Music at the Mission
Provocative, Engaging, and High-Caliber Programs through Innovation
HISTORY
MUSIC AT THE MISSION grew out of the desire of local community members to as a cultural center of performing arts. Founding Director and pianist Aileen Chanco tested audience demand by presenting a concert of both classical chamber music and solo works in February 2005. Encouraged by the enthusiastic response and success of that first concert, Aileen presented a new group, the Adorno Ensemble that spring.
Her artistic vision was to present “a new type of chamber music series for the new century” to stimulate greater interest in classical music among the next generation. With the aim of encouraging audience participation and closer interaction with the artists, Aileen brought in Bill Everett to give educational pre-concert talks, begin outreach performances to schools and senior citizen facilities, and included “Meet and Greet the Artist Receptions” after each performance to enhance the concert going experience.
For the first 4 seasons, MUSIC AT THE MISSION partnered with Music@Market in San Jose so that South Bay audiences would be able to attend the same concert at a venue closer to home. The performances were presented at both Old Mission San Jose in Fremont and at the San Jose Cathedral Basilica. Since then, MUSIC AT THE MISSION began to focus more on the local community in which it belongs and has grown to be an important part of the Tri-Cities arts scene yet continues to draw audience members Bay Area-wide. Acclaimed artists presented include ETHEL (string quartet), soprano Lucy Shelton, pianist Stephen Gosling, actors David Ogden Stiers and Roscoe Lee Browne. New and newly commissioned works by American, Latin American, Chinese, Azerbaijani and Georgian composers have been part of each seasons programming in addition to traditional chamber music programs. Looking forward to its 19th season in 2023-2024, MUSIC AT THE MISSION promises many exciting seasons of chamber music!