Monterey Symphony 73rd Season

A spectacular lineup of guest performers are poised to make the 73rd season of the Monterey Symphony a special one for local music aficionados who, from October to May, will be treated to a series of six concerts, featuring some of the most-iconic compositions of all time.

Salinas, CA, April 07, 2018 - A spectacular lineup of guest performers are poised to make the 73rd season of the Monterey Symphony a special one for local music aficionados who, from October to May, will be treated to a series of six concerts, featuring some of the most-iconic compositions of all time.

Tickets (priced from $10-$84, with student and military discounts available) and additional information can be obtained online by visiting the website at www.montereysymphony.org, or by calling 831-646-8511. Tickets also will be sold at the box office on performance days.

Here's a preview of a season entitled Sound Waves, which promises to be a memorable series of shows, which will include Saturday-evening performances at 8 p.m., and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m., at the fabulous Sunset Center (Ninth Avenue and San Carlos Street, Carmel).

Program 1 -- Oct. 20-21

The 2018-19 season debuts with a program showcasing conductor Max Bragado-Darman and the Monterey Symphony performing a new work from compose Alex Berko commissioned with the Big Sur Land Trust, plus Franz Shubert's Symphony No. 9, "The Great."

Berko, an exceptional student at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, drew his inspiration for his new orchestral work, Among Waves, from the deep beauty of the landscape during a week in residence at Glen Deven Ranch in Big Sur.

Glen Deven Ranch also played a role in the first commission with the Big Sur Land Trust, resulting in Big Sur, the Night Sun, by esteemed composer John Wineglass, performed by the Monterey Symphony on the opening weekend of last year's concert series.

Program 2 -- Nov. 17-18

Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4, Op. 36 (often referred to as the "Fate" symphony because of its dark undertones) headlines the second concert of the series.

Written in the shadow of Beethoven's masterful Symphony No. 5, Tchaikovsky echoes the great master's melancholy in this hallmark orchestral work.

Celebrated American flautist Carol Wincenc, a professor at The Julliard School, will be spotlighted during this same program, joining the orchestra for Carl Nielsen's Flute Concerto, composed in 1926 for legendary flautist M. Holger-Gilbert Jespersen. This concert also will feature members of the Youth Music Monterey County Honors Orchestra, playing side-by-side on Hector Berlioz's Overture, Le corsair, Op. 21, which, like the Tchaikovsky symphony, was also composed during a period of great despair.

Program 3 -- Feb. 16-17

The third weekend of the "Sound Waves" season comes alive with four works, each of which is dedicated to the sea.

Claude Debussy, the father of Impressionism in music, composed La Mer in the mold of a symphony, but eschewed the traditional title for one more authentic to the sound of the music.

French composer Jacques Ibert, director of French opera in Rome, wrote Escales -- a suite for orchestra that perfectly resembles postcards from three Mediterranean ports -- after finding his obsession with the sea.

This concert also features "Four Sea Interludes" from Peter Grimes, Op. 33a, by Benjamin Britten, England's finest modern opera composer. Composed in 1945, the piece launched the career of Grimes in the new postwar era. The gorgeous tone-poem Oceanides, Op. 73, by Jean Sibelius, was inspired by the haunting and tempting sea nymphs referenced in Greek mythology.

Program 4 -- March 16-17

Jung-Ho Pak will be guest conductor for the fourth concert of the season, featuring the works of Tan Dun, Shostakovich, and Alan Hovhaness.

The revolutionary experimental composer Tan Dun transposes the sounds of water -- at play and at work -- into the textures of his music, most literally in Water Concerto for water percussion and orchestra.

Hovhaness' symphonic poem, And God Created Great Whales (commissioned in 1976 by the New York Philharmonic), featuring prerecorded humpback whale vocalizations, was credited with early efforts to save whales from extinction.

And Dmitri Shostakovich was commissioned to write Symphony No. 9 -- described by Leonard Bernstein as a series of musical jokes (including purposeful mistakes) -- to celebrate the Soviet victory over Germany.

Program 5 -- April 13-14

Three Romantic German composers are featured in the fifth concert of the season, a program that opens with Mendelssohn's concert overture, Calm Sea, and Prosperous Voyage, Op. 27, inspired by Beethoven's work of the same name.

Solo artist Elmar Oliveira returns with the Monterey Symphony to perform Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 26, by Jewish composer Max Bruch.

And Robert Schumann's Symphony No. 4, Op. 120, originally from his unpublished second symphony, underwent massive revisions in 1851 (five years before his death), proving his mastery over orchestration and increased expression in the final edition of this emotional Romantic symphony.

