(UPDATE: The official LACO press release about this announcement and details about their 2014-15 season is HERE) (UPDATE #2, April 26: Jeffrey Kahane’s full statement about his post-LACO plans is HERE) Pianist and conductor Jeffrey Kahane has announced that the 2016-2017 season will be his last as Music Director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. … Continue reading
Some Good Friday music for you (just not that “Good Friday Music“): Here is a brief excerpt from Part the Second of Handel’s Messiah (“Surely He hath borne our griefs,” “And with His stripes we are healed,” “All we like sheep,” and “All they that see Him / He trusted in God”). Sir Neville Marriner conducts the … Continue reading
For those wishing to attend memorial services for the late, great Paul Salamunovich, here is the schedule: Friday, May 2, 7 pm Rosary St. Charles Borromeo 10800 Moorpark St. North Hollywood, CA 91602 (at Moorpark & Landershim) Saturday, May 3, 10 am Funeral Mass Blessed Sacrament 6657 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028 (at Sunset & … Continue reading
If there is any doubt about the power of music, this story from composer Morten Lauridsen about conductor Paul Salamunovich, his dear friend and collaborator who just passed away, should erase all of it: When I spoke to Dr. Lauridsen a few weeks ago, one of the things we discussed was that he had recently visited … Continue reading
Sad news comes that Paul Salamunovich, legendary choral conductor, passed away last night. He was 86 years old. Born in Redondo Beach, he attended St. James Elementary School where he sang in the choir and got his first exposure to Gregorian chant. He eventually become a renowned expert in that vocal art form, and he … Continue reading
I hope you survived April Fool’s Day without a scratch to either your person or psyche. I witnessed some good-natured April Fool’s Day pranks, and managed to fall victim to none of it. FWIW: I’m a big fan of silly fun, and feel that there’s not enough of it during the other 364 days of the … Continue reading
Two years ago, the New York Philharmonic made a tour stop in Santa Barbara. That, and a whole lot of negotiations, eventually led to yesterday’s announcement that the orchestra and Montecito’s Music Academy of the West agreed to a four-year partnership, beginning this summer. Neither the orchestra’s nor the Academy’s website have posted a press release, but according to details … Continue reading
The Los Angeles Philharmonic wrapped up its whirlwind twelve day, seven city tour last week. Reviews from the trip were generally positive, many even glowing. Critics seemed most impressed by the performances of 20th & 21st Century works by Bjarnason, Corigliano, and Rachmaninoff, with Yuja Wang’s pianistic contributions also earning requisite praise. The smattering of negative comments made were mostly … Continue reading
As part of their 50th Anniversary festivities, The Los Angeles Master Chorale is celebrating their long-running relationship with composer Morten Lauridsen this weekend. The partnership is, without a doubt, one of the most important between a composer and a chorus in the entire world. It began with a performance of Mid-Winter Songs during Roger Wagner’s last … Continue reading
[This is the second of my four-part story, “The Space In-Between the Notes,” of me and photographer Brandise Danesewich spending Benjamin Britten’s 100th Birthday – Nov 22, 2013 – with conductor James Conlon as he rehearsed and conducted two separate community concerts in different parts of Southern California. “Part One: A Prelude,” is HERE.] 9:55am … Continue reading
James Conlon is in the midst of an early afternoon rehearsal when he pauses to fix a line that doesn’t sound quite right to him. “Don’t rush the staccato,” he tells the chorus. “Staccato is about the space in-between the notes.” Later that same day, in front of a chamber orchestra this time, he’s rehearsing … Continue reading
Yesterday, the good folks at the Los Angeles Philharmonic made public the plans for the upcoming 2014-15 season at Walt Disney Concert Hall (details available HERE). This comes on the heels of last week’s announcement of the coming 2014 summer season at the Hollywood Bowl (HERE are details of that). Unlike last year, there was … Continue reading
Violinist Frank Almond, Concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, was assaulted late Monday evening, Jan 27, following a performance at Wisconsin Lutheran College. According to a report in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn stated at a news conference Tuesday that Mr. Almond was attacked with a stun gun and robbed of the instrument he … Continue reading
Ojai Music Festival Artistic Director Tom Morris and the other good folks on his team are still ramping up for this summer’s fun, featuring pianist (and blogger) Jeremy Denk as Music Director. But that didn’t stop them from giving us a little advanced notice about who’ll be taking the reigns in the future. According to the … Continue reading
“Bach’s B-minor Mass? Wow. That is the mountaintop,” says Grant Gershon. He should know. When it comes to choral music in Southern California, likely even the entire country, there isn’t a more prominent musician than the man who is both Music Director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale and Resident Conductor & Chorus Master of … Continue reading
All is Yar 