How to see Riverside Philharmonic’s ‘Wilbur, the Waltzing Pig’

Allen Savedoff, playing the contrabassoon, provides the voice of Wilbur in the Riverside Philharmonic’s performance of “Wilbur, the Waltzing Pig” by the orchestra’s music director Tomasz Golka, recorded in November 2020 at the Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena. (Courtesy of the Riverside Philharmonic)

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Riverside Philharmonic was not able to present its annual holiday concert, but it produced a video performance instead.

The orchestra’s brass quintet recorded classic holiday music, including a French solo of “O Holy Night” and trombone solo of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and shared the recording on the Riverside Philharmonic’s YouTube channel.

The orchestra followed that recording with Riverside’s version of the annual Vienna New Year’s concert. Rather than a traditional Strauss waltz, the orchestra performed “Wilbur, the Waltzing Pig,” a whimsical take on the classic waltz composed by Tomasz Golka, the Riverside Philharmonic’s music director.

The video included original images by Riverside artist Kim Cobb, owner of The Lovely Bug, portraying the dancing pig. Wilbur’s “voice” was provided by Allen Savedoff, playing a contrabassoon.

“With many families staying home, celebrating together instead of going out to parties, we wanted to offer something kid-friendly and fun for the whole family,” Virginia Blumenthal, president of the Riverside Philharmonic Board of Directors, said in a news release. “It’s a delightful way of introducing childrento the pleasures of classical music.”

“Wilbur” was recorded in mid-November as part of an online anniversary concert celebrating Golka’s 10th year with the Riverside Philharmonic. It was performed and recorded at the Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena, where staging was a challenge with the addition of safety shields for brass and wind musicians and eight-foot space requirements.

“None of us realized how difficult it is to make music, interact and react on the fly when we are all so far apart,” Golka said in the news release.

The holiday brass quintet performance and “Wilbur, the Waltzing Pig” videos are still available on the Riverside Philharmonic’s YouTube channel, and the anniversary concert video will be available there in late January. Videos of living room concerts by members of the Riverside Philharmonic are also available on the orchestra’s YouTube channel.

The Riverside County Philharmonic Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the enjoyment and appreciation of symphonic music in the Inland Southern California region.

For information, go to www.riversidephilharmonic.org.