Program 6 -- May 18-19

The sixth and final concert of the season will conclude in grand fashion with music by Wagner, Chopin, and Beethoven.

Richard Wagner composed brilliant overtures throughout his many German operas, including the overture from The Flying Dutchman, which will be showcased as the opening work in the season finale.

Chopin's stunning Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 21 -- composed before he completed his formal education at age 20 -- follows, will be performed by magnificent Cuban pianist Marcos Madrigal.

And the season ends with one of the all-time greatest compositions for the concert hall, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, Op. 67. A favorite among experienced and new audiences, musicians, and conductors, the fifth endeavor in the symphony genre struck a chord for Beethoven as he discovered his true forte. It is the "Stairway to Heaven" of classical music!

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.montereysymphony.org

Bay Area Folk Singer and Her Group to Perform Interactive Children’s Concert on June 22, in Palo Alto

Bay Area Folk Singer and Her Group to Perform Interactive Children’s Concert on June 22, in Palo Alto

Los Altos, CA, April 06, 2018 — Folk musician Kathy Sherman and her band Hey Mom! will perform a free, family-friendly interactive concert Friday, June 22, at Mitchell Park in Palo Alto.

Part of the Friday night summer concert series at the Magical Bridge Playground, located at Mitchell Park, 3700 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto, Sherman and Hey Mom! will perform from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Sherman has been a professional folk musician for 44 years and a music teacher for nine. She performs in three different folk bands and has released six recordings.

Her latest release is an 18-song children’s singalong album, “Let’s Sing!” which features such all-time favorite sing-alongs such as “The Hokey Pokey,” “She’ll Be Comin’ ’Round the Mountain,” “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” “How Much is That Doggie in the Window,” and “Teddy Bear’s Picnic.”

The album also has an accompanying “Let’s Sing!” songbook, which includes all of the songs on “Let’s Sing!,” as well as selected songs from Hey Mom!’s “Listen to Your Mama” and “Singing on a Star.”

In addition to Hey Mom!, Sherman is also member of the Good Folk Collective, the Greek folk duo The Plaka Band. She has recorded and released six albums with the three groups.

Media Interviews Available
Additional Photography Available
To request a CD for media review, please email Marci@ChatterboxPublicRelations.com.

Send the following information:
Name
Publication
Mailing Address

About Kathy Sherman
Kathy Sherman started her professional music career at age 15, playing Greek music in clubs, restaurants, festivals , and concerts. She put down her bouzouki, the mandolin-like instrument central to modern Greek music, long enough to earn a BMus in classical guitar performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She was a member of the Electric Guitar Quartet, a classical / comedy group that opened for such guitar luminaries as Leo Kottke, Jorma Kaukonen, John Hartford, The Great Guitars (Barney Kessel, Charlie Byrd, and Herb Ellis) and Free Flight.

Kathy’s current music experiences include Greek folk music with long-time friend and fellow musician, Notis Contoplianos in their group, The Plaka Band. Notis and Kathy have two extraordinary CDs, New Songs of Old Athens (selected for Grammy consideration for best World Music Album), and A Time to Sing, A Time to Dance, a rollicking collection of favorite Greek dance music. For more information about The Plaka Band, please check out their website, ThePlakaBand.com. Kathy also plays classical mandolin for orchestras who have the occasional need for one.

http://www.goodfolksongs.com
https://www.instagram.com/goodfolksongs/
https://store.cdbaby.com/m/cd/kathyshermanandthegoodfo
https://www.facebook.com/kathy.sherman.folk.singer.123829?hc_ref=ARSxYil_PqqCjfBQih1NEnvBFJnE2ogdDAYvxKRTFspGrq8hCv1gsf9bPo36UpZdfUU&fref=nf
http://www.goodfolksongs.com

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.goodfolksongs.com

Interim Inc. and its Grateful Residents Believe in the Healing Power of Canine Therapy

Interim Inc. and its Grateful Residents Believe in the Healing Power of Canine Therapy

There are four special unpaid employees at Interim Inc. that are known for their calm, gentle manner and ability to provide emotional therapeutic support that aids in the healing process for Interim’s residents.

Monterey, CA, April 05, 2018 — There are four special unpaid employees at Interim Inc. that are known for their calm, gentle manner and ability to provide emotional therapeutic support that aids in the healing process for Interim’s residents.

They are four therapy dogs that work directly in programs at Interim, a Monterey-based private nonprofit organization that provides support services, housing and treatment for adults with mental illness in Monterey County.

All four are trained to provide emotional therapeutic support and assisting in the healing process. These four-legged companions help decrease feelings of anxiety, increase feelings of comfort and safety, and reduce loneliness in residents.

