David Benoit: Resonance and Renewal — World Premiere

Soka Performing Arts Center opens its season with an extraordinary and deeply personal musical event: the world premiere of Resonance and Renewal, a new cello concerto by acclaimed pianist and composer David Benoit.

Best known for his luminous contributions to contemporary jazz, Benoit now turns inward—offering a work born not from abstraction, but from lived experience. Following a life-altering kidney transplant, Benoit found himself navigating a profound journey of vulnerability, resilience, and ultimately, gratitude. Resonance and Renewal is the artistic expression of that journey.

In interviews, Benoit has spoken candidly about the emotional and physical challenges of his transplant experience—the uncertainty, the fragility, and the overwhelming sense of second chance. Rather than retreat from that experience, he transformed it into music. The result is a concerto that speaks with rare authenticity: at once intimate and expansive, deeply human yet universally resonant.

The choice of the cello as the central voice is no coincidence. With its rich, vocal timbre, the instrument becomes a surrogate for the human spirit—at times fragile and searching, at others soaring with renewed strength. The concerto unfolds as a narrative arc: from tension and introspection, through struggle, to a place of healing and luminous renewal.

This world premiere is more than a concert—it is a moment of connection. It invites audiences not only to witness a major new work, but to share in a story of transformation told through music of striking emotional depth.

As we launch a new season dedicated to artistry that engages, educates, and elevates the human spirit, Resonance and Renewal stands as a powerful testament to music’s ability to give voice to our most profound experiences—and to remind us of the beauty and resilience of life itself.

Join us for this unforgettable opening night.

Info:

The program opens with remarks by world-renowned kidney surgeon Jeffrey Veale, head of the kidney transplant program at UCLA. David Benoit will then share reflections on his personal journey through End Stage Kidney Disease, offering insight into the experience that shaped the music to follow.

The concert will begin with the world premiere of Resonance & Renewal, during which Benoit will conduct a 40-piece orchestra, with acclaimed cellist Cecilia Tsan as featured soloist. In the second half of the program, Benoit returns to the piano to perform a selection of his most beloved works, favorites among audiences worldwide. The orchestra will rejoin him for a vibrant and uplifting finale, bringing the evening to a spirited and memorable close.

David Benoit:

David Benoit is an acclaimed conductor, composer, arranger, and jazz pianist whose career spans more than four decades across jazz performance, orchestral music, and film and television scoring. Born in Bakersfield, California, he began composing at an early age and went on to study theory, composition, and piano at El Camino College.

A Grammy nominee multiple times, he has also earned an Emmy Award for his work on “It’s Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown”, continuing the musical legacy of the Charlie Brown specials.

His film and television scoring credits include The Stars Fell on Henrietta and The Christmas Tree, and he has performed and conducted with major orchestras such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestra. He served for over two decades as Music Director of the Asia America Symphony Association, where he founded the Asia America Youth Orchestra.

A globally recognized performer, Benoit has appeared for three U.S. presidents and continues to bridge jazz and symphonic traditions. He now presents the world premiere of his cello concerto, Resonance & Renewal, a deeply personal work inspired by his recent life journey.

Cécilia Tsan:

Cécilia Tsan is an internationally acclaimed cellist praised for her “uncompromising musical character and towering technique” (Los Angeles Times). Born in France, she studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, where she earned top honors in both cello and chamber music, and is a prizewinner of several international competitions.

An active soloist and chamber musician, she has performed worldwide with distinguished artists including Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Augustin Dumay. Since relocating to Los Angeles, she has become one of the most sought-after studio musicians in the film industry, recording hundreds of scores with composers such as John Williams, Hans Zimmer, and Danny Elfman.

Tsan serves as Principal Cellist of the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and has performed in major televised events including the Academy Awards and Emmy Awards. In addition to her performance career, she is the Artistic Director of the “Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome” series at Mount Wilson Observatory.