The Sierra Chamber Society entered its 39 th season in the fall of 2025––we birthed in
1987. Our first live performance was given at an address on East Street in downtown
Walnut Creek, a converted car mechanic’s garage. From this modest beginning, the
SCS migrated to the old ‘Walnut Factory’ located at the corner of Locust Street and
Civic Drive. While the current Lesher Center for the Arts was under construction, the
Sierra Chamber Society moved to Grace Presbyterian Church, just down the street from
Rossmoor. Thus began our long, happy relationship with the Rossmoor community of
whose dedication and generosity we of the Sierra Chamber Society have come to so
appreciate. Historically as at present, Rossmoor has always been well represented in
our audience. Upon completion of the Regional Center, we performed there for some
11 years, then the Sierra Chamber Society re-relocated to Grace. At Grace
Presbyterian Church, we encounter a warm welcome and a sense of sanctity as well as
a fine Steinway concert grand piano, courtesy of the Contra Costa Performing Arts
Association, not to mention affordable access.
As for our musicians, the Sierra Chamber Society has enjoyed access to the very finest
of musicians since its inception. Over our nigh four decades in the chamber music-
making business, the Sierra Chamber Society has featured members of the San
Francisco Ballet and Opera orchestras, followed by emphasis upon members of the San
Francisco Symphony, including several principals as well as associate principles. We
offer special thanks to Marc Shapiro, acting Principal Pianist of the SF Symphony under
the leadership of Michael Tilson Thomas and currently acting SFS member, Principal
Keyboardist of the California Symphony, and our principal pianist. Several of our players
became devotees of the SCS. One of those is Barb Andres, cellist, who has the longest
tenure of any current member of the San Francisco Symphony, and was our principal
cellist for three decades. I myself have collaborated as accompanist many times back in
the day with Barb. As the SFS became busier, including World Tours, assess to its
players grew more difficult. We also draw on the best musicians in the Bay Area,
including Jeffrey LaDeur (www.jeffreyladeur.com) as well the fabulous members of the
Ensemble SF. On more than one occasion I’ve been gratified to have been told, “The
Sierra Chamber Society is our most favorite gig after our day jobs!” It’s really thanks to
Stephany Cavalier Houghton (beloved spouse as well SCS Business Manager).
Stephany’s nonpareil choco-chip cookies are truly the basis of our SFS and other
musician friends’ willingness to brave traffic crossing the Bay Bridge.
As for its accomplishments, the Sierra Chamber Society has reached out to the
community via such means as off-site performances as well a class taught at DVC
sponsored by their Department of Music, entitled Gaining an Appreciation of Chamber
Music. We have commissioned several new works from illustrious composers the likes
of Lawrence Rosenthal whose scores have been featured in The Miracle Worker, A
Raisin in the Sun, and Clash of the Titans as well as Robert Sirota
(www.robertsirota.com), preeminent contemporary American composer, past President
of the Peabody Conservatory, emeritus and past Director of the Manhattan School ofMusic. Bob and I collaborated on Contrapassos for Voice and String Quartet,
commissioned by the Sierra Chamber Society, based on a poem I’d composed entitled
Contrapassos. The Sierra Chamber Society presented this work in its World Premiere
the summer of 2022 to an audience of some 60 patrons, having been forced to shutter
its doors for one whole season the season before whilst the pandemic had its way.
Contrapassos for Voice and String Quartet has enjoyed considerable earplay having
been performed at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the 92 nd street Y in New
York City, and most recently by Music on the Slopes as presented by the Brooklyn
Academy of Art.
As Founder, Director and Principal Pianist, emeritus, I thank our audience for your
continued support. The Sierra Chamber Society offers FLEX tickets, that is to say any
ticket is good at any and all performances. Bring a friend, rather an -itude of friends.
Remember, FLEX tickets make great gifts at a time when chamber music is suffering
attrition in attendance as are so many other similar concerns in all the arts community.