Believing the marketplace was ready to embrace a higher quality of cultural entertainment and performance opportunities, a small group of fine music lovers came together in early 2005 to create a new organization christened the Golden Valley Music Society.

Like so many who have moved here, the founders have been impressed with the natural beauty of the area and all it is offering. It’s truly a golden valley, one that is being blessed daily as it continues to mature. Cultural offerings have been growing as well, and the Society is adding yet another dimension to life in this golden valley.

The Society looks to serve the greater valley, one that reaches from the Fallbrook area at the southerly end, up the interstate corridors through Temecula and Murrieta, and northerly to Lake Elsinore and Canyon Lake along I-15 to Sun City, Menifee, Hemet and San Jacinto along I-215.

The Society’s Vision

In organizing, the Society’s founders laid out a multi-faceted vision that embraces performance, education and opportunity. That vision focuses on these elements:

• Promoting an appreciation of orchestral and chamber music through public concerts, festivals and educational forums.
• Fostering a greater awareness and appreciation of classical music in our youth, through education and performance in schools and other educational venues.
• Offering performance opportunities for professional-level musicians from the greater Southwest California region.
• Providing social opportunities for music lovers to meet and enjoy the fellowship of others with similar interests.

To meet this vision, the Society maintains its professional resident ensemble, the California Chamber Orchestra, and several smaller groups, such as string, brass and wind ensembles.  For more information about these groups and their performance schedules, visit the Tickets and Events section of this site.

In fall of 2008, the Society began presenting Classics at The Merc, an almost every Sunday series of concerts at the Old Town Temecula Theater's "Merc" lobby area that features small ensembles offering an array of classical styles and instruments.  The Merc's informal setting brings fine music to the audience close-up and intimatly.

Focus on Youth

As part of an evolving youth program, the Society works with art classes at middle schools, introducing students to the music and composers planned for a future concert and then inviting the youngsters to illustrate their feelings from the music through a medium of their choice.  Their works are then presented on screen behind the orchestra as the music is played.

Peter and the Wolf performances are provided as well, offering elementary students exposure to classical music and to the instruments that make up an orchestra.

In the Longer Term 

Future plans call for the Society to expand its presentations by lengthening the concert season and enlarging the size of the orchestra to accommodate even greater repertoire.  Ultimately, it’s envisioned that as many as 35 musicians will be performing with the orchestra on a regular basis, more or less the ultimate size of a chamber orchestra. 

As a presenter, the Society also collaborates with vocal ensembles, choirs, dance companies and other musical groups to bring to Golden Valley audiences interesting repertoire featuring a variety of the performing arts. 

Society Management

The Society is managed by a board of directors made up of volunteers enthused by fine music and the opportunities for bringing it to a growing audience.

The board includes….

Greg Prudhomme President		Robert Culverhouse Jr. Secretary		Michael Valentine
Judy Call Vice President		Luanne Ferrer Treasurer		Dana Mambough Zimbric, ex-officio
Hattie Hedrick		Mark Margolin

Advisory Board

Bonnie & Maurice Boekeloo , At large   Ken Dickson Legal affairs		Doug McAllister Civic affairs   Peg & Jimmy Moore Community relations		Beverly Stephenson Fine Arts Network    Kris Thomasian Educational Outreach
Eduardo Ferrer Information services Rick Gibbs Civic affairs		Kate Prestia-Schaub Music education		Al Vollbrecht Marketing    Chuck Washington Civic affairs