Here’s the story of three of the canines, Angel, Rufus and Juno:

Angel

About twice a month, and sometimes more, Manzanita House has a visiting “Angel.” Manzanita House is Interim’s crisis residential program, where residents are recovering from a mental health crisis. The emotional support that a therapy dog can provide to clients at this juncture is much needed.

Sometimes you will find Angel hanging out in the Living Room, sometimes in the Dining Room or Day Room. She has been known to calmly sit next to residents on the couch or enthusiastically greet them with a big kiss. She is always accompanied by her chauffer, friend and personal human, Grace Rider.

Angel is a registered therapy dog. Her black and tan sausage shape wiggles with happiness as she greets you.

“I was told Dachshunds could be hard to train, but Angel wasn’t that way,” says Rider. “The International Therapy Dog trainer in Salinas says Angel’s got the perfect therapy dog personality. She’s very vocal for a dachshund and will greet with you with a gurgle.  She loves everyone she meets.”

Angel has been visiting Manzanita House regularly for about four years. Rider says Angel seems to understand the residents — whether they need a quiet canine friend to sit next to them for a while, or if someone needs full-on doggy kisses. As the residents interact with Angel, sometimes they share their journey with Rider. They both listen without judgment.

When she is not at Manzanita House, Angel visits the Hospice at CHOMP and other rehabilitation centers in the area, spreading doggy joy with every visit.

Rufus

Manzanita House has another regular visitor who comes to play with residents. Rufus is a Black Lab and his owner Carla stopped in at the Interim offices recently to meet the administrative staff.

“Rufus came from the Monterey County SPCA. He was part of a program called ‘Take the Lead’ where young people who are part of the juvenile probation program work with dogs in the shelter to train them,” says Carla, Rufus’ human. Rufus was taught basic commands, how to walk on a leash and basic obedience. (Unfortunately, this program has been discontinued.)

“We got Rufus when he was 4 months old — he’s 9 years old now — and had him evaluated and trained at the Zoom Room (now California Canine Training) in Pacific Grove, with the idea that he could be a therapy dog,” said Carla. “Part of the training was for me, on how to handle him. Rufus passed with flying colors and went on to receive specialized therapy training from Therapy Dogs International.”

Rufus especially likes to play ball with the residents in the back yard at Manzanita House.  Sometimes he can be found rolling on the floor in the living room, nuzzling a resident. He loves to play and loves meeting new people.

“When we stop in to visit, the staff at Manzanita makes an announcement over the intercom that Rufus is here, and the residents, and sometimes staff, come out to see him,” Carla said.

When not “working,” Rufus lives at home with his humans, Carla and Tony and “sister” Cammie, a white lab who is a hospital therapy dog.

Juno

The homelike setting of Interim’s Bridge House program in Monterey provides a structured, non-institutional therapeutic community where residents with co-occurring substance use disorders and psychiatric disabilities learn to rebuild their lives.

At Bridge House, Juno, a St. Bernard, works the night shift as a therapy dog. Juno’s human is Leah Mahar, who incidentally also works the night shift at Bridge House. Leah has been on staff for eight years, six of which she has been accompanied by Juno.

“I had been working here a couple of years, and knew about therapy dogs and how they could help people with stress,” said Mahar. “I started looking for a dog that would make a good therapy dog, and saw Juno advertised on Craigslist. I called her owner who had Juno and her mother — they had originally thought to breed Juno. I told the owner that I was looking for a dog to be a therapy dog, and she said she thought Juno’s temperament was perfect for that kind of job.”

Juno’s training began with regular canine obedience classes. But to become a therapy dog, she had to be able to pass additional tests, such as not jumping on people, not reacting to other dogs, and not eating food dropped on the ground.  She had to remain calm in situations where other people and animals around her might be agitated. Juno passed with flying colors!

For residents of Bridge House who are learning to cope with mental illness while also dealing with substance use disorders, Juno’s gentle acceptance can be as healing as medication.

A typical shift for Juno and Leah begins about 10:45 p.m., and some residents will wait up to visit with Juno before they go to bed.

“Sometimes it’s hard for our residents to settle into their new routine,” said Mahar. “They are away from home and may be missing their families and pets. Juno is just there for them, unconditionally.”

Often, a few minutes petting and talking to Juno helps residents relax before bed. Since Juno and Leah’s shift continues until 8 a.m., residents often visit with Juno when they first get up in the morning.  She provides a comforting presence that settles them at the start of their day.

Interim believes in the healing power of our four-legged friends, and the results are evident by the many smiles at Manzanita House and Bridge House.

