Riverside, Orange County musicians join forces in “The Planets”

On Saturday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m., the La Sierra University Orchestra, Symphony Irvine, and musicians from Santa Ana Valley High School’s orchestra will play the popular Holst work which is comprised of seven movements, each named for the planets Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The performance by the combined group of 87 musicians will be illustrated by animated graphic images of the planets, with planetary descriptions given by La Sierra Music Department Chair David Kendall.

“Since this work calls for such a large orchestra--almost double the usual amount--we needed to combine forces,” said Dean Anderson, director of the La Sierra and Irvine orchestras. The concert will be held at the La Sierra University Church.

Holst penned the composition between 1914 and 1916. It was first performed 100 years ago in a concert at the Queen’s Hall, Langham Palace, London on Sept. 29, 1918. The production does not include the planet Pluto which was not discovered until 1930. At the time, the composer had no interest in writing an eighth movement, according to biographical accounts. In August 2006, the International Astronomical Union reclassified Pluto as a ‘dwarf planet.’ 

During the past weeks, Anderson has directed the musicians in individual group rehearsals with combined rehearsals on Oct. 14 and 21. The Santa Ana Valley High School students are participating through their connection with the lead percussionist for Symphony Irvine who is also the students’ orchestra teacher.

The joint performance of “The Planets” provides university students “the opportunity to perform a work of epic proportions” and gives them an opportunity for outreach and collaboration with amateur and professional musicians outside the university,” Anderson said. “This worked out well for Symphony Irvine [also], which is a volunteer group of committed musicians who want to play larger works, but are usually limited by the available size of the ensemble,” he said.

“I am hoping the audience will be inspired,” Anderson added. “Holst composed for the orchestra in such a way as to showcase the different sound, colors, and characters that are not usual, such as a bass oboe, or alto flute.”

Anderson is entering his fifth year as La Sierra University’s director of orchestral studies. He also serves as music director for the Dana Point Symphony and as artistic director for Symphony Irvine. In 2015, Anderson joined the Montecito International Music Festival acting as the principal orchestra director. He also led the combined orchestras of La Sierra University and Symphony Irvine at Walt Disney Hall in the West Coast premiere of Marcos Galvany’s operatic tableau "Oh My Son." His extensive credits include serving as cover conductor for the San Diego Symphony and performing with noted violinist Andres Cardenes, violist Yizhak Shotten and with such artists as Smokey Robinson, Manhattan Transfer, John Tesh, Lincoln Mayorga, Arlo Guthrie and Dick Dale.

Anderson has guest conducted orchestras around the world and was the first American to conduct the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony in Vietnam. As a conductor of opera, he has directed productions with Opera UCLA, the Fullerton College Opera Workshop, and the La Sierra University Opera. 

Anderson studied violin with John Mcleod and conducting with Edward Dolbashian at the University of Missouri in Columbia. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of California, Los Angeles under the mentorship of Neal Stulberg.

Tickets for “The Planets” are $15 general admission, $10 for seniors aged 55 and over, and $5 for students with identification. The La Sierra University Church is located at 4937 Sierra Vista Ave., Riverside. For further information call 951-785-2036 or email music@lasierra.edu.