Last Thursday, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel trotted out the first of two programs they’ll be taking on their upcoming tour of Asia. On the bill: ballet music by Igor Stravinsky — The Firebird Suite (1919 version) and The Rite of Spring — along with the U.S. premiere of Frenzy: a short symphony …
Some good news for all of you fans of Michele Zukovsky: I received official confirmation on when the tenure of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Principal Clarinet will end, and it’s a little later than was originally thought. Her official retirement date will be December 31, 2015, with her final concert less than two weeks before … Continue reading
The Los Angeles Philharmonic plays its first classical concert of this summer’s Hollywood Bowl season tonight, but it will do so without the services of Andrew Bain. Fear not: he’ll be back soon. The orchestra’s Principal Horn has been out and about, no doubt preparing to co-host the 47th International Horn Symposium which will be held in Los … Continue reading
This year’s Hollywood Bowl season is upon us. Things kicked-off a few weeks ago, care of Journey, Ed Sheeran, and a sing-along Sound of Music, among other concerts. The Los Angeles Philharmonic made their summer debut on the Bowl stage playing the score to Back to the Future while the film was shown above their heads, though the … Continue reading
I thought I’d do something a little different for this year’s 4th of July. Instead of the usual patriotic music offering, I’m sharing this wonderful bit of Americana: “Who’s on First,” by Abbott and Costello. It is, in my humble opinion, the best joke ever written and is delivered here with uncanny perfection. Enjoy! RELATED … Continue reading
It’s an overcast and relatively muggy Saturday morning in Ojai. Still here for the 69th edition of the town’s iconic Music Festival and we’re about 45 minutes away from today’s first concert of Day Four (or Three if you don’t count Wednesday night). Planning on detailed reviews of the entire festival experience, but wanted to … Continue reading
Tonight marks the opening concerts in the 2015 rendition of that annual musical adventure known as the Ojai Festival. As is their habit, the folks at Ojai change Music Directors every year, and for this year’s festival, they tapped percussionist extraordinaire, Steven Schick. The Iowa native holds a number of notable posts (Distinguished Professor of … Continue reading
On this Memorial Day, I offer the “Air Force Hymn” sung by the United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chorale. Note that it’s not the “Air Force Song” with which most are familiar (i.e. “Off we go into the wild blue yonder . . . “). Also note that the current official version has slightly different, more … Continue reading
Earlier today, the Los Angeles Master Chorale announced that Jean Davidson will be its new President and CEO beginning August 31, 2015. She takes over the position from Terry Knowles, who is retiring at the end of this season after having led the organization for the past 15 years. Ms. Davidson comes to the Master Chorale from New York … Continue reading
The musicians of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the nomadic London-based chamber orchestra, are no strangers to Southern California. They show up annually on the season schedules of Los Angeles and/or Orange County arts organizations. Two of their most prominent figures — Neville Marriner, founder and Life President, and Iona Brown, former leader and … Continue reading
Delaram Kamareh is not a big believer in doing exactly what everyone thinks a soprano should do, and by extension, what they think SHE should do. As we chat over a bite to eat, she recalls a recent conversation with a would-be agent: “It was pretty clear that we weren’t a good fit for each other. … Continue reading
The New York Philharmonic has named Frank Huang as its new Concertmaster. Mr. Huang, 36 years-old, has been Concertmaster of the Houston Symphony since 2010. He is also on the faculty of Rice University’s Sheppard School of Music. He officially begins his tenure in September. The NY Phil’s concertmaster chair has been vacant since Glenn Dicterow retired last … Continue reading
Sad news for chamber music fans and for anyone who enjoyed a very casual alternative to their summer classical music consumption: Southwest Chamber Music announced that they will end their twenty-year-old summer concert series at The Huntington Library, Art Collection, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, CA. This is definitely a loss for the Southern California classical … Continue reading
Shocking allegations have arisen at Los Angeles Opera overnight. I first caught wind of this yesterday via Twitter, and then the video below popped up. Are illegal and/or unauthorized substances rampant at the company? If so, for how long? Countertenor Darryl Taylor, one of the singers at the center of the controversy, admits to his involvement before angrily … Continue reading
As with many musicians, Gareth Davies (Principal Flute of the London Symphony) publishes a blog. Over the past few weeks, he’s focused his writing on the sights & scenes, trials & tribulations, and fun & foibles of being an Englishman on tour through the Western USA, primarily California. Earlier today, I was perusing his posts when the following … Continue reading
The London Symphony, 111-year old bastion of UK musical institutions famed for its virtuosity and flexibility, is an orchestra in transition. The peripatetic Valery Gergiev remains its official Principal Conductor through the end of this year, but the LSO created a big splash earlier this month when it announced that Simon Rattle will become its Music … Continue reading
All is Yar 