Geez, I step away from covering classical music for a few months, and things decide to go crazy! First, in early February, Gustavo Dudamel announced that at the end of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s 2025-2026 season, he’d decamp for that “other” Philharmonic in New York. Then, last month, LA Phil CEO Chad Smith made his … Continue reading
When last I had the chance to talk to Jaime Martin, he was about to begin the 2019/2020 season, his first as Music Director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. That year started well, but then this thing called COVID-19 shook the world. Three years have passed since that last conversation. A few days ago, Mr. Martin … Continue reading
The New Hollywood String Quartet and The Da Camera Society have announced the “Summer of Beethoven Chamber Music Festival.” Four concerts of 11 works will be performed in Los Angeles at the Pompeian Room of the Doheny Mansion from July 14 to July 17, 2022. The Quartet — violinists Tereza Stanislav and Rafael Rishik, violist … Continue reading
Yesterday, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra announced that Yura Lee will be its new Principal Viola effective at the start of the 2022/2023 season this October. The dual resident of Los Angeles and Portland is a lauded soloist and chamber musician on both violin and viola. She is also on the faculty of the USC … Continue reading
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra finally returned to the stage this past week. And there was much rejoicing (yaaaaay). These weren’t the first classical music concerts in Southern California since the US began emerging from the haze of the Covid-19 crisis. The Los Angeles Philharmonic made that happen, playing two orchestral concerts at the Hollywood … Continue reading
Big news from the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra: First, the orchestra, led by Music Director Jaime Martin, will begin playing again this summer The initial concert on Saturday, June 26, will be at Walt Disney Concert Hall It will be the first performance for a live audience at WDCH since the venue closed for the … Continue reading
Dear Reader (including those of you who’d normally only come here for orchestra audition repertoire lists, the rare operatic April Fools’ joke, or military music freebies, and especially anyone who recognizes that I’m apolitically stealing this “Dear Reader” gag from Jonah Goldberg): In the heady pre-pandemic days of February 2020, I was preparing to chat … Continue reading
After many requests, I’m very happy to bring back my regular look at the personnel moves within the Los Angeles Philharmonic, plus a couple of noteworthy moves at the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. There’s even a link to some fabulous music by the “Los Angeles Philharmonic Wind Quintet” (seriously). Let’s get to it . . … Continue reading
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra begins its 2019-2020 season this coming weekend with two concerts featuring a world premiere from Andrew Norman and works by Beethoven and Berlioz. The weekend also marks the official beginning of Jaime Martin’s tenure as LACO’s Music Director. The Spaniard takes over the orchestra in a time of transition, with … Continue reading
Let the parade begin of Southern California musical organization’s 2019-2020 season announcements. First up: the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. I’ll write up a detailed evaluation of Jaime Martín‘s first season as LACO’s Music Director in the near future. For now, let’s just say I like it. I like it a whole lot. The most tantalizing … Continue reading
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra begins its 2018-19 season in earnest with performances this weekend (at the Alex Theatre on Saturday and UCLA’s Royce Hall on Sunday) featuring violinist Hillary Hahn. While guest conductor Gemma New will be on the podium this weekend, these concerts represent the first full season of a new era. LACO … Continue reading
Hello again, folks. Long time no chat. Hope you’re well. It’s obviously been a while, and so let’s start getting caught up by talking about some key personnel moves across the Southern California orchestral landscape and beyond. New additions to the LA Phil (official and unofficial) Since the beginning of the calendar year, the Los … Continue reading
While everyone in the classical music space has been holding its collective breath waiting for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, that benevolent 800-lb. gorilla of the Southern California artistic landscape, to release details of the rest of its 2018/19 season, we should pause and examine next year’s season recently announced by the smaller yet artistically worthy … Continue reading
It started with Michael Thornton, Principal Horn of the LA Chamber Orchestra, doing his one-man, four-part rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” The social media folks at LACO tweeted it out with a cheeky question directed at Houston’s River Oaks Chamber Orchestra: “You got anything?” Um, Game On, ladies and gentlemen. Game. On. … Continue reading
With the 2017 World Series starting tonight, please enjoy this video of Michael Thornton, new Principal Horn of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, supporting the local team’s appearance in the Fall Classic with his four-part arrangement of “Take Me out to the Ballgame.” (h/t to LACO’s Facebook page) Go Dodgers! Continue reading
All is Yar 