The Planets by Gustav Holst was the most radical piece of music ever written by a major British composer when it premiered in 1920. Its seven movements depict the astrological influences of the planets and became a source of inspiration for Hollywood composers. From the sinister "Mars, the Bringer of War" to the ethereal "Neptune, the Mystic," The Planets is still strikingly fresh and modern. Guest soloist Dale Wolford will be featured in the Latin sounds of "Fantasia for Saxophone" by Villa-Lobos and the beautiful "Vocalise" of Rachmaninoff. The season ends with the spirited Poet and Peasant Overture of Franz von Suppé.

Saxophonist Dale Wolford first appeared with the LAS in 1974 as a winner of the youth solo competition. His versatile career has included performing or recording with Philip Glass, Bernadette Peters, the Santa Cruz New Music Works, and the Nuclear Whales Saxophone Orchestra. He premiered the Sonata for Saxophone and Piano by Gunther Schuller and has toured with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra. Mr. Wolford teaches at San José State University and the University of California, Berkeley.