May 1, 2025 - Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra Focuses on Music Education
At the May 1st meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi, the Club listened to an inspiring presentation by Holly Arnold, Executive Director, and Stilian Kirov, Music Director and Conductor of the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Kirov is a graduate of The Julliard School in orchestral conducting and is also a gifted pianist. He holds a master’s degree in conducting from the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris, and has won numerous awards and garnered many accolades across the United States as well as internationally for his work. The Seattle Times has said Stilian is a “Rising Star…” and the Classical Chicago Review said he is a “…conductor of the first rank.” He joined the Bakersfield Symphony in 2015.
Holly Arnold, a member of the Bakersfield West Rotary Club, shared that the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra has a long history in Kern County. The Symphony is in it’s 93rd season of “Inspiring our community through the transformative power of live music, education, and artistic excellence.” She said that they are very proud of their education programs, which build cultural capital, by reaching and inspiring students to foster a love of music, which opens doors to new opportunities for students. Holly detailed their three different education programs. First, BSO Next targets grades 4-12 by bringing students from across Kern County to attend the Symphony evening concerts. The students attend pre-concert presentations and are provided with interactive learning materials, to inspire and broaden their experiences in the arts. Next, Young People’s Concerts are for grades 1-6, where the students attend a special interactive daytime performance of the Symphony, with engaging lesson plans that can be used by the schools. Finally, Kids Discover Music is for students in grades Pre-K – 6, where BSO musicians provide live music education performances and lessons at the schools. Holly said that, through these programs, they work to close the opportunity gap by opening up the world of music to all children in the county.
Holly introduced Stilian Kirov, who has been the Music Director and Conductor with the Symphony for 10 years. She shared a video of Stilian conducting the orchestra, and he is a dynamic and engaging conductor. He has continually worked to build their program, and says the symphony is “a great, professional organization.” Stilian also emphasized that the entire Symphony is dedicated to their education programs, reaching out to many kids because, “Classical music makes our community better!”
The final concert of the 2024-2025 season will be held on May 3rd, and Stilian said what makes this concert so special is that it includes the youth symphony, so approximately 140 students will play alongside the Symphony artists. The concert will also feature Boris Allakhverdyan, Principal Clarinet with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Stilian then talked about the upcoming 2025-2026 concert season, which he said will have a “fusion theme,” integrating popular pieces with classical music to appeal to a broad audience. The season will kick off on October 4, 2025, with their Opening Night Gala, a special event immediately following the Opening Night concert, to celebrate the launch of the Symphony’s 94th season. Holly said it is a fabulous event which is their biggest fund raiser of the year to support their education programs, and the theme will be the planets of the solar system. Holly then thanked the Rotary Club for inviting them by giving away 3 pairs of tickets to their upcoming concert on May 3rd. Information on their concert season and education programs can be found at www.bsonow.org
To thank Stilian Kirov and Holly Arnold for their presentation, President Jennifer Palakiko presented them with a certificate, and a donation was made to the Rotary Foundation in their honor.