Interim Inc.
P.O. Box 3222
Monterey, CA 93942
(831) 649-4522
www.interiminc.org

About Interim Inc.
Interim, Inc. is a private nonprofit organization that provides a unique combination of support services, housing and treatment for adults with mental illness in Monterey County. Services provided include affordable supportive housing, residential treatment, mental health and dual-recovery services, case coordination, therapeutic services, outreach and intensive support for homeless adults, supported education and employment, day treatment and peer support.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.interiminc.org

Monterey County Fair & Event Center Hires Nicolette Aldrete as Facility Marketing Representative

The Monterey County Fair & Event Center has announced the hiring of Nicolette Aldrete as Facility Marketing Representative.

Monterey, CA, April 04, 2018 — The Monterey County Fair & Event Center has announced the hiring of Nicolette Aldrete as Facility Marketing Representative.

Born and raised in Monterey, Aldrete is a 2013 graduate of Salinas High School, where she played volleyball all four years. She attended Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park as a wine business/marketing major, graduating in December 2017.

In college she worked for Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association and Wine Spirits in Napa, where she planned and set up all of their special events and ran their social media. She also worked at Cowgirl Winery in Carmel Valley

Aldrete is the daughter of former San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s professional baseball player Mike Aldrete, who is currently the assistant hitting coach for the A’s. She has two older brothers, Michael and Blake, and her mother Gina helps run the family’s whale-watching and fishing business on Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey with her grandparents.

About the Monterey County Fair & Event Center
The Monterey County Fair & Event Center is a premier event center set on 22 oak-studded acres with ample parking. It is a state-owned multi-use facility that features four large banquet rooms, two outdoor concert venues, and a variety of outdoor and indoor cost-effective sites ideal for all types of events. It is home of the annual award-winning Monterey County Fair, host to many major and private events on the Central Coast, and the site of the Monterey Bay Race Place, a Satellite Wagering Facility.

For more information, contact the Fair Administration Office, at 2004 Fairground Road in Monterey, by calling (831) 372-5863 or go to www.montereycountyfair.com for more information.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.montereycountyfair.com

Welcome to the 57th Annual Wildflower Show

APRIL 20th, 21st, 22nd from10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.

Salinas, CA, April 03, 2018 - For over half a century this Wildflower Show has been one of the largest on the Northern and Western Hemispheres with over 600 species and varieties of wildflowers. This is truly an event that generations of families can remember.

The Museum partners with the Monterey Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) to hold this cherished annual event. Over 30 members of the Native Plant Society spend over a week scouring Monterey County and beyond collecting the finest specimens of wildflowers blooming that spring.

Botanists, garden enthusiasts, and people just looking for flowers they would like to plant in their gardens will all appreciate this comprehensive and spectacular array of wildflowers.

Wildflower Show and Museum Admission (tickets can be purchased when you arrive at the Museum):

· $8.95 adults who live outside of Monterey County
· $5.95 youth 4-18, students with ID, military who live outside of Monterey County
· Free for 3 y.o. and under
· Free for Museum Members and CNPS Members
· $5 admission for Monterey County residents

Wildflower Month Fun Continues!

Classes Open To Kids From Kinder To 5th Grade

Flower Power

SOMETHING GIANT FROM SOMETHING TINY

APRIL 7TH, 9:00-10:30AM

$25: Non-member, $20: Member

Artists will take our tiny flowers and and draw and paint giant wild flower paintings with oil pastels and tempera paint.

FLOWER CHALK

APRIL 14TH, 9:00-10:30AM

$25: Non-member, $20: Member

Artists will combine skills in drawing wildflowers using chalk pastels.

WILDFLOWER NOTEBOOKS

APRIL 21ST, 9:00-10:30AM

$25: Non-member, $20: Member

Artists will take advantage of the Native Plant Show by creating a mini wildflower book with pen and paper. Artists will visit the show and draw what they see.

STITCHING STUFFIES

APRIL 28TH 9:00-10:30AM

$25: Non-member, $20: Member

Artists will learn to stitch and create felt wildflowers. Add them to clothing, bags, coats, hair ties, or even make a stuffy!

Adult Art Classes

INTRODUCTION TO SKETCHING FLOWERS

April 14th, 3-5 PM $30: Non-member, $25: Member

Spend an afternoon with a science illustrator learning basic botanical drawing techniques. We'll go over some botanical anatomy and spend time closely observing native California wildflowers, then practice observational drawing using these blooms as our inspiration. All skill levels welcome.

