By Lina Broydo
A Spectacular Enchantment in Downtown San Jose
October 18, 2025 at 6 p.m.
Enjoy and don’t miss!! the captivating enchantment of the 2-hour spectacular show featuring the diverse talents of over 70 performing artists presented by the International Performing Arts of America Arts Festival at the architecturally stunning California Theater in downtown San Jose.
Under the brilliant direction of IPAA Artistic Director, Yang Yang and the world famous guest choreographer supreme Dennis Nahat, this year’s festival offers a unique opportunity for artists to showcase their individual artistry, fostering collaborations and spontaneous interactions that lead to magical moments.
IPAA’s 2025 annual performance is designed as an intermingling platform to various dance troupes, musicians, and multi-media artists stemming from around the world.
Performances by artists from the United States, Japan, Chinese Classical Dance, Martial Arts, Peking Opera, Ballet, Violin and Opera, African, Latin, Peruvian, to name a few.
It includes IPAA’s local 30 professional dancers and various Bay Area artists that contribute their time and talents to produce this spectacular event. This is truly the shining and the sparkling tribute to the arts from around the world. And I am glad they found their way to San Jose.
The IPAA’s company was founded in commemoration of the Life and Legacy of the Bay Area’s legendary arts advocate Ann Woo.
Information:
For Tickets: www.intperformingarts.org; 408-605-3217
Photos courtesy of IPAA
San José Chamber Orchestra presents “The Many Colors Of Her”
October 19, 2025 at 7p.m.
San José Chamber Orchestra (SJCO) under the brilliant baton of conductor Barbara Turner presents its 2025-2026 season opening concert with “The Many Colors of Her” featuring a World-Premiere by Emily Onderfonk. Violist and composer Emily Onderdonk, who hails from the San Francisco Bay Area, began her college years as a composition major, but soon put composition aside to focus on her degree in viola performance at Manhattan School of Music.
Since then she has enjoyed an eclectic career that includes performances with the New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Ballet, Opéra National de Lyon, New Century Chamber Orchestra, Quartet San Francisco, (with whom she was nominated for 2 Grammy awards), Tower of Power, Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Hamilton, Leon Fleisher, Luciano Pavarotti, Smokey Robinson, Diana Krall and many others. In 2016, she took up composing once again, recording and performing her music regularly with Vitamin Em.
Her pieces reflect eclectic musical influences: a Baroque snippet, an intricate funk rhythm, a taste of big band, 70’s soul and the dissonant harmonies of contemporary music can mix together in any one piece she writes, creating a distinctly unique composition, yet with familiar elements. Always at the heart of each are rhythm and groove.
Information:
Tickets: Online: sjco.org;
Phone: 408.295.4416;
Where: St Francis Episcopal Church, 1205 Pine Avenue, San José
Photos courtesy of the artist and San José Chamber Orchestra.
Symphonic Spooktacular is Presented by the Symphony San Jose
October 25 and 26, 2025
This season features timeless classics, thrilling new discoveries and programs perfect for the entire family.
Join everyone’s favorite vampire, Peter “the Count” Jaffe for the San Jose Symphony’s Spooktacular concert.
Back by popular demand with an all-new lineup of mysterious and macabre melodies, ghostly harmonies, and spine-tingling masterpieces from the stage, this concert is guaranteed to get you in the spirit of Halloween. Costumes are welcome!
Show off your Halloween attire or display your skills for winning incredible gifts and participate in the costume parade.
And I forgot to mention: there is a fab symphony concert!
Information
call 408-286-2600
Photo courtesy of Symphony SJ
Día De Los Muertos Festivity at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco
November 1, 2025 at 3p.m.
San Francisco Symphony celebrates Dia De Los Muertos with concerts, lobby installations and community activities. Lina González-Granados conducts the San Francisco Symphony in the concert program, which includes music by Ricardo Castro, Paul Desenne, Gabriela Lena Frank, Jimmy López, Arturo Márquez, and Gabriela Ortiz. Cellist Santiago Cañón-Valencia joins the Symphony to perform music from Márquez’s Espejos en la Arena, and dancers from Casa Círculo Cultural are featured throughout the concert.
Every year leading up to the Symphony’s Day of the Dead celebration, the lobbies of Davies Symphony Hall are transformed with immersive art installations and altars built by local artists to honor the living and the deceased. The event includes preconcert activities for families, including live catrinas and interactive altars.
Information
Tickets can be purchased online at sfsymphony.org, by calling the box office at 415.864.6000, or by visiting the box office located on Grove Street between Van Ness Avenue and Franklin Street.
Tickets are 50% off for children and young adults under 18.
The Día de los Muertos Concert is presented in partnership with the San Francisco Arts Commission.
Photos courtesy of SF Symphony
