A noted Italian composer living in the US, found reassurance amidst the chaos of contemporary Oakland when he discovered Peralta Hacienda, so he composed a piece about it.

Luciano Chessa's Come un'infanzia for guitar, violins, cello and viola, with theatrical elements, will fill the air and sizzle the stage at Peralta Hacienda Historical Park in Fruitvale on June 11, 3:30-4:30 pm, in a free concert for the community sponsored by the Clorox Foundation.

"I could have not written a piece that would not look, hopeful, at Fruitvale now. Half a meditation on history and half a gentle utopia, Come un'infanzia is a piece on Oakland's infancy, on my infancy, on infancy, period,"

Chessa explains.

Come un'infanzia
2488 Coolidge Avenue, Oakland
3:30-4:30pm, Saturday, June 11th

Holding the concert in Fruitvale is part of Peralta Hacienda Historical Park’s active effort to combat 'fear of Fruitvale' (and East Oakland as a whole), in partnership with local businesses. Peralta Hacienda Historical Park, the Birthplace of Oakland, is a major heritage destination attracting visitors from region, state and nation as well as a community recreational and educational hub for Fruitvale families. Just as the exhibits in the Peralta House Museum present history and community side by side, the concert, entitled "Italian Journey," will bring together past and present. The Left Coast Chamber Ensemble will pair the debut of Chessa’s piece with Fandango Quintet for guitar and strings by Luigi Boccherini, a contemporary of Mozart.

About Luciano Chessa
Luciano Chessa is an active performer and composer in Europe, the U.S., and Australia, has recently released three new recordings: Tom’s Heart, Tryptique pour Gérard, and Money is Money and Time is Time. He has composed for orchestra, chamber ensembles and vocal groups, and has written music for stage productions. His research on Italian Futurism, which he has presented and published internationally, has shown for the first time the relationship between Luigi Russolo’s intonarumori and Leonardo da Vinci’s mechanical noisemakers. He is currently working on a monograph dedicated to Russolo, now in preparation for publication by the University of California Press. Educated at UC Davis and at Bologna University as well as Bologna Conservatory, Chessa has lectured at prestigious institutions including St. John’s College of Oxford, Columbia University, Stanford, UC Berkeley and others. He is a member of the composition faculty at San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

About Peralta Hacienda Historical Park
The mission of Friends of Peralta Hacienda Historical Park is to promote understanding, historical healing, and community amid change and diversity. We present and interpret the untold history of the Peralta rancho and the stories of the Fruitvale community today, giving voice to the many cultures that have created - and are still transforming - California. The six-acre park and historic house form an arts and educational hub for local families and youth, and regional center for historical inquiry and discovery. For more information, visit www.peraltahacienda.org or call (510) 532-9142.

About Left Coast Chamber Ensemble
The Left Coast Chamber Ensemble is a versatile group of twelve musicians that performs in different combinations and presents concerts of new and old chamber music works each year as part of its home season, with concerts in San Francisco and Mill Valley. The quality of the ensemble is reflected in audience enthusiasm and critical acclaim, with performances eliciting comments like these from the San Francisco Classical Voice: “The Left Coast players’ performance was dazzling in its ensemble tautness and its single-mindedness,” and “I cannot remember the last time I experienced so much sheer joy from hearing live music.” For more information, visit www.leftcoastensemble.org or call (415) 642-8054.

About the Funders
This concert is made possible by the City of Oakland and by grants from the San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music, Zellerbach Family Foundation, the Subito Grant Program of the American Composers Forum, Meet The Composer's MetLife Creative Connections, and San Francisco Grants for the Arts/Hotel Tax Fund.