Esa-Pekka Salonen is back, and there is much rejoicing. All the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Conductor Laureate had to do was merely walk on stage Sunday afternoon, and the applause was enthusiastic and loud cheers were already audible. He didn’t disappoint. The first series of his two week stint was vintage Salonen. Continue reading
Just a few months ago, the Los Angeles Philharmonic made a fairly big splash in the brass world by offering the soon-to-be-vacant (in 2012) Principal Trumpet chair to Thomas Hooten, currently principal of the Atlanta Symphony. Now it seems they’re doing it again, this time to fill the position of Principal Trombone. Multiple sources have … Continue reading
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you met Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? The REAL Mozart? Today? Stephen T. Harper, writer extraordinaire, did. Or perhaps instead of wondering, he and his awesome wife, Christie Harper, actually met the guy. It’s tough to tell . . . they are both friends of All is Yar, so you … Continue reading
Many thanks to all of you for making All is Yar a small part of your day. I hope you have a wonderful holiday filled with good food and drink, spent with people you care for. And football. Hope it’s got some football in there too. Continue reading
I had finished my post of Bernard Haitink conducting the New York Philharmonic a few days back, but for various reasons (mainly due to more connectivity issues while traveling), it never got posted until today. I back-dated the post to the day I finished writing it (last Friday), but for your convenience, here is a … Continue reading
On paper, Sunday afternoon’s concerts belonged to conductor Emmanuelle Haïm. The reality was that and much more. Ms. Haïm dominated the concert. Many musicians had solo turns of one sort or another, and two — oboist Ariana Ghez and recorder player (or is it recordist?) Rotem Gilbert — even played front and center. Yet when it was … Continue reading
Irving Geller, former Associate Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and first violin with the orchestra from 1951-1999, passed away on November 16, 2011. He was 85 years old. Mr. Geller joined the LA Phil as one of its youngest members after having served as Assistant Concertmaster of the San Antonio Symphony for three years. … Continue reading
As previously mentioned, I made a “game day decision” last Saturday night to see Bernard Haitink conduct the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall. Note that I listed Mr. Haitink’s name first, then the orchestra, then the hall: chalk up the opportunity to see the legendary Dutch conductor in person for the first time … Continue reading
Let’s face it: you and I are always up for a bargain, especially when the product is quality live music and the price is “free-fifty-free.” On Sunday, November 20th, Pianist Susan Svrček will be performing the Piano Sonata No. 2 “Concord Sonata” by Charles Ives at 4pm at the Steinway Piano Gallery in West Hollywood. Admission is … Continue reading
Milk & Honey is kinda like the music you listened to in high school: regardless of how much your everyday tastes may have changed or your repertoire has diversified, you’ll always have a soft spot for it and return to it often. It may be tough to say who reignited the speakeasy and mixology movements, … Continue reading
It is my last full day in NY, and as luck would have it, I was able to wrap up my Day Job responsibilities a little earlier than originally anticipated. After pondering some options, I decided to dash over to Lincoln Center to see Bernard Haitink conduct the “other” Philharmonic. The program is decidedly middle-of-the-road … Continue reading
If you think that the number of helicopters visiting the Hollywood Bowl mid-concert has been increasing, you’re not the only one. In today’s Los Angeles Times, Deborah Borda (Los Angeles Philharmonic President) says: “It’s always been a problem, but now it’s every concert. Not almost every concert, but every concert, multiple times. And it … Continue reading
Yuja Wang is the real deal. If there was any doubt that might have crept in as to whether or not she was a “serious” pianist and/or musician based on a spate of recent cancellations and a critic’s unfortunate comments about her attire at the Hollywood Bowl, let them be put to rest after this … Continue reading
For about ten years, I used to travel to New York regularly for business — as often as once every other month. Work took up most of my time, but I usually had opportunities to take in the local scene, both high-brow (Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, 92nd Street Y, Broadway, among others) and low-brow (Broadway, … Continue reading
I almost always go to classical music concerts because I feel I must see/hear something on the program: a certain composer or his work, a soloist, maybe even a conductor. Other times it’s because I’m curious about a world premiere of a new work or a performer I’ve never heard before. This past Sunday at … Continue reading
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