CONCERT ASSOCIATION KICKS OFF SEASON, CELEBRATING DECADES OF MUSIC IN ESCONDIDO

Hidden Valley Concert Association marks 75 years

After surviving the pandemic, the Hidden Valley Community Concert Association marked its 75th season with a kickoff concert Sunday featuring the 17-member Coastal Cities Jazz Band performing at the Center Theater at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

The nonprofit association has presented more than 300 concerts over the decades in Escondido and across the globe.

The Hidden Valley group grew out of the national Community Concerts organization, which began in 1920 in Chicago. In the later 1920s, the national group started raising money for concerts by selling season memberships — subscriptions.

By 1940, there were 335 nonprofit concert associations in big and small cities across the country. Their slogan became, “A Carnegie Hall in Every Town.”

By 1950, the number of associations jumped to 1,008 organizations, with some in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and briefly, South Africa, according to the history page on the Hidden Valley Concert Association’s website.

In the mid-1970s, Escondido’s Philharmonic Artists Association, which formed in 1945, became the Hidden Valley Community Concert Association.

Renowned conductor Zubin Mehta brought the LA Philharmonic Orchestra to perform in the auditorium of the old Escondido High School. Concerts were later held in the gymnasium of the Seventh Day Adventist School with folding chairs set up until the California Center for the Arts, Escondido opened in 1994.

Dennis Tomlinson has served as the association’s president for 20 years. His parents led a Community Concert Association in Riverside for 40 years.

Tomlinson grew up in a music-loving family with three pianos in their house and all eight family members playing cello or violin. His parents performed in a Community Concerts group in Riverside. His father, a professional cellist, taught strings in elementary schools in Riverside for 35 years.

The Hidden Valley Community Concert Association has supported the local Civic Youth Orchestra and Civic International Youth Artist’s Competitions and has offered opportunities for young musicians at area schools to meet and perform with professional musical artists.

The lineup for the new season includes the Brass Roots Trio, All American Boys Chorus, The Folk Collection and concert pianist Tina Chong. Concerts are paid by season memberships and ticket sales along with donations.

For more information, visit hiddenvalleyCCAescondido.info.