This past November 16th, the first ever Sommelier Concertmaster Series concert opened to a sold-out audience at the Fairbanks Ranch Country Club. The highly anticipated, one-of-a-kind classical music and wine event invited the audience to “taste what they hear,” pairing the works performed to top-tier wines.
Each performance is led by a concertmaster (the lead violinist of an orchestra) who collaborates with their chosen sommelier to connect the music performed to the perfect glass of wine. The musicians and the sommeliers then discuss the connection between the wine and the performance between each musical section, combining for a truly unique sensory experience.
The opening concert featured Philadelphia Orchestra concertmaster David Kim who was paired with Rafael Peterson, former Wine Director of Born and Raised and Dining Room Captain of ADDISON. Kim performed works by Beethoven, Handel and Dohnanyi with his orchestral colleagues Burchard Chang, viola and Priscilla Lee, cello.
The Sommelier Concertmaster series is presented by Mainly Mozart, best known as the largest Mozart themed festival in North America, as well as its annual Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra Festival, home to the largest gathering of concertmasters and principal players in the United States.
There are two more concerts in this one-of-a-kind series, though very few tickets remain. The next concert is on January 11, when Dallas Symphony Concertmaster Alexander Kerr will be joined by Dallas Symphony co-concertmaster Nathan Olson and pianist Anton Nel. They will be partnering with expert sommelier Gabriela Gaeta, who will be presenting wines highlighting Baja California and more.
The series will close on February 8, with a concert showcasing Los Angeles Philharmonic Concertmaster and Mainly Mozart favorite Martin Chalifour – who also first performed with the Mainly Mozart Festival in its inaugural year in 1989 – accompanied by pianist Steven Vanhauwaert featuring works by Dvorak, Brahms and Ravel. They will be partnering with Marino Monferrato – Vice President of Hospitality Operations for DAOU Vineyards & Official Maître D’hôtel of “Hell’s Kitchen” hosted by Chef Gordon Ramsay.
Each evening will begin with an hour-long wine and appetizer reception followed by an intermission-free concert. Seating will be at tables-of-four with a limited number of individual seats. The event will take place at the Fairbanks Ranch Country Club in Rancho Santa Fe.
Culinary Concerto Culinary Director and Executive Producer Chef Claudia Sandoval, MasterChef winner and Judge, is coordinating with the sommeliers and wineries, and will carry the wine regions represented at Sommelier Series into the Second Annual Culinary Concerto, set for March 15, 2025.
To learn more about the upcoming events or to purchase tickets, please visit mainlymozart.org/wine or call (619) 239-0100 to reach the Mainly Mozart offices.
