Poway Community Symphony Orchestra Presents its Season Opener

The Poway Community Symphony Orchestra will present its first concert of the season at the  this Sunday.

The free Winter Concert will feature music from English composers.

Ulli Reiner, the manager, founder and concertmaster of the Poway Community Symphony Orchestra and conductor of the Poway Community Symphonette, explained the concert will showcase music that is "not your typical classical type of music."

"This is more of a relaxing, very enjoyable, just calming kind of music, which is a little bit different," Reiner said, in comparison to the "emotionally-charged" music of classical composers such as Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms. "Programs should be different; they should offer a variety for a variety of audience appeal."

The program will include selections from Gustav Holst's "The Planets," Edward Elgar's "Enigma Variations," and more. Violinist Bridget Dolkas will be the featured soloist performing "The Lark Ascending" by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

The Poway Community Symphony Orchestra was founded by Reiner in 2004. The orchestra serves Poway, Rancho Bernardo and other neighboring communities.

"I have friends who came to me and said that they thought there was enough interest in the area here, and there were so many teachers and players locally," Reiner said. "They had asked me if I would be interested in forming a group here and I said of course I would."

Reiner has taught music and developed music programs at local Poway schools for 25 years. Therefore, she knew the community would be receptive of the orchestra.

"Poway has always been a very strong supporter of music in the schools, and with that, a lot of these students come out of high school, come out of college, and they don't have an outlet to play," Reiner explained. "They want to return to playing again and enjoying music that they did as a child growing up…They really like to see that the music continues; it doesn't just end at the senior level in high school."

In fact, there are adults in the orchestra who Reiner has known for years, some of them since they were elementary schoolchildren.

"We're all just one big extended musical family," she said. "It's a wonderful thing to see."

Because Reiner advocates the importance of music education, admission to the Community Symphony Orchestra's performances, including its Sunday concert, is free. The orchestra does accept donations, however.

"I don't want to charge admission because we want to keep our doors open for families that may be limited on funds, but maybe they can give a dollar—we allow each individual to make that decision themselves," she said. "If we limit and we start putting price tags on tickets, then we're leaving out a certain percentage of the public that we feel would really benefit from the education of the music we're providing for them."

The orchestra is always looking for new members. Both the Poway Community Symphony Orchestra and Symphonette are run through the Poway Adult School. Tuition helps cover the costs of music, facilities and the salary of Music Director Warren Torns.

"We are open to professionals, high school students or community members who would like to play for fun," Reiner said. "It is our time to give back to the community. That's basically what I feel my mission is in having established this organization and seeing to it that it continues to thrive and grow in the area." 

Event info

What: Poway Community Symphony Orchestra's Winter Concert

When: Sunday, Nov. 14 at 2 p.m.

Where: Poway Center for the Performing Arts, 15498 Espola Rd., Poway

How much: Admission is free, donations will be accepted.

Contact: For more information, visit the Poway Community Symphony Orchestra and Symphonette's website.