When Jeffrey Kahane stepped down from his post as director of the Santa Rosa Symphony in 2006, the applause after his final concert continued for 10 solid minutes. In his decade with the symphony, he’d attracted world-class soloists, established the Magnum Opus program for new works and helped increase attendance significantly. Kahane mainly focuses on the piano these days, returning this week to the Santa Rosa stage he knows so well to perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto no. 25. And what the hell—in a program with Rachmaninoff’s Symphony no. 3, why not conduct while he’s at it? Welcome back the conductor laureate Saturday—Monday, Jan. 21—23, at the Wells Fargo Center. 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. Saturday and Monday at 8pm; Sunday at 3pm. $30—$65. 707.546.8742.
