inception and have come to know everyone rather well. The musicians, staff and public are like old friends now.

On this occasion, I had a chance to finally perform David Amram's marvelous "Triple Concerto" WITH DAVID on the piano and Pakastani flute. Dedicated to the spirit of jazz, the jazz, wind and brass quintets plus full orchestra make quite a remarkable racket! It's quite a trick to coordinate and balance all these elements but we managed very well and the audience loved it.

I also had a chance to conduct Holst's "The Planets" for the first time in 20 years, so it was like a new experience. As "popular" as this work is, what struck me on stage was how serious it felt. The richness, brilliance, mystery, serenity, color and power really seemed "great" to me, in the way that all the "great" works do. I loved the added sonority of the bass flute and bass oboe. It's a pity more composers didn't write for them. And the off-stage female choir at the end is so special.

The choir director, Elena Sharkova came up with a novel solution for creating a truly gradual and long diminuendo to the close. She brought a ton of scarves and had the ladies and young girls hold them away at first and gradually bring them in towards their mouths as they sang which muffled the volume ever so slowly. It was perfect! Plus, since they didn't have to get softer with the voice, it was easier to stay on pitch, which they did completely! Cool, huh? Bravo, Elena!