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# SM Philharmonica returns from European tour
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/sm-philharmonica-returns-from-european-tour/
- Published: 2004-08-21T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T04:54:23.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Entertainment, Malibu, #archive-import

*By D. LYNN WALDRON Special to the Daily Press*

The Santa Monica Chamber Philharm-onia, led by Santa Monica Symphony Conductor and Music Director Allen Robert Gross, have just returned from what they describe as a triumphal concert tour of central Europe.

“Everywhere we go, people have heard of Santa Monica,” Gross said. “We are musical ambassadors for the United States and audiences want to hear new American music, which I always include.”

> “Everywhere we go, people have heard of Santa Monica. We are musical ambassadors.” — – ALLEN ROBERT GROSS Santa Monica Symphony Conductor

This year, they performed Malibu composer Maria Newman’s violin concerto “Lux Aeterna.”

“I love Maria’s music,” Gross said.

“We commissioned her to write a piece for the Santa Monica Symphony’s 50th Anniversary season, and I have done other works of her both with the symphony and my orchestra at Occidental and Caltech. We’ve done this particular concerto on our tour twice now, and the audiences have really responded to it. It’s a very moving piece.

“We played in Prague and Budapest on our very first tour, in 1996, and this summer was our third visit to those cities,” he added. “Each time, the audiences have increased and the people were excited to have us back.”

A big thrill for the orchestra was playing in the baroque splendor of Kromeriz Palace where Amadeus was filmed.

“Everyone grabbed their cameras, and people played their videos for us on their laptops in the tour bus,” Gross said.

Along with new American music, the orchestra played Dvorak, Bach and Haydn.

For Gross, the tour had a very special meaning. Gross’ mother came from Tokay, in the famed wine region of Hungary, and the orchestra performed a benefit concert there for the restoration of the local synagogue.

Gross’ mother emigrated to America from Tokay in 1938 and the members of her family who survived World War II joined her in America in 1956.

Before the war, there were 6,000 people living in Tokay, among them, 1,000 Jews. The synagogue was one of the finest buildings in the town. When the Jews were deported to Auschwitz in 1944, the synagogue was laid waste. Now, two of Gross’ cousins are raising funds to restore the synagogue. The concert in Tokay was a benefit for the cause.

The Santa Monica Chamber Philhar-monia is comprised of Santa Monica Symphony members along with players from California, New York and Oregon. Previous tours have taken them to France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Poland and The Netherlands.

Allen Robert Gross can be seen conducting the Santa Monica Symphony’s 2004-2005 season of four Sunday concerts begins on Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, with a concert featuring virtuoso violinist Martin Chalifour playing Ravel’s showpiece “Tzigane‚” “Rhythm Changes” by the acclaimed young Pasadena composer Peter Knell, and William Schuman’s “New England Triptych‚” with themes from traditional American music.

After the intermission, will be Schumann’s “Rhenish Symphony,” a celebration of the majesty of the river and the triumph of life.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/082104-10_02.jpg)

(Photo: Special to the Daily Press)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 21, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/082104.pdf?ref=smdp.com)