A packed house, the setting sun providing a chill in the evening air, anticipation as the San Diego Symphony opened its summer season at the Embarcadero South. The SDSO saluted our great country with many old favorites and a few fresh tunes and faces. Guest trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos opened the concert with a bluesy rendition of the Star Spangle Banner. He is a well known jazz artist in Southern California. His talents were later used to good effect with symphony trumpets Calvin Price and John Wilds as they took the stage for a stirring "Bugler's Holiday." They passed off the melodies nearly flawlessly.

Irving Berlin's sentimental "Patriotic Overture" followed the Anthem. Newly hired English horn player Andrea Overturf made her debut with a sonorous and expressive solo in this work.

The term "buskers" refers to street performers in Europe, but the 7th Day Buskers are American born and bred. They got the start with leader Shawn Rohlf at the Hillcrest Market eleven years ago. They play on acoustic instruments; dobro, bass, mandolin, guitar, harmonica, banjo and fiddle. The original tunes are inspired by American folk culture from the bluegrass tradition. We heard "Oxlip," and "No Dak Special," songs about that town and region respectively in the USA. They were a lively group and we wish we could have heard a bit more from them.

The third soloist of the evening was Broadway artist Ann Runolfsson. She looked terrific and her voice matched. The first song was a charming arrangement of "Over the Rainbow." Then she switched moods and did a naughty vamp with "Le Jazz Hot." In the second half we heard her all too briefly in "The Wizard and I" from "Wicked." Symphony pianist Mary Barranger and electric bassist Susan Wulff gave her good support in the beginning of the song. The only down side was that the louder the sound system the more words were lost.

The sound system is a player in any outdoor concert. Turning down the volume in general and especially on the trumpets would be in order here. "Sunrise" from the "Grand Canyon Suite" by Ferde Grofe was not a good candidate for this sound arrangement. The woodwinds and upper string were unfocused. Notey passages were muddy.

The San Diego Master Chorale was at its best in Hamlisch's "Freedom Is." The work was sensitively conducted a cappella. The words were a poignant recitation of what freedom isn't and then reminding us what freedom truly is.

Marvin Hamlisch, besides being an award-winning composer, with three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony and three Golden Globe awards, plus a Pulitzer Prize for "A Chorus Line," is a very funny guy. He kept the audience laughing with a running joke about getting a "free Jeep" in exchange for letting car dealer Tony McCune have a "free orchestra" after McCune conducted Sousa's "Washington Post March." Hamlisch's quick wit and ad lib were always on the mark.

The concert ended with the traditional "Armed Forces Salute," so meaningful in a city which has a large military population. It was heartwarming to see veterans stand to honor their branch of the service as each anthem was played. The ever popular "Stars and Stripes Forever," replete with sparkling picolos and rising brass finished the evening accompanied by a barrage of brillian fireworks.