concert

The Inland Valley Symphony has been one the crown jewels of the vast Inland Empire cultural scene for two decades and, for their 20th anniversary season, the top-notch 60-member orchestra brings the sophistication of a much larger city to a small but devoted community. On of Saturday, February 28th at Temecula Valley High School Golden Bears Theater, the Inland Valley Symphony and their new Music Director and Maestro, John Mario, present an all-classical program entitled “Romancing the Piano.

The music series Classics at the Merc has been making classical music personal and accessible to Inland Empire residents each week; highlighting the talents of some of the best in the business in an intimate 48-seat setting. This week’s installment, entitled “For the Love of Lieder,” reunites pianist George Fee and mezzo-somprano Kindra Scharich in the space where they began their partnership.

Second only to the Beach Boys for the most Billboard Chart-topping albums and singles by an American band, Chicago has solidified their place in musical history; releasing 23 gold, 18 platinum and 8 multi-platinum albums and 21 top-ten hits including “Saturday in the Park,” “If You Leave Me Now,” “You’re the Inspiration,” “Will You Still Love Me,” and “Look Away.”

Brothers Kanan, Kyle and Kory Cox formed Kanan Road over fifteen years ago, as teenagers, in Palmdale. Together with Rick Rickards on bass and drummer Brandon Scott, Kanan Road has found success opening for such big names as The Band Perry, Scotty McCreery, and Blue Oyster Cult, among others. They can be found headlining at venues all over Southern California, including locally at the Temecula Balloon and Wine Festival and all over wine country.

Most of the wineries in Temecula Valley are now offering live entertainment on weekends, but even though some of the venues may be intimate and local, the performers are still the best in the business. When Southern California-based trio, Nathan James at the Rhythm Scratchers, head to Miramonte Winery, one of their favorite “hometown” venues, they bring a unique blend of genres spanning decades of great music.

For the past six years, The Oak Grove Center’s annual benefit concert has funded their students’ love of the arts. For this year’s seventh installment, the event is now so big that it’s literally tripled in size since inception. Formerly billed as “Temecula Live,” 100% of Oak Grove’s “Rock the Oaks” concerts will benefit the exemplary arts programs at both their Temecula and Perris campuses.

Violinist Maria Kaneko Millar, Flutist Shawn Wyckoff and Cellist Nan-Cheng Chen were all accomplished musicians in their own right, having played solo performances in some of the most highly regarded venues in the country including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and even the Library of Congress. It wasn’t until this trio of Julliard graduates joined together to form Sonic Escape that something truly unique was born.

When I say the word “ukulele,” what comes to your mind? Perhaps you imagine a large Polynesian guy on a hammock, strumming the strings under a palm tree at sunset? Well, the ukulele has come a long way, baby, and you can see exactly how far when The Ooks of Hazzard come to the Old Town Temecula Community Theater this Friday night.

I remember once talking to my mom about what it was like to be a teenager in the late sixties and she always described about how girls back then were identified in one of two ways; Beatles fans or Rolling Stones fans. According to Mom, the “good girls” were gaga for The Fab Four from Liverpool and there was, of course, the eternal debate about whether you were “a Paul” or “a John.

Growing up in a blue-collar neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, thirteen-year-old Kenny Cetera watched as his brother, ten years his senior, joined a newly-formed rock band that was looking for a tenor. With singer and bassist Peter Cetera on board, The Chicago Transit Authority released their self-titled album in 1969 and soon skyrocketed to fame.