San José Chamber Orchestra plans ‘Celebration’ for Dec. 29

The San José Chamber Orchestra is hosting a celebration on Dec. 29 with a program of music by Bach, Chopin and Debussy, and a new work for the new year by local composer Michael Touchi. The program features conductor Barbara Day Turner and pianist Jon Nakamatsu with clarinetists Jon and Alec Manasse.

The works in “Celebration–Joys and Delights” are meant to mark the changing of the year. A reception and a sparkling toast will follow the performance, which starts at 3 p.m. at St Francis Episcopal Church, 1205 Pine Ave. Tickets are $15-$75 at sjco.org or 408-295-4416, with limited tickets available at the door.

Last call for cider

After seven years in business, co-owners Claudia Derp and Tracy Smith “made the difficult decision to close the Cider Junction.” The craft cider bar’s last day of operation was set for Saturday, Dec. 14, “unless you empty the taps before then,” Derp and Smith wrote in a Facebook post to their customers.

“While this chapter is coming to a close, the connections we’ve built and the memories we’ve shared will always remain with us,” Derp and Smith wrote. “We think we have turned at least a few ‘never cider’ folks into cider fans.”

Both Certified Cider Professionals, Smith and Derp opened the Cider Junction in October 2017 in Willow Plaza at Willow Street and Bird Avenue. Their goal, Derp said, was “to help expand the craft cider category so that it truly becomes its own category and is no longer listed under beers.”