When Jack Harris, co-chair of CSAC, was elected to the Santa Barbara Symphony’s board of directors, he immediately wondered how the Chancellor’s Staff Advisory Council and the symphony might mesh activities. One of the first results is a free, narrated symphony rehearsal the evening of March 16 in honor of UCSB staff members.

Though the event will honor all staff, Harris explains, only 150 seats in the Arlington will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for the rehearsal and preceding reception. Sign-ups will be taken on the newly re-designed staff Web site <www.staff.ucsb.edu> no earlier than 10 a.m. on March 12, he adds.

Nir Kabaretti, the symphony’s new music director, will conduct the musicians, and piano soloist Natasha Paremski, in a rehearsal of selections from Chopin, Beethoven, and arranger Yaron Gottfried. Paremski and the symphony will perform the same program the weekend of March 17 and 18.

Should a staff member want to attend the rehearsal but not be among the first 150 to preregister, a waiting list will be created for seats that might open up before March 16, says Harris. Failing that, the symphony will offer deep discounts for UCSB staff, faculty, and students for that weekend’s concerts.

“The rehearsal is the symphony’s only event this academic year (designed for UCSB staff), says Harris, and he hopes it leads to similar events in the future. As it is, in addition to the symphony, this activity has co-sponsors from all three colleges and a division as well as logistical help from student affairs, Staff Assembly, and the Academic Business Officers Group.

“You could see this as a kind of (early) kick-off to Staff Celebration Week,” he says, referring to the May 7-11 week of activities that will also have a musical theme.