Quint-essential

Santa Barbara Symphony concluded its seven-event Concert Aperitif series with a quintessential performance.

Todd and Allyson Aldrich opened the doors of their stunning Montecito aerie for a recital by Russian violinist Philippe Quint, 49, who played in the orchestra’s Platinum Sounds: The Symphony Turns 70 concert at the Granada two days later.

Playing a 1708 “Ruby” Antonio Stradivari instrument, the multi-Grammy Award nominee and Juilliard, New York, student, Quint gave a preview of his imaginative weekend performance of Mendelssohn’s concerto in E minor, one of the most prominent and highly recognized works in the concerto repertoire for violin.

The concert opened with Concerto Grosso featuring all the symphony’s principal players, composed by Jonathan Leshnoff, which was previously commissioned for the symphony’s 60th anniversary, and wrapped with Brahm’s monumental Symphony No. 1 in C minor, which took the composer 21 years of revisions to declare ready to perform publicly in 1876.

Music supporters turning out for the aperitif sunset soirée included Barbara Burger, Dan Burnham, Fred and Nancy Golden, Stewart Hudnut, Sybil Rosen, Joan Rutkowski, Robert Weinman, Rachel Kaganoff Stern, Adam and Soraya Budgor,and
Mikki Andina.