silicon valley school
Last year’s Target Summer Pops concerts were a surprising delight, so it’s good to see Symphony Silicon Valley returning with the outdoor series later this month.
Things kick off with a little star power July 24 as acclaimed pianist Jon Nakamatsu joins the orchestra for a tribute to American composers. And Mercury News sports columnist Mark Purdy will be narrating “Casey at the Bat” during the Family Day ice cream social on July 25.
The series continues July 30 to Aug. 1 with concerts focusing on the salsa sounds of New York City, the ladies of Broadway and the “Hit Parade” sounds of the 1940s and ’50s.
The best thing about the evening concerts — which all take place on the grassy Paseo de San Carlos mall at San Jose State University — is that they don’t cost a dime to attend.
Bottles of water are provided, and they’ll be dishing out free ice cream for both 5:30 p.m. Sunday shows. Shows other nights begin at 7 p.m.
Mr. Rock now isn’t active in venture deals but is still investing—particularly in Bay Area corporate governance and education issues through philanthropic grants. In a recent discussion, he reflected on the growth of Silicon Valley’s venture-capital industry, Bay Area malfeasance and why he doesn’t own an iPad.
WSJ: What role has venture capital played in the evolution of Silicon Valley?
Mr. Rock: Let’s go back to 1957, when together with some colleagues I put together Fairchild Semiconductor. I realized there were a number of companies starting in the technology field but lacked capital, and all the capital was on the East Coast. So I decided to move out here and form a venture-capital firm—with Tommy Davis called Davis & Rock. So we were able to bring capital from the East Coast to what was to become Silicon Valley.