BEERS AND BOUQUETS

April 8th and April 29th

$40: Non-member, $35: Member

Join us over a drink as we explore the Museum’s native plant garden. You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about our local flora and the skills to draw them. Instructor Liana Vitousak will guide you through the basics of plant identification and recording what you see through field sketches and notes. Registration includes lesson and two pints of beer.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
https://montereybay.cnps.org/

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires businesses conducting operations within the European Union (EU) to protect identifiable information of consumers.

San Jose, CA, April 02, 2018 - The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires businesses conducting operations within the European Union (EU) to protect identifiable information of consumers. In the tech sphere, this entails protecting the data of any EU citizen, no matter where their data travels. Under the GDPR, citizens’ social security numbers and addresses will be given the same priority as name and IP addresses.

Adopted April 2016 by the European Parliament in hopes of upgrading an outdated data protection directive, the GDPR is forecasted to carry massive impacts to businesses catering to European clientele. Breaches of privacy will be extremely costly for companies, costing up to 4% of annual global turnover. Meeting the standards of the GDPR will require most companies to make heavy investments and administrations. Moreover, most U.S. companies believe the GDPR will place them at a competitive disadvantage with European companies, requiring them to rethink corporate strategies.

In a recent survey, over 92% of American companies consider GDPR to be a top data protection priority. Among these companies is Google—the company is working to restructure G Suite to meet GDPR criteria and to protect users. Through G Suite’s information processing lifecycle, service deployment, data storage, and communication must be conducted securely. Additionally, administrators must be able to export and delete data effectively.

Collavate DLP is prepared to help your business meet GDPR requirements. With our secure integration with G Suite, users can log in to G Suite accounts without saving any personal information within Collavate. Moreover, Collavate provides numerous data loss prevention (DLP) functionalities that protect your data, such as keyword detection and usage trends.

Collavate’s keyword detection functionality allows administrators to customize sensitive keywords. For example, administrators can specify social security numbers as critical data, preventing any files with such data from being shared publicly. In terms of the GDPR, this functionality allows businesses to place stronger sharing restrictions extending to any form of client data.

Another key feature Collavate provides is usage trend charts and statistics, which highlights all critical files and allows administrators to identify publicly shared files. This feature provides an overview of all files as well as user activity. Administrators can easily filter files by privacy status, allowing them to focus on publicly shared files.

As businesses continue their digital transformations, data privacy remains at the forefront of consumer concerns. Collavate is prepared to equip businesses with tools to reinforce client security, such as keyword detection functionality and usage statistics.

Contact:
Harry Jung
Collavate Inc
San Jose, CA 95129
+1 (650) 515-3733
hjung@collavate.com
http://www.collavate.com

Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa Announces Hiring of New Director of Events

The Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa has announced the hiring of Jenny Lopez as Director of Events.

Monterey, CA, April 04, 2018 — The Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa has announced the hiring of Jenny Lopez as Director of Events.

Just prior to joining the Hyatt, Lopez was part of the management team at Hilton San Jose, and before that, at the DoubleTree by Hilton San Jose.

Lopez started her hospitality career at the luxurious Westin Century Plaza Hotel & Tower in Los Angeles. In the 10 years she worked at the property she gained a well-rounded experience in the areas of Housekeeping, PBX, Reservations and Catering/Event Service. She assisted and serviced some of the most prestigious gala events the property was well known for hosting.

To expand her career growth, Lopez relocated to Orlando, Florida, where she worked at the Swan and Dolphin Hotels in the Disney World area. She spent seven years in the Orlando area working for Westin, Starwood, independent hotel chains such as Adam’s Mark and IHG.

She returned to Los Angeles to be closer to family and joined Hilton Hotels & Resorts in Burbank. Her career came full circle in 2008 when she returned to the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, by then part of the Hyatt Hotels & Resorts family. Lopez says it was great to see familiar faces and to go back to where it all had started for her.

About Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa
Nestled in 22 acres of soaring Monterey Pines, the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa on Del Monte Golf Course is a destination resort providing the discerning traveler the quintessential Monterey experience. Its location offers guests close proximity to downtown Monterey and Monterey Airport and easy access to some of the Peninsula’s most well-known attractions.

With its warm, contemporary ambiance, elegant furnishings and convenient amenities, the hotel offers both leisure and business travelers a Northern California respite of unmatched serenity and comfort. Features include 550 guestrooms including 32 suites, and the President’s house, TusCA Ristorante, Knuckles Sports Bar, Fireplace Lounge, a 2,000 square foot fitness facility, tennis courts, pools and whirlpools, and 12,000-square-foot full-service spa. The hotel is located at 1 Old Golf Course Road in Monterey, California. For information call (831) 372-1234 or visit www.hyattregencymonterey.com.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.hyattregencymonterey.com