2008/09 Season
	2008/09 Calendar of Events From the Director Education & Community Programs

DEAR FRIENDS

While every new season is a challenge and an opportunity, the 2008/09 Season takes on particular meaning for me as it is the last in my 23-year tenure as Director of Cal Performances. Therefore, I hope you'll agree that it is a special one indeed, and unlike any other in our history! It is a season that has been specifically designed to please you in ways both large and small, including the return of many of the great artists that have been associated with Cal Performances over the years, the introduction of exciting new talents in their Bay Area debuts, and the inclusion of specially requested works on the programs of our Chamber Series and more.

Serving as Director of Cal Performances has been a great privilege for me and has given me the opportunity to attempt to make a real difference in the cultural life of this community. Throughout my career I have considered myself first and foremost a teacher, whether it be in the role of conductor or as the Director of this exceptional organization. I have always felt a special urgency regarding Cal Performances' primary mission: to give the students who pass through this prestigious university the opportunity to experience live performances by great artists, right here on their own campus. I strongly believe that a genuinely well-rounded education must include meaningful exposure to the performing arts and that the resulting creativity and cultural intelligence that come from those experiences are critical to the personal and professional success of the future leaders of our country and the world. Therefore I consider Cal Performances to be a vital part of the educational fabric of the University of California, Berkeley.

At the same time, it has also been my goal to position Cal Performances at the heart of the larger artistic world. From the first day on the job, I wanted to bring a higher level and broader scope of artists to our stage, one which would rival that of the major artistic capitals of the world, including New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo. Looking back, I am confident that we have achieved that and much more. Today, there is no other place where all of these major artists, in so many different genres, come together in one place, under the auspices of one organization. Cal Performances is unique in the world in this respect, and I have greatly appreciated the opportunity to bring this exceptional variety and quality of the performing arts to our students and the members of our Bay Area community and beyond. Of course, much of our success in meeting these goals has been due to the loyalty and unwavering support of Cal Performances' audiences. I'm very proud of what we have achieved together at Cal Performances during my time as Director, and I hope you'll join me in celebrating during this very special season all that we've accomplished—and enjoyed—as an artistic community over these past 23 years.

Sincerely,

Robert Cole
Director, Cal Performances