SEASON 17: METAMORPHOSIS
Transformations: From Brahms to Woodie Guthrie
Sunday
Nov. 8, 2026
3pm
Uptown Blanco Ballroom
Transformations celebrates music's remarkable ability to change, reinvent, and reveal something new. Familiar melodies take on fresh identities, musical ideas evolve in unexpected ways, and each composer offers a unique perspective on transformation.
From the shimmering beauty of Rebecca Clarke and the timeless charm of Fritz Kreisler to the contemporary voice of Caroline Shaw and Kian Ravaei's imaginative variations on Woodie Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land, the program leads to Brahms' deeply expressive Violin Sonata No. 1, where themes continually unfold and transform. Amy Beach's lyrical Romance provides a fitting final reflection on music's enduring power to evolve and inspire.
Artist Info
Julia Pautz, violin
Hailed as "a genuine virtuoso" by the Dallas Morning News, violinist Julia Pautz has been a member of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra since 2010. A native of Blanco, Texas, she earned degrees with honors from the Cleveland Institute of Music and the University of Southern California, followed by a Professional Studies Certificate from The Colburn School, where she studied with renowned pedagogue Robert Lipsett. She previously performed with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and served on the faculty of Texas Christian University's Preparatory Department.
An avid chamber musician, Julia is a founding member of the Artonic Quartet and maintains an active private teaching studio in San Diego. She is also the co-founder and artistic advisor of Blanco Performing Arts, where she continues to help shape the organization's artistic vision and programming.
Tina Chong, piano
Award-winning Canadian pianist Dr. Tina Chong enjoys a versatile career as soloist, chamber musician, orchestral keyboardist, and educator. She serves as Assistant Professor of Piano at San Diego State University and performs regularly with the San Diego Symphony as principal keyboardist. A graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, she has appeared as soloist with orchestras including the Calgary Philharmonic, Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, and Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, with performances at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and other major venues across North America.
Equally at home in classical, contemporary, film, and collaborative performances, Dr. Chong is widely admired for her expressive artistry and musical versatility. She is a prizewinner of numerous international competitions, an active clinician and masterclass presenter, and a Yamaha Artist.
Julia Pautz and Tina Chong last appeared together on the Blanco Performing Arts stage in 2019 and are delighted to return for this performance.
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