This year is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Mozart, and obviously, everyone loves some Mozart. Don't get us started on the unrequited obsession of the only classical radio station in the bay area who drools over --and cannot think of anyone else but-- Mozart like a teenage girl over Ashton Kushner. So it is a relief to see that, while Mozart will be deservedly honored, the symphony 2006-07 season will cover some new and interesting ground.

For the new new stuff, there is a Concerto for Piano by Kevin Volans, and a Concerto for Orchestra by Robin Holloway, two world premieres commissioned by the SF Symphony. We know very little about these guys, how ignorant of us, so it's all very very mysterious and exciting. Another commission will make its US premiere at Davies: the return of Dr. Atomic A Flowering Tree, a new opera in one act by John Adams, conducted by the man himself. Oh my, just the music, without the over-the-top Peter Sellars stage direction, just like we requested? Really, you shouldn't have, you're making us blush.

The handsome man on the press picture above is composer John Adams

Other cool stuff to look forward to: a screening of Chaplin's City Lights with the orchestra playing along: pass the popcorn. The Mahler recording ring still expands with, in addition to the Symphonies, a recording of, among other songs, the Rückert Lieder with Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, one of the most sought-after singers. LHL was slated to be Mrs. Atomic last fall, but had to bail on the Kitty Oppenheimer role for health reasons. The orchestra will bag another sympony, No.10, in April. Number 8 will follow in 2008-09, proving once and for all that musicians can't do math. No. 5, recorded last fall, will be released this next fall. Those three symphonies are the only ones that you cannot purchase yet; all the other ones available at your local record store.

Stravinsky will make his de rigueur appearance, with Appolon musagète and his Orpheus. He is after all the composer most cited by us in our un-official tally.

The Symphony will welcome an all-star line up of performers: Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Murray Perahia, Joshua Bell, Yuri Bashmet, Radu Lupu, Emanuel Ax, Sarah Chang, Hilary Hahn, Susan Graham, Dawn Upshaw, Thomas Hampson (who has a Music Weblog), Kurt Masur. If you know who we are talking about, you must be going yippee, if not, go check these guys out when they'll be in town, you're in for a treat.

More info on the 2006-07 program released yesterday at SF Symphony