The Oakland East Bay Symphony’s eclectic repertoire sometimes features more obscure composers such as Erwin Schulhoff and Mieczyslaw Weinberg alongside Beethoven, the contemporary composer Ned Rorem juxtaposed with Schubert and Brahms, or Dvorak paired with works by Filipino composers. The orchestra is characterized by the spirit of openness that it displays toward the community—rehearsals are free and open to the public on select Thursday afternoons, and talks are given prior to each concert, sometimes by a composer featured on the program.
The organization’s educational outreach features a wide-reaching instrumental music program for students from grades 3 to 12, as well as a series of Young People’s Concerts (YPC). In addition, the website includes lesson plans from past YPC programs.
Oakland East Bay Symphony Information
- Public Transportation: Excellent (a 2-minute walk from AC Transit buses 1, 1R, 11, 12, 18, 51A, 72, 72M, 72R, 800, 802, 805, 851, BA, NL, and BART trains at the 19th Street Oakland BART station)
- Handicapped Accessibility: Excellent
- Performances/Programs: Six “Classical Concert Series” performances, one Holiday concert performance
- Ticket Prices: Classical Concert Series concerts ($20–$70); Holiday concert ($20–$45 regular admission, $15 youth under 18)
- Subscriptions: 3-concert ($42–$180); 4-concert ($56–$240); 5-concert ($70–$300); 6-concert ($84–$360). Subscriber benefits include priority seating, free ticket replacement and ticket exchange, advance program notes, a subscription to the Symphony newsletter, and invitations to special subscriber events
- Donor Benefits: Contributor ($50–$99); Friend ($100–$249); Supporter ($250–$499); Conductor’s Club ($500–$999); President’s Circle ($1,000–$2,499); Silver Baton Circle ($2,500–$4,999); Gold Baton Circle ($5,000–$7,499); Diamond Baton Circle ($7,500–$9,999); Presenter’s Circle ($10,000–$19,999); and Impresario’s Circle ($20,000+). Depending on level, benefits include advance program notes, program listing, invitation to preview talk and reception, access to Baton Society Wine Bar, and more.
