ENCINITAS — Did you know Encinitas has its very own symphony orchestra? The North Coast Symphony Orchestra (NCSO) was founded in Encinitas in 1947 by Alfred Williams.
This summer, the NCSO will perform “Pops Picnic” at 4 p.m. July 27 and at 7:30 p.m. July 29 at the Encinitas Community Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive. The concert will fill the summer nights with Broadway and movie score favorites, including selections from “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” “Jurassic Park,” and “Frozen.”
Anna Roberts, a San Diego musical theater enthusiast and singer, will be the featured vocalist. Conductor, Daniel Swem, brings a teacher’s heart, musician’s expertise, and personable humor to the podium. He has a master of music degree in violin and conducting from the University of Redlands. He was formerly concertmaster and now principal violist for the La Jolla Symphony Orchestra.
Tables seating up to eight persons will be set up so that the audience can enjoy a picnic supper during the concert. Do bring food, but not alcoholic beverages. Also, a dance floor will be set up so that the children in the audience can move to the music rather than having to sit still throughout the concert. Tickets available at the door: $10 general, $8 seniors/students/military, $25/family max. More information is available from the orchestra Web site at HYPERLINK “http://www.northcoastsymphony.com/”northcoastsymphony.com.
The North Coast Symphony Orchestra accepts musicians with appropriate skill and interest in orchestral music. The conductor approves all members and a brief audition may be required. Currently, the orchestra rehearses every Tuesday evening from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Seacoast Community Church, 1050 Regal Road, room C-3.
The symphony has had several names over the years, including North Shores Symphony. The orchestra is a community orchestra comprised of amateur and professional musicians from the Northern San Diego County coastal region. Five programs are rehearsed each calendar year, usually with two performances each, generally one in the afternoon and the other in the evening on separate days. For more than 30 years, the NCSO was associated with Mira Costa College, but about five years ago it again became an independent entity. There is a board of directors that manages the orchestra’s affairs and a small endowment, which subsidizes its operations. In addition, for the last three years the NCOS has received a small grant from the city of Encinitas and Mizel Family Foundation.
